Trying not to think was worse than ineffective, it was nigh impossible. There was no way to stop the rush of thoughts that kept flooding through her mind.
If she could even speak to give directions to her younger sister, explain problems that she anticipated, and tell her about potential plans, Theresa would have some satisfaction.
Instead, she was frustrated. All that she could do was worry.
There were so many things to worry about. There was no doubt that their aunt was looking for them even as they sat here, just waiting for the woman or her henchmen to find them.
Theresa dreaded to think what might happen if Francine caught them again. It would be years before she let her guard down again, if at all.
Perhaps the only reason that they had escaped was because of Francine's overconfidence in her powers.
If she captured them again there was little likelihood that they would ever be free from their aunt's power. They would likely be chained in the dungeon when their aunt was not there to oversee them.
Why had Theresa been so impatient? She should have taken longer, made better plans. Maybe she could have tricked Francine into believing she still held sway over Theresa's mind.
Francine must have returned to Waldwick early for some reason. If she had not discovered them missing, Theresa and Daphne would have been leagues away and Theresa would still be completely human.
If only Francine was the single problem they faced. There were also the dangers of the roads. Theresa had read more than enough tales of the dangers that might be outside of the safety of their properties.
There were probably thieves all over the place and the shifty sort of person who would turn them over to Francine for a reward.
Daphne was too pretty to pass unnoticed for long. She would attract attention wherever they travelled. People would remember that they had seen her if anyone asked and worse, she looked like a perfect victim.
Maybe their best hope was that some heroic type might be captured in Daphne's loveable aura and have mercy on them.
Theresa did not even want to keep thinking about the predicament of her cat form, but the thought persistently pushed to the front of her mind with each unfamiliar step of her cat paws.
It was too insurmountable and she wished that she could simply forget it for a time but every swish of her tail reminded Theresa of the dark reality.
It seemed that Daphne planned to return her to her human form, for which Theresa was of course grateful.
Unfortunately, Theresa could not think of any plan towards that end. They obviously needed a wizard or a warlock they could consult to find out how it would be possible.
Theresa had never met a wizard beyond her own aunt. No wizard had ever been welcome at Waldwick under her aunt's rule and the likelihood of a witch or warlock being accepted in polite company was almost laughable. Aunt Francine would have had them expelled immediately for their disreputable low stature alone.
The thought of meeting any magic user was a frightful thought, but Theresa would risk it simply to have her old body returned. She doubted Daphne would dare to seek out a warlock; therefore Theresa would have to put her trust in a wizard if she wanted to be free from Francine's curse.
If they even found one.
Theresa's mind kept circling and she almost wished that the little mouse would return so that she could take her distress out on it.
Then she realized what a disgusting inclination that was and felt horrified. It was one thing to want to eat a mouse because she was hungry, but anticipating the pleasure of the act?
Through her self disgust, Theresa's sensitive cat ears picked up the sounds of human conversation outside the window.
Curious, she leapt up onto the windowsill and peered outside. What would humans be up to at such a late hour? Surely nothing good.
There were a couple of figures congregating outside the front of the inn.
Theresa thought that they looked rather sinister. She continued to watch, hoping that they would disperse and prove to her how overly paranoid she had become.
Perhaps cats were especially paranoid creatures and she was being influenced by her cat side, she speculated hopefully.
Unfortunately, instead of leaving, one of them went inside the inn. She waited while uneasiness built inside of her. She tried to pick up the group's conversation through the glass panes.
Then she saw the one who had gone inside stick his head out the door. He responded to a mumbled question with a distinct, "Yes." The group went inside.
She hoped she was overreacting, but decided that it would be wise to be cautious. She ran across the room and leapt upon her sister. She meowed softly.
"What is it?" Daphne mumbled in a sleep fogged voice.
Theresa felt irritation at Daphne streak through her. Had Daphne forgotten that she could not speak? How was she supposed to get the idea of possible danger across without words?
She would have given just about anything to be able to speak even a dozen words to her sister in that moment.
Instead, she meowed again. Don't make me claw you, she warned silently.
"Do you need to go outside?" Daphne wondered groggily.
Theresa nodded her head vigorously, pulling on her sister's clothing with her sharp teeth.
"I'm coming," Daphne said, not moving nearly fast enough for Theresa.
She did not let go, but continued pulling Daphne until she reached Daphne's satchel.
"You want me to take this?"
Theresa shook her head up and down as quickly as she could.
Daphne's brow wrinkled. "Are you saying that we should leave now? It's still the middle of the night."
Theresa meowed. She could hear some people coming up the stairs. She jumped up on the window and tried to push it open.
"Are we in danger?" Daphne asked, finally catching up to Theresa's thoughts.
Theresa nodded and climbed out the window. Daphne followed her. In her fear she was able to ignore the height and the reluctance of her cat side.
Theresa jumped down from the second story and landed on her feet with a thud.
Daphne hung down by her arms and landed in the dirt in a most undignified way.
"Where are they?" came a deep and clearly irritated voice asked from above. They had barely gotten out in time, Theresa realized and cast an angry look at her sister.
Theresa thought the man who had shouted sounded vaguely familiar which made it even more likely to be one of her aunt's men, someone she had heard in passing.
Besides, who else would be looking specifically for them?
Theresa ran into the bushes as quickly as she could and Daphne thankfully followed her. At least she had figured out that they were in danger. Theresa thought with a sort of grim satisfaction.
Theresa lost complete track of how long they were running, but finally a panting Daphne collapsed on the ground. "I just need a rest..." she gasped between breaths.
Theresa crouched down beside her sister, listening carefully for any sound of pursuit. It seemed that her aunt's minions had not seen where they had gone.
But it would not do to become overconfident, Theresa cautioned herself. It was highly unlikely that their aunt did not have more schemes in the works. There was no way she would allow her nieces to escape so easily.
Theresa realized that Daphne was starting to cry again. She felt irritated.
They did not have the luxury of time to break down right now. She wanted to tell Daphne to stop wasting her precious strength and fluids on such a pointless exercise.
She would have plenty of time to cry if Francine caught them again.
"I'm sorry, Theresa!" Daphne moaned and Theresa felt instantly guilty for her harsh thoughts.
Daphne continued in a whispered wail, "I'm just not any good at this; it should have been me who was turned into a cat, not you. Why did you push me out of the way? You could have dealt with it but I'm no good at this! We're never going to get you turned back to human and Aunt Francine will catch us and then we'll spend our entire lives being controlled by her!" Daphne buried her face in her arms.
Theresa flinched at the awful statements that Daphne uttered. Theresa had thought similar things often enough, but she did not want her sister to actually feel so terrible.
If only it were possible, she wished that she could talk more than ever. She could have just protected Daphne as she always had. She would have taken control of everything and Daphne would not have had to bear the burden.
It was frustrating. She lamented her inability to speak; she had never appreciated how the precious the gift of language was before it had been so swiftly stolen from her.
She needed to be able to make plans and communicate decisions. Daphne probably could do it if she simply ceased spending so much time falling into self pity.
Could she not see they needed to move forward, even if it was the wrong move? She needed to prod Daphne into action.
Daphne was still crying. Theresa could almost feel the passing of the seconds. Before she had time to consider what might happen, Theresa reached out and swatted Daphne's arm with her paw, claws extended.
"Ouch!" yelped Daphne, more loudly than she should have when she knew there might be pursuers behind them.
Theresa tried to look stern but she felt like a cruel beast. There was blood welling up in the cuts on her sister's arm.
Theresa swallowed hard. Daphne needed to get a hold of herself and find her strength. Theresa turned her back on her sister and began walking. She deliberately put one paw in front of the other.
There was a moment's pause. "Wait for me!" Daphne said as she scrambled to her feet.
Theresa could hear Daphne's footsteps coming behind her.
"That really hurt," Daphne complained after a moment. Theresa glanced back and could see in the grey darkness Daphne was cradling her arm as she stumbled through the darkness.
Theresa tried not to feel bad. The pain in Daphne's arm was nothing to the tongue lashing Theresa would have liked to have given her.
* * * * *
They walked in silence for a long while before Daphne spoke again. Theresa was pleased to note that her voice sounded marginally stronger. "I'm sorry. I just wish that I knew what we needed to do."
Theresa nodded. She wished that she had spent more time before they left Francine's castle explaining her plans to Daphne.
Perhaps she had been arrogant and foolish not to make sure Daphne knew what she knew, not planning for the circumstance that something might happen to her. She had assumed that there would be time once they escaped and were safely away. Now it was too late.
Or was it? There had to be some way to communicate. Could she perhaps write? It was still too dark for Daphne to see, but once the day dawned and they were somewhere safe, maybe she could use her paws to write out some words for her sister to read in the dirt.
For the first time since being turned into a cat, Theresa felt a true glimmer of hope.