Susan Kite - Realms of the Cat

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locations, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

World Castle Publishing, LLC

Pensacola, Florida

Copyright Susan Kite 2018

Hardback ISBN: 9781629899558

Paperback ISBN: 9781629899565

eBook ISBN: 9781629899572

First Edition World Castle Publishing, LLC, July 23, 2018

http://www.worldcastlepublishing.com

Licensing Notes

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles and reviews.

Cover: Karen Fuller

Illustrations: Susan Kite

Editor: Maxine Bringenberg

Dedication

This book is lovingly dedicated to the real TB, Butch, Melvin, Charlie, and especially the real Danimy daughter, Danielle, who has always had a way with animals.

I also want to thank all of those who, for the past several years, have asked, When is your cat story coming out?

And no dedication would be complete without thanking my husband, son, and the rest of my family for their support. And my friends in the Etowah Writers Guild for their editorial helpyou all are awesome! God bless you all!

CHAPTER ONE

REX

TB padded silently down the dark corridor, his long tail flicking from side to side. The only light was an occasional dust-covered bulb dangling from a cord. There was dust everywhere. Who in their right mind would send an invitation to a dump like this? A smile twitched his lips. TB had seen cleaner dumps.

He stopped to catch his breath. What had the plaque at the top of the stairs said? Thirteenth floor. His legs felt like it. A mouse poked into the hall from under a door. TB gazed at it. Any other time, it would have provided him with a nice snack. It gawked at him for a second, squeaked in terror, and ran back to safety.

A few more steps brought him to his destination. Right place, right time. The door loomed huge and clearly out of place. TB wasnt a lightweight, but how in the world could he get in this one? It was a heavy wooden door on the bottom and thick glass above. It wasnt open. The crack at the bottom showed pitch blackness inside. There was something eerie about this place, and TB, while normally a very brave cat, didnt like this setup one bit. His confidence began ebbing away.

He reached out to touch the door. As soon as he made contact with the wood, the knob turned and with a loud creak, the door swung open. TB stepped to the threshold, but wouldnt cross it until his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He knew he wasnt alone; the soft whistle of breath came to his ears.

I was confident you would come, a deep voice purred.

And you are? TB prompted.

A light snapped on in the back of the room; he blinked and then gasped. Around the perimeter of the room lay a jumble of old, dilapidated office furniture. The center was clear except for an elegant, thickly padded carpet. On the carpet sat the largest Persian cat TB had ever seen. The light seemed to gather around the cat, highlighting the silver tips of his luxuriously long gray fur. His face wasnt squashed like most Persians. He had soft dark streaks that began between his eyes and ran to the top of his head. They were a pattern unlike any TB had ever seen. A long tail with similar patterns curled over the felines feet. Sharp claws added to the toms power.

Come, sit down.

You still havent answered my question. Who are you? TB sat down in front of him even as he repeated his question. He felt shabby next to this cat. Even though his short, black fur was sleek and clean, he kept wanting to lick something a little cleaner.

You havent figured that out yet? The huge tom swished his tail languidly, and the aura drifted to one side of the room.

TB gasped as he saw a scene through the aura. It was as though he was watching a television screen. It showed his old family; humans he had thought were only pleasant dreams. There was the mother and father human, the boy and girl, the other cats, and a couple of dogs. The scenes shifted and he realized he was remembering things from his past. He pulled his eyes away to gape at the cat who had invited him here. Only one cat had this kind of power. You are the king. TB bowed to him.

Of the cats, the feline corrected him.

II dont understand.

Each kind has a king. I just happen to be over the Kingdom of Cats. My name is Rex. I determine which cats will get additional lives and which dont. As you realized, what you thought were dreams are actually remembrances of a previous life.

The information was mind-boggling. Not all cats got nine lives? Why me, then ? TB hoped he wasnt being presumptuous, but he asked.

Some of us have extra-special abilities to connect with other species. These cats are usually preserved to work with others who have special needs.

But the family in my dreamser, memoriesthey seem ordinary enough.

But they are not. One of them, the little girl, has managed to find a portal.

A portal?

Rex nodded. A portal to other realms.

TBs head was spinning. Previous lives, portals, other realms? I dont understand, he repeated.

There are places existing side by side. That is how cats like you are transported from one life to another. This place is very similar to the one you lived in before, but there are differences.

Rex continued. It would not matter so much if the little girl, Dani, was another cat or some other pet, but when a human crosses the realms, it could be dangerous. I believe someone in this realm; maybe a dog, Rex hissed, then composed himself, has kidnapped your former human for a dark purpose. I am not sure what it is. It may be to make the two worlds unstable. I suspect there is something more. Havent you felt things that seem out of place?

TB didnt want to admit that he hadnt, but he wasnt going to lie to Rex. No. He licked his long tail in embarrassment.

Rex purred soft reassurance. That is all right, my friend. The important thing is, are you willing to help your former human so she can return home? If you succeed, are you strong enough to let her go when you have accomplished your task?

Rex was talking about the human who had dressed him in baby clothes and put him in a stroller when he was a kitten. This was the human who had stuck Christmas bows on his back and tied ribbons on his tail when she was feeling bored. This was the one who had named him Toe Biter, TB for short. But she was also the one who had cried when he became sick, and held him as he left that previous life. I am willing to help her. I will try to be strong. Thats all I can promise.

The king of the cats nodded. That is good enough.

Their whiskers touched and TB felt something electric pass through his body. What do I need to do?

You will return to your previous place, gather some of your former companions, and return to this realm. They have a special connection to her and will be able to help you find her. Wherever she is right now, she is in danger. When you find her bring her to me, and then I will be able to send her back through the portal with her companions. This will put the realms right again.