The Delving: Chapter 10

What am I bid
For a good cat...1

Fourpence or six?2

Can he catch mice...
Or just be a decoration
Upon the mantel?3

And can I see him
On a dark night?4

-- from The Wisdom of Felia
5

Chapter 10: The Eian of Felia6

Despite her cat-brother's enthusiasm, Ithuriel still felt a sense of dread as she approached the doorway of the little house. It had been far too long since she had had an uninterrupted encounter with a friendly person other than her brother, and he was now in feline form, eagerly approaching a strange doorway deep beneath the surface of the ground. The light streaming from behind the black-cloaked figure was too steady, and too bright. She could not let Ithamar, in the form of a cat, enter this unfamiliar place alone, but words to stop him froze in her throat--as if he would have paid any attention to her. The woman's skin was milk-white, and her hair was dark and thick. Eyes which seemed nearly black, set in a face of noble, serene beauty, gazed calmly at the approaching visitors. Ithamar reached her ankles, and began to rub against them, purring loudly, making figure eights as he circled between her legs, brushing against first one, and then the other. She glanced down at the cat; then she looked at Ithuriel with a smile so warm it could have melted chocolate.7

"Your cat likes me!" she said.8

Ithuriel found her tongue. "That cat is my brother!"9

"If you like cats so well, then you will surely be pleased here!" The stranger's smile grew broader.10

"But he's not supposed to be a cat!"11

The woman's face fell at once. "I'm so sorry. What happened?"12

Ithuriel tried to answer, but she found that the stress of the last days had finally caught up to her. Vision blurring, she lurched toward the doorway and into the stranger's arms. She wept profusely as she was held in a comforting embrace. Ithamar, purring more softly, sat down and leaned against her legs. For a few moments, Ithuriel experienced the delicious sensation that absolutely nothing was wrong.13

When the tears were over, the stranger spoke in a low, pleasant voice: "I am Neuna, Eian of Felia. My cats and I protect the Delving. How may I assist you?"14

Ithuriel hardly knew where to begin, but one thing was uppermost in her mind. "If you are an Eian, then could you help my twin brother here? Through some error of conjuration, he has become a cat. I am Ithuriel of Cepheus Esdraelen, and this is my twin brother Ithamar."15

Neuna's face became grave. "It is well that you have escaped Scratch, Ithuriel Memnon, but this is a sore provocation." She bent down, picked up the cat, and cradled him in her arms. He immediately put his forepaws on her shoulder and began to nuzzle one ear, purring softly a bit, as if in short sentences. Neuna murmured gentle replies into his ears. After a time, she gently put him down again. "He says to tell you he's very sorry that the enchantment went wrong. He explained it to me, and it seems to be based on a spell he learned from Serun Darkinglow. I'm not familiar with it at all, and it would be dangerous for me to attempt undoing it--that is best left to Serun. My cat-messengers bore news to me of the attack on Esdraelen, and of Tam Lin's rash alliance with Arkh in order to rescue you, including his dismissal of the griffins when they would not agree with his plans."16

Ithuriel was disappointed to hear that Neuna would not attempt to return Ithamar to human form, but she knew that the Eian was right. She had mixed feelings about Tam Lin's actions, but she also grieved that he might have lost his life in order to rescue her. "Tam Lin was very brave. He and Ithamar came together into the Delving. He tried to get me to swim out with him, but I was afraid. Ithamar pretended that he was a Nequam and got me as far as the pool before he was changed into a cat. Tam Lin was in the water."17

"Then he probably escaped." Neuna quickly changed the subject. "You need to remove all your things from the coracle. My cats will be taking it back to the pool. And the day shift at the salt mine will soon begin. I know your sense of time must be distorted by now, but I'm equally sure you both need rest."18

The twins were only too happy to comply. Ithuriel removed the pack and heavier items, and Ithamar retrieved the half-burned torch, carrying it in his mouth. Neuna led them inside, closed the door, and then went to draw heavy black drapes over the windows. "My cats are standing guard, but there are spy-bats about sometimes; it frustrates the cats greatly, but the bats cannot be stopped. "19

"Do they spy for Scratch?"20

"They used to do so for the Huntsman; whether any now serve Scratch I do not know."21

"How many cats stand guard?"22

"I have twenty-four altogether; six are on duty at any given time. Those who do not serve here roam the Delving, bringing me messages of happenings. All my cats were raised right here; I sell them to citizens of the various cities and towns. They are highly-prized, being all black to blend in well with the surroundings, and are excellent at catching rats and other pests. They are also, unlike ordinary cats, actually able to see in total darkness."23

Neuna then pressed her palms gently on a panel in the right wall. Ithuriel caught just a glimpse of the cozy interior of the first floor. In a fireplace near the center, a bed of tiny blue flames made a soft roaring sound as it emanated wamth. Bright yellow lights, almost white, in clear glass chimneys, adorned the walls. The panel opened, and they followed Neuna down a neatly-built stairway. She gestured toward a passageway to the right. "This is the dormitory. Here you may sleep to your heart's content, in safety. Scratch cannot enter this cavern from the way you came, even if he is willing to get wet, and he does not know the other way--there are only two. In the unlikely event that any Nequam were foolish enough to approach, my cats would dispatch him at once. There is a garrison posted twenty-four hours." A huge, muscular black tom came trotting down the hall, head and tail held high. "This is Rex. He will show you to your quarters and provide you with light refreshment. We will dine well when you have slept."24

Ithamar stood still and eyed Rex cautiously. The host-cat walked courteously over to the visitor and sniffed his nose. Ithamar's nostrils twitched, but he began to purr, and soon Rex did also.25

"May the Creator grant you the rest you deserve. Good night, and tomorrow."26

Ithuriel was curious. "How can we get back to Esdraelen without...."27

Neuna raised a finger to her lips. "All questions will be answered tomorrow."28

Ithuriel yawned hugely. "I beg your pardon, and you are right," she said. "Good night."29

Neuna smiled. "And sweet dreams."30

Ithamar meowed once and then turned to follow Rex down the hall. Ithuriel wobbled unsteadily, and Neuna quickly put an arm around her shoulders, guiding her toward a doorway on the left. The room they entered had walls covered with rich brown velvet draperies from floor to ceiling. A small round table, circled with simply-fashioned walnut chairs, bore a bowl of fruit and a bottle of dark wine. An enormous bed was covered with the same soft material as the walls. A small lamp above an alcove cast light on a gleaming bowl set into a dark marble counter. Removing a plush brown washcloth from a small rack, Neuna moistened it in a stream of warm water flowing from a polished brass spigot; she gently wiped layers of grime from Ithuriel's face. Indicating a thick cord hanging from the ceiling by the head of the bed, she said, "Pull this twice if you need anything else, and Rex will bring it." Breathing her thanks, Ithuriel eased her aching frame down on the mattress, resting her head on a soft pillow, and Neuna tucked her in with a little kiss to her cheek. Ithamar, purring softly, hopped up and curled himself by Ithuriel's feet. First pausing a moment to stroke Ithamar's head, Neuna twisted a small valve to shut off the light, walked out, and quietly closed the door.31

Outside the bungalow, the lights of the salt mine began to cast a glow upon the stone ceiling of the enormous underground vault, and the day's work began.32

Neuna mounted the staircase and returned to the first floor through the secret panel. Closing it behind her, she first peeked out through one of the black velvet curtains to see if the coracle was gone. It was. She turned back and opened the door to the cattery; the long, low extension of the building reached toward the salt mine, the Twelve Locks, and the city of Na Alto. Twin rows of cubicles extended along both walls for its entire length, one row about eighteen inches above the floor, and the second about thirty-six. Above the cubicles on both sides was a loft extending to the ceiling. Below the cubicles were doors to storage bins. Closing the door behind her, she called a cat's name. From the far end, a large female, just as black as Rex, jumped down from a top cubicle on the left and trotted briskly down to Neuna, who greeted her: "Good morning, Zira."33

The cat bowed, meowed, and sat down in an upright position with her tail wrapped around her feet.34

"I'm glad you are well this morning. I need to speak to you about a matter of utmost importance. Please come to the War Room with me."35

Zira gave a brief chirrup and stood up. Neuna turned and retraced her steps to the hidden staircase. Once downstairs, the pair turned to the left and entered the War Room, which was directly under the main part of the house. Neuna sat at a low table, and the cat jumped up beside her. Spreading a map, the Eian of Cats pointed to the location of the old underground guard post by Firefly Landing.36

"Here, night before last, Ithuriel Memnon was rescued, by a cat, in a manner of speaking."37

Zira's ears pricked up at this news.38

"There is not time to explain the whole story now, but Serun Darkinglow needs to be informed of her presence here. No one else must know--you are well aware of the ubiquitous nature of the spies of the Dark One. Though Ithuriel has escaped, none of us are out of danger until Scratch has been killed. There is underway now the Quest to save Ithuriel, but in reality it is the Quest to save Earth. The defeat of the Huntsman did no more than buy us time."39

"Although I will regret to lose his services here, Rex is the one most able to bear this message to the surface, where one of Serun's griffins may carry it to the magister. As you and I have already discussed, Na Alto is in imminent danger of being attacked, despite our remote location. Serun needs to know this as well. You should send another messenger to Firefly Landing, to seek Arkh, the bird-man, and perhaps Tam Lin. Tell Serun that we do not know whether Tam Lin still lives, but are endeavoring to find out. And send a third cat to keep watch on the guard post. Scratch may not stay there long."40

Zira gave a short prrt, bowed, and bounded back up the stairs, entering the cattery by a small secret passage.