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Sparrow, Cat kept thinking over and over again as she lay in bed that night. Why was she calledSparrow? It's more unusual than 'Cat'. And where does she come from? She's dark but not African and she has big eyes. What about Asia…

Cat sighed and rubbed her weary eyes, turning to face her window which looked out to the road. It also has a good view of the Black house too. I wonder if… Oh for god's sake Cat! Pull you self together! Cat screamed inside her head. You're becoming a stalker. She was about to turn away when she spotted a faint glow from the other side of the road. She sat up was surprised when she caught the window of the attic in Sparrows house glowing dimly with candle light.

Squinting at the window she spotted a sudden flash of black pass the glass and the light was gone. Cat blinked and looked again but the light didn't return. She kept staring, leaning more out her window when suddenly the Attic window flung open and a figure in white with long black tendrils emerged, with its arms struck out in front. Cat's heart jumped to her throat as she jumped down to her bed, trying to press herself down to the mattress as much as possible even though she knew she wouldn't be seen. Crap! Who was that? Maybe the house really is ghostly! I should've warned Sparrow! Or was that Sparrow? Cat lay in her bed contemplating the probabilities until she slowly dozed off.

She the next morning to the sound of clanging, banging and swearing coming from the downstairs kitchen. Cat quickly got up and sprinted down the stairs, her bare feet slapping against the cold wooden floor. She rushed to the kitchen and gaped at the mess. There was a burning smell coming from the black smoky pan teetering dangerously on the gas stove. On the table were bowls and pots and cracked egg shells but what stunned Cat most was Mr. Sheridan, hair powdered with flour and egg shells, cowering on the floor holding a fork, looking down at a smashed bowl in a puddle of something runny and lumpy.

"Oh, morning Cat! You're up early. Well I er… I guess you couldn't miss the noise," Mr. Sheridan laughed looking sheepish.

Cat just stared at him.

"I was making breakfast. For us. You know, um...porridge?"

Cat blinked this time.

"Was it, the swearing?!" He asked "Because that won't happen again! Or was it the…". He looked around at the mess as if it suddenly dawned on him. "Oh...right! Look I'm sorry, I'll get this cleaned up immediately," He said getting up only to shove his elbow against the teetering smoky pan.

"No!" Cat cried as the pan slipped from the stove but she managed to catch it in time.

"Oops! Sorry! Maybe I should go and get myself cleaned up while you do the cooking."

"I think you should," she agreed. Cat watched as he wobbled up the stairs cursing and muttering while picking at an egg shell on his hair. Cat looked back around the kitchen and sighed as she picked up the broom from the cupboard, and started sweeping.

A while later, she had wiped the kitchen, cooked the breakfast and was setting up the table when Mr. Sheridan came strolling in.

"Oh, good job Cat and thank you. I should keep well away from the kitchen from now on," he said.

"Yes, I think you should. Er... Mr. Sheridan, about tonight-," Cat started.

"Ah, yes Cat. Isn't it exciting?! We've all been looking forward to this day. The grand opening of the Theatre Royal II!" He smiled pretending to look off to the distance (the ceiling), curving his hands across like and arc.

"Yes but-,"

"And not to mention the new actors, actresses, dancers, singers and musicians too! I even hired a…wait for it… MAGICIAN!"

"Sounds extravagant. But What will-,"

"Say Cat, what happened to Predo Amakaey? Where on earth is our Ariel?!"

"MR. SHERIDAN! WILL YOU PLEASE JUST LISTEN TO ME?" Cat shouted.

Mr. Sheridan stopped in the middle of a sentence with his mouth open but then closed it quickly.

"I was just wondering what I'm going to do. What's my job? And no, I don't think we will see Perdo again anytime soon. He is…unavailable, currently," Cat explained, feeling the worrying knot in her stomach again.

"Oh, well that's a shame isn't it? He was a lovely, boy he was. Not to mention his exquisite violin playing talent!" Mr. Sheridan babbled.

Cat sighed and shook her head. Boy its gonna be a long day, today, she thought. I'll just have to wait and see what my job will be, tonight!

After breakfast, Cat quickly got cleaned and changed, slipped the healing balm that Sparrow gave her, into her skirt pocket, and set off to see Syd.

As she walked down the street, all Cat heard were men and woman whispering and gossiping about yesterdays match and the new, mysterious and not-so-secret "Master of Shadows" a.k.a Sparrow. Speaking of the devil, where was she? Isn't she going to bathe in her glory? Cat wondered.

As the Fletcher Butcher shop came into view, Cat found it to be unusually quiet and empty, unlike its usual crowd of men and boys from Syd's gang. I wonder what's wrong, Cat thought looking around as she walked up to the door. She slowly opened it and poked her head through.

"Syd! Are you there?" I asked.

"Oh, hello Cat," came a voice behind her making her jump. Nick and Joe walked up behind her and pushed the door further open for her. "Syd is here, but he doesn't feel that well. His jaws sore from the fight and his wrist isn't doing much better than yesterday."

"Oh that's fine. It's why I came to see him actually."

"Ooooh! Really?" grinned Joe as he let out a wolf whistle. "Hey Syd! Your "lady friend" has come to see you!"

Nick and Cat both glared at Joe as he laughed and sat down on top of a barrel. Nick propped himself on a nearby sack but Cat stood standing.

"Hilarious Joe," said Syd as he appeared from the door behind the counter. "Careful with that humor. You might injure yourself." He glared as Joe shrunk back. Syd turned to Cat and gave her a goofy smile. His bruising had faded slightly but the areas where Sparrow hit him were still dark and purple. "So what would you like today missy? We have a fine lamb chop or diced beef-"

"Very funny Syd," She said as she walked up to him. "I'm here to give you a little medicine."

"You are?"

"Yes, it's from Sparrow. I mean! Er...never mind who it's from,' Cat quickly babbled. Syd's eyes narrowed slightly in confusion.

Cat took the healing balm out of her pocket and showed it to Syd.

"Sparrow, eh? Who is this Sparrow?"

"A bird! Duh!" Joe interrupted.

Cat rolled her eyes. "No, it's the girl from yesterday. I mean…arrrghh! It's just a person."

"Which girl from yesterday?" Syd asked crossing his arms over his chest but wincing as he turned his cracked wrist.

"I said never mind!" Cat said shoving the balm into Syd's hands. God, he asks so many questions! If I told him, he won't use it!

Syd opened the lid of the balm and took a good whiff of it. "You mean the girl I fought with, don't you?! Oh gee yeah, no thanks!" He said handing it back to Cat.

"Why not?" she demanded. "Sparrow said it's good for you!"

"Oh, so you know her name now? What's next? Best friends!" Syd snapped.

"Oh seriously Syd! You can be so annoyingly stubborn sometimes!" Cat retorted.

They glared at each other.

"She's right you know," said a voice.

They all turned around to see Sparrow's head, poking out of the door.

"Why hello there! Am I interrupting anything?" she smiled.