Chapter Three: The Big City Dark Day
“Thank you for stopping by Kelton.” Briton extended his arm as he stood up. “No problem Sheriff, anything for a friend. I just never took you for sitting in an office. Nice view thought.” Kelton motioned to the window overlooking the city’s main boulevard. “It’s is a beautiful town, I planed to retire here, but the people just insisted they still need me to protect them. This was the best compromise. I wish I had the whole team here but I understand this life is a little slow for you younger folk.” Briton was kidding about the younger comment, he knew his Elven friend was much older but for an Elf, Kelton still had many more decades ahead of him. Kelton smiled back, for a human Briton was very comfortable relating to the Elven way of life, it was a shame his body could not keep up with his sharp wit. For a moment both got lost thinking about the good times and the not so good time together, but as usual, Briton was the first to move on again. “I need your help, Kelton. Something is not right here in Carton City. My hands are tied by the politics, and the fact that I have no proof of any wrong doing. I am hopping you can dig up something, give me a reason to get involved.”
“Sounds like your paranoid again, but please, go on.” Kelton was all ears.
“This sounds a little silly, but what really got my attention was these cats around this church. There always seems to be a cat being brought in or leaving the church, day and night. Do you remember the church on the outskirts? When we first came to this city, I was a little worried about a church worshiping Death, but when we found out about what all these people had been through, it almost made sense. For the longest time, death was all they knew, it’s not hard to have faith in a power whose presence was so prominent and it’s no crazier then worshiping the Sun. The people respected that death was inevitable and did what they thought was right, to pray to death not to take them until the time that they longed to end the suffering and then they prayed for death to take them. “He paused to let the memories wash over both of them.
“I remember, they said we were Death’s messengers. But that was so long ago. There has not been a war or major attack in years. After the years of peace they have enjoyed, how can things have gone wrong now? Oh, yes the cats.” Kelton answered his own question quite sarcastically.
“I know what you are thinking. I am not saying these are mystical cats. They seem like ordinary stay cats that have always roamed the streets. It just seems like they are more, how do I say it, more organized; at least more concentrated. If I didn’t know better, I would say they are using the church as a base of operations.” Briton tried to make it sound more serious but the topic made it hard. Luckily his friend shared enough experience to also share his skepticism. “And it’s not just the cats. There are more people around lately; it was almost abandoned when things were really going well. It’s not as packed as it was before but the congregation seems to be growing again, for no reason. I can’t help to think it has something to do with the cats.
“How do you want me to proceed? Do you want me to talk to the cats for you?” Kelton was kidding but his willingness to help was apparent and his chiding was as expected as his help.
Briton smiled “Actual that is close. I was hopping you could use your magic to change into a cat and start with a ‘cat’s eye view’. The priests are only interested in converting people; they really gave me the cold shoulder when I just showed up the other day. I guess they know I won’t be converted.
With only a wink of his eye, a few nonsensical words, to any non mage at least, and a wave of his hand, the graceful Elf transformed into a sleek gray cat with a distinct white star shaped spot on his head. Kelton, the cat, gave a friendly “meow” and rubbed his head on Briton’s shoulder as walked across the desk and jumped to the window and proceeded into the street.
Briton’s just shook his head and smiled. He figured he had some time to wait for Kelton to return, but not enough to go anywhere; he felt a sense of relieve that someone he could trust was looking into this for him. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes for a moment. He must have fallen asleep, for when he awoke, it took him a moment to realize what was happening. A puffy gray cat was on his lap staring at him. Briton was having trouble clearing his head, so he closed his eyes tight and stared at the blackness for a second. When he opened his eyes, everything was clear. His eyes were wide open and his jaw dropped as he looked at his former body from the perspective of the cat he had become. Briton, the cat, could only muster a mournful “meow” as the new person in charge of his body picked him up and talked to him in his former voice. “There is a new sheriff in town. I always wanted to say that.”
