Cards Reshuffled

You might think that the worst thing that can happen to you is to lose somebody you love. Well, it isn’t. What’s worse is being forced to bring about that loss yourself. And I hope you never have to experience the truth of that for yourself.

Excerpt from ‘Ruminations Of A Master Bard’

The Cat shook herself briefly, straining her ears to hear the receding sound of Kveroslava’s voice behind her. Te bisterdon tumare anava. Pretera…Ruv…¹⁾

She couldn’t quite remember how she had got here, or where here was. Actually, she couldn’t quite remember who she was. There were faces floating at the back of her head, coupled with sounds and scents, but the names were all gone, as was her own. Still, it did not frighten her. I am me. That I know, and that is what matters. I will remember when I have to. She looked herself over. Yes, she was as she should be, her muscles strong, her red fur sleek and shiny, and every hair in its proper place. Very good. Now to see where she was.

The Cat cocked her head curiously to one side, inspecting her surroundings. She was standing in the middle of a dark city street, with houses rising high on either side. She wrinkled her nose a little as she neatly stepped around a grimy puddle, wanting to avoid getting her fur wet. Interesting smells were all around, and she thought she could hear a faint stirring ahead. Mice? Or rats? I’m hungry…and I’d like to play some. And then she hissed violently, her fur rising all along her back to make her look twice as big, her claws extending as she raised one paw towards the beast ahead of her.

A large black wolf had suddenly stepped out of the shadows, right in front of her, and was looking down at her, eyes narrowed and tail high. The Wolf seemed immensely big next to her, his head larger than her entire body. Not that she intended to let that hinder her. Don’t try anything, or I’ll scratch your eyes out and kill you! The words came out accompanied by a multitude of snarls and spitting hisses.

The Wolf watched her for a few moments, looking faintly amused. Then he sat down, curling his bushy tail around his paws. Oh, that was very frightening indeed. Watch me quiver with fear. He yawned, displaying a vast forest of white and very sharp teeth before his jaws snapped shut again with an audible, bone crunching click. In a moment, that is. Right now I’m too paralyzed with terror, I think.

The Cat licked her nose briefly, feeling both annoyed and slightly embarrassed. I’m not afraid of you! She stated this with all the force she could muster. Not one bit.

Lovely. I’m so happy for your sake.

Arrrgh! You don’t believe me, do you? Well, I’m not! And I’ll prove it to you, right now. Before she had the time to think about what she was doing, she stepped over to the Wolf, and then rubbed herself carefully against the larger animal’s legs. Ha! Told you so!

And just what was the purpose of that little exercise?

The cat tilted her whiskers into a proud smirk. I just scent-marked you. That means I own you now. Nyah nyah.

For a moment she feared that she might have gone to far, as the Wolf suddenly sprang to his feet, an ominous growl rumbling deep in his throat as he lowered his head towards her. Those teeth were very big… Nobody owns me, little pest. Nobody. I am not some prancing puppy. Do I make myself perfectly clear?

All right, all right! Nobody owns you. Sheesh.

Good. The Wolf sat down again, his voice once more calm. So you are capable of paying attention after all, I’m happy to see it.

Pffft. A mischievous thought entered her mind, and she flicked her tail rapidly back and forth. If I can’t own you, can I at least borrow you? I think you’d make a nice warm pillow to sleep on.

The Wolf snorted loudly, but this time he didn’t sound angry. Be very happy that we have more important things to do than bickering, or I might just decide to scent-mark you, and you would not enjoy that.

Things to do? What? And who are you, anyway?

I…am not certain. The Wolf’s black fur rippled a little along his back, as if in annoyance or frustration. I cannot remember. All I know is that I was suddenly here, and I don’t know where I was before. But I know there are things we need to do before the night is over. Can you not feel the scent?

She carefully sniffed the air, and then the ground as well. And yes…there it was. A tantalizingly familiar scent, that beckoned her forward. What is it? It’s wonderful!

I don’t know, and that’s annoying, because I should know. But I mean to go find out. Are you coming or not?

The Cat thought about this for a moment. All right. I’m coming.

Very good. Then let us hunt.

They ran then, following the scent, and the Cat was relieved to notice that the Wolf kept the pace slow enough that she, with her shorter legs, was still able to keep up. Still, it was a bit tiresome. I don’t suppose you’d consider letting me ride on your back?

The Wolf sent her a cool look across his shoulder. No. He opened his mouth in a grin, displaying an inordinate amount of teeth. But if you are that exhausted, I could carry you in my mouth.

I can manage.

Good. Just let me know if you change your mind though…

Having tracked the scent through the dark streets for a while, they eventually came to a place where the shadows were darker, and the grass was damp beneath the tall tombstones. A vague sense of unease came upon her, and she hunched down, moving as quietly as she could. There was something here, something dangerous. Can you sense it too?

Yes. The Wolf had slowed down too, practically creeping along the ground, his ears swiveling here and there as he listened for danger. It is close. He stopped, briefly touching his nose against her forehead. You do not have to go on if you don’t want to.

Yes. Yes, I do. We are both needed, I think. She carefully sniffed the larger animal, noticing for the first time that his scent was oddly similar to the one they were tracking. Not identical, but still there was something she recognized.

Having followed the scent to a large door, the two animals found themselves stumped for a moment, until the Cat leapt up, pushing down the handle. See? Told you that you’d need me…

Yes, fine, the Wolf replied, sounding a little testy. Normally I would be perfectly able to…He trailed off, looking a bit confused.

What?

I don’t know. For a moment I thought I remembered something…being different. But it is gone again. He growled quietly. Not at her, but she still instinctively took a step back, her claws itching. Somebody has made us forget…and I don’t like people interfering with me. Not at all.

They descended then, quietly picking their way through the dark tunnels that led deeper and deeper into the ground. Eventually they emerged into a large chamber, one that smelled of cool dust and old blood. There were brown stains on the floor…but there were also fresher drops, and those…those were intermingled with the scent they were tracking. The Cat hissed again, baring her teeth, and as she looked up she could see the Wolf practically vibrating with quiet rage.

They have hurt him!

Yes…they have. And they will pay for that. With that, the black wolf set off at a quicker pace than before, and she followed, heading down yet more stairs. There was more blood here…not a lot, but enough that it stung her nostrils, burning like fire in her brain. Blood. His blood. She wanted to screech, to snarl, to claw out the brain on whoever had dared to harm him. Him…who was he? Her memory was still fuzzy, but the emotion was there, and true. She would learn.

The vampires fell upon them as they entered the final room, a round chamber with several pools of deep, red blood. Pale creatures the vampires were, with claws and fangs of their own, and their eyes were flat and cold. One of them, a female, laughed at the approach of the two animals, baring her fangs. “You come too late!” she mocked. “He is mine now, and you cannot bring him back!” And there was another shape…deep within the shadows, almost out of sight, laughing too. She couldn’t see its face, but she saw something else.

There was a body, lying on a stone slab in the middle of the room, cold and lifeless as the stone itself. There was blood too…too much blood, almost drowning out the scent she had been following. The scent of him. Her…mate. The mocking laughter rang in her ears, and then she screamed with rage, leaping for the face of the vampire closest to her.

She fought with total abandon, heedless of the danger to herself, her only thoughts those of death and of blood, still screaming with fury and pain. Vaguely she was aware of the Wolf fighting next to her, fighting silently as a ghost, scattering blood and undead flesh about as he tore through the vampires. His black fur was already wet with equally dark blood, most of it belonging to the vampires, and his jowls were dripping with it. He sprang for another vampire, driving it to the floor and ripping its throat out. As he raised his head she briefly met his eyes, and saw them burning with the same desperate loss that she sensed in herself. Close to insanity, it was.

They hurt him!

Killed him…

Killed?

Yes. Killed…killed.

Then we…

Came too late…this time, too late…let him down…

Mate…

Cub…

No! NO! They will pay! They must pay! I want them dead…all dead…

Slay them. Slay them all. And this time…no clean kills. I’ll make them know pain.

The moment was over, and the fight was on again. This time, something was…different. With every stroke of her claws, every bite of her teeth, she felt herself growing…changing. Now she was much larger…her claws no longer as pretty, but much stronger. One swipe sent a vampire’s head spinning across the floor, and as she laughed it came out as a strong roar. The blood was in her mouth, in her throat…and it was good. Oh, so good. This was what she wanted right now, more than anything else in the world. Blood. Their blood. Their pain. Their death.

And then…it was suddenly over. She paused above the body of the vampire she had been fighting, and noticed that all was silent. They were dead or fallen, all of them. But…so was he. Wasn’t he?

The body on the slab moved, pale hands jerking awkwardly as what had once been human sat up, staring with dull, lifeless eyes. There was pain behind them…pain and captivity. He would be forced to fight them, she knew that now, and now she could hear the laughter of the head vampire again, from behind. So she yet lived…and now she would make him kill them. Or make them kill him. She didn’t know which was worse.

Feeling hopeless despair rising within, she raised her claws, trying to keep him at a distance without having to harm him. The Wolf was standing at her side, shoulder to shoulder, and she could sense the same emotion from him, the knowledge of a battle lost before it was even begun.

He was moving forward now, slowly but certainly. “Kill me…please…” The words were a mere whisper, but she could clearly hear them. “Please…it hurts…please make it stop.”

No…no…it isn’t fair. Don’t make us do this…it will destroy us. She screamed again, a cry of mingled pain, loss and anger. As she felt the world receding around her, fading to blackness, the last thing she could hear was the tormented howl of the Wolf, and she knew beyond certainty that in this they were one.

1) May your names be forgotten…Wildcat…Wolf…