Page 53 of Orange Lake
“Thank the gods.”
“It’s coming here!”
I felt them move further back but I stayed near the door. Curious as to what they are most afraid of. Besides, I have these two. Did I heard someone say Commander Roo? I saw them took out their weapons. Coone has a dagger on each hand. Roo took out his long sword, held by his left hand. So he’s a leftie. And looks like he is not just a guard or a nul.
The two moved away in a circular motion. That’s when I saw what they’re afraid of.
“It’s the hiscatttt!”
More screaming and a stampede.
I could not move.
No way.
Why would they be afraid of -
“Come, you must not be near there.” I turned. The old man was trying to steer me away from the building’s doorway. I signaled no with my hand, and looked back.
I counted. Six cute, fluffy, Persian cats with varying colors - white, orange, gray and blue. They trotted as if they own the place.
Why are they afraid of cats?
I tried to look closer. Are they the same breed in Earth? They look more fluffy.
Coone first attacked and I bolted towards the door, the old man lost his hold on me. Coone just tried to kill the cat. What the hell is he thinking?
Maybe there’s something I don’t know about these cats.
“Come,” the old man insisted.
I turned and smiled at him. “It’s okay. I know Roo.”
“Everybody knows Roo. But now I see that you are not from here. I thought you were a youngling, without a tail.”
We looked back as he pointed to one of the youngling, the youngest of them. When the old man took him in his arms, I noticed he has no tail.
“Yes, I’m not from here. But whatever are those things?”
I switched the attention back to the cats.
They are just like cats hissing. I feel bad. The cats are not changing form. Are they poisonous? Why are they afraid and want to kill them?
“It’s both a good and bad omen to see a hiscat,” the old man explained and I let him steer me further away. I can still see the action happening outside.
Roo tried to attack as well but the cats just jumped on him.
“Oh no, he’s bleeding,” somebody said aghast.
True enough, Roo has a trail of blood on his left bicep but that’s to be expected from a cat. It’s not deep from what I can see.
“Are they dangerous?” I’m genuinely curious what’s happening here.
“Something bad usually happens when they appear. Though in recent centuries, they keep to themselves. This is the first time that a hiscat appeared in a millenia in a public place like this. Food is not scarce so we leave them alone in the wild. Something must have happened.”
“So they just bring bad news?” I did not take my eyes away from the action outside. The six cats are still hissing and attacking the two in a cute way though. I feel bad for them. But I can see both Roo’s and Coone’s tails fluffed out. Come to think of it, can cats be their ancestors in some way? So far, the manasties’ physical characteristics are that of a feline. Same with Coone who they say is from a neko kind. But Zirc’s silver beast is more like a mangled werewolf.
“In the past, yes. Especially when we lost all the maternals in this planet.”
