CH 39.1 — Eli’s poor horse struggled through the snow, exhausted. What a storm.
Eli called out to Felix. “You’re a magical cat. Can’t you do anything about this weather?”
Felix, who was wet and bedraggled himself, growled. “If you wanted a companion who could control the weather, you should have transformed a weather witch. I only have certain limited abilities.”
Eli snorted in disbelief.
“I was charged with keeping you safe, and that’s what I’ve been doing.”
“Safe?” Eli laughed. “You call this safe? We’re about frozen to death. We’ve been wandering for days in these woods.”
The cat sniffed. “And so has Zelda.”
Eli thought about that. “Okay, point to you. That doesn’t change the fact that we’re lost and we’re going to die out here.”
Felix shook the snow from his fur. “It just so happens that I know someone who lives nearby.”
“Well why didn’t you say so?” If Eli hadn’t been half frozen he would have clobbered the cat.
“Because it may not be safe.”
“Take us there. Now.”
“Fine. It’s your funeral.” Felix led the way through the trees.
Five minutes later they came upon a cottage. The windows glowed with warm yellow light, and the delicious scent of gingerbread wafted from the building. Eli led his exhausted horse into the small stable nearby and sighed in relief to be out of the wind. The stable was warm! He stripped off his horse’s gear and rubbed him down. The scent of sweet hay and oats filled the air. A single round globe floating near the ceiling gave off a soft, golden light. From the next stall, a mare watched him as she munched on hay in the rack next to her. Eli poured some oats into Dessy’s feed trough and filled the bucket with water.
Felix leaped up on the bench in the walkway and began to wash his wet, matted fur. “You go on ahead. I need to clean up. Bring me back something good to eat. Preferably something with strawberries.”
“Right away, Sir Cat.” Eli shook his head. Felix was constantly hungry. “Just don’t eat the gingerbread.” His brother had warned him about the Gingerbread Witches.
The cat hissed. “Not a chance. Been there. Done that. And by the way, the witch’s name is Connie.”
Carol Nicolas 