Exploration Zodiac

Prologue

Legends have it that the zodiac wheel has rose again. Twelve beings tied to an endless cycle. Just as endless as the two dogs chasing a rabbit.

As the tale goes, Canis Major is always on a chase for Lepus in the sky. It's as endless as everything. Canis Minor too is also in the chase. It's been like this for centuries until one day a shift in the stars happened. Canis Major and Minor has stopped chasing Lepus. They all seemed at peace... that was until a pulse shocked the universe that changed everything.

The two dogs slowly walked along the night sky with the rabbit close behind. All three were headed somewhere and anyone they passed stepped aside. Canis Major lead the group. Head up tall and proud. He growled at anyone that looked.

"And how close are we to the stone?" Lepus asked as she hopped behind the smaller dog.
"Not much longer. Should be up ahead." Canis Major sighed. He signaled with his tail to step when they reached a cave. It was engravings in it and on the sides. Pictures and the faint glow of stars emitted light. Canis Major entered the cave first and smiled. There it was. The wheel of the zodiacs. He laughed and turned to Canis Minor and Lepus.

"Here it is. The zodiac wheel. As amazing and grand as they say it is. Imagine us ruling the sky like how our master wanted us too. They fought him off and hurt him for too long!" Canis Major barked. Slowly he pressed a paw on the center. Lepus and Canis Minor got closer to watch. The bigger dog looked at the symbols before snickering and placed the paw fully on the symbol for Aries...

——————

The brown cat woke up in a heap of sweat. It was early morning. Birds softly chirping as the sun rose. Air cool and crisp. Aries slowly regained his breath and got up onto his paws. He scanned the den he was in with the other two fire signs before making his way outside. Aries padded around a little and found himself on a log. They had made a home in the middle of a lightly dense forest. Enough trees for shelter but not enough to block out light. The ram cat lied down on a log and groomed his fur up.

"Aries? What are you doing so up?" A voice called. Aries turned his head before seeing Aquarius, a fellow air sign. A gorgeous silver tabby molly.

"Aquarius. Morning. It's nothing just... I just woke up early." Aries mumbled and invited the molly to take a seat beside him. Aquarius obliged and sat down beside him.

"Well I guess maybe I didn't just wake up." Aries sighed.
"I'd figured. What's up?" Aquarius answered as she gazed into the rising sun.
"I had a dream. Two dogs and a rabbit made their way to the zodiac stone. A weird pulse shocked my body when one of them touched it. Must of touched my sign specifically..." He explained. Aries tapped his paw against the log as he kept thinking to himself.

"Interesting. A dream is a dream but yours seems different then normal. Perhaps we'll keep a better eye on it." Aquarius answered. She hopped off the log and made her way to a nearby puddle and lapped at the water. "And you're sure this isn't because you're sleep deprived?"
"Aqua I'm sure! Never mind is isn't important. Im going back to camp. You can meet me if you'd like or tag along."

"I'll be going my own way. Saggi said she'd be meeting up with me once she wakes up to hunt a few mice. Anything you want in specific Aries? We can try and find it for you."

"Just a squirrel maybe. Yeah a squirrel! Thanks Aqua. I'll see you around." Aries gave the other cat a nuzzle before the two parted ways. The ram cat entered the main area of the camp again now to be greeted by a few more of the zodiacs. Of course Sagittarius was awake. That bright ginger tabby and white she cat was always bright and happy in the morning. How did she do it Aries didn't know.

Next he saw was the water signs. All three were awake and lounging in a shaded area. The youngest was Pisces. Well he was the youngest out of all of them. A gray and white tom with some fish like features. Aries had to laugh when seeing the fish tail on the youngest gently slapping the oldest water sign on the head. Ah yes, the crabby kitty in the morning Cancer. The red ticked tom wasn't the fullest fan of early morning disruptions but he seemed more calm around Scorpio, the black and brown bellied she cat.

'There's something about them I can't put my mind onto' the ram thought before he focused on the last cat awake, Leo... of course. The bright golden tabby tom. Good ol' Leo trying to see if he looked good so far. "Leo you just woke up everyone looks like shit in the morning!" Aries called out with a small laugh. The lion colored tom only hissed and trotted off back into the fire sign den.

He kept laughing but stopped shortly after when his eyes caught ahold of a darker brown tom running to him. "Taurus? What's wrong?"

Taurus skidded to a halt and caught his breathe before asking, "Can we speak alone real quickly. I think this is something you want to hear." Aries was a little confused but accepted it anyways. The two strayed a little father from the others and lied down.

"I had a dream... two dogs and a rabbit approaching the zodiac wheel." Taurus explained briefly. This caught the oldest's cats attention. "I... I also had that dream but mine they also touched the wheel. More specifically my sign."

"But then now come yours seemed longer and then mine was simply shorter?" Taurus asked. He paused to think. They both did. "The only thing I can think of is based on our order. You're first and I'm next. What if the dream was a snippet of what was to come?"

Aries thought about it for a little. Could it be? Maybe? No it wouldn't? "Maybe... I'll think about it further later. Thanks for bringing it to my attention." As he was about to leave, the ram cat stopped and collapsed to the ground with a wailing screech. He soon passed out. Taurus raced to his side and so did the others. The scream woke the other four up and soon 9 cats had surrounded the eldest.

"Back away give him some space!" Cancer shouted trying to move the others away but to no avail. He was about to scream when Aries let out another gasp and snapped back to reality.

"Aries!" Pisces wailed and shoved past everyone to nudge the cat. "Pisces give him some room." Scorpio mumbled and dragged the cat away. Aries slowly recovered and Virgo took over in analyzing him. "He seems fine but I don't understand what it could of been." The brown tabby she cat mumbled.

The cats murmured to each other before it went silent at the sound of a voice.

"We need to go rjght now... we need to go contact the night sky right now."

"Aries? What are you talking about? The contact place for the night sky is only for emergencies. You passing out isn't one." Capricorn spoke but he regretted that when the tom leapt up and pinned the gray pointed tom down. "I said now! Did you not understand me? We have no time to lose okay?!" Aries snarled and got off just in time for Aquarius and Sagittarius to return.

"You two! I need you and Gemini to come with me to go to the area to summon the night sky." Aries commanded as he raced to the two she cats.

"But why them? You know I'm just as capable of doing these missions. Aries I know we don't have a good relation but you should really be accompanied by the biggest cat here." Leo spoke up but was silenced by Aries's paw. "Not now. I want these three. They have better connections anyways. Come on." Aries left the camp leaving the eleven remaining cats confused and scared. Aquarius, Gemini, and Sagittarius did follow Aries after a few seconds of hesitance. It was only the ram who knew what was happening and they'd just have to trust him.