Prologue: Battle Cry, Imagine Dragons

"Your life continues because you have been spared the mines. You are given food and shelter in exchange for laurels in the arena. Do not forget that. And do not raise your weapon to any of the men in jest. One day you could be fighting with him at your back, to find your only ally would see you dead just as readily as your opponent," Livia coldly reminded him. Her cheeks were a bit flushed from anger though it could easily be dismissed as the heat of the morning sun, or the honeyed wine she drank from in a polished

A bush rustles nearby as ferns dance in the evening winds. A green-eyed tomcat pads silently amongst the undergrowth. A small squeak accompanied by the quiver of delicate whiskers as a mouse perks up, alert. The feline bristles, leaping somewhat sloppily and just about ready to strike the mouse as it squeaks in terror and…..

This cat is probably out to steal prey from my territory. It looks like I am going to have to deal with the intruder by myself, apprentice though I am. The thought fills me with nervous excitement. I begin padding quickly after it, gaining speed until I am sprinting toward it. The cat turns, eyes wide, reflecting the moon. It turns tail at the sight of me and bolts, its fear scent trailing behind it. I give chase, yowling a battle cry. The cat is a she-cat and has significantly shorter legs than I do. I quickly overtake her. I leap, landing on her back, and dig my claws in. Her pelt is hard to grip, her pale fur plastered with the mud she used to hide her rival-Clan scent with. She is not as strong as I am, I realize, as she crumples under my weight; still, she possesses significant strength and muscle beneath her pelt. The cat screeches in alarm, twists onto her back and tries to claw at my belly with her hind claws. Her eyes blaze with fury and terror, and suddenly I recognize this little cat.

Everything just felt like if it had fallen in place at this point. He was ready to prove to himself and his father that he was focused and that he would become the best cadet ever and eventually graduate to become a well respected educated, trained and inspired leader of character.

They all set off into the city, terrified. There was a great possibility that there would be some cats.

He screamed and charged her blindly. Her attack further angered him. Seeing his army cut to ribbons by a group of women sent him over the edge. He wouldn’t be shamed into retreat. He swung his blade wildly trying to claim his prize.

“O. M. G.” he yelled and suddenly slunked to the ground. “I can't live like this, knowing I was involved in this horrid massacre!” He was slowly carried

He seemed to shake himself out of his disappointment at this and scrambled to his paws, eyes blazing with determination. "I'll be the best warrior ever then!" He squeaked, racing out of the medicine den, much to the relief of Rosepool. At least she had avoided that disaster for

It felt to Gilhain that he now lived on the Cardurleth. He dared not leave it, for the attacks of the enemy did not let up. And he trusted to no other to organize the defense. Not that others were incompetent; there were many who could do the task, but the responsibility was his alone.

Identifying characters in novels as either a virtuous hero or a malicious villain can appear to be a simple task, yet it is far more complex than many readers realize. The champion of a story must be just and his opposition purely evil. The gallant knight must be saving the princess from the wicked dragon. The knight in this classic tale is rather obviously deemed the protagonist of the story and the dragon the antagonist. Yet, they never stop to consider who the knight is, or that perhaps the dragon is not so vicious as he appears, or that perhaps simply because the knight is the protagonist does not mean he is a hero. A Sensation Novel by W.S. Gilbert, a musical play about four people forced to play roles in the novel

Her rage and frustration increased threefold, "How low you have fallen. The mighty monarch of the great beasts, tormenting peaceful travelers that pass though. Your honor is but a sham!"

“You were supposed to take him to his fight, yet you decided to torture him.” Renee said angrily. “Get on your knees

He waited. Men died. Elugs died. The battlements roiled with the finely balanced potentials of victory and defeat.

He looked docile but he was a formidable opponent and could easily annihilate a person with one word, one look or one action, just like a lion protecting his pride. But on the other end of the scale, he could reward you with the sweetest smile, as if all your sunshine’s had come out at once.

While returning from a dip, at high Street, Montmorency saw a large cat, Tom, and ran after it. But as he reached near it, he did not act violently but surrendered to the gentleness of the cat.