Cover
Blurb
When a cat loses his family and home to a flood, he will go great lengths to find what he's looking for.
I Am Castor
Castor paused at the edge of the forest, stunned at the landscape beyond him. Barren, dull, lifeless. Just sand, nothing else. Shutting his eyes, he felt his brindled brown fur ruffle.
Taking a shuddering breath, he stepped out, feeling the desert sand crunch beneath his paws. He found himself lonely in this dead place. You know that you're the only one left. He told himself bitterly. Ever since...
He shook off the thought. No flood will ever stop me. Not ever. He kept his gaze fixed on the path ahead of him, and continued on. Goodbye, old life.
~~~
He'd been traveling alone for several hours. Sand now stretched endlessly all around him; his eyes were dry and his fur now stuck up at all angles from the wind. The only sign of life were the crows cawing above him, circling him as if he were prey. I sure do feel like prey.
He raised his head in a cry of anguish. "Take me! Spare me of this pain!" He begged. But the birds didn't seem to listen, or care, for they continued their endless swirling above him. You are narrow-minded birds. I want to pluck one of you out of the sky.
He unsheathed his claws and dug them into the sand. Well, I won't be able to sleep tonight, because one of you will eat me. One of the crows let out a caw in response. Good, you got the message. I don't want you eating my brains out.Somehow, he unconsciously knew that he was delusional from hunger and thirst.
He stopped, placing one paw over the other, and looked around. Sand, sand, sand! Is that all there is? I need something other than that.
"I know someone's there! Give me a surprise NOW!" he cried, slurring his words slightly. Another crow gave a caw, making Castor let out a delusional yowl. "You'll give me a pecking to the head!"
The crow's next caw sounded a bit irritated, as if saying. "I've been wanting to."
Yeah, Thought Castor with an evil smirk. I bet you want to. But you won't get to.With one huge leap, he smacked the large bird to the ground, snapping its neck. The other crows started freaking out, dive-bombing Castor and pecking at him."Hey! Get off! Get off!" he swiped madly at the black birds, but that only made them more mad. They started nipping at his neck, opening fresh sores. "Get off!"
The crows seemed to tire out, and left. Castor jerked his head away and continued on. "Good riddance." He murmured. "I hope I never see you again!" !" Castor yowled triumphantly. He watched them until they became a tiny speck on the horizon. Then, he ruffled his fur and headed endlessly onwards through the desert.
The sun was sinking below the horizon when Castor's eyes began to grow heavy with exhaustion. But the rest of him didn't feel tired at all. What do I do? Castor asked himself. Do I sleep, or not?
He tapped his paw in the sand, wrinkling his nose in thought. What am I thinking? He chuckled hoarsely. I should continue.
One minute later he was asleep, and the wind barely ruffled his fur as the night dragged him into a nightmarish sleep.
He grappled in the water, the cold sinking through his fur and into his skin. The screeching of his daughter was as piercing as a bat shriek. She was calling his name over and over, but Castor knew that he would never reach her; she'd drifted away from him like a piece of soggy wood.
Castor awoke with a jerk from his nightmare, screaming in terror. He bolted upright to a standing position. " I'm not letting you befall me, demon of my nightmares. He narrowed his eyes, tipping his head towards the sky. "You hear me! I'm not!"
He snorted in disgust. You will never stop me. Castor lowered his gaze to the horizon. You will never.
Castor lashed his tail in frustration. This sand never seems to end. I know I've said that before but, "I'm wanting to make myself clear!" he finished aloud.
"You half-witted coward!" a voice shouted. Castor whipped around. He spotted a sparrow shifting into something: a snow-white female... cat? Castor recoiled in surprise at the sight. "What? I'm not a half-wit!"
The cat narrowed her sapphire-blue eyes. "Well, that's what you seem to be." She wrinkled her nose in a smug expression. She was enjoying this. Castor, on the other hand, was not. He snorted, turning away from her and baring his teeth.
"I've been watching you, Castor. Watching you make a complete fool of yourself" Her fur lifted, and she bore a smirk of amusement. Then, to Castor's disapproval, she fell, rolling around on the ground, howling in laughter.
Castor shook his head, unamused. "It's not funny, whoever you are. Now get away from me. This is my journey and mine alone." He turned around to get away from her, but froze when she said. "My name's Lyra."
Castor turned around, narrowing his eyes and meowing, "What?"
"I said my name is Lyra." The white cat repeated. "You and I are the only cats left. You shouldn't bother reaching the end of the desert." She made her voice so quiet that Castor had to strain his ears to listen. "Because nobody's ever made it that far."
Castor thought for several seconds before coming to a conclusion. "No, you cannot. I heard what you said, Lyra: I'll die before I reach the end."
"Not if you have me!" Lyra squeaked. "I've made it before. Well as a sparrow, of course."
Castor rolled his eyes in annoyance. That information could have helped in the first place. Who's the dimwit now? He tapped his paw in the sand again. "Fine. You can come!"
Lyra hopped into the air, quickly shifting back into a sparrow. "Follow me! I know the way!" She flew off; castor rolled his eyes again before following the cat... sparrow. Whatever she was.
Every minute, Castor grew more and more hungry, resisting the urge to catch Lyra. She'd informed him that it was cannibalism to catch a shapeshifter, as he'd be also eating a cat. Castor had sighed, but kept eyeing the tiny bird fluttering above him. I've got to remind myself that she's my guide to getting out of here as well, and if I eat her, I'd be lost.
"We almost there?" he growled, and then heard his stomach growl in agreement. Lyra let out a twitter that sounded like a chuckle. "Not yet. Sometime I wish you weren't as sharp as you are. Sharp meaning claws as well as temper." She started whistling as birds usually do.
You are one unbelievable bird... cat. Whatever you said back there. Castor thought. Lyra swooped around him, still whistling her tune. Castor laughed, running ahead of her.
"Hey! Wait up Castor!" whistled Lyra. Castor laughed as he tried to keep ahead. "Bet you can't catch me bird-cat!" he started skipping; he was spreading sand everywhere. Lyra twittled louder, enjoying this rare friendship.
Castor closed his eyes, and didn't realize that the desert had abruptly ended until seconds later. "We did it Lyra!"
Lyra swooped down, shifting back into cat form. "Yes we did." She let out a yowl of triumph, and she started to transform into something else. Castor watched her soar high above him. When she swooped back down, Castor saw a huge white hawk. Lyra let out a shrill yell of happiness.
Castor leaped into the air, and he felt himself transforming. Large brown feathers replaced his fur as wings sprouted from his back. A beak replaced his muzzle. He had transformed into a hawk as well. He fluttered his wings in excitement, finally feeling the wind in his fur, er, and feathers as well. He fell in beside Lyra, who let out a whoop of joy.
Castor dove down, catching a small mouse in his talons. This was his new life. His new home.
He may have lost his home and his kind, but he'd found a new home as well as a friend. Maybe more than a friend, who knows. He landed on a large oak tree, eating the mouse.
This is home. This is me. I am Castor.
Taking a shuddering breath, he stepped out, feeling the desert sand crunch beneath his paws. He found himself lonely in this dead place. You know that you're the only one left. He told himself bitterly. Ever since...
He shook off the thought. No flood will ever stop me. Not ever. He kept his gaze fixed on the path ahead of him, and continued on. Goodbye, old life.
~~~
He'd been traveling alone for several hours. Sand now stretched endlessly all around him; his eyes were dry and his fur now stuck up at all angles from the wind. The only sign of life were the crows cawing above him, circling him as if he were prey. I sure do feel like prey.
He raised his head in a cry of anguish. "Take me! Spare me of this pain!" He begged. But the birds didn't seem to listen, or care, for they continued their endless swirling above him. You are narrow-minded birds. I want to pluck one of you out of the sky.
He unsheathed his claws and dug them into the sand. Well, I won't be able to sleep tonight, because one of you will eat me. One of the crows let out a caw in response. Good, you got the message. I don't want you eating my brains out.Somehow, he unconsciously knew that he was delusional from hunger and thirst.
He stopped, placing one paw over the other, and looked around. Sand, sand, sand! Is that all there is? I need something other than that.
"I know someone's there! Give me a surprise NOW!" he cried, slurring his words slightly. Another crow gave a caw, making Castor let out a delusional yowl. "You'll give me a pecking to the head!"
The crow's next caw sounded a bit irritated, as if saying. "I've been wanting to."
Yeah, Thought Castor with an evil smirk. I bet you want to. But you won't get to.With one huge leap, he smacked the large bird to the ground, snapping its neck. The other crows started freaking out, dive-bombing Castor and pecking at him."Hey! Get off! Get off!" he swiped madly at the black birds, but that only made them more mad. They started nipping at his neck, opening fresh sores. "Get off!"
The crows seemed to tire out, and left. Castor jerked his head away and continued on. "Good riddance." He murmured. "I hope I never see you again!" !" Castor yowled triumphantly. He watched them until they became a tiny speck on the horizon. Then, he ruffled his fur and headed endlessly onwards through the desert.
The sun was sinking below the horizon when Castor's eyes began to grow heavy with exhaustion. But the rest of him didn't feel tired at all. What do I do? Castor asked himself. Do I sleep, or not?
He tapped his paw in the sand, wrinkling his nose in thought. What am I thinking? He chuckled hoarsely. I should continue.
One minute later he was asleep, and the wind barely ruffled his fur as the night dragged him into a nightmarish sleep.
He grappled in the water, the cold sinking through his fur and into his skin. The screeching of his daughter was as piercing as a bat shriek. She was calling his name over and over, but Castor knew that he would never reach her; she'd drifted away from him like a piece of soggy wood.
Castor awoke with a jerk from his nightmare, screaming in terror. He bolted upright to a standing position. " I'm not letting you befall me, demon of my nightmares. He narrowed his eyes, tipping his head towards the sky. "You hear me! I'm not!"
He snorted in disgust. You will never stop me. Castor lowered his gaze to the horizon. You will never.
Castor lashed his tail in frustration. This sand never seems to end. I know I've said that before but, "I'm wanting to make myself clear!" he finished aloud.
"You half-witted coward!" a voice shouted. Castor whipped around. He spotted a sparrow shifting into something: a snow-white female... cat? Castor recoiled in surprise at the sight. "What? I'm not a half-wit!"
The cat narrowed her sapphire-blue eyes. "Well, that's what you seem to be." She wrinkled her nose in a smug expression. She was enjoying this. Castor, on the other hand, was not. He snorted, turning away from her and baring his teeth.
"I've been watching you, Castor. Watching you make a complete fool of yourself" Her fur lifted, and she bore a smirk of amusement. Then, to Castor's disapproval, she fell, rolling around on the ground, howling in laughter.
Castor shook his head, unamused. "It's not funny, whoever you are. Now get away from me. This is my journey and mine alone." He turned around to get away from her, but froze when she said. "My name's Lyra."
Castor turned around, narrowing his eyes and meowing, "What?"
"I said my name is Lyra." The white cat repeated. "You and I are the only cats left. You shouldn't bother reaching the end of the desert." She made her voice so quiet that Castor had to strain his ears to listen. "Because nobody's ever made it that far."
Castor thought for several seconds before coming to a conclusion. "No, you cannot. I heard what you said, Lyra: I'll die before I reach the end."
"Not if you have me!" Lyra squeaked. "I've made it before. Well as a sparrow, of course."
Castor rolled his eyes in annoyance. That information could have helped in the first place. Who's the dimwit now? He tapped his paw in the sand again. "Fine. You can come!"
Lyra hopped into the air, quickly shifting back into a sparrow. "Follow me! I know the way!" She flew off; castor rolled his eyes again before following the cat... sparrow. Whatever she was.
Every minute, Castor grew more and more hungry, resisting the urge to catch Lyra. She'd informed him that it was cannibalism to catch a shapeshifter, as he'd be also eating a cat. Castor had sighed, but kept eyeing the tiny bird fluttering above him. I've got to remind myself that she's my guide to getting out of here as well, and if I eat her, I'd be lost.
"We almost there?" he growled, and then heard his stomach growl in agreement. Lyra let out a twitter that sounded like a chuckle. "Not yet. Sometime I wish you weren't as sharp as you are. Sharp meaning claws as well as temper." She started whistling as birds usually do.
You are one unbelievable bird... cat. Whatever you said back there. Castor thought. Lyra swooped around him, still whistling her tune. Castor laughed, running ahead of her.
"Hey! Wait up Castor!" whistled Lyra. Castor laughed as he tried to keep ahead. "Bet you can't catch me bird-cat!" he started skipping; he was spreading sand everywhere. Lyra twittled louder, enjoying this rare friendship.
Castor closed his eyes, and didn't realize that the desert had abruptly ended until seconds later. "We did it Lyra!"
Lyra swooped down, shifting back into cat form. "Yes we did." She let out a yowl of triumph, and she started to transform into something else. Castor watched her soar high above him. When she swooped back down, Castor saw a huge white hawk. Lyra let out a shrill yell of happiness.
Castor leaped into the air, and he felt himself transforming. Large brown feathers replaced his fur as wings sprouted from his back. A beak replaced his muzzle. He had transformed into a hawk as well. He fluttered his wings in excitement, finally feeling the wind in his fur, er, and feathers as well. He fell in beside Lyra, who let out a whoop of joy.
Castor dove down, catching a small mouse in his talons. This was his new life. His new home.
He may have lost his home and his kind, but he'd found a new home as well as a friend. Maybe more than a friend, who knows. He landed on a large oak tree, eating the mouse.
This is home. This is me. I am Castor.