SHADOW STALKER by Laurence Raphael Brothers
I
18 stretched out all four paws and meowed . The boy reached for me and –
Do it ! said the voice in my head , Tear him to shreds !
I let him pet me on the belly instead . After a minute I heard his mother calling . He took his hand back unscathed , and went away .
You ’ re a disgrace to the Legion , Chimlin .
Come on , Fee , I replied . I ’ m just a Siamese , not a leopard like you . I couldn ’ t do more than scratch him . Anyway , I like the way he pets .
Grrr ! You ’ re still a Feline Cadet . Have some self-respect !
Fee is my teacher and superior officer in the Legion of Cats . I think she was kidding about hurting the human child . She mostly stays in my head because she ’ s between lives right now and it ’ s a lot easier for her that way . Our jaguar seers foretold a moonshadow attack here , which was why she was assigned to me , but so far we hadn ’ t seen any .
After dinner – chicken-flavoured bits with a slice of sardine , yum ! – I played with my fuzzy green mouse for a while . Fee grumbled about it being undignified , but she ’ s the one who said I had to practise my pouncing , and I knew she liked the thing ’ s smell as much as I did , even if she was too proud to admit it .
She woke me just before midnight . Moonshadows like to drain heat from human children , so I had to stand guard in the boy ’ s room . But tonight the door was closed and I couldn ’ t get in .
This is what you get for biting his toes , said Fee .
I thought they were mice . I swear . Ha . You say that now .
Remember ? I asked . They were poking out from under the blanket .
Not much like mice , though , said Fee .
I ’ m just a kitten ! I ’ ve never seen real mice before . You could have warned me .
I assumed you meant to punish him for unlawful petting .
Fee !
Well , she said , we still have to get in there . Maybe through a window ?
I ’ ve got a better way .
I scratched at the door . ‘ I ’ m dying out here ,’ I meowed . ‘ Dying !’
Pitiful , said Fee . Profoundly embarrassing .
Maybe next life I ’ ll be a leopard and I ’ ll bust doors down . Till then . . .
The door opened and the child stood there in his pyjamas , rubbing his eyes . I mewed pathetically . How demeaning , said Fee . But he let us in and we snuggled together till he fell asleep . I wanted to rest there in his warmth all night , but Fee made me wriggle out of his arms .
Time to defend our world , she said . * * *
The thin scrap of darkness had a feline form . I think the war started because of that : they took our shapes . The moonshadow floated down a shaft of moonlight from the window towards the sleeping human child .
Fee hissed . Kill it !
It really was an excellent pounce , even if I do say so myself . My claws shredded the moonshadow ’ s skin and I felt a stab of coldness in my paws . The creature unravelled into smoky threads of darkness , which faded leaving nothing behind .
Nice work , said Fee . But look out !
Three more moonshadows drifted into the room .
Remember your training , said Fee . You ’ ll be fine .
I yowled and leapt , slashing the first moonshadow to ribbons . The second darted at me and missed ; I tore it in half but the third one landed on my back . I felt the bitter chill and I whirled around and tore it loose . It flopped to the floor and I ripped it apart .
More are coming , said Fee .
Moonshadows were wriggling through the window , oozing through the ceiling . I saw the boy waking up , but with a human ’ s night vision he probably had no idea what was going on . Then the whole room got very cold . Something big was approaching .
There are too many , said Fee . I ’ m going to materialise . I ’ ll take the big one . You fight the others .
No ! Don ’ t ! You could lose all your lives at once !