Thank you all for the extreme LACK OF REVIEWS! I only got like, 5. I need at least 10 (TEN) before I update again.

Once the travelers had finished eating, Commander Collins led them back to their horses. "So," he said, "you all are acting as ambassadors for Coutrun, right?" Cat nodded warily, still uncertain whether she could trust him.

"That means you'll be staying at the palace. It's quite amazing, actually. Built over a hundred years ago, and the royal family has been living there since then. I can't take you there, but all you have to do is head straight down this road and you'll see it soon enough," said the commander, indicating the path they were to follow.

"Thank you for the lunch," said James politely from behind her. Collins brushed it off and waved goodbye to them.

Cat quickly hopped on Ashpetal, much to the dismay of Cylon. "Hey, I'm still digesting that salmon. Take it easy!" Cat heard her say from her place on the girl's shoulder. 'You'll grow fat if all you do is lay around after you eat,' Cat replied, 'Maybe I should let you walk to the palace!'

The feline was immediately all smiles. "Have I ever told you how much I love you, Cat? So kind and never making me walk on the harsh, cold ground," the cat purred.

The green-eyed girl laughed and turned to James and Nathan. "Are you guys ready?" The boys nodded and got up on their horses.

"Hey, Cylon, can I stay with Nathan until we get there?" Callie asked, admiring her orange spotted paws lazily.

The cat on Cat's shoulders replied, "Sure, but remember you're still my apprentice. We have some work to do once we get to the palace."

"You guys pull out ahead of me," Cat called to the boys. Nathan nodded and got in front of James instinctively, leading the way down the road. The noon sun beat down harshly on their bent heads, the light reflecting off the metal signs that littered the road. Cat felt like taking off the bandana that covered her multi-colored hair, but decided against it when she saw the number of people watching them through their windows increase.

"Why are they all staring?" asked James from in front of her, straightening his shirt uncomfortably. "Do you think they know who we are?"

Cat was looking around the street for any sign of why the people would be watching when it hit her. "Look, James! No one else is outside. Not a single person. Don't you find that a bit strange?" Cat felt a chill run through her bones. Maybe there was more going on in Malvint than they had first thought.

She waved to one of the women watching, and the woman quickly drew the curtains closed. "Definitely strange," James answered. "No one knew we were coming, so this wasn't planned." The homes lining the street were the only sign that any one lived in the city, for there were no vending stands or restaurants anywhere.

Cat saw a kitten prowling around the doorstep to one of the houses. It was a thin, black kitten with mud covering its paws and nose. "Stop for a second, guys," Cat instructed the boys. 'Hello!' Cat called to the kitten. The kitten jumped and whirled around, looking around for the source of the greeting. When it saw the trio of horses, it looked immediately at Callie. "Did you say dat?"

"Not me," said Callie from the front of the line.

The kitten's murky green eyes rested on Cylon. "What do you want? This is my mama's turf, so you don't get none of our mice!"

"Actually," said Cylon politely, "I didn't call to you. And I don't want any of your 'mice.' I just had a wonderful meal of salmon and cream, with a side of venison stew. It was so good…" The blue cat began purring loudly.

'I'm sorry for bothering you,' said Cat. The kitten looked at her in astonishment. Its light pink tongue hung from its mouth and its green eyes widened. 'You see, I just wanted to ask you why-"

"Mama! Mama, c'mere! It's a talking human!" Cat groaned and watched as a thin, white cat emerged from the alleyway next to the broken-down house.

"What's all this ruckus? Mousepaw, darling, what happened?" the mother cat asked, voice softening when it saw the black kitten's terrified face.

"Oh, Mama, it's a talking human! It said 'I sorry for bothering you!' It really did!" the kitten said, pointing her tail at Cat.

The mother cat sighed, "Mousepaw, I told you not to lie. Everyone knows that humans can't talk."

'Yes they can,' interjected Cat. 'It depends on whether they have the Gift or not.'

"You're not in this conversation," said the mother cat, turning back to her kitten. Then she looked back at Cat so quickly that she was afraid the cat might have gotten whiplash.

'I was wondering if you could tell me why there are no other people on the streets? It's noon, there should be people everywhere," Cat said, glad to finally have the cat's attention.

"Well, I never," said the cat, "a talking human. Next thing you know there'll talking dogs." Cat raised her eyebrows. "Oh, yes; the humans. Well, you won't be seeing much of them. The king passed a law a while back saying that peasants were to be heard, but not seen. Or was it seen, but not heard? Or was it not heard or seen? Anywho, they aren't able to go outside from sunrise to noon, 'cause that's when the royals go for a walk. Can't have any poor people near their royal selfs, now can they? I heard that the poors are going to revolt soon, and that's making the royals even more mad. I'd stay away from here, it I was yous."

'Funny you should say that, because my friends and I are headed to the palace as we speak. Thanks for the warning, though. May mice fill your bellies forever," said Cat was farewell.

"Same for you. Watch your tail around the royals. They can get pretty nasty."

Cat thanked the cat and told the boys to move forward. "What was that all about?" asked Nathan.

"It's not safe to discuss here. I'll tell you guys later," Cat said, looking nervously up at the windows lined with silent peasants. "Just be careful what you say around His Majesty." The boys nodded and spurred their horses forward. Cat looked one more time back at the mother cat and Mousepaw, and felt a new kind of worry about this mission sweep over her. If the king would do that to his peasants, what would he do to some lowly ambassadors?

Sorry it was so short, but it corresponds directly to the # of reviews I get.