Awakening of the fire

The girl’s hair fell around her shoulders in an array of tangles. Swiftly she turned her head, searching for her pursuers. Seeing no sign of them she grinned, bouncing a small leather purse in the palm of her hand. Relaxing slightly she tested the weight, wondering how much the purse contained. A shout knocked her out of her relaxed state.

“There she is”. She cursed to herself, brushed her hair behind one ear and hared down the street. She took a sharp left turn, ducking between two women carrying bundles. Quickly, she slipped down a side alley, hoping to escape the chase. She heard a shout again.

“In that alley. Hurry. It’s a dead end” a smile split her face. She ran too the end, taking a running jump and landing on a bin. From there she leapt up, grabbing the roof of a small building to her left. Taking a deep breath, she hauled herself up, rolling out of sight just as the guards entered the alley. She lay on top of the roof listening to the assortment of cursing, and befuddled voices wondering where she had gone. Carefully, she rolled across the flat roof, far enough inwards so that she could safely stand without being spotted. She raised herself into a crouch, crawling to the far end of the roof. Then, she glanced into the street below her. Satisfied that it was safe, she turned and in a fluid movement let herself drop to the street below. She stowed the purse carefully inside her top, before strolling away down the street as though nothing had happened.

A small pile of coins stood on a small and relatively bare table. A small lamp lit the room, which was decorated as sparsely as the table. In an even smaller room lying to the west of this clattering was heard. The girl emerged after a short while, followed by a small, sleek cat. She carried a plate laden with some bread and cheese. Dumping the plate on the table she sat on the stool. The cat leapt onto her lap and curled up. She didn’t touch the food, merely stared at the coins. Slowly she started to fondle the cat’s ears.

“Pretty pathetic for a days work, hey Biad”

Perhaps you should find another living besides stealing, Nisona. Nisona froze. She could have sworn her cat had just spoken. She looked down at him purring contentedly on her lap.

“Did you just speak Biad?” nothing. The cat merely pawed at her lap and purred. She rubbed his head. “I must be going crazy. I could have sworn…” she stood, dislodging the cat. It looked indignantly up at her

Hey! She stared. It wasn’t possible. Was it? She shook her head, before venturing through to the small kitchen. She put a small bowl of meat on the floor for him, and then walked out of the room. At the door, she stopped, half turning and looking at the cat, contentedly eating his supper. Shaking her head again she left the room, collapsing on the small sofa and falling asleep.

Biad finished his meal. Licking his whiskers clean, he settled back on his haunches. He lifted a paw and cleaned it, systematically putting his thoughts in order. Being a cat, he was incredibly intelligent. And he knew that what had just occurred was strange. Nisona had understood him. Not all the time, but she had understood some of his words. Humans generally closed out the part of their mind that allowed them to understand the creatures of the earth. He knew that Nisona had done so for the best part of the eight years, since he decided to stay with her. But what could have happened to make her understand now? Nothing out of the ordinary had happened to her today. He finished cleaning his paws and stood, stretching himself, before stalking out of the house into the cool night air. He noticed the change immediately. Something in the air was different. It was more sinister, more magical than it had been in a long while. But the question still remained as to why. He settled down, allowing the magic to wash over him. He would find an answer before the sun rose.

Nisona’s eyes flickered open in time to see Biad stalking back through the door, a smug look on his face. She sat up and petted him as he walked to her.

“I just had the strangest dream Biad. I dreamt you could talk.” the cat purred.

Who’s to say it was a dream. She gasped, her hand drawing back quickly. It wasn’t possible. Biad couldn’t really talk. The cat purred. Now it is time for us to leave, Nisona.

END OF PART 1