Children of Bast

  And then it began.

  Chapter 21

  Lovers will no doubt point out that the elegance and dignity of cats are the consequence of their sojourn in the temples of the gods, where their attitudes and movements were regarded as divine prognostications. Be that as it may, it is obvious that the cat’s wealth of expressions make it an ideal candidate for such a role. Unlike the dog, which either wags its tail or does not wag its tail, the cat possess a wide range to convey its emotions: It arches its back, makes its fur stand on end, meows, rubs itself against furniture and against humans, purrs, lashes its tail, spits and hisses. The priests of Bast, therefore, had ample material for interpretation. Phillippe Diole

  Without warning I was ripped from sleep by a pain in my belly that felt like I’d been hacked in two. I puked and began to shake. Fergus was up immediately.

  “Nebibi? What’s going on?” He licked my ear.

  “Sick.” I puked again. “Feel horrible.” I tried to get up but couldn’t, so I rolled on my side and stretched out. Fergus licked my face and laid down beside me. I looked at him and saw he was talking to me, but I couldn’t hear him. His face dimmed and I fell into a dark place. A buzz sang in my ears, and I felt myself flip over once, then everything went black.

  The next thing I knew I was walking along a street in a strange town. The street was paved with stones, and on my side white buildings with dark lines running down had upper parts hanging over the street so I could walk under them. On the other side were stonewalls with trees growing out of them. Strange scents I could not identify swirled around me as I walked slowly toward a house at the far end of the street. It had white walls, too, with dark stripes and a high roof.

  When I got closer to the house, an old man with white faraawi on his head and face came out, followed by a small black and white mollie. The man sat a bowl of food down, stroked the amait who stroked him in turn with her tail, and went back into the house.

  “Join me,” the amait said, looking at me with beautiful green eyes, which surprised me being in a black and white amait.

  “No, thanks. I’m not hungry.”

  “You must be after being so sick” She smiled.

  “How did you know I was sick?” I was astonished and scared. I stepped back.

  “Don’t be scared. Come and eat a little bit. You’ll feel better.”

  I went into the yard and noticed it was a garden with beautiful flowers growing everywhere. That was the strange scent. She stood back and purred when I took a bite of her food, but when I looked up, huge trees surrounded me and blotted out the light. I was terrified, Chubby. So terrified that I couldn’t move. I wrapped my tail around myself, hunkered down and began to wail. I was totally lost. It was a dream, only I could see and hear and taste and, most of all, smell. No other dream had let me to do any of that.

  Fog appeared, which scared me more, and I heard rustling near me accompanied by a scent I recognized--Adele. I froze. A shadow came out of a large bush not far from me and walked in my direction. It crossed a splash of light, and I saw who it was and almost fainted. My mouth went dry and I couldn’t blink my eyes. It was Adele.

  All I could do was stare as she approached. Touching my nose with hers, nibbling playfully and licking my ears, she caressed me with her tail and laid down, snuggling to me. I had stopped breathing by then.

  “So good to see you, Gaylord. I’ve missed.” Her voice was soft like I remembered. “Have you missed me?”

  I couldn’t answer because my throat felt like I’d swallowed sand. All I could do was purr out loud. After I wagged my tongue around, I found enough spit to say, “Yes.”

  “I know this is scaring you insane, but try not to give in to it. You brought me here. I sprang from your memory of me and from the love you hold for me in your heart. Don’t be afraid, sweet Gaylord, please. I’ve been with you from the day I died, but now you see me because you’re close to death, and death opens our eyes and our minds completely.”

  She nuzzled my flank and patted me with her paw. I relaxed a bit and turned to look at her. She was so beautiful I cried.

  “Come on.” She and licked my tears away. “We don’t have a lot of time and we can’t spend it crying. We need to talk.”

  “Okay.” My lower jaw quivered and I couldn’t stop staring at her.

  “Now, I’ve got to tell you a few things and you’ve got to listen closely.” She dropped down in front of me. “Gaylord, you’re not going to die. Fergus thinks you are, and you look awful, but you’ll pull through. You’ll be very sick for a while, but you’ll be all right soon.”

  “What’s wrong with me?”

  “One of the mice you ate had just eaten a load of rat poison before you got him. In short, you had a poisoned mouse.”

  “I’ll never eat a mouse again. Don’t like ‘em anyway.”

  “Whatever. Now listen. You need to go back to Pauly’s and make up with Millicent. She’s the best amait you’ll find, and I want you to make friends with her. Don’t be an arrogant, egotistical, pigheaded fool. Okay?”

  “I’m really all that?”

  “Yes, you are at times. You’re also sweet and kind, you’re giving and loving, and you’re brave and fearless. But, Millicent needs you, and you need her. I’m dead, and there’s nothing we can do about that. Return me to that special, beautiful place in your mind and keep me there for the rest of your life. Visit me from time to time, but your life is different now. Live it and be grateful.” She got up, washed my face and kissed my nose. “We will be together again sometime. I love you forever, sweet Gaylord.”

  “And I love you forever, too, my Adele. My beautiful, wise Adele.”

  Suddenly, I could see through her and she melted into the woods. I was dizzy, and I was being roughed up. Something was rolling me around and licking my eyes and ears. I shook my head, tried to stand and open my eyes. Fergus was hovering over me.

  “You gonna die on me?” I could see tears running down his face.

  I couldn’t stand. “No, Fergus, I’m not gonna die on you. But I’m gonna be really sick, and I’m never eating a mouse again. Hear?”

  “Oh, that’s so cool, Little Buddy. Lemme give you a bath.”

  “Uh, not necessary. Been bathed, and whatever you were doing to me when I woke up, stop. Back off. I need to sleep.” Everything went black again but I didn’t dream.

  When I came around, Fergus sat in front of me, tail sweeping back and forth, with a tuyuur in his mouth. He dropped it. “I thought maybe a tuyuur might go down easier at Tuyuur Song.”

  I yawned, got up and tried to stretch, but I fell back on my side feeling like I’d never slept. “So, it’s Tuyuur Song? How long have I been out?”

  “A long time. How do you feel?”

  “Like I’ve been shaken by a large kilaab. Thanks for the tuyuur, but my stomach says, ‘No.’”

  “’S okay. I’ll eat it later. I can always get you another one.” He picked it up and moved it away.

  “Where are we?” It was dark but I could see outlines of stones and bricks all around. I was warm enough that I wasn’t shivering. I looked out the opening and saw bašar feet going by.

  “A hole in a wall. Found it when it was cold. Warm in here and out of the rain and stuff. I actually think it’s part of my territory.” He began cleaning his front paws.

  “How’d I get here?”

  “I drug you here. Did it late so no one would see us.”

  I fell asleep again, and when I woke up Fergus was gone and I could see it was still dark out. I struggled to my feet. I felt shaky but a little stronger, so I managed to stand and walk to the opening and peer out. Snow was falling, and I was cold, which added to my despair. I mean here I was sick, needing to get to Millicent before she disappeared, still grieving over Adele, and snow is falling and piling up. I knew it would trap me inside. How was I going to get across town?

  Fergus squeezed in with another tuyuur. He laid it at my feet. “You gotta be hungry by now.”

&
nbsp; “I’ll try to eat.” Fergus ripped the feathers off its belly for me, but when I bit into it, I immediately hurled. “Sorry, Fergus, it’s not going to happen yet.”

  A lot of time passed before I could eat and stand. Fergus brought me tuyuur after tuyuur, stripping the feathers and opening the bellies, but each time I puked it. Finally, I ate and felt my strength return almost immediately. Soon, I was back to normal.

  “I gotta go.”

  “Go? Go where? Nebibi, you almost died. You don’t need to go anywhere.”

  “I have to find Millicent. Adele told me to do it, so I feel I have to.”

  “Adele?”

  “She came to me in a dream when I was passed out. She told me to go back.”

  “You need more sleep, Buddy. You’re crackin’ up.”

  “It’s true, Fergus. I gotta go.”

  “You’ll never make it across town.” He turned his back on me and sat down. His tail looked like a snake in agony.

  “Come on, don’t be mad. I’ll come back. I came back this time, didn’t I?”

  He said nothing for a long time, then, “Yeah, but who’s to say you will again?”

  “Come with me. It’ll be fun, the two of us terrorizing the campus. How’s about it?” I got down in front of him and started nuzzling and licking him, and purring like mad.

  He didn’t say anything. I continued to purr and nuzzle him. Finally he said, “Okay, but no way will I stay there. I’ll go with you because you’re too sick and too stupid to make it on your own. But I’m coming back here, dig?”

  “Dig!” I started hopping around and cuffing his ears. He caught me and flipped me over and pinned me.

  “You’re from two worlds, you know that Kith Brain. Here on the street you’re a wild amait, thanks to me and Mutt. But you’re a housie, too; you’ve been there and know what it’s like. Me, I’ve never been there and don’t wanna be, ever. This is my home, and I love it.” He let me up and laid down. “You’re my brother, Nebibi, especially since Mutt died.” He paused. “I came lookin’ for you once, you know that?”

  “Yeah, I heard.”

  “I was worried about you and I missed you.” He paused and put his head down.

  I knew what he said was right. I was drawn to two worlds; wherever I was, that’s where I wanted to be.

  He looked at me and smiled. “Nebibi, you are so kith brained. Millicent will lead you around by the nose. You’ll do what she says, and she won’t leave the warm and easy life of that bašar den. You’ll be a soft as khara housie again.” He paused, turned away and sighed. “I’ve known too many housies. Thank Bast I’m so ugly no bašar would take me, or I’d be trapped.”

  “You’re not ugly. I don’t think Pauly cares about looks, just as long as you’re an amait. Besides, he leaves a door open and you can get out any time you want. I got out, didn’t I?”

  He looked at me with sad eyes, and then licked my nose.

  “Okay. It’s a deal, but I mean what I say.

  “I hear ya. Hey, got another tuyuur?”

  “No, and I’m not going out in that snow. Go get a mouse.”

  “I’ll pass.”

  Chapter 22

  Some people have cats and go on to lead normal lives.Author Unknown

  It stopped snowing at Tuyuur Song, and we started off. I was still a little weak, but as I moved I got stronger. Just layin’ around is never good.

  Fergus seemed to enjoy getting out and seeing some new places. He and Mutt seldom went anywhere. Maybe across the grass opposite the lake to an old abandoned junkyard that was creepy, and guarded by two kalb that would simply eat you if they caught you.

  They loved to torment the kalb. Mutt would get one chasing him around this broken-down shed in the middle of the place and would disappear by jumping on a windowsill. The poor idiot kilaab would keep running, and as he passed the window, Mutt would pounce on his back and bite a chunk out of his ear. The kilaab would scream like a fire engine and Mutt would run, scoot under the fence and sit there cleaning himself while the kilaab went nuts trying to get at him. First time I saw it, I thought I’d laugh and die.

  Fergus loved to hide, meow, and then move to another place. The kalb would tear up the first place they’d heard Fergus until he meowed again from another spot. They’d race there, grunt, bark and dig their claws bloody, then go to the next place when they heard Fergus. I guess they didn’t have very good noses because they never sniffed him out, and Fergus could keep them going forever.

  Anyway, it took us from Tuyuur Song to End of Light to get to the campus. If I hadn’t gotten sick on the way, we could have made it sooner.

  “I can’t remember where we go from here. Let’s get something to eat while I think.”

  “Great, Little Kith. I come all the way here, and you’re lost.”

  “Hey, give me a break. I was thrown into something that moved, and when they dumped us from the sack, I was there. Okay? And all the amai in the world were inside the sack and sitting on me, yowling and hissing and fighting.”

  “Okay. Where’s the best place to hunt around here?”

  “Around here it’s the dumpsters down that alley.” I led him to where Adele and I met. “Rats mingle with mice under these things, and they’re so fat they can’t run. Easy pickings.”

  We went for a rat apiece right away and crawled under a parked car to eat. We were lucky: the car was still warm. Rat! I love rat now, but I’ve already said that.

  “So where to. It’s cold out here.”

  “I remember when I left Pauly’s, I wandered around for quite a while until I saw the college. Back there.” I pointed my ears toward a huge field in back of one of the buildings where young bašar liked to meet. “It’s a hard field to cross. Sharp spikes stick up and cut your paws.”

  “Let’s try it. I repeat: I’m cold.”

  It was easier to walk this time because the spikes weren’t as sharp, but there was ice and we slipped a lot. I tried to find something familiar. I opened my mouth and sipped the air, trying to pick up a scent of amai. Nothing. Just the sickening smell of the field that seemed to come from the spikes.

  Fergus walked beside me, not saying a word and breathing heavily. I wasn’t sure how old he was, but I knew he was older than me. Like you are Chubby.

  ~ ~ ~ ~

  “Watch it, Kith. The fist. Remember the fist.”

  “I will, Old Timer. I will.”

  ~ ~ ~ ~

  I knew if I asked Fergus how old he was, he’d slap me silly and tell me he didn’t know, which was probably true. But I wondered if the walk was too much for him. Just then I spotted a fence out of the corner of my eye.

  “Fergus, let’s go this way. I think we’re close.”

  “If not, bury me here.” He was panting hard now.

  We were lucky. The fence was the one in back of Pauly’s house, and I recognized the swinging door. “In that door. We’re home.”

  “We’re here, Nebibi, not home.”

  I went in first and sniffed the air, which was full of amait and bašar scent. Kilaab scent hung there, too, but I was too excited about being back. I stuck my head out the swinging door and called to Fergus who was laying on the cold ground. “Come on. Get in here. It’s warm.”

  He pulled himself up and crawled slowly inside. “Lead me to a bed. I’ve had it.”

  “Hey, who’s . . . Gaylord? You’re back.” It was Neko, the one they called Cop Car with the facemask.

  “Hey, Neko. Yeah, I’m back. This is Fergus, my old friend from the streets.”

  “Glad to meet you, Fergus.” She rubbed nose. “Good to have you.” She turned to me and smiled. “I told everyone you’d be back. It’s cold out there.”

  “Anywhere I can drop?” Fergus asked.

  “Yeah,” Neko answered. “Follow me.” We went to a room I’d not seen before leaving, and it had a lot of furniture in it, including an old sofa. “Make yourself at home.”

  Without hesitation Fergus was on the sofa and a
sleep before we left.

  “Why’d you come back?”

  “I need to see Millicent.”

  “Good luck.” We walked over to food dishes lined against a wall. “Ever since you left she’s been in a horrible mood. Spitting and hissing at everyone, even sweet Abyad. She doesn’t talk to anyone. She eats, disappears and only reappears to eat again. Trips outside are late at night when we’re layin’ around yakkin’. So, walk carefully when you see her. She may bite your tail off.”

  “Call me a manx.” She smiled. “It’s my fault, Neko. We argued before I left. In fact that’s why I left. I didn’t want to take a chance of fighting with her. She was ready to slug me, and I couldn’t let that happen. So I left.”

  “Where to?”

  “Over by the lake where I lived all summer with a couple of friends, Fergus being one. The other one, Mutt, got killed by a car.”

  “Sorry. It’s great to have Fergus here, though. Another tom is so welcome. A clowder of just mollies is icky.”

  “He’s not staying. He’s strictly a street amait and won’t hear of anything else. He’s not fond of bašar, will eat only fresh killed food and hates kalb with a passion.”

  “Uh, oh! We got kalb.”

  “I thought I smelled them when I was here. Where?”

  “Upstairs. They belong to Pauly and Trish. You mean you never saw them when you were here?”

  “No. I only smelled their stink mixed with the perfume of amait. I may leave, too, because I love kalb as much as Fergus does.”

  Neko looked at me and grinned. “They’re nice kalb. They come down here and play with us. Just play. Never hurt one of us. We crawl all over them like bugs, bite their ears and play with their tongues that soak us. Really, Gaylord, there are very nice kalb.”

  “A nice kilaab is a dead kilaab.”

  “I see you haven’t changed,” a soft voice said from behind me. I whirled around. It was Millicent. “Still the arrogant pile of khara you’ve always been.”