The human Brother nodded for the apprentices and trainee to begin the process of moving dirt from the mound beside them into the last grave of the day. After doing it so many times, they’d become semi professionals, using small amounts of energy efficiently and focusing their combined wills with precision. It was all done in a few moments. The trio stepped around the fresh grave, following the Brothers toward the small temple and a promised cup of hot tea and milk.
“Toby, wait up,” said Terence.
The orange tom sat down, watching as his friend kneaded the packed earth. The little gray and white cat glanced around them at the silent resting places for his mentor’s victims. He shivered. When he finally looked at Toby, the young tom’s pupils were narrow slits, his whiskers clamped and drooping.
“You think I’m stupid,” he said, thrusting his chin in the direction of the nearest grave, “trustin’ him.”
Toby shook his head. Terence looked around the cemetery again, then stared off into the distance.
“Yeah, well, I was. You tried to tell me. Hell, you even tried to show me an’ I wouldn’t listen.” The young cat looked back at Toby again, his eyes haunted.
“What kinda loner am I gonna be if I can’t even see the truth when it’s right under my nose?”
“You made a mistake. You didn’t trust your gut this time, but you’ll learn. We all will.”
“I’m not so sure, Toby. Look what he did. How many could I have saved if I’d said somethin’?”
“I doubt you could have saved any of them. If you’d said anything, you might be under one of these mounds, too.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Neither do you. Look, we all do things we regret. That’s part of life. It’s what we do afterward that shows who we are.”
“I suppose your right. I just don’t know if I wanna continue my trainin’, you know? Maybe there’s somethin’ else I oughta do. Somethin’ that’ll really make a difference in the world.”
“Like what?”
“I was thinkin’ of joinin’ the Brothers. I see what they’ve done to clean up Chivato’s mess an’ they do it without a single bad word said against that mangefur. An’ they’ve been doin’ all they can for cats and humans like me as long as I can remember. Maybe I could make a difference like they do.”
Toby thought back to his interview. Perhaps being a master cat wasn’t the best path to make a difference, but he still felt he could have done what he’d told M’festus. Now, he didn’t know if it mattered. He’d made his bargain. His mother lived. He had to hold up his end.
“I was thinking along the same lines. Maybe we should both join the Brothers.”
“That would be a terrible waste of talent,” said an old tonsured cat, padding toward them.
“Brother Yannis, what are you doing out here?”
“I was looking for you two. Brother Jason has the milk warming by the fire. Sent me out like a mother hen to fetch you.” The old cat’s whiskers were splayed wide and his eyes twinkled.
“Now, what’s this about you two joining the Brotherhood?”
“I been watchin’ you an’ Brother Jason an’ it got me thinkin’. The Brothers were always there for me an’ mum when we couldn’t find no shelter or fill our bellies. An’ the way you been carin’ for all the dead an’ haven’t said nothin’ against Chivato even though it’s his fault. I’d like to be like that, but I don’t know how. I was hopin’ you’d teach me.”
“Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
“Huh?”
“It’s a quote from the first Book of the One. What we do is follow the One who was the Servant of All. Is that what you want, Terence, to be a servant?”
“I think it is. I wanna try.”
The old cat blinked at him and laid his ragged tail gently over the young tom’s shoulders. He turned to look at the orange tom.
“And you? Is that your reason as well?”
“Not exactly,” said Toby, looking down as he scratched a claw along the frozen dirt.
“Then why are you considering joining us?”
“I made a deal with your One. I promised to become a Follower if my mother lived and she has.”
“I see. Son, the One doesn’t want Followers just because they try to bargain with him.”
“I keep my promises,” said the orange tom.
“That’s good, but this isn’t a promise you’re expected to keep.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s not that the One doesn’t want you to become a Follower. In fact, nothing could make him happier than to bring another lamb into the fold, but if you’re only there because you believe it’s your duty to be there, then neither of you will prosper from the deal. The One wants more than your fulfillment of a duty.”
“Then what does he want?”
“Your heart, son. He wants your love. He wants to be a part of your life, to love and be loved in return. He wants to guide your path, not force you down the road with a whip or a rod.”
“So what do I do? I can’t just break a promise.”
Brother Yannis stared at the young tom a long time. Toby got the impression he was listening to something, or someone, the young tom couldn’t hear. The old cat blinked and cocked his head.
“Do you have access to the Books?”
“Yes. Why?”
“If you want to keep your promise — study. Study the Books. Ask questions. Listen with your heart.”
“Are you sure that’s enough? I mean, the One spared my mother’s life and all I have to do is read some books in return?”
“It’s enough to begin.”
“I don’t have to join the Brotherhood?”
“What does your heart say?”
Toby closed his eyes and cleared his mind. He imagined listening to his heart to be the same as listening to his instinct. When he opened his eyes again, he smiled. Brother Yannis smiled back.
“Come, you two. My old bones don’t like this cold and we have warm milk waiting.”
The young cats kept pace with the old Brother. Toby’s mind drifted to his missing father and crippled mother. He was surprised to find his anger at what had happened to them had been replaced by determination to make the world safer by following his dream. He looked toward the small temple and saw Lorn. Putting on a burst of speed, the orange tom ran toward the human. Whatever came in the future, at least he knew someone would be there to help him.
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Also by Virginia Ripple
Click the underlined titles to be taken to the book’s page on Amazon.
Toby’s Tale
Apprentice Cat
A magical partnership between a cat and a boy. A mysterious plot years in the making. Will they uncover the truth before it’s too late?
Toby is a young tom with big dreams. He wants to be just like his father, who had a distinguished career serving the High Council until his disappearance. First things first, Toby must become an apprentice cat and study magic with other magical cats and mages.
Accepted into the King’s Master School of Mages, he’s partnered with Lorn Ribaldy, the human nephew of a notorious traitor. Before long, Toby and Lorn learn that they may soon lose their places in the school and society because of their association with Lorn’s uncle. Their only hope is to find the secret to Toby’s father’s disappearance.
When the puzzle pieces start to fit together, they learn that a much greater danger is looming. Can they catch the evil mastermind at work — and keep up with thei
r homework — before all of humanity is destroyed?
Journeyman Cat
He’ll protect his partner’s dream—until someone he loves is murdered...
Despite the war, despite that everyone else says he’s dead, Journeyman Toby continues to search for his father with the help of his human partner. When what promised to be another dead-end lead turns into something more, Toby pounces on the possibility like only a magical talking cat can. However, his questions regarding the secret goings-on of a local temple catches the attention of a mysterious cat whose sole ambition is to enslave the human race. His supervisor, a man in debt to the mysterious cat, orders the young tom to leave his informal investigation alone or be dismissed from the Office of Kingdom Guardianship. Even though he yearns to find his father, Toby obeys because it would mean taking away the one thing his partner cherishes: his position in the OKG. He follows orders, that is, until someone connected with the temple kills someone he loves.
Master Cat
His father disappeared... His mother was murdered... His partner is out to kill him...
Toby, a magical talking cat, has cut ties with the Office of Kingdom Guardianship, intent on finding his long-lost father and avenging his mother’s murder. He thought he left everyone behind, but someone from his past is stalking him. Now he must avoid this strange new menace while he seeks the truth about his family’s dark history, a history that threatens to unravel his sanity and cause the rest of the world to descend into madness. Can Toby reconcile himself with the past or will his inner turmoil allow his enemy to plunge humanity into chaos once and for all?
Malkin novellas
Secrets of the Malkin
After a narrow escape from orphaned teenagers determined to use her for target practice, Nadine, a feline social worker, is left terrified and wondering if there’s a way humans and felines can live together in peace in this post-plague world. She finds the answer in a story about a magical cat called the Baruhk Sh’Toole. Unfortunately, she disappeared years ago, taking her secrets with her. With only a map of the queen’s last known location and a vague story to go on, the she-cat leaves for an adventure to the Outer Reaches, a place where the trappers will skin a cat alive and then consider killing it. There she must befriend a priest and hope he knows where to find the cat who can heal the world, but doesn’t want to be found. Can a naive young social worker uncover the secrets of the Baruhk Sh’Toole and heal the widening rift between humans and cats or is Nadine doomed to be one more victim in the war?
Huntress of the Malkin
An accomplished healer of both cats and humans, Nadine finds herself whiskers to fangs with a demon while making what should have been a routine house call. Defeated, the demon soars away, but not before warning her that the world is about to be ripped from existence. Nadine casts the idea aside as the rantings of evil until she returns to her temple home to discover it in flames and her mentor vanished. When a visiting monk named Eli says her friend was taken by a religious extremist group looking for a book that can erase existence Nadine realizes she must take the demon’s warning seriously and go after them. Despite her misgivings about Eli, she takes him with her on what promises to be a fur-raising adventure. Can Nadine keep the book from falling into the wrong hands and save her friend or will she doom all of creation to certain annihiliation?
Clash of the Malkin
Her world in peril… His need to stop a killer… Which will she use her magic for?
Nadine’s powers are growing, and so is her enemy’s desire to see her dead. She thought she’d thwarted his plans to use the Book of Knowledge to end creation, but the cunning demon managed to snatch the Book from under her whiskers. Hot on his trail, Nadine meets up with an old friend who needs her help to stop a power-hungry master cat determined to enslave humanity. Now she must decide: finish her mission and save creation or help her friend defeat his enemy and stop a war.
Audio books
Apprentice Cat, narrated by Matthew Finch
Journeyman Cat, narrated by Matthew Finch
Master Cat narrated by Matthew Finch
Secrets of the Malkin narrated by Angel Clark
Non-fiction
Fear Not! Discovering God’s Promises For Our Lives
When life seems impossible to cope with, God reaches out to remind us of his promises for our lives. Journey through scripture to meet God in new and unexpected ways as you discover what it means to “Fear Not!”
Simply Prayer
When we find ourselves stymied by what we think prayer should look like, it’s time to step back and think like a child. God loves each of us and wants to hear from us. Prayer can be as complex as we want or as simple as we need, but sometimes we need a little help getting started. In this book you’ll discover the basics of: what prayer, is why we pray, how to pray, and how to know your prayers are answered. From repetitions to labyrinths to dancing to journals, it is all… Simply Prayer.
Trust God
God promises to be with us through everything, encouraging us to trust him through every situation we encounter. Individuals and groups alike will find themselves discovering that every day is a new opportunity to see God’s touch on their lives as they journey through scripture to uncover that:
No Matter Who You Are…
No Matter How You Feel…
No Matter What People Do…
No Matter What Happens…
No Matter Where You Are…
No Matter How Little You Have…
No Matter What You’ve Done…
No Matter How Old You Are… Trust God!
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Click the underlined titles to be taken to the book’s page on Amazon.
The New Girl: The Extraordinarily Ordinary Life of Cassandra Jones (Walker Wildcats Year 1) by Tamara Hart Heiner
The New Girl: The Extraordinarily Ordinary Life of Cassandra Jones (Walker Wildcats Year 1)
What’s special about Cassandra? Absolutely nothing. She’s as ordinary as any other fifth grader. And yet her ordinary life is riddled with hilarious and sometimes heart-breaking mishaps as she guides herself through the world of pre-teens on the brink of adulthood.
Cassandra Jones is the new girl at school. She’s been uprooted from her beloved state of Texas and relocated to the hillbilly Ozarks of Springdale, Arkansas. She wonders if she will like her teacher or if she will have any friends. She can only hope school won’t be harder than it was back home.
She doesn’t expect to have two close friends, and even worse, two friends that don’t like each other. As she tries to make a spot for herself, will she keep her friendships intact?
Author Bio
Throughout Virginia’s school years she concentrated on her English courses, going on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in English. She was hired as a part-time Christian Education Director after graduating from Northwest Missouri State University and went on to become a seminary student at Brite Divinity, an Associate Minister and a church elder. Virginia re-discovered her passion for writing while in graduate school and with it a new direction for her life. Since then she has balanced her time between her career as an independent author and being a loving wife and mother.
For more information, visit Virginia’s web site at www.virginiaripple.com to sign up for sneak peeks and special offers in Virginia’s monthly newsletter.
One Last Thing…
If you enjoyed the book, would you take a few seconds to let your friends know about it on Facebook or Twitter? If they find this story as entertaining as you have, they’ll thank you. And if you have a few minutes, be sure to leave an honest review.
God bless,
Virginia Ripple
&n
bsp;
Apprentice Cat: Toby's Tale Book 1 (Master Cat Series) Page 27
