Petting Them: An Anthology of Claw-ver Tails

by Tate James

  I slide my legs out of the bed, seeing that I’m still wearing the clothes from my first day at university, but they are wrinkled now, and the jeans are dirty with mud. There is a glass of water on the bedside unit and a little note. I pick the water up and take a sip before drinking it all quickly once I realise how thirsty I am. I put the glass down and pick up the note, quickly reading it.

  Welcome to your new home, the Familiar Empire.

  The door by the fireplace leads to a bathroom, and a spare outfit is in there for you from your suitcase. Clean up and come outside. R.

  I put the note back down and stare over at Shadow, remembering Bethany’s pleas before the police—I presume—knocked me out. There is no going back now. I’m a familiar, and my life as I knew it is over. Grandma Dawn always said you have to make the best of a bad situation because giving up is not an option. That is what I am going to do. I can fix this…somehow. I slide off the bed, walking past Shadow who watches my every movement before getting to the door near the fireplace. I push it and walk inside, closing the door behind me.

  The bathroom smells of bleach, but I guess that means it’s clean at least. It’s colder in here, and its basic design is something you would see in any hotel. There is a shower, towels on a shelf nearby, and a standard toilet and sink. I quickly use the toilet before washing my hands and looking around for the clothes. On a wooden laundry box in the room is a pile of clothes, as the note mentioned. I pick them up, seeing ripped jeans and a blue jumper. This is one of my favourite jumpers, so I’m glad they picked that, especially considering the frost covered trees outside. I mentally think about the clothes I have in my suitcase and know that not a lot of them are suitable for cold weather. I had saved up money for college, and there was little else left. Plus, Bethany assured me she had winter clothes I could borrow. Dammit. There is also a pink bra and matching knickers under the pile. I don’t want to know who went through my suitcase and picked these; I can only hope it was a girl. By the simple fact they are a matching set, I’m willing to bet it was.

  I put the clothes back and carefully pull off my dirt covered clothes. I leave them all in a pile by the sink, and as I glance up, I see my reflection in the small mirror. My hair is messy, sticking in all directions, and my skin is pale. There are big bags under my eyes, even though I’ve clearly slept for a long time, and my blue eyes now only remind me of Shadow and how similar they are.

  I grip the sink, looking down and breathing in deep breaths. I’m a familiar. I wish I had learnt more about their kind growing up, but I never suspected I would be one of them. Only 0.003 percent of the entire human race are. What are the chances I would be one of them? I breathe in and shake my head once again. I know I need to shower and face the world I am now a part of. I only have to make my shaky legs move first.

  It takes a few seconds before I can let go of the sink and walk the few steps to the shower. I step back as I switch it on, knowing there is a good chance cold water is going to come out first. Knowing me, I’d end up jumping back and knocking myself out somehow. I put my hand out and test the water, waiting for it to go warm before stepping in. I rest my head under the warm water, letting it soothe me before opening my eyes, seeing hotel-like little bottles on a shelf in front of me. I’m curious about this place, so I quickly wash my hair and myself before getting out the shower.

  Lacking a hair dryer and my brush, I towel dry my hair as much as possible before running my fingers through it. It feels good to pull my clean clothes on, and I fold the towels up, not wanting to leave a mess. Going back to the mirror, I glance at myself one more time, knowing I need to lift my head high and walk out of here. I’m Anastasia Noble, and I am familiar. The more I repeat it, the more it sinks in. This is my life now.

  6

  Welcome to the Familiar Empire

  Anastasia

  I walk back into the bedroom and see my purple Skechers shoes in front of the fireplace which I didn’t notice before, and I’m thankful they haven’t gotten lost. They are limited edition, and I worked paper rounds for five weeks to buy them. I slide them on before walking to Shadow, who is still sleeping by the window. He somehow makes the hard wooden floors look comfy. He lifts his head off the floor, waiting for me to say something, I think.

  “I’m guessing you think it is safe here? You seem relaxed?” I mutter, crouching down and placing my hand on his head, stroking him, this time using my hand that doesn’t have the mark on it. He makes this grumbling noise and turns his head to the left a little. I move my hand to the left, sliding behind his ear, and he lets out a contented noise as I scratch behind his ear. “So that’s the spot, huh?” I chuckle at the near purring noise he makes. Almost sounds like a cat, but I doubt telling Shadow that is the best idea. I let myself relax for a moment before the burning curiosity makes me look to the closed front door. I can’t hide in here forever.

  “Are you coming outside with me?” I ask Shadow, who stretches his legs out and stands up as I step back. I’m taking that as a yes. I walk around him to the door, feeling Shadow right behind me as I pull the door open. The outside is quieter than I expected. There are rows of massive trees, covered in frost, and my breath comes out like smoke as I wrap my arms around myself. I walk down the three wooden steps, searching around in the trees for any sign of life. I step to the side as Shadow nudges me from behind before jumping down.

  “Anastasia Noble, right?” a woman says from my left, and I turn to see a woman, about twenty, with curly red hair and a thick black coat and boots on, walking towards me. She is beautiful, and I notice the ends of her hair are more a faded orange colour when she gets closer.

  “Yeah, are you ‘R’?” I ask as she gets to me and offers me a hand to shake. I see the familiar mark on her hand first. It’s a phoenix. I shake her hand, and she holds on tightly, turning my hand over to look at my mark. This woman’s mark is much smaller than mine, only taking up a little spot in the middle of the back of her hand, nothing like my large one. Hers is glowing red, unlike mine which is purple.

  “Yes, I am ‘R’. Though most people call me Raine. That is one hell of a familiar mark. You will have some serious power,” she says with a low whistle, and I pull my hand away. Raine looks away from me to Shadow, her eyes widening and her mouth parting open.

  “An ancient familiar! The rumours are true,” she mutters.

  “What’s an ancient familiar?” I ask her.

  “All familiar animals have their own power. The ancients are the most powerful and haven’t been seen in years. In the last three years, there have been three other ancients, and word is they are coming back for a reason,” she says, but it still doesn’t make much sense.

  “What reason?” I ask her, and she pauses, looking around herself for a moment before opening her mouth to speak before a man cuts her off.

  “Enough. I told you to bring the new familiar to my office, not tell her fairy tales outside in the cold,” he angrily grumbles, and Raine rolls her eyes before turning around. I look around her to see a man stood still with his arms crossed over his thick leather jacket. His grey hair is long, tied at the back of his head. I look for his familiar mark, but the way his arms are crossed hides his hands from me.

  “Sorry, dad. Come on, Ana,” Raine says, using the nickname that Bethany calls me and making my heart hurt a little with the memory. She nods her head for me to follow before she starts following her dad around the cabin. I jog to catch up, feeling my feet freezing and wishing I had socks on. At least I have some socks in my suitcase, wherever that is. Shadow walks right behind me like a, well, shadow, I suppose.

  We head around the cabin to a clearing which has a fountain in the middle. Two girls sit on the edge, throwing stones into the water, and I can only see the back of their hat-covered heads. Sitting next to their feet are two black cats, mirrors of each other in appearance. The cats watch me for a moment, but their eyes stray to Shadow behind me, and they slowly lower their heads. How weird. I glance back at Shadow, who onl
y watches me, his eyes seeming like he understands my question, but he isn’t going to answer it for me. Not that he can talk anyways.

  I look back at Raine and her dad as they walk up the steps of another cabin. Raine’s dad holds the door open for both Raine and me to walk in, and Shadow follows after. The inside of this cabin is just an office with filing cabinets and a desk with four chairs surrounding it, but the only thing I focus on are the two phoenixes perched on a branch of a bird holder. They are the same size as each other, both of them a mixture of yellow, red and orange feathers. Their black eyes zero in on Shadow, watching him as he comes in the room. They also bow as he sits by the door as Raine’s dad closes it shut.

  “Hey, Kiwi,” Raine coos, petting the phoenix on the far right.

  “Please sit down, Anastasia,” Raine’s dad says, walking around me to sit on the other side of the desk. I take one of the three seats on the other side of the desk, watching him as he picks up a piece of paper and starts reading.

  “Anastasia Noble. Orphan. Middle sister of three. Eighteen years old, nineteen in two months. December the 24th. What a day to have a birthday, Christmas eve,” he muses, and clears his throat. “Started college but became a familiar on your first day. Studying to be a nurse.” He finally stops reading my life story and puts the paper down to look at me.

  “Where did you get that?” I ask, curious how he knows my every detail.

  “The police always send a detailed report on a new familiar. It is good for us to know where you are from to help us picture where you will be useful in the Familiar Empire,” he explains, resting back in his seat as he settles his arms. “My name is Hugh Roberts. I am the current leader of the Familiar Empire, and I formally welcome you home.”

  “When can I go back and see my sisters?” I ask.

  “Everyone always asks the same thing…at the start. You will soon realise the empire and your new life will make you happier than you ever were as a human,” he tells me, but it sounds like a rehearsed and overused speech.

  “You didn’t answer my question,” I muse. I don’t get distracted by a change in conversation that easily.

  “Smart girl, no I didn’t,” he says, smiling. “I didn’t answer because only you can decide your own fate. If you bond completely with your familiar by completing your training and spending at least six months giving back to the empire in your new job, then you may have your sisters come here for a weekend visit,” he tells me, and for the first time since all this happened, there is a tiny ounce of hope inside me. I can see my sisters, and that means this place is not the prison I thought it was. Though I have one issue.

  “Six months?” I ask, shaking my head. “That is too long not to see them.”

  “That is the rule, Anastasia. We do not have contact with our families regularly anymore. The rules are very important here and must never be broken. We live in a world where we make up less than 0.003 percent of the entire population, and everyone else just about tolerate us. We have rules, and we stick to them to make sure we can stay alive. Now, we have other more important things to discuss,” he says, his warning staying in my mind.

  “That means shut up and stop asking questions, but dad is being nice,” Raine adds in, and I flash a glare at her, which is backed up by Shadow’s sudden low growl.

  “It seems your familiar is protective of you already, that will be a good thing in training. What is his name, if you don’t mind me asking?” Hugh asks, his eyes on Shadow.

  “Shadow,” I tell him.

  “Interesting,” Hugh comments, pulling his eyes from Shadow to me as I clear my throat. I’m sure I hear him mutter something about what he expected. He coughs and sits forward, pushing papers aside until he finds whatever he was looking for. “The infirmary needs a new nurse. You will be the doctors’ aid, and eventually train up from there. I know you have zero nurse training, but hands-on experience is the best way for you to learn.”

  “There is a hospital here?” I ask.

  “Not exactly. We have an infirmary which has two staff—both doctors who work opposite days—and now a nurse. We had another nurse, but unfortunately she died a few months ago,” he explains.

  “What of?” I ask, wondering if we can still get sick and die like humans.

  “Unfortunately, my time is precious, and I have little of it today. Raine will show you to your cabin. There was a large fire about four months ago, and we have limited housing. You will have to share a cabin with like-minded familiars and their animals,” he says, flashing a look in Raine’s direction.

  “Like-minded?” I ask.

  “He means they all have ancient familiar animals too. You can’t live with just anyone with that wolf at your side,” Raine fills me in, but I don’t like her tone. Shadow stands up, going to growl, no doubt, but I speak first.

  “That wolf has a name. It’s Shadow,” I warn her, feeling Shadow right behind my chair from the heat he gives off, and Raine grins.

  “You have a little bite under all those pretty looks. We should be friends,” she says and winks at me. I have the feeling Raine doesn’t take much seriously in her life.

  “Raine, take Anastasia to cabin two hundred and introduce her before coming back,” Hugh tells Raine, who slides out of the window seat and pats her shoulder. Kiwi flies to her shoulder at Raine’s silent command. “Anastasia, I will check on you in a week. Your suitcase has been sent to the cabin, along with your bag. I’m sure one of your new roommates will take you to your new job in the morning.”

  “Six months, and my sisters can come here to see me? Promise?” I ask him, and he nods his head.

  “Six months and a successful bond with Shadow. You have my word, Anastasia,” he replies.

  “I will hold you to it,” I reply, standing up and walking around Shadow to the door which Raine has left open.

  “One more thing, Anastasia. We don’t allow familiars to leave the empire. There are strict punishments for attempting to run,” he warns me just as I get to the door. I look back, meeting his cold gaze for a moment before Shadow steps in the middle of us and blocks my gaze. He might as well just say, “Welcome to your new prison”.

  7

  Home sweet home

  Anastasia

  “This way,” Raine says, before walking past the fountain. I jog to catch up with her, seeing the space is now quiet and empty of people. We walk past two more cabins and a row of cars that are parked up. All of them are four by fours with large wheels, covered in dirt with a little mud on the windows. They are all mostly Jeeps, I think, though I’m not good with car names. Raine gets to the one near the end and opens the door. She looks at Kiwi, who rubs her face against Raine’s before spreading her wings and flying into the air. She almost looks like her wings are on fire as she flies up into the trees above, disappearing from view. I didn’t know phoenixes where even real until this point. I’d only seen one in the Harry Potter movies.

  “You need to tell Shadow to go hunt and come back to you later. He will be getting hungry by now, and all familiars hunt at this time. He wouldn’t eat anything he was given yesterday when he woke up,” Raine tells me before getting into the car and shutting the door. The sound of the engine running reaches my ears a moment later. I turn and look at Shadow before walking up to him and placing my hand behind his ear, rubbing gently. It’s almost soothing to be near him, like a warm mug of tea on a cold night.

  “Miss Bossy Boots might be right. You should go and hunt, I will be okay for a bit. Just find me later?” I ask him, knowing he can’t exactly say yes. I don’t know why it makes me nervous to let him leave, but it does. To my surprise, Shadow lowers his head in a bowing motion before turning away and running into the forest. Why did he do that? I watch until he is out of view before getting in the car. Raine has the heat blasted on, her coat on the back of her chair, and the radio playing lightly. She reverses the car quickly as I clip my seat belt on. I rub my hands and press them in front of the heater, loving the warmth.

  �
�How far away do we need to drive?” I ask her. I know the Familiar Empire owns land in Spain, Scotland and North America. Judging by the travel time to get here and the simple fact it’s so cold, I think this is the Scottish base. It’s supposed to be very big.

  “About half an hour. This place is only for new familiars and the leaders of the empire. Which is only my dad now after the fire…” she drifts off and straightens up as she swings the car around a corner. “But don’t worry. The fire was an accident, and you are safe here."

  "How many people died?" I ask her quietly. The fire must have been how the last nurse died.

  "Around a hundred. It happened at night and spread too quickly. The smoke killed most before they could even wake up," she says sadly.

  "I'm sorry," I tell her, and she nods.

  "Our community is small. We don't get new familiars as often as we used to. Dad says there is at least a ten percent decrease in new familiars," she explains. "With not every familiar bonding well with their familiars and some dying...let's just say we are happy to see you."

  "You can die if you don't bond?" I ask. I didn’t know that, and it doesn’t sound good.

  "Yeah, do you not know anything about being a familiar?" she asks, and I shake my head.