A Cat Prince Distinguishes Himself Read online

  * * * *

  One evening Corry wandered to the lake east of the house. It was an attractive spot, smelling of pine and leaf mold. In one direction a trail ran to the edge of the orange grove, where a break in the palmetto hedge gave a glimpse of the orange trees.

  As Corry walked, he thought he heard faint music, like a flute or recorder. He thought it might be coming from the direction of the grove, although it was so faint he could not be sure. Soon after he reached the lake, the music ceased.

  Corry paused on the shore, watching the minnows dart. As he squatted, his eyes strayed upward, and he froze. Above his own reflection, he saw a girl’s face.

  “Thul tulsa?” he whispered. Corry did not know what the words meant.

  This girl was older than he and had a wildness about her that was at once charming and intimidating. Her ears appeared to be pointed, though it was difficult to tell because they were also tufted with long, soft fur around the upper rim. A few locks of her thick hair cascaded over one shoulder, and she wore a delicate chain around her neck that dangled in a sharp V.

  After a few seconds Corry reached out to touch the face in the water. Instantly it vanished. He scrambled to his feet, only to find she was already about ten yards away towards the grove.

  The girl wasn’t human. Her legs were covered in thick cinnamon fur and ended in split hooves. She wore a long tunic of brown cloth, belted at the waist. Corry was so interested in her hooves that he hardly noticed the rest of her. They were, in fact, deer hooves, as her legs were deer legs. Her skin was about the same color as her fur. For an instant, she remained as still as some delightful painting, one hand gripping the end of the chain about her neck.

  At last Corry stepped forward.

  The girl whirled with the fluid grace of a wild animal and bounded toward the grove. As she turned, Corry caught a brief glimpse of a six-inch deer tail beneath the flying skirt, snowy underside turned up in alarm. Before he could run four steps, she was beside the break in the palmetto hedge. She hesitated, watching Corry as he raced towards her. Then she turned without a sound and vanished among the trees.

  * * * *

  The creature was called a faun. Corry found pictures of the mythical beast online. He lay on his bed for a long time that evening, still fully clothed, thinking. Patrick came in and got ready for bed. The lights had been out for five minutes when Corry terrified his roommate by leaping suddenly to his feet. “It means fauness!”

  Patrick sat up grumbling, but Corry had already gone into the bathroom and begun getting undressed. “For just a moment,” he muttered, “I was thinking in that other language. Tulsa means lady…or something like it. And thul means fauness.”

 

  About the Author

  Abigail Hilton is a traveling nurse anesthetist, based in Florida. She owns 3 cats—all veteran travelers, who’ve been x-rayed on various occasions by the TSA. She has spent time in veterinary school and done graduate work in literature. You can connect with Abbie on Facebook or Twitter. You can also visit her blog and main website at abigailhilton.com.

  Books by Abigail Hilton

  Hunters Unlucky

  Storm

  Arcove

  Keesha

  Teek

  Treace

  The Prophet of Panamindorah

  Fauns and Filinians

  Wolflings and Wizards

  Fire and Flood

  The Guild of the Cowry Catchers

  Embers, Illustrated

  Flames, Illustrated

  Ashes, Illustrated

  Out of the Ashes, Illustrated

  Shores Beyond the World, Illustrated

  The Complete Series (Not Illustrated)

  Eve and Malachi, Illustrated Children’s Chapter Books

  Feeding Malachi

  Malachi and the Ghost Kitten

  Other Books

  Crossroads: Short Stories from Panamindorah, Volume 1

  Secret Things: Short Stories from Panamindorah, Volume 2

  Table of Contents

  A Cat Prince Distinguishes Himself

  Author’s Note – Cat Prince

  Bonus Story: Distraction

  Author’s Note – Distraction

  Other Books by Abigail Hilton