Pharast of 4713. The first riot.

Oraneta stands on the landing by the stairs, corralling yet another hissing cat towards the growing mass of felines. "Come on, Morrut," she mutters, recognizing the tom's scarred ear. Her own kitten, Sutge, mews softly from inside her shirt. Her mother, Núria, looms at the top of the stairs, resplendent and terrifying in her Imperial Torturer's uniform. The prim black-and-red forms a stark contrast to her wild, unfocused eyes.

"Faster! Get them all here, now!" Núria shrieks. "Llamp! Fredolic! Where are you?"

Joana, the maid, stumbles past with an armful of spitting cats. "Mistress, please," she gasps, "The mob is nearly here. We must flee!"

Núria's head swivels away. "Nonsense. My creatures will protect us. All my babies." Her voice drops to a manic whisper. "They'll shred the mob to ribbons."

Núria's gaze snaps to Oraneta, zeroing in on the lump in her shirt. "Give me Sutge," she demands, reaching out. "Every cat must fight. Even the little ones."

"No!" Oraneta cries, backing away.

The front door splinters. The roar of the mob fills the house. Núria lets out an inhuman screech, and suddenly the landing is alive with cats, multiplying exponentially. They pour down the stairs- hissing and spitting.

"Stay here!" Núria commands, grabbing Oraneta's arm. "You'll see. They'll all pay!"

Oraneta struggles against her mother's grip. In the chaos, she twists free, stumbling backwards. Núria turns to face the door, arms outstretched, calling to her feline army.

Oraneta doesn't hesitate. With Sutge still clinging to her shirt, she clambers up to the roof and down the old oak tree.

As she descends, her mother's screams pierce the air, mixing with triumphant roars of the crowd. Oraneta hits the ground running. She never sees them hang her mother.