Alastair met me at the door. A tall, thin man wearing a tailored silk oil-dyed shirt in shimmering colors running from teal through brighter blues to a rich, deep purple over purple pants. It should have looked gaudy—it was gaudy, but the effect was more elegant, somehow. It was an outfit that perfectly suited a peacock. As the door opened further, I saw he had an equally elegant cream and ginger color-point Siamese cat in his arms.
I blinked, and blurted, “I’m surprised you have a cat.”
The being in question gazed at me steadily. I wondered if it was a natural cat, catkin like me, or something rarer and more mysterious.
Alastair had requested this meeting, but he didn’t invite me in. He stood there with his cat. Right. I held out my hand, palm down, fingers curled back slightly, and let the cat sniff me. There was no tingle of magic, but the cat relaxed.
He smiled, “There’s cats, and then there’s cats.” He rubbed the cat’s head next to the ears, and she purred happily. “Please, come in. We have much to discuss.” He did not introduce the cat.
I followed him, feeling off-balance. If the cat was catkin or something more, it would be a grave error not to request an introduction immediately; if it was a natural, mortal cat, my host and his other guests, whoever they might be, would doubtless judge me a speciesist boor. Alastair was striding ahead; for the moment there was nothing to do but follow.
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Cat Chess
Date: 2013-12-25 07:44 am (UTC)I blinked, and blurted, “I’m surprised you have a cat.”
The being in question gazed at me steadily. I wondered if it was a natural cat, catkin like me, or something rarer and more mysterious.
Alastair had requested this meeting, but he didn’t invite me in. He stood there with his cat. Right. I held out my hand, palm down, fingers curled back slightly, and let the cat sniff me. There was no tingle of magic, but the cat relaxed.
He smiled, “There’s cats, and then there’s cats.” He rubbed the cat’s head next to the ears, and she purred happily. “Please, come in. We have much to discuss.” He did not introduce the cat.
I followed him, feeling off-balance. If the cat was catkin or something more, it would be a grave error not to request an introduction immediately; if it was a natural, mortal cat, my host and his other guests, whoever they might be, would doubtless judge me a speciesist boor. Alastair was striding ahead; for the moment there was nothing to do but follow.