The wind blew fiercely through the trees as twilight fell around the city. Mira shivered as the icy wind whipped her dark hair against her skin. She stood at the edge of the park, wearing a slightly oversized black raincoat, holding a black umbrella that she took with her everywhere. She checked her watch for the umteenth time, and then looked to her left, and to her right. This busy city, which was usually so crowded, was now completely deserted, as if no-one ad ever lived there.
Mira felt a shiver spread slowly up her spine, and the hairs on the nape of her neck rose. She sensed a presence coming closer, closer…
"Meow." Mira jumped and spun around at the sound of a cat crying. Sitting between two trees was a black cat with green eyes, and a white nip at the end of her tail.
"Oh, you scared me," she said to the cat, who gave her a searching look. "Come on, Cassi. Are you going to tell me why you called me here?" Mira asked. The cat gave Mira a hard stare. Mira sighed.
"Fine, have it your way," she said as she turned around. She waited a few seconds, and then she sensed a change in the atmosphere.
"Knowledge is a weapon, but the tongue is like fire," said a beautiful voice as Mira turned around. "Be careful what you say, you don't know who could be listening."
"If you are concerned about eavesdroppers, then why aren't you worried about prying eyes?" Mira asked with a matter-of-fact tone. "Don't you think I would have sensed if someone who shouldn't be here was?"
Cassiopeia nodded. She knew that Mira was the best senser around, and she would have defiantly felt if anyone else was around. In fact, it was for precisely that reason that Cassiopeia had called her here.
"So, why have you called me here tonight? What do you want?" The impatience in Mira's voice was obvious. Mira had always hated anything that involved her walking. She was unfit, but still as slim as a pole. I suppose that's to be expected when you don't need to eat…
"Well," Cassiopeia began. "You would have heard of the recent disappearances of many normal office workers. This is the second disappearance in less than 3 weeks. Fortunately, the Normals think they have just left town for personal reasons, but these people who are disappearing are not Normals, they are Magicians from our side." Mira gave a snort of laughter.
"In case you didn't realize," Mira said, "I am a neutral being. I am on neither side, so don't refer to your people as our people." Cassiopeia glared at Mira, who held her head high.
"You are pretty close to becoming one of my people, almost evil," Cassiopeia said under her breath. "Well, anyway, not to many of my people just up and leave, and defiantly not this many at one time. I think they were destroyed." Mira's eyes widened.
"You don't mean…" Mira trailed off.
"Yes, I do. There is a new power rising out there, and it's powerful enough to wipe out all evil and neutral Magicians. I think we have a new witch." Mira gasped and both hands flew to her mouth.
"What do you want me to do about it?" Mira whispered so quietly that Cassiopeia barely heard her.
"I want you to find this new witch. Search the whole town, then have one of your best shape shifters to watch her." Cassiopeia seemed to remain very clam throughout saying this.
"What about your shape shifters?" Mira asked hesitantly. "Surely they must be better than mine."
"That may be so," said Cassiopeia. "But this witch would surely know if an evil presence was in her house. Now go and see to it. Now!" Mira quickly dissolved away from the frightening witch.
"There's no way that witch is getting the better of me and my people." Cassiopeia said to herself. And then she turned and walked away. As the trees submerged her in shadow, she transformed back into the black cat with green eyes.