Catfantastic II

A moat. I won't get in that water-not even to save Mistress Sunlee. The cat drooped from his ears to his head to his tail.

Rasson had never before seen Prosh appear defeated. 'I won't let some water stop us,' he declared, watching the cat.

Cat Prosh gazed down at the murky swirling waters and shook. I cannot enter the moat. It's impossible.

'Nothing impossible!' Rasson protested in alarm. 'After the dangers we've survived on our quest, we can't give up now.'

It's no use. I cannot cross this water. It is cursed. Things live within it which will devour us. Prosh circled around to begin the journey home, looking so dejected and forlorn that it tore Rasson's heart.

'I will swim across alone,' Rasson said. 'You can wait for me here while I rescue the souls.' The boy felt his body tremble as he spoke, but he bit his lip against the icy fear seeping through him.

Even if you survive the moat, you cannot fight the soul robbers without my magic. They will steal your soul and imprison it with the others. Come, let us return home. Prosh would not look up at the human boy, as if he could not bear the shame of his decision.

'Wait! I can make us a bridge. See that towering balta tree? It's very skinny and if I cut it here…' the boy dashed over to the tree and pointed to the far base of the trunk, '… it will fall across the moat and land near the top of the wall.'

What will you use to chop it down?

'My hunting knife is very strong,' Rasson answered. 'What do you think, Cat Prosh?'

Humans are good for some things. Prosh stared through desperate green eyes at the boy, who grinned smugly.

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 stunning blow to his upper left arm. A stabbing pain shot through him, making him stagger. The boy fell, collapsing onto the cold stone floor, his throat exposed as he landed. He saw the bird dip back toward him.

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