Abbernathy and the Cat Kingdom

(22)- The Impossible Plan -

"They're cat napping," she said, her smile widening across her face. "How cute."

A grunt from Sebbi made Abby jump. But then the cat-man shifted his weight and curled his arms around himself tighter. He didn't say anything to Abby and she exhaled. Her words hadn't been heard. Other than the three of them, the carriage was empty save for a few wooden crates and two green jugs. The jugs Abby recognized from the tavern. Scrub, she thought. Margo probably had gotten them for the road.

Outside the covered back, two figures sat in the front, backlit by the sun. She moved nearer. Hestor and Margo sat in the front, Margo plopped down in front of some sort of steering wheel.

"You're finally awake," Margo said without turning to face Abby. Margo smiled. "I could hear you shuffling around back there. You're very loud."

Hestor turned toward Abby and gave the girl a smile. "And funny," he added. "Cat-napping," he said and Abby felt her face flush. "Clever."

She looked down at the boards and noticed between the slats that black stone that passed underneath. Then she looked up, and a city, like the rock back at the cave, jutted up in front of them, hundreds of black spires greeting them with a monster's grin.

"Darkmoore," Margo said. "Capital city of Aelurus."

Abby's skin prickled and she rubbed at her arms. She wasn't cold but the hairs on the nape of her neck stood up.

"Magick," Margo said. "It's concentrated here. Someone that's never been around so much will be able to sense it." She turned in her seat to glance at Abby. "You'll get used to it."

Abby nodded but deep down she didn't want to get used to it. She wanted, more than ever, to go home.

Abby placed her knees into her chest and watched as they past Aelurian after Aelurian. The air was humid here, and sweat formed on her brow and dripped onto her dress. Most of the cat people didn't seem to mind the heat and the ones who did, sat in chairs, getting their fur shaved close to their skin.

"They have barbers here?" Abby asked, surprised.

"They have a little bit of everything," Margo said. "It's not a bad city," she added, nodding to a building of vibrant white stone that stood out in the city like a healthy tooth among a mouth of rot. The sign that swung above its door read, "The Wizard's Kellog's Cure for Aeulurian Ailments." Written in smaller script, and almost painted on, were the words, "They're caatastic, guaranteed."

Abby chuckled. "They like their puns too," she said.

Margo shook her head. "No, they hate being compared to the creatures in Exul. Someone was trying to be funny. Probably a kit in their early cycles who didn't know any better."

Abby nodded, wiped the smile off her face and made a mental note not to make any cat-centric puns again while in Aelurus. The image of Petrious' sword pointed at her came back into her head. She shivered. He would have killed for just being her, she didn't want to image what punishment awaited those who made fun of the cat-people.

Trees lined the stone roads, standing just as large and opposing as the castle on the horizon. They were all black, trunks, roots, even leaves were the color of pitch. White blossoms decorated each tree and Abby was mesmerized. They were beautiful. She'd never seen anything like them in Mirea.

Margo smiled. "You like them? Aelurians call them "Ni' elle ah - night sky.'" She crinkled her nose, and her whiskers rose and fell. "They're nice, but nothing like the Cloude puffs at home. Trees are twice the size, that grow like giant balls. They come in a variety of colors, brown, white, black. The brown ones are my favorite."