Katts and Dawgs In the Name of Truth by Roberto Sanhueza	Table of Contents Part 1 Part 3 Part 4 appear in this issue.
part 2 of 4

“And who are you, prey tell me?” Asks Thomm, trying to sound nonchalant and hide his claws when he sees he is addressing a small she-Mousse standing on the same branch as he.

“I am Lula, and I am the girl’s mother,” she answers as she opens her arms to cuddle her still sobbing daughter.

The Common Tongue sounds strange in the Mousse’s voice, but the words are clear.

“Her mother? And where have you been while your daughter was at the nick of becoming Cougar lunch?”

The Mousse shakes as though she has been slapped in the face. A tear rolls from a corner of her beady eyes. “I was right here, atop the tree, even as you were. All the time fighting my urge to let the beast eat me instead, so my daughter could escape.”

“You mean you were going to let her be eaten?”

She lets out a helpless sigh. “It was the Head Mousse’s command. I could but obey.”

For the first time Thomm notices how frail and hopeless both Mysse look, and he feels his anger melt away.

“All right, I’ve got all the time in the world, and I ain’t going anywhere. Would you care to tell me about it?”

“It all started some weeks ago,” begins Lula. “Somehow the cougar found the entrance to our lair and began raiding our habitat, killing many of my folk.”

“And couldn’t your folks fight the beast?”

“We tried, but the beast was too big and powerful for us. So our leader, the Head Mousse, decided to sacrifice the very old and the very young to feed the cougar and keep him from causing greater mayhem in our lair.”

“You mean...”

“Yes, every day an elder and a child are fed to the beast so the lair can survive.”

“But that’s preposterous! If you keep on feeding the cougar he’s going to keep on coming here until there’s none of you left!”

Lula does not answer, she only looks down at her child and cries quietly.

“What are you going to do?” Asked Thomm.

She seems to wake from her reverie and a panicked look appears on her face. “I need to go back to the lair! I can’t be away so long!”

Quick as lightning she scurries down the tree.

“Hey! Hold it, wait!”

She turns her head, already half way down the clearing. “Yes?”

“You can’t leave your daughter here! What am I going to do with her?”

“And I can’t take her with me. She is not supposed to be alive.”

She stands still for a second and pleads, “Keep her with you until I figure a way out. The head Mousse would have the both of us killed should he find out he was disobeyed.”

“But...”

“Please! Don’t save her just to condemn her!” And she disappears under the bushes.

“Lula! At least tell me her name!”

For a moment it seems she is not going to answer, bur her small head shows once more from beneath the bushes. “Myra! Her name is Myra!” And she is gone.

Thomm scratches his furry head and looks from Myra to Glider, a puzzled expression on his face. “What are we going to do with her, Glider?”

The bird only answers, “Coo!”

* * *

Bernie is not doing so well. He somehow expects to do his apprentice’s duties without trying hard and without studying very much. Phydo spends his rare free moments going over the scriptures and practicing with the sword, Bernie likes to slip out of the castle to roam the taverns. Not surprisingly, Phydo gets praising and Bernie, scolding. And Bernie resents that.

One spring evening, Bernie is hurrying back to the apprentices’ quarters. As he passes down a poorly lit corridor he feels a hand touch him from behind.

“Wait a minute, nephew. I need to talk to you in private.”

“Uncle Max!”

Brother Maximattis is high in the Order’s hierarchy, not far below the High Priest. And in the everlasting struggle for power within Kannis Castle, he searches for any leverage he can find. “Come with me to my quarters, Bernie. Walls have ears around here.”

“But uncle Max... I have to report to the apprentices’ quarters, and I’m already late.”

Brother Maximattis smiles sweetly, but his stare is as hard and cold as stone. “Then you should have returned earlier. Come along.”

Bernie can only nod and follow.

Once in his cell, Brother Maximattis speaks. “I understand, my nephew, you had an... exchange of words with the High Priest.”

Bernie would look only more miserable, if that were possible. “Yes, you could say that. Actually he more like whipped the soul out of me.”

Uncle Max smiles even more broadly. “Yes, Fourfangs does that to people. He’s a mean old Dawg.”

Bernie thinks it best not to utter an answer.

“Now, tell me Bernavold. What did Fourfangs say about the old ruins?”

“Well... He said it is but superstition to say they are remnants of a Man-made city.”

“He would say that, wouldn’t he?”

Bernie’s ears go up in surprise. “You mean he’s lying? The old ruins really are an ancient city?”

“I didn’t say that. It is not wise to call the High Priest a liar.”

“Then, uncle Maximattis, what do you mean?”

“You are sharp, my nephew. Let me ask you a question before I explain. Do you have a messenger trip scheduled any time soon?”

“In fact, I do. We apprentices are the usual couriers between Kannis Castle and the Abbeys.”

“I will arrange that you be sent as a courier to Riverfork Abbey. The road there goes near the old ruins. I need you to go there to check something for me.”

Suddenly Bernie starts feeling better. Intrigues and conspiracies are something he feels comfortable with. “What is it exactly you want me to do, uncle Max?”

Brother Maximattis hesitates for a moment, as if he does not know how much to reveal to his nephew. “There is something going on that Fourfangs is intent on hushing up, but I have been able to find out about it. Listen carefully...”

Uncle Max whispers in his nephew’s ears, and Bernie feels all his misery evaporating. “But uncle Max, that could change everything!”

Maximattis’ hairy face is a mask of smugness and complacency as he agrees. “Everything, dear nephew. Including the High Priest. Do as I bid and bring to me what I ask for. I shall see to it that you rise with me.”

Bernavold bows in front of his uncle and in all earnestness makes a solemn oath. “I shall do as you bid, Brother Maximattis. You can trust your blood kin.”

A flash of affection crosses Maximattis’ face as he dismisses Bernie. “Blood is thicker than water, nephew. Begone now, Abbot Thickfur.”

Bernie rushes through the quickly darkening corridors, oblivious to his tardiness. The word “Abbot” rings over and over in his head.

* * *

Thomm is not happy. He would like to be on his way already but can’t bear to break his word and leave the Mousse girl by herself.

“And she’s not much for company either, Glider. She doesn’t talk at all. She eats though, I never thought such a small thing could gulp down so much food.”

“Coo!”

“We’ve got to do something about this. I can’t...”

Thomm’s words are interrupted by the small Mousse girl, as she runs down the branches, fast as lightning.

“Hey! Hold it! Where are you going? It’s not safe down there!” Thomm rushes after her as she leaves the tree and runs to clearing.

“Oh no, here we go again! There’s that old cougar again, and this time there’s an old Mousse for him to lunch on.”

Quite rightly, an old and battered looking Mousse stands where Myra stood the day before and the girl runs to him, yelling in their language.

Thomm rolls his eyes and sighs in exasperation. “All right Glider, get the Mysse up the tree. I’ll deal with uncle cougar.”

Thomm knows the cougar will be ready for him this time, so he does what he thinks the big feline expects least. He jumps straight at him, claws extended, mane all bristled and the Katt war cry wailing out of his throat.

Again the cougar is caught off balance. He is not used to being the prey instead of the predator. The surprise doesn’t last very long, but it is all the time Thomm needs to change course in mid-jump and once again leave the cougar without his meal. The outraged roars resound in the clearing, but Thomm is safely out of reach.

Back on the safety of the tree tops, the Katt faces the old Mousse. “All right. Who are you? I take it the girl knows you.”

The old Mousse answers in a raspy but clearly intelligible Common Tongue. “I am Benostter, Myra’s grandfather, and today it was my turn to feed the beast. I thought my poor grandchild was already dead.”

At that moment, Lula appears on the tree and runs to both Mysse. “Father! The Katt saved you, too!”

“Yes,” Thomm adds. “It’s getting to be a habit for this Katt to save Mysse hide from getting eaten. But listen, all of you. I can’t take care of all runaway Mysse.”

“Not only that, brave Katt. The beast is used to getting his food this way, and if he does not get it, he will raid our lair once again.”

“And if the cougar goes back to the lair, then your Head Mousse will know a couple of his subjects have refused to become cougar supper. So you’re dead anyway.”

The three Mysse only look miserable. “That is correct, noble Katt.”

“Well, then, let’s not fool around any more. Let’s do something about this cougar. Show me the entrance to your lair.”

The three Mysse look at each other and a fast and incomprehensible conversation — for Thomm anyway — takes place.

The Katt says no more. He knows the little fellows don’t have much choice, no matter how reluctant they may be to show a Katt the entrance to their lair.

Finally they seem to agree and Lula turns to Thomm. “We shall take you there, brave Katt. You already hold our lives in your hands.”

“Good. Let’s get going, then.”

And the four of them start walking. The Mysse are a bit more hopeful than before.

* * *

It is the dawn of a new day in Kannis, and the city is slowly waking up. In Kannis Castle, however, the new day started quite a while ago. The big wooden doors open up and four hoofers trot down the cobblestone streets towards the city gates.

Upon the hoofers ride four Dawgs clad in black robes. They ride through the open market, where vendors are already setting up their tents, and the farmers in their carts are coming into town to sell their vegetables.

The riders are apprentices of the Order on messenger duty to Riverfork Abbey. They carry letters, gifts and sealed orders to the Abbot in their travel packs. They expect to be on the road for three days. All apprentices are eager to undertake such trips, which mean freedom from the heavy duties in Kannis Castle.

Today’s little retinue is formed by Phydo, Bernavold, Muttford, and Wickenn. They make quite a merry group, and laughter travels back and forth among them as they leave Kannis through the Main Gate.

Phydo looks back from the Gate; he can see Kannis Castle high on the hill and, beside it, Kannis University, somewhat lower down. A moment of sadness crosses Phydo’s mind as he remembers Professor Rover, the mentor of his childhood. Phydo hasn’t seen him since entering the Order. Professor Rover is most likely arising, too, up in his tower in the University.

Proceed to part 3...

Copyright © 2007 by Roberto Sanhueza