Jasmine Windows and Red Leaves

by Elendae Armson

  ***

  Sagira woke with a start. She hadn’t meant to drift off to sleep again. Annoyed with herself, she stretched. The twinge in her back reminded her of her earlier exploits.

  In the darkness, she carefully checked the bundle. Now looking at it, she realised that the bundle was nothing but a small collection of black hairs rolled together until they had matted. It seemed ridiculous that this could have an effect on the djinn. Yet, Gyasi knew her business.

  Picking the bundle up in her mouth, she jumped off the chair, her back feet hitting the ground harder than she meant. She silently walked into the baby’s room. She could see that the infant’s aura was still depleted, but slowly recovering. Little tendrils of gold energy had begun to emerge like a halo. She smiled to herself, happy he was healing.

  She carefully hid herself between the baby’s shelved soft toys, her own grey fur blending against the stuffed dolphin and teddy bear. Holding the bundle inside her mouth, she narrowed her eyes waiting for the djinn to come back.

  With every fibre of her being, she knew it would come again to feed on the child again. Her mother had told her that djinn never stopped until they had taken the whole spirit.

  Hours seemed to crawl by as Sagira watched. Somewhere in the house, a clock ticked quietly as though measuring her vigil. She tensed as the baby roused momentarily from his sleep, waving his little hands in the air, grasping something invisible, and then fell asleep again. Listening to his rhythmic breath, Sagira felt sleep tempting her, gently pulling her into its soothing arms.

  She shook her head and attempted to keep herself busy. She licked each paw, chewing on the claws until the yellowed nails were clean. Her back leg cocked behind her ear and flicked forward, scratching the skin behind her head. She turned in a small circle and, folding her paws under her, settled down. She waited again, sleep whispering in the shadows.

  The early morning birds began to chirp outside the window and the sky was slowly fading to grey. Sagira began to wonder whether her mother had been right about djinn after all. Her tired bones felt heavy and her eyelids began to sink.

  Somewhere in her sleep, she heard a whimpering sound. Like an injured kitten crying out for its mother. She struggled to locate the sound, her ears twitching long before she was fully awake.

  Her eyes snapped open with the sudden realization that she had been asleep, and the fur along her spine immediately raised up as she saw the huge, black cat crouching over the baby. The creature looked like a gargoyle; his body hunched over the child and his mouth wide open as it drew the child’s life-force into himself. She could see the delicate streams of white and gold energy being sucked out of the baby’s aura into the djinn’s mouth.

  Sagira worked the little bundle to the tip of her tongue, the matted fur sticking out of her mouth slightly. Lying flat against the shelf, she began to wiggle forwards to get in the best position to spring. She knew that, although the creature could not physically attack her, she would only get one attempt at this. It had to be perfect.

  Feeling anxious as she watched the child’s spirit being slowly pulled from his little body, she waited. While every cell in her body wanted to leap upon the creature immediately, from experience she knew that impatience ruined everything. It was a lesson she had learned the hard way, many times. So, despite the desperate situation, she waited until the moment was right.

  Eventually, she saw the djinn half-close his golden eyes as he drew the last threads of energy from the child. Instantly, the writhing smoke in his aura ignited and fire wreathed his head. However, the baby had become deathly quiet; barely moving or struggling now.

  Sagira bunched her leg muscles, tensing them in preparation of her leap. She slowly drew breath in and, as she exhaled, exploded into action.

  Her body flew through the air at surprising speed. Within a split second, her unsheathed claws hit the creature’s shoulders. Under her paws, the djinn’s body felt almost real, its immaterial flesh almost solid from the child’s energy. As her weight slammed into the djinn, he snarled. His connection with the child was broken.

  She sank her claws in deeper, shoving her face into his, trying to find the right time to release the bundle held in her mouth. While she knew he couldn’t directly hurt her, she suddenly realised the djinn was strong. Stronger than a Bast.

  With a quick flick, he threw her little body across the room. Sagira hit the pale-blue wall hard, her hip fracturing under the force. The pain was instantaneous as she fell limply to the ground.

  “Owwwrrrowww,” she groaned, unable to move her back legs.

  The thousand arms reached out to her, grasping at her with their immaterial claws. His golden eyes said that he had won the fight. It took every ounce of will to drag her front legs upright. As she pulled herself up, the djinn paced over to her with slow, smug steps.

  Her vision momentarily turned black before she saw the creature’s true face staring down into her own. He was a demon of fire, smoke rising from his blackened infernal skin. His goat-eyes glared at her with fury at her intervention. His reddened lips curled back as he hissed at her, showing rows of curved teeth like a shark.

  “You are only a cat!” he hissed, so close to her face. His breath stank like sulphur and burned stone. “How dare you challenge me!”

  Summoning all her efforts, Sagira lunged at his open mouth, dropping the fur bundle inside. The pain in her hip shot through her body and she collapsed to one side. Reaching out her claws, she gave him a final swipe across his slit nostrils, trying to force him to close his mouth.

  Inaudible to human ears, the creature roared at her, his aura whirling like a burning tornado.

  Sagira knew she had no fight left in her, so she lay uselessly staring at him with her green eyes. The pain in her pelvis told her that she wouldn’t be using her back legs again. She desperately hoped he would swallow the magick.

  Still infuriated, the creature shifted back into its cat form and stalked forwards. His black fur was raised and his golden eyes glared at her, as though he was looking for a means to hurt her. He hissed and growled, but his great mouth never closed.

  Suddenly, there was a great yowling from outside; the sound of a great tom howling at the world, challenging all those that stood in his way. It was a war cry so loud that Sagira felt her heart race. The challenge was unprecedented.

  “Come and fight me, demon.”

  Almost disbelieving what she was hearing, Sagira glanced up at the small window in the far corner of the baby’s room, wondering who had come to her aid. In the dark, she could see the outline of a huge tom; his muscled chest almost square against the window, as his brushed tail lashed back and forth.

  It was Abasi.

  The djinn spun to face this new threat. He narrowed his eyes and closed his mouth. Sagira felt her heart surge as she saw his throat move.

  “I am Sagira of the jasmine windows and red leaves,” she spat at him mentally. “I am Bast and your arrogance will be your undoing.”

  Suddenly, the djinn’s eyes widened as the magick rippled through his infernal body. Convulsing, he dropped onto his belly and started to cough, as though he wanted to expel a fur ball. Unable to move the spell, he thrashed his head furiously trying to dislodge the magick.

  Coughing and choking, he turned to Sagira. “What have you done?” he cried, his voice shaking the walls.

  Sagira heard Alex stir.

  “Hssskk!” she growled at him, her unblinking eyes never wavering.

  Sagira watched with satisfaction as the creature dropped his cat disguise and clawed at his throat, trying to relieve himself of the spell. Now emerging from under the cat illusion, she could see his goat legs, blackened skin and fearsome horns. His aura still was on fire, however now there was something else in it. She blinked. A black and white streak seemed to be growing larger, burrowing its way into the tornado of fire. The black and white seemed to swallow the fire.

  The djinn tore open his throat, but the Bast furs had embedded
themselves within. As he clawed his own flesh, Sagira could see that the black and white was slowly consuming his energy and he was fading.

  “This is my earth,” she howled at him mentally.

  Instantly, she heard Abasi’s yowling redouble in intensity.

  “This is our earth,” he cried with her.

  The tornado of smoke seemed to be trickling down to a thin thread, and the Djinn gave her one final look of surprise before he slipped from this world into another. Sariga smiled grimly. She had won.

  The quiet was very sudden and Sagira realised that Alex was stirring in the far room. She knew she had very little time.

  Ignoring the pain, she dragged her body towards the child’s bed. Her back legs dragged uselessly along the floor, the pain blinding. Expending the last of her energy, she clawed her way up to his bed and collapsed next to him.

  He was unnaturally quiet. His little face a disturbing shade of grey and his chest hardly moving. She looked at his flickering aura and knew that he would die soon. Distressed, Sagira placed her paws on his. She knew his death would break Alex’s heart.

  As she touched the child, a memory sprang into her mind. Something her mother had taught her. Very old Bast magick.

  Suddenly hopeful, she pulled herself over the baby’s cool body, covering him with her silver, tabby fur. Gently, she placed one paw on either of his little chubby shoulders, her furry face hovering just above his. Her large, green eyes stared unblinkingly into his unfocused, blue eyes. She could see his aura was fading, hardly there at all.

  Using the baby’s eyes as a focus for her trance, she began to pray to the great mother in her mind. Great mother Ubasti, may your long ears hear my words …

  The baby’s gaze slowly focused and he began to stare back into her eyes. Their eyes locked and she felt the connection ripple through her. In moments, the cold emptiness of the child crept into her chest and she knew she had to work fast.

  Her mind stretched outwards, searching for the mother she knew would eventually take her back home.

  In moments, an electric current ripped through her body as her mind linked with the great mother. Involuntarily, her claws dug into the child flesh and he whimpered slightly, too weak to complain. Sagira could feel the divine warmth as she was held gently by the great mother.

  “What is it, little Sagira?” She felt the words whisper through her mind.

  “Mother, I humbly ask to give the gift of Amun,” she asked.

  The warmth rushed through her back legs, filling her with the spring of youth.

  “To whom do you wish to give this gift?”

  Sagira gazed deeply into the eyes of this baby. “To this child, mother.”

  There was a sudden drop in the charge around her and she almost panicked that the great mother had gone. But within a moment, the warmth returned even more strongly.

  “You have my permission, little Sagira. Come home to me, my arms await you.”

  Sagira breathed in and noticed this old home one more time. Suddenly, her senses seemed very acute. She became aware of the faint smell of cooked lamb, the sound of the clock that she had heard every night, and the sound of Alex sleepily putting on her shirt. She noticed the chair in the corner that she had torn to shreds and the litter box which Alex changed every day. These experiences which seemed so familiar suddenly became special. This place had been her sanctuary … her home.

  Suddenly filled with sadness, Sagira leaned close to the child and opened her mouth. Immediately, she felt the great mother’s warmth flood her body as her own life-force began to detach from her flesh. Almost smoke-like, silver streams of energy began to flow into the child’s mouth, filling him with new life.

  He began to wiggle, reaching his little hands out to her. Pink colour appeared in his skin and his mouth opened to cry. His eyes seemed suddenly bright.

  As Sagira released her life-force, her heart was filled with love for Alex. A brief memory of Alex holding her by the scruff when she was a kitten and scolding her drifted though her consciousness.

  Sagira smiled.

  Within seconds, she lost feeling in her body, the pain in her hip and back becoming a distant memory. Her paws felt heavy and she could barely keep her eyes open. It was like her spirit was too light to stay in this heavy cage of fur and flesh.

  As the last wisp of silver energy flowed out of her mouth, Sagira’s heart stopped beating. The last thing she heard was the baby beginning to roar.

  ***

  Abasi watched as the human came and picked up the screaming baby. In moments, the human noticed the dead cat and began to weep. He silently bowed his head.

  “Journey well, Sagira of the jasmine windows and red leaves,” he called out mentally. “Your last battle will be told to many generations. One day, we will meet again in the arms of our mother.”

  With this final farewell, he leapt from the window ledge in the early morning.

  ***

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