Disclaimer: ok, it's time to put in what I should have put in when I started.
I own Kat and her family, Millie, Theodore, and Snell. I do not own Duncan
or Highlander Endgame.
Author's Note: I have changed some of the rules of immortals to suit this
story, so if something seems strange, it probably is. I have also added a
few things that will seem very odd, but will be explained eventually.
* * *
"I think you've figured out most of it already," he began. "I am, as you said a
few minutes ago, what you think I am. I was born in 1592 in Scotland." He
stopped talking, and I stood and watched him. I couldn't very well not believe
him – I had seen living, and dying, proof of what he was the day before. He
didn't seem inclined to continue, so I prodded him gently.
"And what about Millie?"
"She's the same thing I am," he said simply. "She hunts mice for the same
reason that some immortals hunt each other." I raised my eyebrows, but again, I
would have a hard time disbelieving it. Millie had been here for a reason, and she
had been here with Duncan and Theodore. I certainly couldn't think of a better
reason.
"But what did she have to do with you? And how do you know her name?"
"She told me." I grinned – now that I didn't believe.
"Yeah, right," I retorted. "Tell me another one."
"All immortal animals speak at least one human language, so they can
communicate with us. Sometimes they act as messengers when we can't contact
each other directly – although cats are particularly averse to doing favors." He
rolled his eyes, appearing to be tired of dealing with cats.
"So why are you here, anyway?" I asked, deciding to let the Millie issue go for
a moment.
"An old enemy of mine is here," he told me. "In other words, I don't think I'll
be here much longer." I was a little surprised.
"You're assuming he's going to kill you?" Duncan nodded, looking at the floor.
"I've lost every battle I've ever fought with him," he said quietly. "He shows up
and makes me think he's trying to kill me, but once I lose, he just leaves."
"Then what makes you think he'll finish the job this time, if he never has?" He
sighed.
"I just have a feeling. I can't explain it. A lot of our life goes by feelings – what
we know instinctively will happen. And my gut is just telling me that Saturday's
fight is Snell's." I was starting to feel bad for him – he looked so hopeless. Who
wouldn't be, facing their own demise like that?
"Isn't there anything you can do?" I asked him. "I mean, do you have to go
meet this Snell?" Duncan laughed without humor.
"If I don't meet him this week, he'll find me next week, and catch me when I'm
not expecting it." He shook his head. "Saturday is my best chance." We stood
silently for a minute, Duncan staring off into space, me staring at him. This was a
lot for me to take in all at once – my brain was beginning to feel like it was
suffering a short circuit. Then something else occurred to me, a question from
the day before.
"Who was the woman here yesterday?" I asked. Duncan frowned, looking
genuinely puzzled.
"The woman?" he asked. I nodded.
"I heard her talking, right before you killed Theodore. I remember she was
making fun of your love life, and then she told Theodore she was your 'self-
assigned protector.' But I didn't see her during the fire. Where did she go?" The
light seemed to come on in his head.
"Oh," he said with a smile, "That was Millie you heard." I raised an eyebrow.
"You're still saying my cat talks?"
"She does," he told me seriously. "I know it sounds funny, but she really does.
Sometimes I wish she didn't, though," he added. I couldn't tell whether or not he
was joking. "Get her in a conversation for more than ten seconds, and the venom
flies. She's got acid for blood." I had to smile. That did sound like Millie – she
wasn't nice even without talking. I decided to believe Duncan, as I hadn't seen
any woman but Millie. She was the only one that voice could have belonged to.
Just then I felt what seemed to be a drop of water land on my head. I looked up,
in time to get another drop in the face. Glancing down and out the barn door, I
realized it had started to rain – not just outside, but in the barn, too. Apparently
the roof leaked…no wonder all the hay was so moldy.
"I better get home," I said to Duncan. "My mom will wonder where I am." He
nodded distractedly. "By the way," I added, "You are Duncan, right?" He gave
me an odd look. "Well, we never did introduce ourselves. I'm Kat, as if it makes
a difference."
"Yes, I'm Duncan," he told me. "Ah, nice to meet you." We both laughed at
that, then said goodbye and I left to go back home.
I own Kat and her family, Millie, Theodore, and Snell. I do not own Duncan
or Highlander Endgame.
Author's Note: I have changed some of the rules of immortals to suit this
story, so if something seems strange, it probably is. I have also added a
few things that will seem very odd, but will be explained eventually.
* * *
"I think you've figured out most of it already," he began. "I am, as you said a
few minutes ago, what you think I am. I was born in 1592 in Scotland." He
stopped talking, and I stood and watched him. I couldn't very well not believe
him – I had seen living, and dying, proof of what he was the day before. He
didn't seem inclined to continue, so I prodded him gently.
"And what about Millie?"
"She's the same thing I am," he said simply. "She hunts mice for the same
reason that some immortals hunt each other." I raised my eyebrows, but again, I
would have a hard time disbelieving it. Millie had been here for a reason, and she
had been here with Duncan and Theodore. I certainly couldn't think of a better
reason.
"But what did she have to do with you? And how do you know her name?"
"She told me." I grinned – now that I didn't believe.
"Yeah, right," I retorted. "Tell me another one."
"All immortal animals speak at least one human language, so they can
communicate with us. Sometimes they act as messengers when we can't contact
each other directly – although cats are particularly averse to doing favors." He
rolled his eyes, appearing to be tired of dealing with cats.
"So why are you here, anyway?" I asked, deciding to let the Millie issue go for
a moment.
"An old enemy of mine is here," he told me. "In other words, I don't think I'll
be here much longer." I was a little surprised.
"You're assuming he's going to kill you?" Duncan nodded, looking at the floor.
"I've lost every battle I've ever fought with him," he said quietly. "He shows up
and makes me think he's trying to kill me, but once I lose, he just leaves."
"Then what makes you think he'll finish the job this time, if he never has?" He
sighed.
"I just have a feeling. I can't explain it. A lot of our life goes by feelings – what
we know instinctively will happen. And my gut is just telling me that Saturday's
fight is Snell's." I was starting to feel bad for him – he looked so hopeless. Who
wouldn't be, facing their own demise like that?
"Isn't there anything you can do?" I asked him. "I mean, do you have to go
meet this Snell?" Duncan laughed without humor.
"If I don't meet him this week, he'll find me next week, and catch me when I'm
not expecting it." He shook his head. "Saturday is my best chance." We stood
silently for a minute, Duncan staring off into space, me staring at him. This was a
lot for me to take in all at once – my brain was beginning to feel like it was
suffering a short circuit. Then something else occurred to me, a question from
the day before.
"Who was the woman here yesterday?" I asked. Duncan frowned, looking
genuinely puzzled.
"The woman?" he asked. I nodded.
"I heard her talking, right before you killed Theodore. I remember she was
making fun of your love life, and then she told Theodore she was your 'self-
assigned protector.' But I didn't see her during the fire. Where did she go?" The
light seemed to come on in his head.
"Oh," he said with a smile, "That was Millie you heard." I raised an eyebrow.
"You're still saying my cat talks?"
"She does," he told me seriously. "I know it sounds funny, but she really does.
Sometimes I wish she didn't, though," he added. I couldn't tell whether or not he
was joking. "Get her in a conversation for more than ten seconds, and the venom
flies. She's got acid for blood." I had to smile. That did sound like Millie – she
wasn't nice even without talking. I decided to believe Duncan, as I hadn't seen
any woman but Millie. She was the only one that voice could have belonged to.
Just then I felt what seemed to be a drop of water land on my head. I looked up,
in time to get another drop in the face. Glancing down and out the barn door, I
realized it had started to rain – not just outside, but in the barn, too. Apparently
the roof leaked…no wonder all the hay was so moldy.
"I better get home," I said to Duncan. "My mom will wonder where I am." He
nodded distractedly. "By the way," I added, "You are Duncan, right?" He gave
me an odd look. "Well, we never did introduce ourselves. I'm Kat, as if it makes
a difference."
"Yes, I'm Duncan," he told me. "Ah, nice to meet you." We both laughed at
that, then said goodbye and I left to go back home.
