as a special treat for all my panther pals, here is Cat Land: Redemption Chapter One. I had taken work in New Cat Land as a chef at a local Fish and Flakes dive just outside of the main village. It was good honest work, cooking meals for the local cats as they went about their daily business. Technically I was in hiding, trying to keep a low profile after the debacle at the Old Cat Castle six months before. How had Krauser managed to get such an upper paw in the battle so quickly? What sorcery did he use to defeat the bunnies as easily as he did? I had only questions, and very few answers. My partners had all scattered, as we decided to regain our strength while we all waited for word from the hares. Cocoa the Destroyer, our only real hope for answers, lay in the Hares new secret warren, in a coma and no longer connected in any real way with Cat Land. It was a good job, being a chef. I found I had a natural talent for preparing food, and that I enjoyed the company of the regulars at the Fish and Flake. I operated under the name of Midnight still, it was a common enough name in Cat Land. To aid in my disguise I no longer wore my detectives fedora and I had put on a few pounds. I served the meals after I prepared them, the owner of the place, a large tabby named King, pretty much gave me free paw over it. As long as he got his kibble and his Coins at the end of the day, he was happy. I accepted payment from a customer and clawed the coin over in my paw. It was bright yellow, heavy, and stamped with a large hawk on one side. On the other side, the likeness of the King of Cat Land, Krauser the Gentle. Gentle! I scoffed to myself as I put the coin into the special drawer. We were all under his rule now, his rat armies had marched all across Cat Land, and what meager resistance we had put forward was quickly routed. His iron and his strange yellow metal was too much for nets and snares. Untold hundred of my fellow cats were imprisoned, locked away, awaiting ships and boats to take them to Rat island for banishment. I shook my large black head. I was tired of hiding! I wanted action, I wanted to run with my friends, to the castle! Oh if I only I had more power, if only I were stronger! I was now just a chef, a large fat chef who had let himself get a bit too plump perhaps. Sighing, I approached the next pillow and low table where a new customer had seated himself. I pulled out my small pad and my writing stick. Dipping the stick in some stain, I asked the customer what they wished. Quietly the customer said “i would wish for some of old specks best fish and sauce!” My ears perked up and I looked closer at the customer. They were a large black and gray cat, but upon closer inspection I noticed the black patches didnt look right. The fur under them was laying flat. Paint! They had painted black patches to disguise their true identity! I nearly shouted, but kept my cool. “We dont have that stuff here my new friend. How about a Dozer Fillet instead?” Ghost grinned and his fangs showed. “I could do with that, yes.” I motioned with my paw for Ghost to follow me into the back room, after a few moments, and for him to be as nonchalant about it as was possible. Ghost motioned back with his head indicating that he would be there in a few minutes, give or take, unless he had to use the litter box. We had always been very good at communicating with nuances. I entered the back room of the eatery and felt my eyes adjust to the gloom. Ghost! My old friend and partner! In order for him to be here now, something big must have happened. What could it have been? My mind began speculating wildly, and I knew I had to calm down. I fixed some nip tea to busy myself while I waited for Ghost. After a few moments his large body entered the small gloomy room. I gave him a head bonk and purred happily. “Ghost! My best friend, how I have missed you.” Ghost groomed me behind my ears a little. “I have missed you as well panther.” I poured us both some hot nip tea and smiled as Ghost took a few sips. He eyed me closely. “getting a bit of extra fluffiness there panther.” he said, chuckling. I patted my ample belly and laughed. “Perhaps a disguise as a chef in a Fish and Flake wasnt such a great idea.” Ghost laughed. “Perhaps not.” He grinned and lowered his voice. “We must go Detective.” I felt chills run down my tail. “What has happened Ghost? When we parted, it was agreed we wouldnt contact each other until something major had happened.” Ghost nodded his large head. “That we did. Just this morning as I was tying my ship up at the docks, I received a message from the Hares.” He dug into his tote bag he carried and produced a grimy slip of paper. He pawed it over to me. I slowly opened the message and read it carefully. My tail fur stood straight up and my eyes widened. “Is it true?” I asked Ghost. Ghost smiled. “It is, Cocoa has awakened from her coma. Now we have a chance to finally learn something useful to help us turn the corner!” I handed the message back to Ghost. “Keep that safe, we may need it to convince the others. Now, what is our first course of action?” I thought for a moment and fixed a fresh tea. Ghost again chuckled. “Well, first off, we gotta feed the rest of your customers and close shop.” I laughed as Ghost donned an apron. “After that, we must find Samurai and Mason.” Ghost grimaced. “And we have to rescue old Speck. Last I heard, from Sammi Bear, Speck was locked in the high tower of the castle.” I felt my stomach turn in knots. Speck, the oldest of all cats, our greatest ally, and former king of all Cat Land, imprisoned by the cruel Krauser. “This news is hard to bear, yet bear it we must. Come Ghost my friend, let us finish the mornings meals, then together we shall endeavor to finish this struggle.” Ghost and I shook paws and turned to the task at paw. We walked back out into the main dining area and were greeted with a sight that always made me angry. Battle rats. Four of them, and they were sitting around a low table. This is what Cat Land had become under Krauser. Battle Rats, at a Fish and Flake, with no cats chasing them out. These four were wearing the special green iron helmets that denoted them as peace keepers. I heard Ghost give a soft growl and I nudged him with my paw. He covered nicely by coughing. I approached the Battle Rats. “What can we do for you, kind sirs?” The largest rat, with a big brown spot over one black eye grimaced at me. “Give us yer slops cat.” “Right away my handsome fellow.” I smiled. I had found the best way to handle the battle rats was with mildly concealed contempt. I didnt like them, they didnt like me, and neither of us hid that. “Nar dont give us none of dat cat, or Slinky here will have to axe you some questionings.” Brown Patch glared. Slinky brandished his Iron Axe. “Oh lemme axe him boss.” Brown patch smacked Slinky across the snout. “Nah, you be good stinky Slinky. Boss cat, he said we gots to be nice to them cats that are nice. Fatso here, he is nice enough. Slops cat! Give em to us, yar!” I bowed deeply and returned to the small food prep area and poured all the days slops and scraps into a large wooden bowl. Ghost watched. “They eat that?” He asked. “And worse.” I replied. “Hand me those special red peppers Ghost.” I said with a wink. “It seems they have gone bad, we must add them to our ratty pals slop.” I left the bowl on their low table, and Ghost and I both heard their howls as we ducked out the back door. Ghost was laughing, and I was chuckling pretty good. “Now my friend, let us make haste from here, before our ratty pals get to breathing again.” We ducked into a dark alley and ran towards the docks, Ghost leading the way. Behind us I heard Brown Patch and his Battle Rats growling in anger. Cat Land: Redemption Coming soon......
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 00:59:05 +0000
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