Flash Fiction #654 -- More Neko Adventures/2

 

The ocean was cold, loud with the pounding surf, and powerful. The water caught hold of me, dragging me away from the shore and downward toward the seabed. Small shapes scattered through the murky water.

I gathered all of this in a couple of heartbeats, along with the realization that something large and dangerous lurked nearby. And my head would explode --

Something huge rushed at me.  I made my peace with Bastet just before Reginald caught my right front leg in his beak and dragged me up to the surface.  I gasped for air -- and saw the shark propelling toward us.

"Shark," I gasped and got more water than air.  Thunder boomed around us.  "Let go, Reginald!  You can get clear --"

He grunted something and didn't let go.  I could barely see the shore, there and gone again, between each break of a wave over us.  But the good news was that Reginald could swim fast, even dragging me along.

The shark could swim even faster, but we had the fae on our side.  As I was making peace with Bastet once more, the shark lunged forward --

And then it was up and flying over the top of us as Colin gave the creature a lesson in being a bird.  I watched as he disappeared into the clouds.  I think the creature wasn't impressed.

Reginald and I liked our ride in an air bubble back to the car.  The vehicle had grown a bit to accommodate more passengers. Luna was in the driver's seat, and Shosha sat on her shoulder. I sensed Darion's magic there.  The kitten would not fall off.

I threw myself into Colin's lap and snuggled in -- then lifted my head.  "Thank you, Reginald."

The penguin looked startled, and I realized how rude I'd been since his arrival.  I still couldn't reconcile myself to having a penguin as a spirit animal, but that wasn't Reginald's fault.  I would have to talk to Colin about how this worked.  Maybe we could find Reginald a better partner.

Luna had no trouble handling the car as we raced away from the ocean.  It had been nice while it lasted, but the storm grew larger, brighter, and louder as it followed us.

"We need to do something drastic," Colin shouted.  The wind had caught up to us, and the car, magic or not, could not keep steady.  "We need to be somewhere else."

Darion agreed.  "Out of her sight.  No magic when we get there --"

They didn't bother to talk to the rest of us.  One moment, lightning struck a tree a few feet away; the next heartbeat, we were sitting on the ground in the middle of nowhere.  I couldn't see a single light or hear anything man-made. The sun was about to disappear behind a distant mountain range, but for a moment, I could see the cacti everywhere.

"Desert," Reginald said in utter astonishment. "I am sure I am not supposed to be in a desert."

"Colin and Darion are gone," Luna added.

I looked around and nodded.  "They are trying to lead the trouble away from us.  There is our storm off to the northeast."

Lightning obediently flashed in that direction, a shot of red fire through the clouds. That was not a natural storm.

"What should we do?" Shosha whispered.  "I don't enjoy being out here."

"We head west," Luna replied, putting Shosha on her shoulder. "And no, I haven't had a vision. I can see the lights of a town in that direction."

Luna had the advantage of height.  All I could see were bumps of cacti and ridges of rock and sand.  I couldn't see the lights, but I trusted Luna.  Reginald and I followed at her heels when she started in that direction.  The penguin was less happy about our location than me.  I didn't mind the place because it was still somewhat warm, and there were no sharks.

Then I considered snakes and wished one of the fae was around to carry me. I looked back and found the storm had grown noticeably larger and closer.  I worked at being annoyed rather than afraid.

"Why is it after us?" I finally asked.  "It is Maude's storm, right?"

"Yes," Reginald said.  "And it is not us she wants; it's you.  As her familiar, she invested you with a lot of her power.  She wants it back now."

The truth shocked me.  I had never considered that my previous link to Maude might still be reason enough for her to come after me.  I could believe she would do anything for vengeance, and she had to hold a grudge against all of us by now.  Probably even Reginald.  But she was coming specifically for me?

My presence put everyone in danger.

From one step to the next, I changed direction and speed, heading first to the left and then straight for the storm.  I didn't know what I could do, but there had to be something that would help.

Luna shouted my name a few times, but I ran fast, mindful of those snakes that lurked in the growing darkness. I thought the storm would scare them back into their holes.  I might join one at this point.  The lightning no longer danced across the sky.  It forked down to the ground, stabbing so close that I could sometimes feel the tingle of power.  I stopped behind a slightly higher ridge to catch my breath and try to make plans.

"What do we do now?" Reginald asked.

"MEOW!"

"Are you alright, Neko?" he asked, sounding sincerely worried.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded. Too loud.  Maude might hear us.

"I'm your spirit animal.  Where would you expect me to be?"

He had a point.  I hadn't yet taken in the idea of a spirit animal.  I suspected I could force him to leave, but it would take power that I didn't want to waste and might draw her attention.

Lightning struck closer to us.

Flash Fiction # 653--More Neko Adventures/1

 

(Continued from Neko's Trip Home/18 10/25/24)

I tried to ignore the giant emperor penguin as I turned and headed toward Colin.  Unfortunately, the big guy talked a lot.  Constantly.  I wanted to strangle him before we reached the blanket where the others sat enjoying the ocean sunset.

"Neko," Colin said with a smile.  "Chase all the gulls -- oh."

"I seem to have a problem."

Colin nodded and waved his hand through the air. In that moment, the others saw, and heard, my talkative new companion. Shosha squeaked and threw herself into Luna's lap while Colin and Dorian stared, both looking confused.

"And this is?" Dorian asked, his voice not quite calm.

"Reginald," the penguin answered.  "I am Neko's spirit animal."

"Neko is a cat," Colin replied.

"That presents a certain challenge, don't you think?" Reginald smiled.  I wished he wouldn't do that.  "It's hard enough to find someone who believes enough to see a spirit animal, let alone accept our help. Neko sees me, accepts what I am, but still won't believe I am his spirit animal."

"Neko is a cat," Colin repeated.

"I mentioned that to Sister Spirit," Reginald replied.  "However, Sister Spirit felt that since we'd all had encounters with Maude --"

I don't know what reaction he'd expected it, but it clearly was not seeing the fae and human surge to their feet. The penguin leaped backward, wobbled and fell on his face. Dorian helped him back up.  The rest of us waited, rather impatiently, for Reginald to explain himself.

"I can see you all know who Maude is," the penguin said.

"We had hoped she was dead," Colin replied, his voice unexpectedly laced with anger.  

Shosha hissed.  Luna stared out at the waves, but I had the feeling she saw something more.

"Luna?" I whispered as I nudged her leg.

"Not dead," she agreed, and shook her head in disgust.  "I should have realized the traces I keep seeing aren't from the past."

An inordinate amount of cursing followed Luna's statement, and spoken in several languages. Reginald had a moment of shock. I wondered if we could trust him, though.  He had said the magic name, but that could be a trick to get us to take him in.

I looked at Colin and could tell he wasn't completely taken in, either.  I didn't know what we could do to test him, either.  Could we contact Sister Spirit, whom he had mentioned?  And if we did, could we trust her?  Had Maude touched them all and they were now untrustworthy?

And what did that mean about me?

There had to be another answer.

I still felt a chill and shivered -- and saw Luna do the same thing.  The cold wasn't in my thoughts.  It came from the storm blowing in over the ocean. A real storm, too.  People who had paid no attention to us quickly packed their seaside belongings and headed for their cars.

"Colin," I said.

"I am getting the car ready," he said.  He looked troubled, which was no help at all.  "Dorian --"

"Getting everything ready," he replied.  I could feel his magic sweep around me.  I felt safer.  "Reginald will have to go with us."

"Of course," Colin agreed.

And now not so safe.  I almost protested, but it would have been rude.  Besides, the storm was almost on us, and I figured we could settle this matter somewhere else with less wind and rain.

Reginald moved closer and blocked the worst of the storm.  I still felt uneasy, but it was nicer.  I gathered up Shosha so that she didn't get blown away and she settled between my front paws. Luna saw her and nodded, but the seer seemed distracted.  I didn't take that as a good sign, as though the storm itself wasn't trouble enough.

The storm was magnificent and I would have liked to watch it if I hadn't suspected it was aimed right at us.  The clouds had spread from north to south and were pillowing upward as well. Lightning flashed from cloud to cloud and then speared down to the sea. The storm grew larger and closer with each wave.

I could feel Maude in it, and more powerful than I had hoped.  Dorian and Colin seemed to feel the same way.  They murmured to each other about something dire.  I wanted them to get moving --

Colin nodded and disappeared. This wasn't what I wanted at all!

Dorian pulled us all into a tighter group.

"Colin has gone to the car," he said. He still looked troubled.  "The rest of us need to get there with as little magic as possible. The only magic I'll use will hide Neko, Reginald, and Shosha.  Luna --"

"I can make it," she said.  "Do you want me to take Shosha?"

"I will take her since I need the three of them with me," he replied.  "Go ahead of us so I can watch you.  Let's go!"

The crowd who had been here a few minutes ago had disappeared up the stairs to the road.  All I could see of them were footprints in the sand, and a few small pieces of trash.  They had been remarkably good about cleaning up.

I looked back when we reached the stairs and wished that I hadn't. The clouds had obscured the sky and the ocean had grown to cover all but a small portion of the sand.  Waves rose higher with each strike.

"Go!" I ordered to Reginald.  Dorian held tight to Shosha just as a wave hit the bottom of the ladder. They were almost at the top.  "Get moving, Reginald!"

"I can't!" The words sounded both angry and anguished.  "I can't climb stairs!  Not in weather like this!"

I snarled and then did something stupid.  I used just enough magic to send Reginald up the steps to the roadway above.  He made an odd shout and then Dorian yelled.  I started up --

But the next wave caught my legs and dragged me away.

 

Flash Fiction # 652 -- Leaving Home

 

Della stopped and reconsidered her decision. Wasn't she too old for running away from home?  Maybe so, but even her father told her to leave Northwood. Once mother had gone to market, he'd helped her pack, given her a few more coins, and sent her off with a wavering smile.

There were few places to go that were any better than Northwood. -- at least in the human world. She pushed away from the ancient, vast pine where she'd paused and tapped on the wood.  A window opened into a magical land and Della stepped forward, her hands reaching for home.

Flash Fiction #651 -- Usso (Drabble)

 

Usso, the King's Mage, hadn't traveled for years, but now he went to face trouble in the north. He and the king knew dark and light magic still lingered.  They had kept the knowledge of magical enemies a secret and avoided dealing with panicked humans.  

Usso no longer considered himself human and wanted no one to mistake the change. Usso studied the art of past ages when magi ruled. He adopted the styles of ancient times, from intricately braided hair to long silken robes and embroidered slippers. People at court took him seriously.

He hadn't considered travel in the decision.

Flash Fiction #650 -- Neko (Drabble)

 

Hello, author person!  Can I have your attention for a few minutes?  

What do you mean, who am I? I'm Neko, the magical Siamese cat you trapped in a building for several hundred years and then turned out into the world to have adventures.  

Yes, I've had an interesting few months with Colin and Luna, but we have done nothing since October 25, 2024.

That's not entirely true.  I've spent a good amount of time trying to avoid my Spirit Animal, Reginald, the Emperor Penguin. We need to talk about him and your sense of humor.

Hello?  Are you listening?