one in the kitchen and the black stove had not been lit. No aroma of baking bread greeted them, no hearty good morning from Cook, and no breakfast for cat or boy.
'Maybe Cook is in her room behind the pantry,' Rasson suggested. The cat and the boy found her door unlocked and cautiously entered Cook's chambers. No snores sounded from the huge lump in bed. Still, the boy stayed back fearing Cook's temper, and allowed Cat Prosh to investigate.
The boy crept forward. 'Why?'
Prosh sniffed and stared at the human boy.
'I thought soul robbers things of legend only-stories told to frighten children. If you knew about them, why didn't you protect Master?' Rasson cried in anger and fear.
'I should've been here-I would've saved them.'
'In the woods catching glowflies,' Rasson answered, hanging his head down in remorse and feeling as if he wanted to cry.
'Please, Prosh, I need
'Meooow!' screeched Prosh.
Prosh darted up the stairs with the boy scrambling after, Rasson reaching Mistress Sunlee's chambers seconds behind the cat.
Rasson knocked lightly. No response. He cracked the door open and Cat Prosh swished past to pounce upon the bed. There, stretched out like exquisitely carved ivory, lay Mistress, her golden hair spread out over the pillow. She slept deeply as if she had abandoned the living world. Prosh wailed so loudly, Rasson jumped. Though aware Cat Prosh adored Mistress, it still startled the boy to hear such deep anguish from the normally aloof feline. 'Don't grieve, Prosh. We shall free their souls and bring our people back to life.' The boy picked up Prosh and carried the trembling cat away from Mistress and back toward the kitchen. 'I'll find us something to eat, then we can plan the rescue.'
Prosh emitted a weak meow as Rasson put him down by an empty bowl and disappeared into the pantry. Soon the boy came out with Cook's prize cream instead of plain milk. He poured most of the cream into the bowl, then gulped down the remainder from the bottle. He divided a chunk of smoked fish between himself and the cat, glad to see Prosh eating and acting normal again.
As their fish disappeared, the boy began to chatter. 'Once I told Koge that you talk to me. He didn't believe me. Why can't Koge hear you like I can?' Rasson said, remembering how the older boy had laughed and ridiculed him.
'Koge says I'm crazy if I think cats talk. I told him you don't say words out loud, you say them into my head, but he just called me stupid.'
'Yes, but you'll get sick if I feed you too much.'
'Does this mean you're coming with me?'
'I'm ready,' Rasson announced breathlessly, a short time later. He stood by the door, clutching a knapsack bulging with supplies, determined to rescue the people who, in great kindness, had taken in the small orphan boy. He could not fail them.
'Yes, here they are.' The boy touched a leather pouch hanging from his belt. 'But why do we need them?'
They journeyed west, using the ascending sun as a compass. Sometimes the cat trotted ahead, making Rasson break into a run to catch up to Prosh. After a few hours, the boy took the lead. He darted past ferns and wild berry bushes, calling, 'I see something shiny and bright in that clump of olla flowers. Maybe it's a jewel that someone dropped.'
'I found it, so it's mine,' Rasson replied, annoyed at the cat for trying to keep him from his treasure.
SSsSsst! The gold spot undulated with shiny scales as a hooded head raised up hissing, a forked tongue darting from the snake's mouth.
Horror flooded Rasson as he heard Prosh caution,
At that moment a cat paw knocked the snake's head. Before the serpent could recoil, the cat snapped jaws over its midsection and pulled it from the flowers. Prosh swung the squirming snake, whipping its head against a boulder until he beat all life out of the golden serpent. The cat dropped the dead snake to the ground.
'But you need me,' pleaded Rasson, ashamed of himself. He offered the cat some water in a small cup and placed a piece of smoked fish next to the cup. 'Forgive me for being so foolish. Next time I shall help you, Cat Prosh.'
The cat regally accepted the boy's offering, but as he nibbled the fish he replied,
'Wait and see,' Rasson promised. 'I will prove useful and you will be glad you saved me.' He tried hard to think of something he could do for Prosh besides the offering of food. Nothing came to mind, but Rasson vowed he would find something during their journey.
The afternoon wore on as they traveled westward, the countryside changing from flat wooded ground to hills strewn with boulders and fallen rock. The sun blazed hot, sometimes glaring right into Rasson's eyes and he couldn't help wonder how Prosh felt under all that fur. The boy stopped to sip from his flask and watch the cat trot ahead. Rasson gazed around the strange countryside, thinking how different it was so far from home. The next hill looked more like a mountain and he wanted to explore it. Up the trail, he noticed the cat slowing down.
Cat Prosh surveyed the rugged terrain, glancing back at Rasson. The feline stretched and yawned under the shade of a waala bush where fern leaves fanned the air.
With a hop and a skip Rasson started off to hike up the rocky trail until he stood by a big boulder at the cliff top.