The Adventures of Katie Hatchett (The Cat's Graces)

The Adventures of Katie Hatchett 1

The Cat’s Graces2

The sun rose above a grassy knoll, suddenly flashing a brilliance of yellow light that would blind any that happened to look in that direction at the wrong moment. Pink and purple splashed against the cloudy sky as if someone had taken buckets of paint and thrown them haphazardly onto a blank canvas to create something random but beautiful. A dark shadow was outlined in gold, sitting patiently on the knoll as if it might be waiting for someone. It was of medium sized shape and didn’t appear to be humanoid.3

With a bold curiosity that had always gotten her into way too much trouble, Katie Hatchett strode towards the knoll. Her woolen dress, which was the color of fresh turned earth, billowed around her legs as the wind began to pick up. Her wavy chocolate hair was pinned up in a bun but several strands escaped and now twirled around her face. Intelligent emerald green eyes stared out from beneath two rows of long, thick lashes. Her round face framed it all, her high cheekbones and small pointed chin creating a picture of beauty and femininity that was completely lost on Katie. Girl stuff was for Ladies, and she hated every bit of it. While her mother could force her to wear this dress, she rebelled by wearing a pair of ruddy leather boots that covered her calves. Her mother would be furious if she saw them, and this made Katie smile.4

Lifting her skirt so it wouldn’t trip her as she climbed, Katie made her way slowly but confidently up the hill. The sun had risen higher into the sky now, and the shadowy figure was closer and easier to see. To her surprise, the figure was nothing more mysterious then a black panther. To be sure, it was larger then most of its kind and it was not native to this area, but panthers were certainly heard of often enough to excite disappointment in an adventurous girl who had been expecting more. Still, she wanted something remarkable to happen this day, even if it wasn’t anything truly spectacular, so she continued her march toward the creature. After all, panthers could be dangerous, right?5

The cat’s silky black fur glistened in the morning sunlight. Its tail was wrapped around its feet, the tip of which twitched as a cat’s tail often did. It had one paw raised to its mouth and was cleaning it, though it didn’t seem to be paying attention to its work. It watched Katie come forward with absolute patience. Katie was struck with how intelligent its sparkling green eyes were as it watched her, seeming to judge her character before she even arrived. Her step faltered slightly. She was a brave girl, but she’d grown up on a small farm in a quiet village all her life. Nothing really strange had ever happened to test her bravery or her determination.6

She stopped before the panther and felt as if she was waiting for something, but didn’t know what. Her heart was skipping slightly, enough to show that she must be feeling something even if she didn’t feel terrified. The animal showed no signs of attacking despite the fact that she had managed to get close enough to reach out and stroke her ears, which she refrained from doing. It stopped licking its paw and stared up at her, tilting its head slightly and looking almost quizzical.7

“Well don’t just stand there staring at me like an oaf, girl, what do you want?” asked the panther, and Katie jumped back. She stumbled and nearly fell, but managed to catch herself before she went spiraling down the knoll.8

“You talk!” she exclaimed. The cat’s penetrating eyes made her feel silly and she couldn’t help but lower her own to the ground. She was at a loss for words.9

“Of course I talk.” The cat shook her head almost disgustedly. The cat actually had a very pretty and feminine voice, which Katie would not have expected. She sounded haughty and intelligent, though not completely unfriendly. Katie waited, but the cat said nothing more. Finally, she looked up and saw the cat was still patiently eyeing her.10

“Wait,” Katie started, an idea coming to her head, “you asked what I wanted. What do you mean? Why would I want something?”11

“You called to me in the night. That is why I am here,” stated the cat simply. She then let out a sigh, which I’m sure you can imagine is a strange gesture from a feline.12

“I don’t know what you mean,” replied Katie.13

“Let’s start simply. What is your name, girl?”14

“Katie Hatchett.”15

“That is a very good sort of name. I am Ishtar.” The cat rose then and sauntered around Katie, eyeing every inch of the girl’s body as if inspecting her for something.16

“You are a youngling for sure. How could you have called me with a mind so young? Apparently not by will, as you seem to be confused by my presence.” Ishtar returned to her original place and sat again. She looked thoughtful, her sparkling green orbs brightening and looking like gems against her ebony coat. Katie’s mind was swirling with unanswered questions, but she was so confused and shocked she had a hard time getting her thoughts straight. With a frustrated sigh she plopped down on the grass and rested her head in her hands with her elbows propped on her knees. Ishtar was still staring at her, or perhaps even through her.17

“I am not so young,” Katie said to fill the silence. “I am only two short years from adulthood.”18

Ishtar seemed to ignore her comment. After a moment she said, “Tell me, youngling, is there something you’ve been wanting very strongly, perhaps something you might even dream about?”19

“Well,” Katie began, feeling hesitant; “I suppose I have been wishing for adventure. I want something great to happen to challenge and excite me. I always feel that I don’t belong here in this dull farmer’s life. I know I must have been meant for something more.” Katie blushed. She felt embarrassed about her feelings and about being so open with this animal.20

Ishtar’s eyes lit up and she seemed to grin happily. “Its adventure you want, is it? Well, I’ll tell you, your homeland isn’t as boring as you may think. Yes, my dear, adventure I shall give you. Come with me.” With that, Ishtar stood and began to walk down the opposite side of the knoll that Katie had come from. Katie paused for only a moment before scrambling to her feet and catching up with the cat. After all, she wasn’t going to pass up the chance to have her very dreams recognized.21

***22

“Where are we going exactly?” Katie asked. Her cheeks were flushed from the cool air caressing her cheeks and sweat threatened to sprout along her hairline. More strands of hair had fallen from their pins, and the hem of her dress was slightly lined with dirt. They had been walking a fair amount of time, and were now trudging somewhere in the middle of the forest that surrounded the village farms. Birds were singing in the trees and the leaves swayed in the breeze. It was still chilly here because of the wind, but the wind was lighter with all the trees to block it, and Katie was hot and exhausted anyway.23

“To the ruins.” Ishtar said simply. She had her tail held high and flicked it occasionally from side to side. She was on the trail in the lead and showed no signs of tiring. Obstacles seemed to be nothing to her because she had such agility and stamina. She seemed as if she floated over things like large logs, while Katie grunted and scrambled over the fallen tree.24

“What kind of adventure are we going to find in some grubby old ruins?” demanded Katie, for now she was a little irritable. She was also slightly afraid she had made a big mistake in following this cat. Maybe Ishtar had dragged her out here just so she could eat Katie. Either way, Katie felt it was much too late to turn back now.25

“Oh, it is quite a dangerous place and it’s filled with jewels. What’s an adventure without jewels?” Ishtar purred, glancing back briefly at her charge.26

“Well, you’re a panther, what good does any jewels do for you?” Katie insisted. Ishtar stopped abruptly and turned to face Katie. She stared hard at the young girl.27

“You ask a lot of questions. Inquisitiveness shows intelligence, so I don’t mind. You don’t know when to hold your tongue which means you’re not very wise, but that will come with age. However, you seem to be lacking in strength. I hope you will be able to handle the task I have for you,” said Ishtar.28

“That isn’t an answer. Why would you even say those things? They aren’t answers!” Katie fumed; she was ready to explode on this cat. Fangs and claws hardly even entered her mind. She needn’t have worried anyway. Her outburst hardly caused Ishtar to blink. The cat’s stare was as hard and penetrating as ever it was when first they met, but they were also unwaveringly patient.29

“You have never spoken to a cat, so you don’t know. We are patient creatures, and we don’t answer questions directly, if at all. We say a lot of things that can mean everything or nothing, and perhaps both at once. However, I will grant you this question. These jewels matter to me because a long time ago I was a human just like you. By a long time ago, I mean centuries.30

“I am not a normal creature, as you can see. There was a time when I was a lovely young princess full of great promise. My father arranged a marriage for me with a very powerful wizard. Back then love was something you only heard of in story tales. Marriages were merely binding tools, a means to create the most powerful or convenient tie between two people. It could be used as a weapon or to strengthen whole countries. I’m sure that doesn’t make sense to you, but we don’t have time for me to go into the inner workings of the politics of my homeland. 31

“Well, as it turned out I was about to fall into a fairy tale. I fell desperately in love with a young and handsome sorcerer, the wizard’s apprentice. When the wizard found out that we had been seeing each other behind his back he cursed me into this form and abandoned me in the woods. My love found me and tried to erase the spell. What he found was that my husband had sealed the spell inside of a ruby. If you don’t understand magic you’ll just have to be confused, because we don’t have time for that kind of explanation either. My love was only able to create a counter spell jewel that would only work when combined with the jewel my husband had created. Until recently I have never been able to find my husband’s jewel, and when finally I did find it I couldn’t get inside the building. I think however, that you could.”32

“That is such a sad story.” Katie replied, her anger now having long wilted away.33

Ishtar rolled her eyes. “It is a very cliché story, one you hear of all the time. That doesn’t make it less true, but it’s hardly tragic.”34

“Why do you think I would be able to get into the ruins?”35

“Because I believe you can wield magic, even if you do not know it yet. How else could you have had a powerful enough mind to call me in your sleep? I believe that the ruins can only be opened by magic.”36

“If I can’t use it by will, how am I going to get inside?”37

Ishtar sighed. “We’ll have to figure that out when we get there. I know almost as little about this magic stuff as you do. Even if I could have used it when I was human I probably wouldn’t have. It requires a lot of energy and I preferred to let the servants do all the work. Any more questions?” Ishtar twitched her tail, but otherwise stood motionless.38

“Yes. How come you haven’t just found someone else to open the door for you? Maybe someone that knows how to actually use magic.”39

“Magic users are very rare things indeed, and ones that know how to use it are even rarer. I am surprised, actually, to have found a magic user in this land at all. I am sure my husband could not have known that such talents lived in your family’s blood line. That or your family moved here after his passing. I’m sure he would have tried to hide the jewel as far from anyone even possibly capable of using magic as he could have. That way there would never be a chance of me getting it or someone else finding it,” Ishtar explained, almost sounding as thoughtful and curious as Katie.40

“This is all so overwhelming and confusing. I only hope I won’t disappoint you,” Katie replied.41

“Well it will certainly be disappointing if we never reach the ruins at all because of your endless questioning.” Ishtar turned and, with another decisive twitch of her tail, continued down the trail. Katie sighed and tucked her head down against the chill wind and trudged on after the shadowy figure before her.42

***43

The ruins turned out to be an ancient old mansion that looked as if it once had been beautiful, but now looked almost terrifying. Windows were broken or missing and the door hung lopsided on its hinges. The paint on the sides were ash grey and moldy and the steps leading up to the door didn’t look safe. Most of the floorboards on the wrap-around patio were missing. What really made it look scary though was the fact that every hole in the building, including the wide windows, looked to have nothing beyond them but absolute darkness. It looked like darkness that went beyond anything in the night.44

“This is the ruins? They don’t look so hard to get into,” Katie commented in a voice that threatened to shake. Ishtar coughed out a laugh that sounded strange from a cat.45

“This old house is nothing but a cover for what truly lies within. What would appear to be the cellar door is what’s enchanted against intruders however. Shall we proceed?” Ishtar purred. Her mocking tone grated on Katie’s nerves, but she remained silent and merely nodded. She swallowed hard, trying to get past the fear that was rising in her throat. How could something like this have been so close to home and she never knew about it?46

The two of them stepped forward together. Ishtar hung back and let Katie take the lead now, and Katie wasn’t altogether happy about that. The steps protested against her weight, causing her to hesitate a moment, but the look in Ishtar’s eyes told her there was no turning back now. With a deep breath for bravery, Katie approached the door. The brass doorknob was covered in a layer of dust and Katie’s fingers left smears as she turned the handle. The stench of mold and stale dust wafted out from the creaking doorway. At first, as Katie peered inside, she could see nothing. The entire house was blanketed in shadows and swirls of unsettled dirt floated in the air as she stepped inside.47

The floorboards inside weren’t any more happy about her presence then the ones outside, and thick footprints were left behind as she made her way forward. Ishtar didn’t make a sound or leave a mark, of course. Every bit of Katie’s active imagination was screaming at her that a bloody corpse was going to come walking down the stairs that were crumbling just to her right. She stumbled forward, and that was when she noticed that the house wasn’t exactly standing on all its feet. Holes were spread throughout the ceiling and rotting pieces of wood lay all about what looked to be a living room. It seemed that some of the walls had caved in and now lay flat on the ground, having long ago collected their share of dust.48

To the left there was a large entryway, the only opening leading further into the house that Katie could see, besides the stairway. Jewel or no jewel, not even a talking panther could convince her to go up those stairs. She sneezed as she inhaled dust, causing even more dust to swirl around. She sighed, wondering how she had gotten herself into this. Suddenly, there was a creak coming from further in the house. Katie yelped and her heart sped up. She thought to turn and flee, but her legs wouldn’t move. A moment later a squirrel scampered out of a hole in one of the walls and out another one that led outside. Katie laughed at herself though she felt more like crying.49

Still, despite her fear and the hammering of her heart, she knew she wouldn’t have gone back and changed anything. This was what she had always wanted, and though it didn’t seem quite so heroic at the moment, she was sure it was an experience she would treasure later. That was, if she lived to tell the tale. Staring up at the creaking walls, she wasn’t too confident about the living part right then. Ishtar gave her elbow a nudge, reminding Katie that she was supposed to be doing something here.50

Stepping more carefully now, Katie picked her way along the fallen boards towards the entryway that led to the kitchen. Katie moaned and covered her mouth as the stench in the house grew worse. Old and rotting things she didn’t even want to consider littered the floor and tabletops. Rats had made a home here and covered every inch of counter space. Apparently, the smell and unsettled dust didn’t bother them as much as it bothered her or had bothered the squirrel. Skirting the horde as much as possible, Katie made her way to the back, casting one glance over at Ishtar. The panther was eyeing the rats and looking unable to decide whether she was hungry or disgusted.51

“I don’t know where a cellar would be,” Katie whispered. She wasn’t sure why her voice came out so quiet, but for some reason this situation seemed to call for silence. Perhaps she really was afraid of that bloody corpse jumping out from behind some shadowy corner.52

“Just try different doors.” Ishtar also whispered, which made Katie more uneasy. The cat appeared to be calm, but perhaps she still sensed something that Katie didn’t. Katie groaned in response to Ishtar’s statement. There were two doors in the kitchen. One she assumed led to the dining room or some other kind of room beyond. Another she guessed to be the pantry, but she decided to try it anyway. She’d seen cellar doors in kitchens before. She stared at the rotted oak in front of her with distaste. She really didn’t want to touch that grime.53

“My mother is going to kill me when she sees this dress,” Katie said suddenly, the thought coming randomly to her head. She didn’t wait for a reply for Ishtar as she didn’t expect one. She opened the supposed pantry door and peered inside but could see nothing. “A lantern would have been a good idea.”54

“Let me take a look. I can see in darkness pretty well,” stated Ishtar with a haughty grin. She prowled forward and peered inside. Then she moved inward and disappeared into the shadows, melding perfectly because of her silky black fur.55

“Well?” Katie called. There was no answer, but a moment later Ishtar’s tail rubbed against her palm.56

“Grab my tale and I’ll lead you in. There’s a flight of stairs and a door at the bottom. This must be it,” she directed, and Katie obeyed. She didn’t like moving around in the dark where she couldn’t see and her already racing heart sped up. She thought to use her hands on the walls to guide her. She let out a dismayed cry as her hand brushed against a thick layer of grime and spider webs. Of course, she should have known better. A moment later she collided with Ishtar, who had stopped at the bottom of the stairs.57

“Ouch!” Katie complained.58

“Oh, quiet you. Now, place your hands on this door and concentrate. Look deep inside yourself. If you concentrate you’ll hit something you’ve never felt before, or never realized you’d felt. It’ll feel like a ball of caged energy, so I am told, and you just have to release it,” Ishtar explained. Katie sighed and rolled her eyes. Before trying anything she reached forward and twisted the handle on the door. It was locked tight, but that didn’t mean the door wouldn’t come down. If the rest of the house was barely standing, why shouldn’t this door fall to a swift kick?59

Katie squealed in surprise as she landed hard on her bottom. Blood poured from her tongue where she had bit it and her hair frizzled from the shock. Apparently, the door didn’t like being kicked. Ishtar chuckled derisively, but said nothing. Groaning and feeling quite grumpy now, Katie scrambled to her feet and glared at the door even though she couldn’t see it. Filled with apprehension of another attack, she placed her hands carefully upon the doors filthy frame. Nothing happened, so she closed her eyes. It was just as dark with her eyes open, but for some reason concentrating is always easier done with one’s eyes closed.60

At first Katie had a hard time concentrating. She felt hot and dirty, and the darkness made her uneasy. She also wasn’t feeling quite all that fond of her feline companion at that moment. Still, she knew that the panther wouldn’t rest until she found that magic spot, whether it was there or not, and she wouldn’t be happy with herself if she never tried. This meant that the longer she focused on her ill feelings, the longer she would have to be there. She started trying to concentrate on her breathing, first breathing slowly in her nose and letting it out slowly through her mouth. Once her mind was clear of everything else, she ventured to look inside of herself.61

Katie wasn’t exactly sure what looking inside ones self was supposed to be exactly. At first she only skipped through her life time memories. When that proved fruitless she decided that memories weren’t exactly looking inside her self. Her face contorted with concentration as she forced her mind to open to different possibilities. After doing this things started to change. She felt her body relax, her breathing deepen, and somehow she suddenly knew what she was looking for. With excitement she delved in and felt a thrill when she realized that she had touched her very soul. She could see it, swirling and dancing, looking like a silvery kind of smoke. It was beautiful and untouched, still pure with the innocence of youth. In a pocket somewhere inside she felt a presence and realized that it was magic. As she focused on the presence it swelled and brightened until it looked like a flickering flame. 62

Now that she’d found the magic, she wasn’t quite sure what she was supposed to do with it. She also couldn’t see much besides fire here, and she didn’t see how fire was going to open a door that attacked when it was kicked. Still, she didn’t have much choice in the matter. She had to try something. Since she didn’t know how to use the magic she decided to try to picture it as a circular object of flame the size of a playing ball. She pictured holding the ball in her hands and then with her hands spreading it across the door the same way she would lather butter on toast. She opened her eyes in surprise when she felt heat against her cheeks and jumped back when she saw real fire engulfing the door. Again, she tripped on a stair and fell flat on her bottom.63

Ishtar’s eyes glowed eerily as she watched the door silently. She looked hopeful, greedy, and eager. At first nothing happened, the flames seemed to cover the door without ever actually doing anything to it. Then suddenly the wood crumbled away to reveal the darkness inside. Katie was more then half convinced some awful creature was going to leap out at any minute and chew off her leg, which she tucked up underneath herself without even realizing it. When nothing happened, Katie turned to Ishtar.64

“Why did that work? I kicked it and lightning shot through my body, but a light it on fire and it dissolves? I don’t get it.”65

Ishtar’s eyes were filled with glee as she turned to her accomplice. “I’m not sure how these things work, but I am guessing that the fire worked because it was magic fire. If you want more of an explanation then that you’ll have to find a wizard and ask him when we’re done.”66

Katie stood and brushed herself off, wishing that the fire still illuminated them. Then she paused and looked back at Ishtar, though all she could see of the cat now was her glowing emeralds. “Wait, when we’re done? I thought you only wanted me to open the door.”67

Ishtar purred soothingly. “I need you to come with me to get the jewel. There are probably other such wards surrounding it. Besides, who knows what other riches are inside? Think of your family. I’m sure they could use a little bit of a boost. Even if they are doing well for themselves, every farmer could use a little more.”68

“I suppose your right,” Katie said slowly as she looked back at the shadows before her. She was trying to decide if it really was worth it, but again she knew she would never forgive herself if she turned back now. Not only would she feel herself a coward, but she’d also feel the guilt as she watched her family struggle needlessly.69

“Good. Now, why don’t you pick up a board and light it on fire for us? Use your talents to control the flame so it doesn’t burn away the wood,” Ishtar instructed. Katie was curious now of what she was capable of. She tried to comply, but when she picked up the board and tried to concentrate she suddenly felt as if all the energy had been drained out of her.70

“I-I can’t,” she gasped. The board fell from her limp hand and she had to struggle to remain standing.71

Ishtar sighed. “I forgot about that. Magic is fueled by the energy a person has within themselves. More experienced wizards and sorcerers could accomplish what you did and much more without even breaking a sweat. You, however, are unsure of your powers, so you overcompensate when you cast a spell. Without practice, even something simple will cause you to tire. A most grievous inconvenience.”72

“You do know a lot about magic, even if you can’t use it,” commented Katie. She could almost see the grin on Ishtar’s face.73

“I was married to a wizard. I don’t know much, but I know enough. Come, grab my tail and let us be on our way.” Katie did as she was told and they moved forward.74

As they walked Ishtar tried to explain what she saw to Katie. According to her they were in a large storage room filled with rotting boxes. Katie didn’t need Ishtar’s narration to know there were rats in the room. She felt them crawl over her boots and heard them squeak in the corners. They made their way towards a door which was not warded and nearly crumbled at the slightest touch. Now they entered a much larger room filled with even larger boxes. The boxes were so large and heavy that the two of them couldn’t move them. Instead, they had to make their way through the maze. Ishtar described it as a maze because the boxes seemed to be set up so intricately, with so many twists and turns, that she was sure it was meant to be just that. Katie smashed her nose into more then one dead end.75

She was starting to wonder if they’d ever reach the end of the maze or get back out if they did, when a blue light came into view after one of the turns. Katie stared at it for a long moment before she realized it was floating in midair with nothing to hold it up. It glowed faintly, looking to be a piece of the sky that had broken from the greater mass above. With bold innocence, Katie reached out for it. She was already grabbing it when she realized it could harm her, but luckily nothing bad happened. The sphere felt fragile, and she couldn’t even be sure she was holding it. It felt like nothing but air between her finger tips. She pulled it down close to her face to examine it. It glowed brightly in the middle and faded gradually until it came to the ends of its circle. It was the same size as the fireball she had imagined earlier. It didn’t light up much, only the immediate area in front of her, but it was comforting none the less.76

Ishtar eyed the sphere of light wearily but said nothing. She waited patiently for Katie to finish her examination. Katie gave Ishtar a smile, feeling better now that she had some form of light, and then she moved forward. The light, it seemed, marked the end of the passage. They suddenly burst out into an open and empty part of the room. Katie couldn’t see beyond her tiny circle of light, but she could feel the emptiness stretching out into the eerie shadows beyond. Her comforted feeling instantly fled, and her nervousness returned with the thump of her heart.77

The two of them looked at each other, their eyes locking for what seemed an eternity. Even Ishtar’s eyes showed some sign of being shaken, but they never wavered and there was a strong determination gleaming inside them. Katie was the first to look away, and without speaking they silently made their way forward. Katie would have given anything for a lantern. It seemed minutes before they reached the end of the room. They had walked in a straight line, and luckily no further exploration of the room would be necessary. A small, beautiful box suddenly appeared within the glow of the light sphere.78

Katie gasped in awe. The box was perfectly preserved looking all the more beautiful in the blue glow, especially after all the filth and rot they had just come through. The box was covered in a red velvet looked as dark as old blood in the glow of the sphere. Katie glanced at Ishtar and noticed for the first time that the sphere actually made everything look different in its light. Ishtar’s eyes looked darker while her white teeth were fluorescent and looked faintly blue. Katie looked back to the box. A golden thread, which Katie was convinced would be spun with real gold, lined each edge of the box. Carefully, she reached out to open the box. A golden loop protruded from the box where a lock made of the same material hung down from it, latching it securely closed. A red ruby sparkled on the face of the lock. Katie was sure the lock was in perfect shape, yet it clicked and fell away at her touch. 79

Ishtar moved in closer, so close that Katie could feel the cat’s hot and moist breath against her arm. Katie opened the box slowly, unsure as to why she felt so hesitant now. Inside, nestled in a thick bed of white silk, was a giant green emerald that matched the color of Ishtar’s eyes. The emerald was bigger then both of Katie’s fists pressed together. She gasped again, her awe even more profound. She had never seen a gem so large and beautiful in all her life. She almost felt disappointed that this jewel didn’t belong to her, though she felt sure Ishtar would allow her to keep the box and the ruby studded lock. Both were probably worth more then Katie’s entire farm.80

A scraping sound behind them made them both freeze. Katie’s breathing became labored with terror. She wished she could quiet her thrumming heart and her ragged breath. Sweat soaked her brow and dripped into her eyes. She wasn’t sure why fear gripped her so quickly and suddenly, but she knew that this time there wasn’t just a squirrel behind her. She thought about throwing the sphere away from her, but she felt almost certain that anything in this cellar was probably more accustomed to darkness and would find her anyway, and if she didn’t have to she didn’t want to relinquish the light. There was another scraping sound, much closer this time, and a hiss as whatever it was let out a breath.81

Thinking to run, Katie scooped up the box and the lock and spun around. A terrified, choked scream was wrenched from her throat. She stood nose to nose with a hideous beast, its breath wafting into her face and making her stomach turn with its stench. Its face looked exactly like a wolf, but its fangs were larger and dripped with thick saliva that looked like poison. It also had crimson eyes that sparkled with hatred, vile evil, and intelligence. Its body was covered in white fur and though the rest of it looked like a wolf, complete with a tail, it stood on its hind legs like a person, it’s back hunched over. For a moment Katie and the wolf stared into each other’s eyes. Then Ishtar let out a screech and clawed the beasts leg82

“Run Katie! And don’t let it touch you!” Ishtar screamed as she darted past the howling beast. Its attention was momentarily removed from Katie and the precious cargo cradled in her arms. At first Katie didn’t think she’d be able to run. Her legs felt like jelly. Sticky sweat was dripping down her back and her hair clung to her face. Finally, her legs obeyed, and she bolted after the cat. The wolf let out a scream that was almost human like, and then Katie could here it coming after them fast. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she realized she couldn’t out run the beast.83

She squealed like a trapped mouse as the wolf barreled into her legs and knocked her to the hard concrete. The wind left her lungs as she hit the floor with a grunt, and her head began to bleed profusely from smacking into the rock hard surface. She managed to keep her grip on the box, but she wasn’t sure she’d be able to keep her grip on her consciousness. Ishtar leaped through the darkness and into the light sphere’s circle. She let out another angry screech and dug her claws into the wolf’s face. It howled again and snarled angrily, but it relinquished its grip on Katie’s legs. Pain shot through her entire body, but she managed to scramble to her feet. 84

“Keep going, Katie! I’ll catch up. You have to keep that jewel safe, no matter what!” Ishtar screamed at her. It was enough to convince Katie. She turned and bolted through the maze, feeling guilty about leaving Ishtar behind but knowing that the panther would rather die then let this wolf creature have the gem, and Ishtar couldn’t carry it herself. 85

Katie came to a crashing halt in a dead end, and without even a pause broke into hysterical sobs. She was lost. There was no way she could find her way back out of the maze, and definitely not before she was caught by the wolf creature. Just then, the light pulled itself free from her hand and floated into the air. It hovered a moment, then moved down the maze at a leisurely pace. Katie watched it in awe, her sobs instantly ceasing as her thoughts went completely to the sphere with wonder. It disappeared around a corner and Katie followed it. The light followed a path of its own choosing, and after awhile Katie realized that she hadn’t run into any dead ends. The sphere was leading her out. 86

Behind her she heard loud noises that sounded like fighting. They were getting closer now. The wolf howled with anger and she heard the sound of its heavy footsteps. It sounded slowed, and Katie dared hope that Ishtar was still alive and fighting. She gave only a moment’s pause to look behind her before she moved forward with the light sphere. She wished it would move faster. It seemed to take an eternity for them to reach the end of the maze and enter into the tiny storage room at the beginning of the cellar. Katie reached up and snatched the sphere from the air, the bolted out the door. Her quick, heavy footsteps stirred up more dust then there had been before. She sneezed again, forcing her eyes closed. She tripped on a board and fell to the floor, banging her elbow and sending searing hot pain up her arm. Panic gripped her, but now she dared not look back.87

Katie half crawled, half ran the rest of the way out of the house. She finally looked back once. She couldn’t see anything, but she heard the wolf scrambling among the fallen pieces of wood in the house. He was still chasing her down, and he was moving faster now. With a jolt of feeling, Katie wished that she could somehow stop the wolf. The second the thought was finished the house burst into flames, and Katie cried out in alarm. She was still close enough to the house to feel the sudden heat that flooded from the house, and even a few of the trees caught fire. The wolf was screaming now, sounding completely human now. The sounds of pain and terror it made were so horrible that Katie nearly broke into dry heaves, and when the beast fell out of the house in a burning and screaming mass she lost everything she had ate that day.88

Crying and trembling, Katie moved away from the house, not stopping until she could no longer see or feel the fire. Then she collapsed to the ground, every bit of her body’s reserves used up. She had been tired enough without burning down an entire house. She also cried for Ishtar, who had surely died in the fire if not by the wolf’s doing. She wanted to stay awake and protect the box until it was in safety. She felt she owed Ishtar that much, since the panther had died trying to save her and the gem. Try as she might, though, Katie couldn’t stay awake. Her eyes closed and with another exhausted shudder she passed out.89

***90

Something was nudging her, trying to wake her, and she groaned in protest. Her entire body hurt, and the last thing she wanted to do was wake up. Whatever it was persisted, however, and finally she gave in. With great reluctance she pried her eyes open and peered around blurrily. A shadow was hunched over her, watching and waiting. Her vision cleared and she realized she was staring up into the dark face and emerald green eyes of her dead companion. She gasped and scooted away, instantly awake and alert. Then she noticed that the cat was injured and covered in soot and looked very much alive.91

“Ishtar? How did you make it out?” Katie croaked. Her voice was hoarse and dry. She desperately wanted a glass of water. Ishtar grinned, looking both pleased with her self and very tired.92

“Something that I can only describe as a bubble, though it was clear and I couldn’t see anything, surrounded me. The fire was so hot I thought I would burn anyway, but the bubble kept me safe. I think that when you blew the house up you still managed to think of me and kept me from harm. That shows such a large amount of power and skill, I don’t think you even realize. And to have kept it up even though you must have passed out is amazing. It only released its hold on me, for it wouldn’t let me even move, when the fires had died away.” Ishtar was looking at her with amazement mixed in to her other emotions.93

“What about the wolf? Didn’t it get you?” questioned Katie.94

“No, I fought it and injured it, but after that I was afraid to touch it. It wasn’t just a wolf, Katie, it was a werewolf. You have to avoid its blood and saliva, and even its claws, as much as possible. Its disease has to actually enter your blood stream to infect you, but I was afraid I’d have a cut somewhere I didn’t notice and that its own bleeding wounds would touch mine. I need to know something Katie, and you have to be truthful. Did it claw you or bite you?”95

“No,” Katie replied. A shudder passed through her at the thought of the horrible disease a werewolf carried, though she tried to insist to herself that it was just the cold. It was indeed chilly now, for the sun had long ago slipped beneath her trees. She thought of her parents then and of how worried they must be. There was also a lot of work she had left undone that her father would have had to complete on his own. 96

“Good, because then we would have to kill you,” Ishtar said, bringing Katie out of her reverie.97

“What? Why? I know that creature was evil but surely a good person would be good even with the disease.”98

“No, everyone turns into a vile creature. Some semblance of who they used to be remains with them, which makes the affliction all the worse. You know your evil, you know your committing terrible deeds, but you can’t stop yourself and most of you doesn’t want to. Not only that, but the disease ravages your body with pain and you have to live with that for a long time. Those who know better will kill themselves before the next full moon kicks the disease into full gear,” Ishtar explained, her eyes filling with sadness.99

Katie shook her head. She stood shakily to her feet, testing her legs before setting all of her weight on them. She looked down at Ishtar. “That is so very sad. Here all this time I thought werewolves were just a thing from scary stories.”100

Ishtar managed a grin. “Do you think you’re done with adventuring for awhile?”101

Katie gave Ishtar a weak smile in return. “Right now, I think yes. But I fear that once my wounds have healed and enough time has passed my heart will yearn for more.”102

“The adventuring life is a hard one to lead, but I am glad you think you will still want it. I am sure I will have need of you in the future. For now, though, I think it is time we part,” Ishtar stated. She paused a moment, then gave Katie the kindest look she had so far. “Thank you, my friend.”103

***104

Katie slowly made her way back to her small cottage. She could see smoke trailing from the chimney and knew her family was still awake. A sadness washed over her as she thought about the fact that she may not see Ishtar for a long time, if ever again. They had parted with a friendly hug, which is quite an odd thing coming from a cat. Katie had then ripped a piece of her already tattered dress and made a temporary sling to tie around the cat’s neck so she could carry the jewel with her without Katie’s help. Ishtar had happily offered the box and lock to Katie, saying that she had more then earned it. Katie had locked away the glowing sphere away inside the box, replacing the jewel that had rested there only moments before.105

When Katie entered her house and her family all gathered around her excitedly, she suddenly realized she didn’t know what to tell them. They hugged and kissed her, tears streaming down their cheeks and exclaimed at her awful appearance. They battered her with questions of where she had been, and she decided that they would never believe the truth. She wove a tale of how she had been kidnapped by jewel thieves and of how another girl had helped her to escape. She told them that she had stolen a large jewel box from the thieves in her escape, but had lost the jewel along the way. To her the story sounded fake and hollow, and she was sure her family was suspicious, but at the sight of the ruby they decided to let things be.106

Her mother ran her a hot bath and set out some warm clothes for her. Though they wanted nothing more but to keep hugging their daughter and sister, they decided to let Katie bathe and sleep in peace. It was very late anyway and they all needed their rest as well. Relieved, Katie entered the washroom and stood there in the silence for awhile. She watched the steam curl up from the clear water for a moment, her mind focused on nothing in particular. Then she removed her tattered clothes and stepped into the liquid pool.107

She hissed as the hot water touched her many cuts and bruises. With a wince, and with tears streaming from her eyes, she lifted her leg and ran a hand over the large gash that stretched its way up her calf. It was a gaping, ugly wound, yet not a drop of blood spilled from it. The edges of her skin were blackened and the meat inside her leg was raw and pink. What would become of her, she wondered, when the next full moon’s silvery rays touched this wound where the werewolf had caught her with one of its long, pointed claws?108

The End109