“Tell me more.”
“About what little princess?”
“The ones who look like me.”
“Cat, you're supposed to be in bed. Who are wewe talking to?”
Terror stood in the doorway, light flooding the room. Cat sat huddled up in bed. She was dressed for sleep, but was wide awake.
“Scotty,” she answered, pointing to the white fox.
“Well it's late. wewe need to sleep.”
“Okay.”
Cat settled back down and Terror closed the door. She waited till she heard his footsteps fade before sitting back up.
“Are wewe still here?”
“Yes.”
“Tell me more.”
“Well for starters, those creatures are called Phouka. They're part of the Winter court. Always looking for trouble and some poor prey. They are usually tall, with cold energy and deadly claws. They don't have tails, but they have long cat ears on their heads and glowing yellow eyes.”
“Are all the Winters like that?”
“A good portion. Emotions are a weakness.”
“Then why have cold ones?”
She heard a boisterous laugh from the end of her kitanda and smiled.
“Summer would upendo you, little princess!”
“What's your court like?”
Their was an excitement in her voice. She felt the kitanda songesha and then two arms wrap, upangaji pamoja around her. A warm voice whispered in her ear.
“Summer is the most beautiful court. There are all kinds of friendly creatures and some that upendo to play. Flowers and leaves of every color cover the ground and trees. Waterfalls and streams break through forests and fields. If it isn't wooded, then it's a hill. wewe can't go zaidi than a few steps without seeing Summer's beauty au smelling in the deep scent of sunny flowers. And in the biggest knoll stands the briar ngome of King Oberon and Queen Titania.”
“It sounds beautiful.”
“It is.”
“What does the ngome look like?”
“Well there are courtyards and rooms and a great hall. Fountains fill the open cavern and nyasi grows from everywhere. Flowers form a carpet and wewe can always hear muziki from somewhere. The kiti cha enzi room is filled with all the noble creatures in the realm. And, in the very center of the room, is a stage made of stone. Two briar and maua, ua thrones sit on that stage and grace the lady and her King.
“But the very best, most beautiful thing, is the light that floods in. No matter what time of night au day, wewe can see as clear as every and there's always a warm breeze from the sky on the ceiling. And one day, I'll take wewe there.”
“Really?” her voice was soft, on the edge of sleep.
“Promise.”
“Swear on the kiti cha enzi of your king?”
“I swear that I will take wewe there one siku little princess.”
“Will I come back?”
“If wewe still want to, wewe may. I'll be your escort all the way through.”
“...thank you....Puck...”
He smiled and kissed her head, green eyes shinning brightly.
“You're welcome little princess.”
“About what little princess?”
“The ones who look like me.”
“Cat, you're supposed to be in bed. Who are wewe talking to?”
Terror stood in the doorway, light flooding the room. Cat sat huddled up in bed. She was dressed for sleep, but was wide awake.
“Scotty,” she answered, pointing to the white fox.
“Well it's late. wewe need to sleep.”
“Okay.”
Cat settled back down and Terror closed the door. She waited till she heard his footsteps fade before sitting back up.
“Are wewe still here?”
“Yes.”
“Tell me more.”
“Well for starters, those creatures are called Phouka. They're part of the Winter court. Always looking for trouble and some poor prey. They are usually tall, with cold energy and deadly claws. They don't have tails, but they have long cat ears on their heads and glowing yellow eyes.”
“Are all the Winters like that?”
“A good portion. Emotions are a weakness.”
“Then why have cold ones?”
She heard a boisterous laugh from the end of her kitanda and smiled.
“Summer would upendo you, little princess!”
“What's your court like?”
Their was an excitement in her voice. She felt the kitanda songesha and then two arms wrap, upangaji pamoja around her. A warm voice whispered in her ear.
“Summer is the most beautiful court. There are all kinds of friendly creatures and some that upendo to play. Flowers and leaves of every color cover the ground and trees. Waterfalls and streams break through forests and fields. If it isn't wooded, then it's a hill. wewe can't go zaidi than a few steps without seeing Summer's beauty au smelling in the deep scent of sunny flowers. And in the biggest knoll stands the briar ngome of King Oberon and Queen Titania.”
“It sounds beautiful.”
“It is.”
“What does the ngome look like?”
“Well there are courtyards and rooms and a great hall. Fountains fill the open cavern and nyasi grows from everywhere. Flowers form a carpet and wewe can always hear muziki from somewhere. The kiti cha enzi room is filled with all the noble creatures in the realm. And, in the very center of the room, is a stage made of stone. Two briar and maua, ua thrones sit on that stage and grace the lady and her King.
“But the very best, most beautiful thing, is the light that floods in. No matter what time of night au day, wewe can see as clear as every and there's always a warm breeze from the sky on the ceiling. And one day, I'll take wewe there.”
“Really?” her voice was soft, on the edge of sleep.
“Promise.”
“Swear on the kiti cha enzi of your king?”
“I swear that I will take wewe there one siku little princess.”
“Will I come back?”
“If wewe still want to, wewe may. I'll be your escort all the way through.”
“...thank you....Puck...”
He smiled and kissed her head, green eyes shinning brightly.
“You're welcome little princess.”