Chapter 15: A Window To The Future
Rubena stared into the milky white swirling depths of the ball of light in front of her. It was suspended a few inches above the small blanket spread out over the floor. Tantomile and Coricopat gazed into the same swirling mist, but Rubena couldn't help doubting that they could see anything in there. Still, they did seem fascinated...
Suddenly, Tantomile gave a small hiss to attract Coricopat's attention and pointed to a particular spot in the mass of milky swirls. Coricopat moved around to Tantomile's side and gazed at that spot for several seconds.
Coricopat briefly looked up, and Rubena could seen the swirls reflected in his eyes as he beckoned for her to come and see. Rubena moved to the other side, still rather doubtful that she would see anything. She leanded closer to the ball and looked at the spot Coricopat pointed to, but the grey-white swirls looked the same as everywhere else in the ball to her. She looked up at Coricopat and gave a small shake of her head, accompanied by an apologetic look.
The black and silver tabby placed a paw on her shoulder and whispered, "Don't try to focus on anything. Let your eyes wander and try not to blink. if you want to look at a particular spot, try to do it out of the corner of your eye."
Rubena followed his instructions and dropped her eyes out of focus. For a while, she only saw the same milky white. Just when she was ready to give up, she noticed a faint streak of red-orange lancing across the contents of the sphere. Coricopat grinned. He could tell by the little gasp she had given that she had seen it.
Careful not to look straight at the streak of colour, Rubena turned her head slightly side-on and gazed at it out of the corner of her eye. Slowly, the streak took shape, and Rubena could see the little flickers of fire dancing across it. She gave Coricopat a questioning look. He indicated for her to keep looking.
Rubena turned her attention back to the fiery streak. It had grown to a substantial size, and a dark shadow had appeared in its centre. Slowly, it grew into the silhouette of a wiry female cat. Only a pair of amber eyes and a scar running over one of them were visible in her face.
"Callisto," Rubena murmured as her twin's face was lit up just enough to show that she was leering. The image disappeared when Rubena turned to face it. She turned side-on to look at the swirling mist out of the corner of her eye again. Slowly, two new shapes began to form in the ivory swirls. The streak of fire had returned, this time accompanied by crackles of electricity. It took all of Rubena's willpower not to look straight at it. After an agonisingly long period of time, the fire took the shape of a tiger which seemed to be made of flames. The electric bolts had taken the form of a large lizard which balanced on its hind legs and sported a set of apparently razor-sharp teeth, as well as surprisingly large eyes. That's a sign of intelligence, Rubena reflected.
Tantomile moved her paws on either side of the ivory coloured sphere of mist, and brought them together, causing the ball to contract and disappear. With the light cast by the sphere gone, they were plunged into darkness, but Rubena could tell by the sound of his breathing that Coricopat was still on her right, and by Tantomile's steps that she was walking past them to open the drape which kept the den so dark, revealing a starry sky.
Rubena heard Coricopat get up at the same time she did, and moved out of the den to breathe the cool night air. Tantomile was still in the den, probably putting away her light sphere or something, Rubena thought. She turned to face Coricopat, who had been standing behind her.
"What did all that stuff mean?" she asked. "I mean, I saw it, but I can't make any sense of it."
The black and silver tabby placed his paw on her upper arm, just below her shoulder.
"Callisto appeared because she is your opponent. Along with her came her means of battling you - apparently fire magic."
"But what about the tiger and the lizard?"
"I don't know," Coricopat admitted. "It looks like we might have to ask Old Deutoronomy."
An awkward silence followed. Rubena racked her brains for what she could say to break the silence, but she couldn't think of anything. Brain Freeze, she thought to herself in disgust. The fact that Coricopat's paw was still on her arm was distracting too. Rubena could feel the veins pulsing in his fingertips. Why did you always have to notice that kind of stuff in this kind of situation? She wondered what was taking Tantomile so long.
Finally, a black form emerged out of the shadows.
"So, how'd it go?"
Now Rubena realised that it was Alyzria, not Tantomile. Coricopat mumbled something unintelligable, causing Alyzria to raise a quizzical eyebrow.
"Any decent readings?"
Rubena wrenched her jaws apart to answer.
"Some interesting stuff," she told the Siamese. "I'll tell you later.
Alyzria looked around.
"Where's Tantomile?"
Coricopat pointed backwards over his shoulder with his thumb, towards the den they had come out of.
"Well, say hi to her for me." Then she turned her attention to the tigeress. "You coming to get some bats for dinner?"
Rubena nodded.
"Yeah, okay." She briefly turned towards Coricopat. "See you tomorrow."
The tabby gave a small wave and turned to go back into the den.
As soon as they were out of hearing distance, the Siamese looked at her friend.
"Was I interrupting something?"
Rubena scratched her head and looked at the sky.
"I don't really know myself," she answered. "Either way, I'm glad you came. I was having a major case of brain freeze."
"Oohhh, that bad?"
Rubena glared at the Siamese. Alyzria simply smiled amiably.
"Well, there's one thing I know: I've never seen Coricopat act like this."
The tigress felt herself starting to blush. Alyzria gave her a big grin and patted her on the back.
"Believe me, my friend, you've got a fighting chance," she said, laughing at the indignant look on Rubena's face.
