As I fell back, I let out a startled yell and clawed the air. Francis turned to see why I had yelled when his back paw slipped of the edge, and he went falling through the air as well. Naturally I twisted in air to land, but I wasn't quick enough and I landed on my side, to help absorb the impact, I rolled to the side and sprang up. Francis managed to land on his feet be he tumbled a bit as well. I jerked my head up now that I was sure I was on ground. But the crazy cats where right behind us.
But to my surprise, I was looking up at a ceiling and a skylight. A skylight that was open just a crack now. Cat shadows passed overhead and in a matter of seconds they had moved on to search for us elsewhere. I panted and just stared up at the skylight. We had escaped the cult.
"You two are new in the neighborhood, aren't you?" A gentle and female voice asked. I turned around quickly, half expecting a cat to leap at us. But instead a cat sat in a rocking chair by a fireplace.
"Yes, that's right." Francis said walking closer. The cat in the chair stood up and then looked over at us. She was a natural beauty. Her fur was kept clean and short, and looked grey at first, but closer inspection made it clear it was blue. A Russian Blue was her breed by my guess. She had a collar on, simple yellow one and her eyes where green like emeralds. Only, they had a distant look to them, and they seemed unfocused.
"The names Francis." Francis said walking closer and then he waved his tail to me and said "And this is my friend Novalee." I did a small bow to her and said "Hello."
"Friend or Foe?" she suddenly asked. The question caught me off guard at first, but then Francis said "Were friends."
"Friends forever." I added and walked closer to the blue she-cat. The fire crackled and a warm feeling blue over me. It was hard not to lie down and take a nap in front of such a warm place, all that running we did and what not.
"A friend, who suddenly fell out of the sky?" She asked in a hushed tone. Francis tilted his head a bit and said "Well not exactly. Only through the skylight." The blue she-cat leaped down from the chair and strolled past me and Francis. She then made her way to the window and leaped up on the ledge. There was something about the way she walked, almost like she was hesitating with each step.
"We were running from lunatics." I said turning to follow the blue she-cat. Francis followed and then added "From the Claudandus sect. They objected us from watching their ceremony."
"That sounds typical of them." The blue she-cat said then asked "Has it gotten light outside yet?" And then I knew why she acted so strangely when she walked, why her eyes where never looking at me or Francis.
"Yes but surly you can see that for your-" Francis cut himself off and then realized what I did. He leaped up onto the window ledge and said "Oh…you're blind." I calmly sat on the ground and watched as she shook her head and said "I'm not blind. I just can't see." Those words seem to have more meaning behind them than most people realize.
She turned away from the window, and walked back over to the chair. But instead of leaping up onto the chair, she sat down in front of the fireplace. I got up from where I was sitting and asked "Do you ever go outside?" she hung her head in a sadden way and said "No. but there isn't a day that goes by that I haven't wished I could see this world. Evil and cruel as it is."
I sat on one side of her, while Francis sat on the other. I looked towards the fire and said "the world isn't as bad as most people come to see as it is. They just need to find the hope in everything, and then maybe…their wouldn't be so much hate and anger." The cat nodded and said "Maybe."
"Ah, well I'm sorry." Francis said relating to how he felt about her being blind. He then placed his paw on hers. For some reason, I felt myself dislike the gesture he made just then, but the she-cat didn't see it as a sign of affection, she just said "Why? There are worse things in this world Francis. We can get used to anything." She paused and Francis drew his paw back.
"Well, except living in a dog kennel possibly." She said and the three of us laughed. As the laughter died down, Francis then asked "Um, have you always been …"
"Blind? Yes. Form birth." She said I gave off a small sigh and she turned to more of my direction and said "But, I see pictures in my head."
"Pictures? What kind?" I asked and she nodded and said "I see these people grouped around me. And there so big and tall. And somehow bright. I believe they are wearing the color…white. One of them bends over me, he smiles and then he has something that glistens in his hand. Then terrible pain, and then…I fall asleep."
I saw faint tears from her eyes, like she was sad that the pictures had to end. But she quickly wiped them away and then headed back over to the window ledge. Francis followed her, but I sat in front of the fire, staring deep into the blaze and embers.
"I don't think you were blind form birth. I think some human did something to you." Francis said making his way over to her. She flicked her tail and said "But that can't be. The human race is the kindest there is."
"I mean, who else a useless thing like me a home?" she said and licked her paw. She then washed the side of her cheek. Francis came to a stop a bit always from the ledge and said "Can I change the subject and ask you a question miss…uh…"
"Felicity." She said stating her name. She turned around to face Francis and he said "Have you heard anything you would describe unusual in the last few weeks?" Felicity flicked her tail once again and then said "Only the Death Cries."
I perked my ears and now had my full attention on the two. This was our first witness! Well, sort of, but it was better than nothing! I stood up and then made my way over and sat down next to Francis.
"This means you're the first witness in the killings!" Francis said and leaped up to the window ledge. Felicity turned her head to him and said "I don't see why you're so interested in this."
"Felicity we're talking about murder!" Francis said and Felicity edged back a bit and said "Murder? Oh I'm sure you're wrong. I think it's more like sex that has just gone too far."
"And why do you think that?" Francis asked and Felicity turned to follow his voice and said "The Death Cries… always from tom cats. I could tell by their growls that they were excited. Somebody they knew was suddenly there. And although they're excited, they don't attack him."
"And did this someone speak to our brother?" Francis asked and Felicity nodded and said "Yes, I'm sorry but I could not hear what he was saying to them. But his tone of voice… there was a sense of urgency in his voice. A persuasive conviction… He was trying to tell them something of great importance.
"What though…" Francis asked to himself and then I spoke up and asked "And then what happens next Felicity." Felicity turned her head of the sound of my voice and said "And then… the Death Cries…"
"Do you know anything about the Claudandus Sect?" Francis asked and Felicity replied by saying "Not much, only that they pray to a dead brother named Claudandus. Who lived around here many years ago. He was tortured by men all his life."
"How do you know?" I asked and she turned back and was about to speak, but then a creeeeeek sound filled the air. I turned my head up to the skylight to see a cat peering in. It was Bluebeard.
"Why did you two run off? The brothers just wanted to talk with yah." Bluebeard said and Francis flicked his tail back and forth in anger saying "I bet they did with 300 bolts loosening my tongue, right?" Francis then turned to Felicity and said "I'll be back soon." He then turned and said "Come on Novalee…"
"Actually, I will catch up to you and Bluebeard in a moment." I said as I watched Francis leap up a dresser, and then out the skylight. Outside I heard him say something to Bluebeard but I didn't listen. Instead I leaped up onto the window ledge and sat down next to Felicity.
"Why didn't you follow? By the sounds of it whatever Francis was speaking of with the other cat, it sounded important." She asked and I chuckled and said "I'll stay out of their bickering match." We both chuckled for a moment and then it died down.
"What's it like?" I suddenly asked and she perked her ears and asked "To be blind?"
"Yes." I answered quietly and she gave off a soft sigh and said "Everything is so empty, and dark. All I see is black. Like a endless sleep. The pictures in my head are my only small, very small window to the world outside this darkness… What I wouldn't give, just to see something."
"Maybe you can." I said and she turned her head to me, her green eyes sparkling with interest, I think… She tilted her head and asked "Really? How? What can I see?"
"Well… we can start with me." I said and then I asked "You remember the color white from your pictures? The color the humans were wearing." Felicity was silent for a moment and then said "yes, I think I have the idea of the color white now." I smiled and then said "Alright. That is the color most of my fur is. Only my paws are black, so is the tip of my ears and tail."
Felicity was silent for a while and then she smiled and said "I think I can imagine you now, Novalee. Although, when you walk I hear a small jingle, do you have a collar on?"
"Yes. It has a heart shaped charm on it. Here…" I moved my paw under hears and guided it around to make the shape of a heart in the air. I smiled even more and said "That's the shape of a heart."
"And your eyes?" She asked, her voice becoming happier with each word. I thought for a moment and wondered how I was going to explain this color. Then it hit me.
"In your pictures. Did you ever see yourself? Your fur I mean?" Felicity was quiet again and then she nodded and said "Yes, I think I caught a glimpse of my tail and paws. They are a strange color though."
"It's the color blue. My eyes are that color, only brighter." I said and Felicity smiled and said "I now have another picture in my mind. One of a beautiful cat, named Novalee." We both smiled and I was really happy. I had found myself another friend. And hopefully one that won't be running from cults or chasing dead cats."
"Novalee." Francis called as he stuck his head through the window. I looked up and then he said "Come on. Bluebeard is taking us to meet that cat he talked about the other day." I nodded and then said "Alright. I'm coming." I leaped down from the window ledge and then said to Felicity "I'll be back later today. Alright? Then we can work on making you more pictures."
"Alright." Felicity said in a sad tone. I think maybe it was because I was leaving, or because she would have to wait to see more of this world.
I leaped up onto the dresser and then out the skylight. Out there, Francis and Bluebeard were waiting on the edge of the roof for me. I gave them a nod and then looked back into the room. Felicity walked slowly under the skylight and looked up at me. And I could swear, for a moment, she could really see me.
But I turned away from the skylight and followed the two toms away from Felicity.
