Enter the Cat Chapter 1

Chapter 2

I slip my keys into my back pocket before I remember Steven will need them to drive my vehicle from here. We are at a small isolated motel situated just off the main highway to the East coast. The night air is cool and clear with the stars shining brightly. A dark shadow moves beside a pale van and I head towards it recognising Alex as I go.

"I wonder what Alex did to shit the stray off," Steven says beside me.

"Probably was his normal smart mouthed self," I say with a grin. I watch as Alex moves to knock on the door of the cabin in front of the van before heading our way.

"I see you got the news," Alex says excitedly as he approaches. He is grinning widely and keeps glancing back towards the cabin with unconcealed excitement.

The cabin door opens and Dwayne looks out cautiously. Spotting us he visibly relaxes and glances back over his shoulder.

"They’re here Sam," Dwayne announces before coming out, shutting the door softly and making his way towards where Steven and I stand facing Alex.

Dwayne is wearing a wide grin but I notice there is worry in his eyes when he halts just in front of Alex.

"What is the situation with the stray? Is he aggressive?" I ask with a glance towards Alex who has a bruise forming on one side of his mouth.

"It’s a female! And she is young and pretty and talked to us!" Alex bursts out excitedly.

"What?" Steven demands shocked.

"Tell me about her," I say to Dwayne knowing Alex will just babble with excited chatter. The sound of the cabin door opening draws my attention and I watch as Sam looks out before moving out of sight and shutting the door.

"Alex says the team found a live female stray," I say cutting straight to the point as I look at Dwayne.

"Yes. Some strays had her locked in an old cage and were clearly trying to force her into their pack. She has been abused and injured. Mitchell has tried to treat the worst of her injuries but she needs Doc to see to her. She has interacted with us a few times and responds real well to Mitchell and Sam but the moment she feels threatened she withdraws into herself. Push her and she becomes aggressive," Dwayne says evenly.

"She’s not crazy? Hasn’t shown signs she wants to kill herself," I ask with growing hope. I’ve talked to warriors from other clans who have found live female strays only to find they are already driven insane by the treatment from stray toms -

- or they’re suicidal.

"What did you do to her?" Steven asks and I look at Alex. He is flushing deeply but lifts his chin as he meets Steven’s gaze.

"I was only trying to tell her about being a werecat," Alex says defensively.

"You didn’t back off when Rosy became scared. She was clearly frightened but you didn’t back off," Dwayne tells him patiently.

"Rosy?" Steven asks curiously.

"Sam and Mitchell managed to win her over with the offer of food and drink," Dwayne says. "She’s clearly suffering from starvation and was quick to respond to a bit of kindness."

"Food usually reaches stray toms," Steven laughs. "No reason it shouldn’t work with a she-kitt."

"Well she’s been fed, allowed to have a shower and Mitchell even managed to get a good look at her infected shoulder wound," Dwayne tells me.

"I’m going to go in and have a look at our new little friend," I decide as I fish my keys from my pocket and hand them to Steven. "One new face at a time might be an idea. We have to be careful not to overwhelm her."