Catfantastic II

Whack, whack, whack. Rasson chopped at the slim tree with his heavy knife until his arms ached. "Why won't it fall?" he grumbled.

You need to make the cut wider.

"What does a cat know about chopping down a tree?" Rasson snapped, wishing he could just wake up and discover this had all been a bad dream.

Cats know everything. Prosh looked his old arrogant self and so Rasson chose not to argue.

The boy hacked away at the tree to widen the deep cut as Prosh suggested.

Crack, rumble, crash! Finally the towering tree fell, snagging the top of the wall with a shower of leaves.

"Do you think the soul robbers heard it?" Rasson asked, startled by the noise.

Hide! Prosh commanded. We must wait and watch.

Together they dove back into the cover of the deep woods and peered out from behind a bush to view the fortress. Nothing happened. They watched in silence until Rasson felt the cat's claws kneading his arm.

Now it is time. We must go before darkness falls. Ready, boy?

Rasson nodded. Cat Prosh ran to the fallen tree, jumped onto the trunk, and began scaling the boy-made bridge. Once Rasson thought he saw Prosh pause and stare down into the moat, but the cat moved ahead quickly, leaving the boy to wonder if he had imagined the hesitation.

Rasson had more difficulty climbing the tree. Under his weight the trunk shifted slightly and limbs caught at his feet. Sometimes, he could only grab twigs which snapped and threw him off balance, but the sight of Cat Prosh watching and waiting for him from the top of the wall kept him going until he finally hauled himself up beside the cat.

"What now?" Rasson whispered, trying to catch his breath.

Enter the fortress. Prosh leaped off the wall to land neatly upon the rock sill of a deep window. Come.

Rasson glanced down at the cobblestone ground far below, then across at the window sill. He felt sick. How could a boy jump across here? He was no surefooted cat; if he could not exactly reach the window, he would plummet to his death. No human could survive such a fall.

Boy, I've seen you jump farther playing with Koge at the creek. Prosh gazed at him through bright green eyes. Now jump!

The boy took a deep breath, focused on the window and dove into the air. For a moment he stayed airborne, then as he began to drop he stretched frantically for the window. He felt the rough stone edge hit solid beneath his fingers and grabbed. His torso and legs slammed against the wall, knocking his breath out, but he held tight. Using his arms, he pulled himself up onto the sill.

When his heartbeat stabilized, Rasson let out a slow breath. "I made it."

Of course. Prosh had hopped to the floor of the upper chamber and stood twitching his whiskers and sniffing. We must find the soul prison. I think it is below. The cat dashed through a doorway and Rasson followed.

The boy moved as quietly as possible, but when he saw Cat Prosh slinking down a spiral stairway of stone, he hesitated. The cat paused to glance up at him. Hurry, before the soul robbers awake.

"They're sleeping?" Rasson whispered in relief.

Yes, only until darkness. We haven't much time. Prosh continued down the winding steps.

Try as he might, Rasson couldn't keep his feet from clattering as he descended the narrow uneven stairs. They went down to the bottom level, then the cat scurried through a long hall and disappeared into an adjoining chamber.

The boy entered the chamber, aware of a foul odor as a prison of crystallized ice drew his attention to the center of the room. There, trapped within the frozen walls, an iridescence glowed and flickered with the essence of life. Excitement and wonder throbbed through Rasson. Souls!

SQUAWK!

At the cry, Rasson whipped around to see the sharp-hooked beak and midnight black feathers of a bird swooping at him in attack.

Protect your throat! Prosh ordered.

The boy cowered, trying to obey. He felt a sharp sting as the bird grazed his forehead. Instinctively raising a hand to the wound, Rasson drew it back, sticky with blood. Prosh meowed in warning and the boy glanced up in time to see the bird dive again.

The cat pounced but missed the bird. Too late, Rasson turned to run as the bird delivered a stu

Cat Prosh sprang, catching the bird in mid-air and bringing it down. Rasson struggled to his feet as he watched cat battle bird. Feathers flew, screeches filled the air, and then there was silence.

"Prosh!" Rasson cried, relieved as the cat shook free of the bird. "You're amazing!"

Tear off your sleeve and use it to bandage your wounds. You're bleeding all over. With raised tail Prosh trotted over to the prison.

Rasson followed the cat's orders, wrapping cloth from his sleeve around his head to cover the gash, then binding another strip of the fabric around his arm to effectively stop the flow of blood. It was awkward to do it himself, his head ached and his arm hurt, but he worked as quickly as possible.

He could hear Prosh scratching at the crystal prison. "What are you doing?" he asked, stepping closer.

Drawing ancient symbols to summon forces beyond your human world. The cat stopped scratching. Done. Now rub the bag of herbs over these symbols. Keep the bag closed and hold on tight to it. Don't let go-no matter what happens.

"Yes, Cat Prosh." Rasson removed the bag from his belt, cinched it shut as best he could, and placed it against the first row of symbols. As he rubbed round and round, touching every symbol, he saw sparks. The bag got warm, then hot, then hotter.

Suddenly the crystal fortress exploded, the blast flinging Rasson against the wall. He slid to the ground still grasping the bag and sat watching with bewildered amazement as the ice cracked and shattered, showering pieces of crumbling fortress. For a moment the spirit flames hovered, shimmering, flickering so intensely, that the boy could barely stand the brightness. He shielded his eyes with his hand just as the flames billowed together, ascending upward to vanish through a window.

A meow startled Rasson as the cat wove between his legs. Mistress Sunlee is saved.

The boy bent to stroke Prosh. "Are the souls returning to their bodies?" he asked, his fingers drawing comfort from the cat's soft fur. "And shall Master, Mistress, and Cook live now?"

Yes, they will wake from dreamless sleep and know nothing of our quest or their imprisonment. Now we must go.

The boy started up the stairs, but halted as Prosh declared, No time. Unbar the door. Quickly!

The cat led Rasson to a wide wooden door. The boy tried to raise the board barring the door, but it stuck. His left arm was sore and he dared not let go of the herb bag, but he tried again. He shoved hard, finally jamming the bar upward to unlatch the door.

Just as the boy pushed the heavy door open to let in a rush of sweet fresh air, a terrible wail echoed through the fortress, shaking the walls, and jolting Rasson with sheer terror. He wanted to race out the door into the night, but a yowl from Prosh spun him around as a pointed shaft of ice penetrated the cat's paw, spearing it to the floor.

Throw me the bag of herbs and run. Save yourself, Prosh advised, unable to free his skewered paw.

"I won't leave you." Rasson grabbed the ice spear; it burned his palms with cold, but he held on until he wrenched it free.

Horror gripped Rasson as he looked up to see shadowy, cavern-eyed figures floating down the stairs. He aimed the ice shaft at them and threw with all his might.