Enter the Cat Chapter 1

Chapter 7

I head for the exit from the paddock; I strain to keep going at my fastest speed. Even Mitchell, who is extremely fast, can’t leave me behind. Outside the fence line I head along the faint vehicle track, slowing to a swift trot to catch my breath slightly.

"Rosy," I roar without breaking stride.

The cats behind me begin to fan out into the thick under growth. I hear Sam, then Mitchell call to their sister. More add their voices as we fan out from the fence and the tree she leapt from. The under growth is starting to thin and give way to long thickly growing grass. Ahead I can see no sign of movement as I stop and call once again.

"Rosy." Concern for her well-being pushes me forward. I can hear the others calling to her as they move through the undergrowth searching; we are well spread out now to cover as much ground as possible. Some of the calls are faint and I swivel my ears as I listen.

"Rosy! Rosy answered," someone calls excitedly in the distance. I halt with my head raised as I listen for any further call. Someone is moving fast with no concern for noise and I follow at a steady lope.

"Here, here," Mitchell calls and I change course slightly to head towards him. I find them in a small bare patch among the long grass; Rosy is stretched out on her side while Sam and Mitchell stand near her anxiously. She is still in her cat form and neither of her brothers has changed to human form. I smell the rich metallic tang of blood as I lower my head and sniff near her ears.

"We are here, we are here. You are safe now," I croon softly even though I know she has yet to learn to understand cat talk. I glance towards Sam and he leaves hurriedly without me having to tell him to go for a vehicle. Rosy remains motionless as the others begin to arrive and make a protective circle around her. Concerned that she makes no sound or attempt to move, I sniff searching her scent for traces of injury. Gentle nudges make her flick her ears and swish her tail. I put my front paw on her head making sure she remains lying on the ground when she moves.

When Donny crawls close to her, giving several little whines, she lifts her head to look at him. She appears unafraid of us all even though she is injured, but the sound of an approaching vehicle brings her to her feet swiftly. She gives a soft mewl of pain as she collapses and I stand over her, licking around her ears in an attempt to soothe her. Sam is with us before she can recover and I move away as he tosses a pair of my jeans towards me. I begin my change knowing he will organise sending the warriors home and getting Rosy back for medical treatment. By the time I am in human form and pulling my jeans on, Rosy is human once again.

I expect more of an argument than the slight reluctance I encounter as I help Sam get his sister ready to travel back. Her compliance worries me deeply, how badly is she hurt? An injured werecat prefers solitude. Is she hurt badly enough not to fight us or struggle? Or is Rosy finally beginning to trust us?

Nearly two and a half hours, a lot of stress, eighteen stitches and much drama later, Rosy is curled up in Mitchell’s bed nearly asleep. Sam is sitting by the bed watching her, and Mitchell is off somewhere in cat form with Justin and Donny. The mood in the lounge room is very reserved as I get myself a beer before sitting on the lounge and relaxing with a sigh.

"Did Rosy really threaten to castrate you?" Timny asks wide-eyed with a mixture of fear and concern.

"Gawd! Tell me she didn’t," Dwayne mutters and rubs his face with both hands. I look around as I hear unsettled movements around the room. Everyone except for Steven seems tense with Mitchell, Justin and Donovan absent.

"Rosy had a very nasty gash high on her inner thigh. She was terrified Steven or I or both of us might take advantage of her when I stitched the wound. Yes, she did threaten me, and yes, I will punish her for that. There is absolutely no need for anyone of us to worry she might sneak up and try to castrate us, the tool was taken away from her," I say in a calm level voice.