Journeyman Cat

by Virginia Ripple

  The gray tom clutched the velvet seat cushion with his claws, heedless of the damage he was doing. His mind flashed back to the human Lorn had bumped into on their way back to their room at the academy from the library. The unknown person had dropped a piece of paper that had broken their investigation open in the end. It helped them put together the pieces that showed Chivato had not only created the dreaded disease, but also had played a role in capturing Victor and getting Lorn’s uncle accused of treason. His gaze swung to the portrait again. Was Arturo our mysterious informant?

  Hanif cleared his throat, catching Toby’s attention. The brown tabby looked pointedly at the young cats paws. The gray tom looked to see the tiny tears he was making with his claws and, retracting them, gazed sheepishly at Father Hanif. Hanif sat straighter, lifting his chin a whiskers width.

  “Because of that, We now carefully watch the older humans who come to Us. Most never make it past the work crews because their hearts are unable to accept the Master’s revelations. They simply cannot change. Therefore, they are not allowed to participate in the classes to prepare for New Eden.”

  Toby let his gaze drop to the floor as if he were overwhelmed with sadness. He heard Father Hanif shift.

  “We’re sorry,” Hanif said, “but Lorn is unlikely to enter New Eden with you. It is time for you to think on your own sanctification. The Lord keeps watch over us all and knows what each of His children do, including you.”

  The gray tom looked back at the brown tabby, catching his slightly splayed whiskers and narrowed eyes before the expression disappeared. The brown tom gave him some special instructions about being prompt to classes and attending First Day Temple every week, then sent him away.

  As the door shut behind him, the young cat shivered again. He wasn’t sure how literal the temple cat was being when he said they were being watched, but it made him consider putting off seeing his partner tonight. The odor of blood and fear in the old cat’s office returned to his thoughts and he shivered again. Whatever was going on, it ran much deeper than they had imagined and there was no doubt that Hanif was in whisker deep.

  It was getting harder each night to sneak into Lorn’s room. Something was up. The number of guards the gray tom had needed to avoid had tripled. The worst part wasn’t avoiding the night watches, it was trying to wake the boy up once he’d managed to get into his room. The amount of time it took to go from one end of the school’s quarters to the other had increased, which meant Lorn was fast asleep long before Toby ever got near the room.

  Tonight was no different. The boy was snoring when the gray tom magically slid the bolt closed on his door, something he decided was necessary in case a patrol came by before he left. He leaped onto Lorn’s chest and pressed his paws over the human’s mouth, then shifted his weight back and forth on his hind legs, digging his claws in enough to feel them pressing into skin. The boy’s eyes flew open, his breath coming in shallow gasps through his nose. A moment later, his eyes shown recognition and Toby backed off.

  “Good grief, Toby, do you have to find new ways to scare me awake every night?”

  The gray tom smiled mischievously. “A good scare keeps you awake longer.”

  “Is that something you learned in one of your classes?” asked Lorn sarcastically, sitting up and scratching his messy hair.

  “Nope. Figured that out myself. Listen, something’s going on. Hanif has increased the number of Brothers in the hallways at night.”

  “You think he knows about us?”

  “I’m not sure, but it wouldn’t surprise me given our last little conversation.”

  Lorn raised an eyebrow. Toby shrugged.

  “More a gut feeling than anything he said. Add that to the smell of blood and fear there was near his desk and I think our friendly head temple cat is about to become very unfriendly.”

  “About to? You mean killing humans isn’t unfriendly enough?”

  The gray tom shook his head. “I don’t think he had anything to do with Adam’s death, at least not directly. He didn’t even have dead mouse smell on him.”

  “Strange. I don’t know any cat that doesn’t hunt. Even Terence and Brother Yannis say they enjoy a good hunt once in a while.”

  Toby kneaded the brown blanket on the boy’s cot. “It gets even stranger yet. Did you know Gravin Arturo and Chivato went to this school?”

  Lorn’s eyes widened. The cat couldn’t help purring.

  “Not just that, but Hanif accused Arturo with working with mages and getting Chivato arrested. Do you think it’s possible he’s the one we got the note from?”

  The boy stroked his chin and stared at the ceiling for a moment.

  “Now that I think about it, whoever we ran into stuck around long enough for us to read what was on that paper. He could have overpowered us and taken it. I suppose it would make sense if it were the gravin given how the humans around here are treated as little better than slaves. Chivato sent him to give that note to Reginald, but instead Arturo delivers it to us, giving us the clue we need to finish solving the puzzle of who is responsible for the plague.”

  “That’s pretty much how I have it figured.”

  Lorn narrowed his eyes as he stared at his partner. “So if the old cat didn’t have the smell of decay on him, what was that smell of blood and fear you were talking about?”

  “I wish I knew. There was some kind of struggle in that office, but I wasn’t able to do more than get a quick sniff. By the time I got there everything had been cleaned up enough to make it difficult to know exactly what happened, though I think the scent itself was several days old anyway.”

  “I guess we just keep a look out to see who has disappeared.”

  Toby nodded and settled down on the cot, folding his front paws under his chest.

  “So what have you found out? Did you get anywhere with Janelle?”

  “Yes. It seems our school’s benefactor was introduced to Father Hanif by Councilman Damon.”

  “We already figured that out.”

  “Yeah, but Janelle gave me the bit of information we were missing earlier. We were right.”

  “So she actually said it’s him?”

  “Not in so many words, but she may as well have. The description she gave couldn’t belong to that many cats.”

  The gray tom licked his lips. “All we need now is some physical evidence tying it all together and we can go to the OKG.”

  “Oh! Speaking of physical evidence,” Lorn said, twisting around to dig through his small pile of dirty clothes. “I got a delivery today.”

  The boy pulled a small piece of paper free from a filthy sock. Toby wrinkled his nose.

  “I thought humans didn’t get letters around here.”

  “We don’t — usually. But this came by dragon.”

  The gray tom’s eyes widened as he stared at the plain cream colored paper. He looked at his partner, who nodded.

  “Tiny little dragon a little bigger than this folded paper. Almost sat on him because I didn’t see him. Apparently, there are some messengers who can change colors to match their surroundings.”

  “What’s it say?”

  “I haven’t read it yet. Didn’t want to get caught with it when our friends took such a risk getting it to us.”

  He unfolded the paper and laid it on the cot so they could read it together.

  Dearest Friend,

  I found this odd note from an estranged brother of yours and thought you might find solace in it while on your path’s journey.

  It was Third-Day when this revelation came from Angels with their trumpets held aloft. I suppose usage of the lemon in my break-fast was not wise, though I regret I could not use it more than proper. I cannot believe this call upon th’eyes of certainty as they are often wrongly observed. It were instruments within mine comestibles th
at brought alterations of Angels’ thoughts to spinning.

  I hope you find comfort in these words and a fine cup of hot tea.

  Always yours,

  C.O.

  The gray tom looked at his partner and grinned. “He’s a little out of practice, but that’s not bad. Seems there’s more on this paper than what we can see now.”

  Lorn chuckled, then sobered. “The problem is, how do we get a lemon back here so we can make the ink visible again?”

  “Actually, I’ve done some research on that. We don’t need a lemon. Anything with the same qualities of a lemon will do. I think I can get some vinegar from the hospital supplies.”

  “That’s all well and good, but we still have to get it here.”

  Toby stared at the wall for several moments. Lorn was right. He’d look very suspicious carrying a vial of vinegar around. An idea struck the young cat.

  “How’s your throat?”

  Hanif heard the bell’s clanging from his office. The moment it began, he had dropped from his desk, scattering papers in the process, and scraped past the office door before it had opened wider than a cat’s width. Although he wanted to answer the call, he dreaded it as well. He had been waiting, watching the two newcomers, for several days. They had done very little except what they were ordered to do. Neither had ventured beyond their small rooms to visit the other, he was certain of it. He had increased the night watches to be sure they wouldn’t be able to sneak around the empty halls. He smiled as he considered how his little stories had quelled the young tom into following the narrow path rather than try to make trouble. And now the Lord was calling to tell him what to do with these two interlopers.

  As he rounded the corner toward the mirror room hall, he narrowly avoided being trampled by a young girl on her way to fetch him. He hissed and swatted at her bare ankles, leaving five red, oozing lines that would join the numerous other scars he’d given her before. The girl fell to her knees and prostrated herself, raising her shirt as she did so.

  “Fie!” he hissed. “Be gone. I’ve no time for you.”

  He raced away, leaving her lying on the cold stone floor. He skid to a halt outside the mirror room door and took a couple deep breaths. It wouldn’t do to let the Lord see him out of breath like a youngling. Father Hanif exhaled one last deep breath, he paced serenely around the door frame and hopped onto the wooden chair. He bowed deeply to the massive black tom in the mirror.

  “My Lord, as always I am your humble servant. What may I do for you today?”

  “I have made plans for the two vipers you allowed into my garden.”

  Hanif bristled, but said nothing. He glanced at the black beast through his eye whiskers. He looked as sleekly groomed as ever, sitting tall upon his throne.

  “Let the young tom continue taking the classes, for the time being. I have future plans for him and those classes will be most beneficial.”

  “The Lord is merciful to His children. And the human?”

  “As for him, he is to be re-educated.”

  The brown tabby looked up in surprise. “Your Holiness, are you certain? Humans his age seldom take to the process.”

  The black beast glared at him. Father Hanif lowered his gaze.

  “My apologies, my Lord. You know all. I am but your humble servant. Speak and I will obey.”

  “The human is to be re-educated. I want the Anointed Ones Below to take special care with his instruction. He will be our eyes and ears with his companion, relaying to us every conversation they have, every plan they make. And should this young cat choose to follow a path other than the one I have chosen for him, the human will see to it that he never gains the opportunity to fall astray again. Is my meaning clear?”

  Hanif chanced looking up at the Master again. “Yes, my Lord. I have but one question.”

  “What is it?”

  “If the instructions do not take, as sometimes happens with older humans, what are we to do with him?”

  The beast’s whiskers splayed wide, a slip of fang visible between his lips, and he flattened his ears.

  “If his mind refuses to accept his re-education, then it must be removed — completely.”

  The black cat’s image disappeared, leaving the brown tabby looking at his own wide-eyed reflection. He hopped down from the chair and trotted out the door. He didn’t even see the young girl still laying on the floor, his mind on how he would lure the boy away to be re-trained. The Lord must be obeyed. If they couldn’t alter the boy’s thinking, then his thinking would end.

  Toby continued to carry satchels of herbal mixtures to the school hospital and lists of needs back to the herb room, waiting for Lorn to show up. Almost a week later, the human shuffled into the hospital. The gray tom looked at his partner in alarm. Aside from dark circles around his eyes, he had small red patches around his lips. Mother Hazel motioned him to a bed with a curt twitch of her tail. It was all Toby could do to walk sedately behind the old hairless she-cat toward the boy. He leaped on the bed beside the old cat as she peered at the human through slitted eyes.

  He had to give Lorn credit for not flinching when the she-cat walked the length of his torso to get to his mouth. The young tom hid a smile, sure it was the nights of being awakened in nerve-wracking ways without making any noise that helped his partner stay still in the face of the surly old she-cat.

  “He has exhaustion with a case of dry, chapped lips,” she rasped. “Give him a mug of water, an hour’s rest and some beeswax for his lips, then send him back to the overseer.”

  The old cat trotted over Lorn to the end of the bed, readying herself for the drop to the floor. Toby looked at her retreating tail with widened eyes, then turned back to the boy. Glancing once more at the old she-cat, he padded closer to the young human’s face. He caught a faint whiff of charcoal. Lorn winked and the tom sighed inwardly, forcing his whiskers to stay clamped together.

  “Cough,” he whispered.

  The human took a deep breath and let out a dry hacking cough. Mother Hazel’s head appeared at the end of the bed. She glared at them. Toby cleared his throat and dipped his head.

  “My apologies, Mother, I think I triggered the cough when I stepped on his chest.”

  The old cat heaved herself back onto the bed and stalked toward the boy. Her hindquarters wriggled for a moment. She pounced on Lorn, landing with a thud on his chest. The boy let out another dry cough. The she-cat turned to glare again at the tom.

  “Looks like its a good thing you did or we’d soon be out a worker.”

  The hairless cat took a deep sniff of the boy’s mouth and nose, then lowered her head to his chest. Her tail lashed once as she looked back at the human.

  “Fool’s been eating unprocessed nettle weed,” she growled. “Stupid humans. Can’t leave them alone for a moment.”

  She turned and stalked down the bed again, motioning Toby to follow her. The gray tom shook his head at his partner, then followed the Mother toward the back mixing tables. She leaped to a waiting stool and started pawing various jars and vials toward the center. She glanced at the young cat as he joined her.

  “I suppose you know about nettle weed, don’t you?”

  Toby shook his head.

  “After it’s been processed, it’s used by certain so-called religious orders to aid in communing with the spirits.” The old cat grimaced and rolled her eyes. “As if the angels would stop by to talk if you’re higher than the High Temple’s steeple.”

  “So what does unprocessed nettle do?”

  “Eat a little? Saps your energy. Gives you the dry coughs, a sore throat, and a head that feels like a group of troubadours are holding their own competition for the loudest off-key songs inside. Eat more than a thimble full and you die, praising the One and spouting false prophecies all while hacking up gunk more disgusting than a hairball.”


  The gray tom glanced at his friend, his paws going cold. He looked back at the old she-cat.

  “What’s the cure?”

  “No cure. Just have to wait it out and hope he didn’t eat enough to kill himself.”

  “I don’t understand. Why are you getting these things out if there’s no cure?”

  “To keep him from making too much noise while he’s here.”

  He looked over the supplies, surprised to see several items like willow bark and chamomile, herbs known for their pain relieving and soothing qualities.

  “May I make a small suggestion?”

  The old cat looked sharply at him. “What might that be?”

  “If all we can do is wait this out, what if we give him the mix and a vial of honey and vinegar to take as he needs? That way he’s not bothering you for something when his throat starts hurting a little.”

  The hairless cat cocked her head and stared at him for a long while. She turned to study the human in the bed, then turned back to Toby.

  “That’s not a half-bad idea. He can’t hurt himself on honey and vinegar and I won’t be wasting my precious time on a foolish human. Keep this up and you may just find yourself working in here full time.”

  The tom let his whiskers splay. He may not want to work with the sour old she-cat, but it was good to know the skills he’d learned from Master O’dorn were admired. The door to the hospital opened again and another human clutching her stomach stumbled in behind a Brother cat. Mother Hazel sighed and cast a glare at them. Toby cleared his throat to regain her attention.

  “I’ll finish this up if you like.”

  She blinked her thanks and dropped to the floor, walking toward the newcomers. The gray tom finished mixing the herbs and put it on a small plate, placing the two small vials of vinegar and another of honey next to it. He motioned the human girl assigned to the hospital to come help him carry it and the vials to Lorn.

  “Give the boy the plate and then go about your chores,” he ordered.

  She did as she was told and drifted away toward Mother Hazel’s small group. The tom watched them for a moment, making sure their attention was elsewhere, then turned back to his partner, leaning close.