Grace and the Drawl
From within the chamber a small door moved ever so slightly, then after a few seconds, opened fully and out climbed Vintus, followed by Boot and the rest of the rescue team.
‘Well, where is she?’ whispered Boot looking around.
‘I don’t know. She was here not twenty minutes ago. Look the bed is still warm. We can’t have missed her by much,’ Vintus replied hopefully.
‘Darn, you should have taken her when you had the chance,’ Boot snapped, looking around the room. ‘Ok men it’s going to get messy from here on in.’
Boot nodded to Scooter and they crept over to the door. Scooter threw it open and stuck his head out.
‘I say lads, any chance of a hand in here?’ he said cheerfully to the two guards. Then he disappeared back into the room and closed the door. The guards stared at each other in bewilderment, turned, threw the door open and rushed into the room. Boot and Scooter brought their clenched fists down on the guards’ necks and they dropped like two sacks of spuds.
‘Scooter, Buso, they look about your size, change into their uniforms.’ With Scooter and Buso now leading in the guards’ uniforms, they marched off down the corridors as fast as they dared.
***
The ceremonial room was not large, but still big enough to contain the thirty or so cats that had arrived for the night. They were all dressed in the same white robes. The only exceptions were Grace in her red kimono and the Pope in his purple robe. Grace was led into the room and sat down on a large, low table in the centre of the room. After the Pope was seated, everyone else sat. Thaal entered and took a seat at the table next to the papal table. He was dressed to suit his position with a small sword at his belt that symbolized his rank as head of the Papal army. He was the only one allowed to carry weapons apart from the temple guards.
‘Good cats of the faith!’ Garvin started. ‘We are assembled here tonight because it was written. The texts speak of her coming. They tell us that she will be our saviour, and lead us to peace with our enemies. Tonight we celebrate her arrival, tonight is all in her honour! Your holiness, learned colleagues and esteemed guests. May I introduce to you, Grace, from the third dimension.’
The crowd applauded rather sedately. There was more of an awe of wonder and respect than excitement. Tough crowd thought Garvin who enjoyed public speaking. He loved being the centre of attention, sharing it only if he had to.
He clapped his hands and the food was brought in, great silver trays covered in an array of colourful fruits, meats, and fowl. Large jugs of wine and freshly baked breads that, while still warm, filled the air with a yeasty smell.
Grace tried to stand, but her head was spinning, she felt worse now than before her nap. Her vision was blurry and her hands were starting to shake. The faces of smiling cats whirled about her, the laughing; the smells of exotic foods overwhelming all her senses. Mercifully the ceremony was short and after the Pope had made a brief speech about the significance of Grace’s visit and how much work lay ahead in bringing the faith to the humans, everyone ate. Grace vaguely remembered shaking the Pope’s paw, though she thought maybe she was supposed to have kissed it instead. If one thing was certain about cats they could eat, there wasn’t a thing left within fifteen minutes. A few hopeful stragglers picked over the remains of an orange stuffed duck in vain.
Eventually, all that remained were Thaal and a few other serious looking cats.
‘It is time Garvin, to complete the ritual,’ said Thaal in a deep baritone voice. ‘As it was written in the prophecy,’ he continued, stepping down to the table where Grace sat trembling.
The other cats assembled around Grace and Thaal reached inside his robes.
‘When cometh the one from the lower dimensions, whose sacrifice will lead us to peace,’ chanted Garvin and the other priests.
These were the members of the innermost order, those closest to the real knowledge of the faith, the ones who disseminated the teachings and scriptures to the faithful. They were the ones who controlled what cats believed, directed their worship and prayers. These, who had omitted the word sacrifice from the public, were now assembled around Grace, who they had stretched out before them. Thaal raised a large spiral shaped dagger that he had withdrawn from inside his robes.
‘To his care I commend thee,’ he prayed.
‘To his care we commend thee,’ the rest of the faithful chanted.
It was with a very large crash that Boot came flying into the room, Scooter to his right, the rest of his squad following immediately behind. Unarmed but deadly, Boot leapt onto Thaal with his talons extended. Fur flew and cats hissed at each other as the trained soldiers made short work of the old priests. Thaal was younger, however, and his wiry frame was strong. He was also armed, and in a violent rage.
‘How dare you!’ he spat. ‘How dare you defile the sacred temple and bring violence into this house of the Gods.’ The irony was lost on Thaal but Boot managed a smirk as he ducked between the thrusts of Thaal’s ceremonial sword.
‘Sergeant, the girl doesn’t look too good!’ shouted one of his men behind him. Boot remembered the pills in his pocket, tossed them to his men.
‘Give her one of these,’ he yelled ducking a very nasty swipe that, if it had connected, might well have taken Boot’s head clean off.
‘You are a very nasty cat!’ hissed Boot, baring his long white fangs.
Thaal hissed back, his fangs more yellow with age, and his hackles erect as a sign of his fury. Thaal was working his way across the room. As he had no hope of finishing the sacrifice, his thoughts turned to escape. He drew his sword back to throw it, aiming for the now upright Grace. Boot turned and leapt as Thaal let fly and the sword sailed through the air tip over hilt tracing a deadly arc. Boot’s fingers almost closed around the handle, almost, but not quite. The weapon continued towards Grace. Boot wasn’t the only one to see it, however. Scooter, who had been crouching beside one of the fallen priests, leapt with all the power stored in his haunches. He took the sword in mid flight. His judgment was out, however, and the blade struck the flesh of his arm rather than landing safely in his claws. It stung worse than a javoir bee sting. Thaal seized his opportunity and disappeared through the Pope’s special door, locking it from the inside as the door slammed shut in Boot’s face. Boot and the rest of the soldiers regrouped around Grace, who was starting to show a healthier colour in her cheeks.
‘You’re going to be fine,’ consoled Amandus. ‘Boot said the pill you have swallowed is going to counteract the effects of the decoherence.’ Vintus stroked Amandus behind the ears.
It’s just as well we bumped into you again,’ he whispered smiling very sweetly.
‘You had better get yourselves and this young lady out of here quick smart Mister, before I call the palace guard. What a mess. Who is going to clean this up?’ Amandus replied in a scolding voice that made Vintus cower away.
Boot’s squad helped Scooter and Grace to the door. Boot looked back at the room that Amandus and Tinus had already started to tidy.
‘What about the priests?’ he asked.
‘Oh I don’t think they will have anything to say, seeing as they were acting against our Pope’s blessing. I think they will be very quiet indeed. Now go!’
Boot and his team disappeared down the corridor and as they vanished the two maids set about cleaning up.
***
Thaal activated the mechanism that opened the Pope’s private entrance. He slipped through into the dark corridor and headed madly down the granite tiled floor. He ran fast and his heart was pounding so hard he feared it might tear its way out of his chest. After fifteen minutes Thaal stopped to listen. Silence. Nobody was following him. He looked about, straightening his robe and wiped the grime off his forehead.
‘Curse that damn scout!’ he spat angrily into the night. ‘Now how is the prophecy to be fulfilled?’ It was going to take a lot more planning and cunning to get a second chance at the girl. Maybe next time he wouldn’t have the luxury of ceremony. A
fter all, the prophecy didn’t mention anything about how the sacrifice should be made, merely that a sacrifice was required. Thaal smiled to himself. Yes, he could still accomplish this and save his brethren. He would make the offering of the human child and become the saviour of his people. His name would go down in the great book with the other holy vessels and live on forever. Who knows? I may even become a saint.
‘Saint Thaal.’ He rolled the words around in his mouth, speaking them softly, reverently. ‘Yes, I do like the sound of that.’
He removed the dagger from within his robes and studied its golden handle, the pommel encrusted with two large red rubies and one magnificent green emerald. The hand guard was made of two entwined serpents wrapped in a rose vine. It was a magnificent piece of work, an original Nagamitsu, the greatest feline swordsmith to ever forge steel. He replaced it reverently back under his robes and continued once again on into the night.
Thaal stopped to look at a sewer trapdoor. He could take refuge in the bowels of the city but the others would be down there. He shuddered as he recalled the putrid smell. Besides, they would have heard of his failure by now. No! There are plenty of faithful who will hide me in the city he thought as he disappeared into the night.
Chapter Eight
Grace was feeling much better. The effects of the decoherence were wearing off and she could now stand unaided. Her vision had cleared and the headache had run off to hide at the back of her neck before eventually being chased off completely. She idly picked up a piece of wood that was lying beside Boot and pitched it into the distance watching Lou as he took off after it, tripping over his floppy ears when he ran too fast.
‘I didn’t get a chance to thank you,’ she said to Boot, suddenly aware that this was the same cat that crept through her house at night, sometimes if he was very lucky, even slept at the foot of Grace’s bed. She suddenly felt very bad about all the cold tinned fish that she had lazily spooned into Boot’s dish every night.
‘Ay?’ said Boot as he looked up from his work. He was busy banging on his sword with something that wouldn’t look astray in a big brass band. He would pour water down it, then hit it, listen and hit it again. It was most vexing to the uninitiated.
‘Oh yes, that, um don’t mention it. It’s what I do. I protect humans and you’re one of mine.’
It was funny to hear it put like that. Grace had always thought of Boot as belonging to her family, not the other way around. Grace wrestled the stick away from Lou and pretended to throw it again. Poor Lou ran off madly in a great circle looking for it.
‘Well just so you know I appreciate it.’ She gave Boot a big hug, almost lifting him off the ground. It was rather awkward and Boot looked around to see if anyone had noticed. If it was at all possible for a cat to blush Boot would have been scarlet with embarrassment.
‘Why did those cats take me away and try and hurt me like that?’ asked Grace hating the sound of the question as it hung in the air. She didn’t really want to talk about it, but she needed some answers to let it rest within herself. Boot drew in a deep breath.
‘Well,’ he began, ‘that’s a long story. Without overloading you with too much detail, there are two leaders in our world. There is the Pope, who is the head of our religious faith. You met him already I believe?’ Grace shot Boot a nasty look, ‘Err yes, and the supreme ruler of our land is the Emperor. His power is ultimate and supersedes that of any other, including the Pope. However, there are some within the faith who disagree. They believe that the Gods are the ultimate authority and that, as their vessel here, the Cat Pope is nearer to the gods. Do you follow what I’m saying?’
Grace nodded her head.
‘Yes, yes,’ she said. ‘It all sounds just like the restoration in the fifteenth century. It was a bloody and terrible time in England’s history.’ Grace liked history, and unlike math and science, usually managed to stay focused throughout her classes to the point where she even enjoyed completing her homework assignments.
‘Quite,’ Boot nodded not knowing what he was agreeing with but since Grace appeared a little less gloomy all of a sudden he didn’t want to spoil the moment.
‘So you were abducted by religious extremists who had their own interpretation of a theological document that was written ages ago.’ It was a mouthful for Boot.
‘The prophecy?’ interrupted Grace excitedly.
‘What do you know about that?’ inquired Boot looking surprised. With his little pink tongue just visible between his lips, his long ears upright and turned towards Grace he look too adorable for words and Grace just couldn’t resist another hug.
‘Hey steady on!’ Boot groaned, trying to untangle himself from Grace, but she was surprisingly nimble and he didn’t want to scratch her with his claws.
‘Sorry, I just couldn’t resist!’ cooed Grace as she rubbed Boot behind the ear. ‘I heard them mention the prophecy when I was in the temple,’ she continued.
‘Well I don’t have all the facts. It’s a very close secret known by a select few, but what has leaked out over the years is that someone from the third dimension would one day come into ours, and help us in our fight against the Drawl. But from what I have heard, the two sides, the Imperial scholars and the religious theologists can’t agree on the exact interpretation of the prophecy. They continually bicker over the meaning of words and metaphors.’
‘Where did it come from?’ asked Grace poking at the hard ground with a stick and writing her name.
‘It was written by a cat many years ago. There was a bit of a hoo-ha a few years back when they thought they had made contact with a human but obviously they didn’t have the technology then to do anything about it.’ Boot looked distant for a moment.
‘You know we still have a little time left before you meet the Emperor, would you like me to show you around the city?’
‘Can Lou come too?’ Grace asked enticing the small dog over with the stick he was still searching for.
‘Well if he has to, I suppose. Cats don’t really hang out with dogs.’
‘Hey why can’t dogs talk?’ interrupted Grace suddenly; as it occurred to her that Lou hadn’t spoken to her.
‘Dogs?’ said Boot shaking his head, ‘We don’t expect much of dogs. They are a little…slow,’ replied Boot thoughtfully as he packed his tools away and put his sword back into its tsuba before reattaching it to his waist.
The trio set off on foot. Grace noticed there were no cars here. She saw the odd push cart moving large packages around, but no sign of mechanized transport. Boot led them to a large open park on the outskirts of the city.
‘Holy cow!’ exclaimed Grace pointing to the sky, ‘What on earth is that?’
Boot looked up and smiled.
‘Ah yes, the Fughes, quite impressive aren’t they?’ he laughed.
‘Is it…dangerous?’ asked Grace not quite sure what to make if it. The thing was huge. A giant blue jelly fish was the only way to describe it, suspended in the air. There were probably half a dozen that Grace could see. Some were larger than others, and all were just hanging, their tendrils gently waving in the wind.
‘No they are harmless,’ replied Boot looking up. ‘They never used to be this big, they started growing about fifty years back. They say they eat stuff in the air, and that whatever that stuff is there has been more of it recently. Carbon monoxyside or something, you will have to ask Dr. Yang if you want a better answer.’
Fifty years? What will they look like in another fifty years? As she pondered it she heard a loud pop just in front of them. Grace looked over and there was a bright yellow fish floating in the breeze. It looked like a puffer fish. Grace had once seen a plastic model of one in a restaurant that Naomi’s parents had taken her to. Almost as suddenly as it had appeared it disappeared again, this time with a sound not unlike something large being sucked up a vacuum cleaner hose.
‘And what was that all about?’ Grace said giving Boot a serious look, then fell into laughter as the absolute strangeness of w
hat had happened overwhelmed her.
‘That was a pop fish,’ said Boot, not getting the joke that had Grace wiping tears from her eyes. ‘They, it is believed, come from a higher dimension. They pop in, feed and pop out again. Though there is a group of people who claim that they are from our dimension, and pop back to breathe before heading back to wherever they go to eat. Like a whale surfacing for air I guess. Either way they just… pop,’ finished Boot confusing himself.
‘Are there any more surprises in this dimension?’ Grace asked raising an eyebrow as another little fish popped in and out again this time with three smaller ones in tow behind it.
‘No that’s all our little surprises. You have seen everything. Well except for the silent ones, but they never leave their valley so you are quite safe.’
‘Silent ones,’ that doesn’t sound too scary. Grace thought to herself as she skipped to catch up with Boot who had started walking with Lou off down the path. The dog tried chasing the golden fish but just when it seemed as if he would catch one it would disappear leaving Lou with a mouthful of air. Where does he get his energy from? Grace pondered as she tried to stifle a yawn growing inside her. She couldn’t resist any longer and it tickled its way out her throat rather loudly.
‘Are you still tired?’ asked Boot slowing his pace a little.
‘No it’s probably just lingering effects from before. When do I have to take my next pill?’
‘Not until tomorrow morning.’
Suddenly, Grace’s thoughts turned to her home.
‘So how do I get home?’ her face betrayed some of the concern she was starting to feel. ‘I mean I can go home right? I’m not stuck here forever….’ Boot didn’t really know how to answer all the questions Grace had. He could only tell her what he knew.
‘When I left, you were lying on the floor in your bedroom. You looked like you were asleep. I don’t see why you can’t return if we can come and go as we please,’ he reassured Grace.
‘I think I need to talk to Yin, or that other strange one she works with, Yang was it?’ said Grace turning to Boot.