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There's a scurrying as some small creature on two legs runs into the tavern. It makes sure it is alone, then jumps up onto the piano, making it go "Plonk." It licks its lips and leaps onto a nearby table. It places a book with a chain on the spine on the table, then hops down and chains the other end to the base of it.

It then runs out with a little giggle.

The book has a Cat and an Adder painted on the front It is called "The Adder and The Tomcat." It reads as thus.

Chapter 1

A Chance Meeting

It was lovely summer weather in the country, and the golden corn, the green oats, and the haystacks piled up in the meadows looked beautiful. The stork walking about on his long red legs chattered in the language of the Fire Elves, which he had learnt from his mother. The corn-fields and meadows were surrounded by large forests, in the midst of which were deep pools. It was, indeed, delightful to walk about in the country.
In a sunny spot stood a pleasant old farm-house close by a deep river, and from the house down to the water side grew great burdock leaves, so high, that under the tallest of them a little child could stand upright. The spot was as wild as the centre of a thick wood. In this snug retreat sat a snake on her nest, watching for her young brood to hatch; she was beginning to get tired of her task, for the little ones were a long time coming out of their shells, and she seldom had any visitors. The other snakes liked much better to bask in the sunny spots in the canopy than to slither across the cool grass, and sit under a burdock leaf, to have a gossip with her.
At length, one shell cracked, and then another, and from each egg came a living creature that lifted its head and cried “Sss! Ssss!”
“Sssssss” said the mother and they all hissed as well as they could.
“Are you all out?” Asked the mother. “No. I declare, the smallest egg has not yet hatched. I wonder how long this is to last. I am quite tired of it.” And she coiled herself again on the eggs.
That night, in the light of the full moon, a terrible sound roused the entire patch of the forest. A turkey cock, who had been born into the world with spurs, and fancied himself really an emperor, rattled about the burdock leaves as he chased a black cat. He was puffed out like a vessel in full sail and flew at the old cat with a kitten hanging in her mouth. Both were quite cloudy in the face with passion. Wump. Wump.
In two strikes, the cat lay pooled in the forest and the turkey cock galumphed away, proud to protect his flock.The kitten had soared through the air as a sparrow and landed comfortably on one of the large leaves, but passed out from exhaustion.
The mother snake waited to be sure he was gone and then she drove forwards, eager to make a meal of the prize before anyone else could, because a cat would feed her and her brood for the whole summer. But as she approached, the cat moved with the last of its energy. Wump. The serpent lay dead and the shade of the burdock leaves tinged with blood. The mother cat swallowed the serpent whole, eager to get her strength, but did not account for the red and yellow bands touching among the snake’s sleek black scales. She died within moments from a deadly poison, leaving the forest quiet except for the crickets that bore witness and whispered what they had seen to the winds on their tiny violins. They sung how the birds came and took away the bodies. They sung how brave the turkey cock was. They sung of how the moon shone on the blood in the forest.
They did not sing when the magpie, who could eat poison and really fancied himself a rogue, fluttered down to the nest and began to peck, peck, peck, and pick off the baby snakes one by one, no more than fat worms to his stomach. The shells went into the leaf litter, the snakes went into his crop. And when he flew away, the last egg began to crack.
At length, the kitten roused and ambled, crying out “Meow? Meow?”
“Ssssss. Sssss.” Came a voice from the nest, and the very last snake slid out of the egg.
The kitten, as curious as the idiom, wandered closer, and peered into the side of the nest, on account of the rim only being a few inches high. The snake stared back at her with huge, unblinking eyes and fluttered her tongue.
“What sort of a creature are you?” Asked the kitten.
“Not rightly sure. I’m only new to the world.”
“You are exceedingly ugly. But that will not matter if you do not wish to call yourself a cat.” The cat had not been from her mother’s womb long and was very saucy.
“If you are a cat, that will be no trouble.” Replied the snake, and she shivered in the cold before daybreak, when even the summer is chilled.
The kitten slowly clambered into the nest and the snake boldly pushed against her warm fur. The cat rested her chin on the snake’s scales and fell fast asleep.

Chapter 2

Grand Society

The next day, the weather was perfect and the sun had warmed the forest. The pair went off into grand society. Many serpents were resting amid the rocks and beneath the petals of the wild flowers, or slung themselves like banded vines over the arid stumps of trees the wind had pushed over. Most of them only gave a cursory glance at the arrival of another snake.
“As if there were not enough of us already.” Said one as she admired her mate’s scales in the golden sunshine. “And what a bizarre object is walking beside it. It looks like a cat! Serpent eater!”
“Egg thief!”
“Murderer!”
An adder with a face on either side of his head, noble since his moment of birth, paraded into the clearing and took his place upon the favourite rock, which towered over all. He looked down, disapproving of what he saw.
“A cat and a serpent must never be. It is an abomination. Little one, get yourself away. That cat only means to eat your brethren. Murderous cat, you have my permission to leave. If you choose to be obstinate, I will bite you with my poisonous teeth.”
“This is my littermate.” Said the snake hatchling as the kitten balked.
An outburst of voices was silenced with a flick of the adder’s tail.
“Listen, Little one, every animal has a place. That cat has been here five minutes and the entire forest is in disarray. It can’t live where it doesn’t belong.”
“Than neither of us will stay.” Said the snake affirmatively and the pair left the patch for the farm yard, with the snake astride the cat so she may keep up.
As they slept under a bush for the night, the snake made them a delicious dinner of bird eggs. Using her own shell tooth, she cracked them open onto a patch of wild mint and the taste was like nothing the kitten had enjoyed before. After their meal, the kitten told the serpent stories about the creatures that lived in the sky: the bear, the eagle, the two fish. The story was like nothing the serpent had ever heard before, and soon the pair fell fast asleep together, dreaming of mint eggs and sky creatures.
The next morning, they went onto the cow pasture. It was easy to get trampled by milk heifers and oxen, but the pair made it across intact by noon with only one close call involving a playful calf that bucked and bellowed at the sight of something new to chase around.
When they came to the yard, they saw tame pigeons and chickens pecking at the barley corn as the magpie had pecked at the nest. The rooster, who had been born into the world with the loudest voice and really fancied himself a master gossip, announced their coming.
Most of the livestock only gave a cursory glance at the arrival of another cat.
“As if there were not enough of us already.” Said a snaggle toothed barn cat as he admired his mate’s fur in the golden sunshine. “And what a bizarre object is slinking beside it. It looks like a serpent! Milk thief!”
“Cow killer!”
“Kitten murderer!”
A tom cat with a face as sharp as an arrow, noble since his moment of birth, paraded into the yard and took his place upon the hitching post, which towered over all. He looked down, disapproving of what he saw.
“A cat and a serpent must never be. It is an abomination. Kitten, get yourself away. That serpent only wants to steal our earnings, right from the udder. Snake, you have my permission to leave. If you choose to be obstinate, I will rip you apart with my claws.”
“This is my littermate.” Said the kitten as the serpent balked.
An outburst of voices was silenced with a flick of the tom cat’s tail.
“Listen, Kitten, every animal has a place. That snake has been here five minutes and the entire barnyard is in disarray. It can’t live where it doesn’t belong.”
“Than neither of us will stay.” Said the cat affirmatively and the pair left the farmyard for worlds unknown.

Chapter 3

The Cornfield

Summer ebbed along like a snail. The two found wandering around in open cornfields, where the husks loomed overhead like a thick jungle, was excellent for catching mice and the long leaves provided a pleasing amount of shade. With only the crows and magpies, the pair found themselves very comfortable. They made a little home for themselves by leaning great mounds of dirt up against the green stalks and digging out enough room for a pantry and a bedroom. Every day they went for a walk and played games and pulled japes on eachother. In the evening they hunted and supped upon delicious eggs and game birds that the snake rubbed with spices. And every night they fell asleep as the kitten told grand stories about anything she thought up.
One evening, as they were sitting comfortably together, someone lumbered through the sheafs. They had a little firefly that they kept tied to a string and it lit the way for weary travellers. But it was no ordinary traveller- it was a lynx. The snake screamed and sprang into their home. The kitten hid herself behind the dirt.
But the lynx began to speak and said, “Do not be afraid, I will do you no harm. I am injured by a farmer’s arrows, and only want to rest myself a little. If you are obliged, I’d like you to lick my wounds.”

“Poor lynx,” said the kitten. “Lie down by the firefly, only take care that you do not catch your coat on the stalks.” Then she cried, “Snake, come out, the lynx will do you no harm, he means well.” But the snake would not come out. But by-and-by the kitten came closer and was not afraid of him.
“Here, child, groom the blood out of my coat a little.” So the kitten did as she was asked and lapped at the wounds. The lynx growled contentedly and comfortably and stretched himself out on the dirt. It was not long before the kitten grew quite at home with him, and played tricks with their clumsy guest. She tugged his hair with her teeth, climbed up on his back and rolled him about, and when he growled she laughed. But the lynx took it all in good part, only when she was too rough, he called out, “Leave me alive, child.”
When it was bed-time, the cat said to the lynx “You can lie here safely.”
Henceforth the lynx was groomed every morning and night, then laid himself down by the firefly and let the kitten amuse herself with him as much as she liked- and she got so used to him that she sometimes wished he could be her littermate instead of the snake, who never came out of their home once during the whole time the lynx was there.

When the wound had healed and the pumpkins in the distant field were being piled onto sledges, the lynx said to the kitten, “Now I must go away, and cannot come back for the whole winter.”
“Where are you going, then, dear lynx?” asked the kitten.
“I must go into the forest and feast upon the snakes up there. In the summer, when the soil is baking, they are eager to hide away and cannot work their way through- but now, when the sun is colder, they must stay warm by chasing it. And what once gets into their minds they will follow and a serpent in the paw does not easily see daylight again.”

The kitten was quite sorry for his going away, but she nodded.
“Listen, kitten. I am dubbing you a name, but first you must hear what I need to sa.. You have been kind to me, so much kinder than I deserve, but cat and a serpent must never be. It is an abomination. In the fall, the farmer will come and cut this field down to a dry stubble with his oxen and his threshing wheel. All who are caught in it are shredded as though by the claws of a tomcat. Take my advice. Leave the serpent where it is and follow me into the forest. I will take care of you.”
“I think I will remain here a little while longer.”
“Please yourself, Rax.”
The kitten, now dubbed Rax, watched as her dear friend the lynx padded away through the long sheafs and into the forest. As he walked, his fur caught on the stalks and Rax was sure she saw black and red smouldering beneath his hair. But she was not sure.

“Good riddance.” Said the snake, slithering out of the hole.
Rax had a sudden urge to leave the serpent where she was and follow the Lynx, but it passed and they laid down together for the first time in weeks.

Chapter 4

The Pond

Sure to the Lynx’s word, the corn field fell the morning after, and it was a close call that both Rax and the snake made it out alive. And now that the field was a barren stubble, there were no more eggs to eat. The game birds flew to warmer countries, the field mice slipped into their holes and neither were seen again.
The pair made their way down the lane to a wide, deep pond, its surface on fire with the beautiful red, gold and browns of the season. It was delightful to sit and watch the leaves float down and make ripples to disturb the glass-like surface. With only the dragonflies and frogs, the pair found themselves very comfortable. They made a little home for themselves by pushing leaves into a pile over a small outcropping, enough room for a pantry and a bedroom. Every day they went for a walk and enjoyed the scenery and pulled japes on eachother. In the evening they hunted and supped upon juicy frogs and squirrels that the snake rubbed with spices. And every night they fell asleep as Rax told beautiful stories about anything she thought up.
One evening, as they were sitting comfortably together, someone lumbered through the shallows. They had a little firefly that they kept tied to a string and it lit the way for weary travellers. But it was no ordinary traveller- it was an alligator. The kitten screamed and sprang into their home. The snake hid herself on the outcropping.
But the gator began to speak and said, “Do not be afraid, I will do you no harm. I am chilled to the bone and only want to rest myself a little. If you are obliged, I’d like you to rub yourself up and down my scales.”

“Poor gator,” said the snake. “Lie down by the firefly, only take care that you do not chafe your belly on the leaves.” Then she cried, “Rax, come out, the gator will do you no harm, he means well.”
But the kitten would not come out. But by-and-by the snake came closer and was not afraid of him.
“Here, child, slide onto my back and slither as much as you please.” So the snake did as she was asked and ran her body up and down until they were warmed. The gator hissed contentedly and comfortably and stretched himself out on the leaves. It was not long before the snake grew quite at home with him, and played tricks with their clumsy guest. She tapped his nose with her tail, slid under his belly and tickled him and when he growled she laughed. But the alligator took it all in good part, only when she was too rough, he called out, “Leave me alive, child.”

When it was bed-time, the snake said to the gator, “You can lie here safely.”

Henceforth the gator was warmed every morning and night, laid himself down by the firefly, and then let the snake amuse herself with him as much as she liked- and she got so used to him that she sometimes wished he could be her littermate instead of the kitten, who never came out of their home once during the whole time the gator was there.

When the trees were bare and the horses in the distant fields were being covered by blankets, the gator said to the snake, “Now I must go away, and cannot come back for the whole winter.”
“Where are you going, dear alligator?” asked the snake.
“I must go into the deep forest and make a fine burrow for myself to sleep. In the autumn, when the sun is colder, I am eager to chase it. But come winter, I must stay below. When the snow falls, a gator in the open does not easily see daylight again.”

The snake was quite sorry for his going away, but she nodded.
“Listen, snake. I am dubbing you a name, but first you must hear my words. You have been kind to me, so much kinder than I deserve, but cat and a serpent must never be. It is an abomination. In the winter, the snow will drive and storm. All who are caught in it are frozen as though by the tooth of an adder. Take my advice. Leave the cat where it is and follow me into the forest. I will take care of you.”
“I think I will remain here a little while longer.”
“Please yourself, Hyk.”
The serpent, now dubbed Hyk, watched as her dear friend the gator padded away through the dead leaves and into the forest. As he walked, his belly chafed on the leaves and Hyk was sure she saw black and red smouldering beneath his scales. But she was not sure.
“Good riddance.” Said the kitten, climbing out of the hole.
Hyk had a sudden urge to leave the kitten where she was and follow the alligator, but it passed and they laid down together for the first time in weeks.

Chapter 5

The Storm

Sure to the gator’s word, the snow fell the morning after, and it was a close call that both Rax and the snake made it out alive. The wind creaking in the trees had woken them and they had just exited the den before it fell under the weight of the blizzard. And now that the pond was chilled, there were no more frogs to eat. The dragonflies went away, the squirrels slipped into their hollows and neither were seen again.
The pair made their way down the lane, but a storm arose, and the two become white in the face from the chill. Hyk clung to Rax for warmth, but even Rax could do nothing against the gail. But when all seemed lost, and they could hardly struggle against it any more, a poor little cottage beckoned in the gloom, lit by one candle. It seemed eager to fall, slanting on both sides. The storm was so violent that the snake and the kitten could go no further. They flopped on the porch of the cottage, but noticed that the door was not quite closed in consequence of the hinges giving away. There was a narrow opening near the bottom, just enough to slip through, which they did very quietly and got their shelter.
A wytch, a tom cat and an adder lived in this cottage. The tom cat, whom the mistress called “My Little Son, was a great favourite. He was an elder cat with a face as sharp as an arrow, noble since his moment of birth. He could raise his back and purr and could even throw out sparks from his fur if it was pet the wrong way.
The adder had a face on either side of his head, noble since his moment of birth, was called “Hissy Twin-Face.” He gave good venom and his mistress loved him as if he had been her own child for he could slip down the burrows and kill ferrets when the hunting was bad.
In the morning, the two visitors were discovered, and the tom cat began to purr and the snake to hiss.
“What is that noise about?” said the old woman, looking round the room.
“Oh what a prize!” she exclaimed, “I hope they are female, for then I shall have some lovely kittens and snake eggs to eat. We must wait and see.”
So the pair was allowed to remain on trial for three weeks, but there were no signs of offspring.
Now the tom cat was the master of the east half of the house, and the adder was master of the west half.
The tom cat always said, “Me and the world,” for he believed himself to be half the world, and the better half too. Hyk, as the snake was dubbed, thought that others might hold a different opinion on the subject, but the tom cat would not listen to such doubts.
Can you raise your back, or purr, or throw out sparks?” said the tom cat.
“No.”
“Than you have no right to express an opinion when sensible people are speaking.”
Rax could not help but agree.
The adder always said, “I and the world,” for he believed himself to be half the world, and the better half too. Rax, as the kitten was dubbed, thought that others might hold a different opinion on the subject, but the adder would not listen to such doubts.
“Can you spit venom, or flutter your tongue, or squeeze down ferret holes?”
“No.”
“Than have the goodness to hold your tongue instead.”
Hyk could not help but agree.
So the two sat in opposite corners, feeling very low spirited, till the sunshine and fresh air came into the room through the open door.
Rax then began to feel such a great longing to go outside and find a serpent to bat around like a string that she could not help telling the adder.
“What an absurd idea,” said the adder. “You have nothing else to do, therefore you have foolish fancies. If you could spit venom or flutter your tongue, they would pass away.”
“But it would be so delightful” said the kitten, “and so fun to feel it wriggle under your paws.”
“Delightful, indeed!” said the adder, “why you must be crazy! Ask the wytch, she is the cleverest being I know. Ask her how she would like to bat around the snakes and feel them wriggling under her paws.”
“You don’t understand me.” said Rax.
“Who can understand you, I wonder?”
On the other end of the room, Hyk began to feel such a great longing to go outside and find a cat to sink her fangs into that she could not help telling the tom cat.
“What an absurd idea,” said the tom cat. “”Don't imagine such nonsense, child, and thank your good fortune that you have been received here. Are you not in a warm room, and in society from which you may learn something? If you could purr, or arch your back, or throw out sparks, those ideas would die in your mind. Believe me, I speak only for your own good.”
That night, Hyk and Rax met in the middle of the room to sleep comfortably together. They were met by a hissing from either side of the room.
“How absurd!” The tomcat and the adder spoke in unison from their kingdoms. “To lie with eachother like that!”
“But we are littermates!” Protested Hyk, the snake.
The adder hissed first. “A cat and a snake must never be.It is an abomination. It may be an unpleasant truth, but my words are proof of my friendship. Separate yourselves at once!”
“You don’t understand us!” added Rax, the kitten.
The tomcat hissed. “And who can understand you, I wonder? You are a chatterer, and your company is not very agreeable, but you may still make something good of yourself if you remain here.”
The snake and the kitten exchanged a look, and then spoke in soft unison.
“I believe we must go out into the world again.”
“Yes, do,” said the adder and tomcat.
So the pair left the cottage.
That night, hiding from the bite of winter under a pine tree, the pair tried to sleep apart, so none may say they were an abomination. But as the night became colder and colder, they cuddled close.
“I won’t tell if you don’t tell.”
“I won’t tell.”

Chapter 6

The Winter

It was miserable winter weather in the country, and the clear icicles, the grey hail, and the white snow piled up in the meadows looked harsh. The trees stuck fast in the frost chattered in the language of brittle branches, which they had learnt from the wind. The brown corn-fields and meadows were surrounded by dead forests, in the midst of which were frozen pools. It was, indeed, a chore to walk about in the country.
Rax and Hyk found the weather unagreeable and the ice around them prodded their hearts and sweet dispositions.
Every day they would sit and shiver for warmth and every evening they would hunt, for what slim pickings they could find. Both were much larger than they had been when they were newly born and needed more food. Dried berries and pinecones did not satiate them, nor did the tidbits they found in snowy owl pellets.
They happened by chance upon a prize one day- a deer carcass, strewn across crimson snow, freshly killed by coyotes. Amongst the gibbering of a dozen ravens, they were driven to risk and pulled off all they dared to steal, hurrying back to a burrow they’d found for themselves.
Rax put her half of the meat on the ground before her and stared expectantly at Hyk.
“What?”
“Aren’t you going to season it?”
“It’s fine the way it is. Eat.”
“Its gross without the seasoning.”
The snake sighed, but went out into the woods until she found old, dried rosemary in a chipmunk’s cache and stole it from the creature, getting a strike on the head for her trouble. She returned and used her tail to spread it on the meat.
Rax took a bite and made a face. “Well..that’s not very fresh, is it?”
Hyk said nothing.
After they ate, Hyk coiled herself and stared expectantly at Rax.
“What?”
“Aren’t you going to tell us a story?”
“You mean tell you a story?”
“You make them up as you go along so it’s not like you’ve heard it.”
Rax sighed and retold the story of the rabbit who learned to break into every vegetable garden because the cat god Ryiak had blessed him. It was one she had told many times.
Hyk listened politely but made a face. “Well..that’s not very original, is it?”
Rax said nothing.
After the story, the pair retreated into the den for the night. But there was only one warm spot and Rax, being the larger of the two, hogged it easily without intending to. Hyk found herself most distressed and compressed against the back wall.
“Would you please move away a bit?” Complained Hyk, but Rax only put her paw in the snake’s face and snored louder.
The next morning came late and the pair decided to go to for their daily walk. Hyk, being the smaller of the two, rode on Rax’s back, putting pressure on her neck without intending to. Rax found herself most uncomfortable and weighed down against the cold snow.
“Would you please move on your own?” Complained Rax, but Hyk pretended to be asleep and only squeezed a little tighter.
That evening, they risked the deer again. It was much slimmer pickings than last time, and a cold shadow hanging under the exposed ribs made the coming dark seem very menacing. Each took their mouthful and went back to the burrow.
Rax put her half of the meat on the ground before her and stared expectantly at Hyk.
“What?”
“Aren’t you going to season it?”
“It’s fine the way it is. Eat.”
“Its gross without the seasoning.”
Hyk snapped, “I am cold and tired and barely alive. I haven’t any spices and I certainly do not have the energy to look for them. If you want spices, find and rub them yourself!”
Rax grumbled and sighed loudly, making faces at the tasteless meal.
After they ate, Hyk coiled herself and stared expectantly at Rax.
“What?”
“Aren’t you going to tell us a story?”
“You mean tell you a story?”
“You make them up as you go along so it’s not like you’ve heard it.
Rax snapped, “I am tired and cold and barely alive. I don’t have any new stories and I certainly do not have the energy to come up with one. If you want a story, make it up yourself!”
That night, Hyk wanted a little bit of space after the argument. She coiled into the warmer depths of the burrow before Rax came to bed. But, driven by routine or chill, Rax wriggled up beside her to sleep. Whump. She met with a sharp hiss and a blow on the head from a tail.
“There’s barely enough room here for me! Routine be damned, find your own place to sleep tonight!” Hyk shouted. Rax went and slept by the entrance, where she shivered all night out of spite.
“Bad luck to you. I wish you never enjoyed another story.” Rax muttered as she fell into slumber.
That night, they had a strange visitor, all of smoke and fire, slip into the den and lay his hands upon Hyk’s scales without rousing her. And he left without putting a finger upon Rax.
The next morning, Rax wanted a little bit of space after the argument. The morning was cold and dark and Hyk slithered on her back without even asking. Whump. She was swept off with one blow of a black paw and thrown into the snow. “There’s barely enough space for me to walk! Routine be damned, you can walk on your own for once!”
And she left her in the snow by the den and moved on by herself.
“Bad luck to you. I wish you never tasted anything good again.” Hyk muttered as she watched her go.
That day, they had a strange visitor, invisible and silent, slip after the cat and lay his hands upon Rax’s fur without alarming her. And he left without putting a finger upon Hyk.

Chapter 7

The Betrayal

That night, the pair chanced the deer one last time. It was nearly gone, picked clean by the ravens so that even the snow was white anew. There was a tidbit of brain left and Hyk snatched it eagerly. But Rax, who was well known for her love of tender meat, bit down onto a rib of the deer and broke it off.
“What are you doing?” Asked the snake in confusion.
“I don’t know.” Replied the cat, as equally unsure.
Regardless, the cat would not drop her choice and they hurried along back to their burrow.
Rax put her bone on the ground before her and stared expectantly at Hyk.
“What?”
“Aren’t you going to season it?”
“It’s fine the way it is. Eat.”
“Its gross without the seasoning.”
Hyk sighed, but wanted to make amends. She slithered out into the forest and at last came upon a blackberry bush, a great favourite. She broke off as many as she liked and brought them back to the cat. She broke a few and slathered the bone with them, then generously left the rest for the cat to eat whole.
But the cat spat and sputtered at the first bite, tongue hanging out. Her whiskers dripped with spittle as her ebony head flew side to side in disgust.
“If you don’t want it, don’t eat it.” Snapped Hyk, annoyed for her trouble.
After the meal, Rax stared expectantly at Hyk.
“What?”
“Aren’t you going to ask for a story?”
“No. I don’t really feel like hearing one.” Said Hyk, who loved stories more than she loved fresh milk.
Rax sighed, but wanted to make amends.“I’ll make it a new story. Just make yourself comfortable and listen.”
She lay quietly for a moment, until she came up with a grand story about an alligator. But halfway through, the snake began to cry in agony, blood dripping from her eyes.
“If you don’t want to hear it, don’t listen.” snapped Rax, annoyed for her efforts. “You’re so agitating.”
“Not like you’ve tried to be hospitable! I told you last night that if you want spices, find and rub them yourself and you spit my efforts on the snow! I am so sick of how you treat me like a kitchen maid and won’t give me space that I wished last night that you would never taste good food again!”
“What a cruel creature you are to spit on my hospitality! I told you last night that if you want a story, make one up yourself! I am so sick of how you need me for entertainment and mobility that I wished last night that you would never enjoy a story again!”
The two then screamed in perfect unison. “A cat and a snake can never be! It is an abomination!”
And so the two left each other for worlds unknown.

Chapter 8

Worlds Unknown

Hyk, whom had never been alone before, went deep into the forest and she cried by a deep pool until the spring thaw made the sap in the trees run like the creekwater under the thinning ice.
A great noise behind her was startling, for she had not been paying attention, and a large alligator slid up to her.
“Do not be afraid, Hyk. I will do you no harm. I have missed you this long winter.”
“Oh Alligator, I am glad to see you, for I am all alone and the world is so great and wide without my friend.”
“Climb onto my back. I will protect and provide for you. That cat has done you evil, as they always do, and you must get back at her for her crimes. When you provided her food, she was obliged to pay you back with stories. When you provided her pillow, she was obliged to pay you back with ferrying. But now she has spat in the face of your generous nature, and she must be taught a lesson.”
And then he shimmered and quivered and melted away, becoming an adder with a face on each side of his head. He hissed and encircled her in his coils.
In the meanwhile, Rax, whom had never been alone before, went deep into the forest and she cried by a wild corn patch until the spring thaw made the trees shed their dripping icicles and the grass sprung green among the brown.
A great noise behind her was startling, for she had not been paying attention, and a large lynx slid up to her.
“Do not be afraid, Rax. I will do you no harm. I have missed you this long winter.”
“Oh Lynx, I am glad to see you, for I am all alone and the world is so great and wide without my friend.”
“Walk beside me. I will protect and provide for you. That snake has done you evil, as they always do, and you must get back at her for her crimes. When you provided her entertainment, she was obliged to pay you back with food. When you provided her safe passage, she was obliged to pay you back by laying still for your head. But now she has spat in the face of your generous nature, and she must be taught a lesson.”
And then he shimmered and quivered and melted away, becoming a tom cat with a face as sharp as an arrow. He put his paws gently onto her shoulders.
By the late spring, the snake and the kitten were fully grown, and had been given new names by their mates. Hyk the snake became Hykrexibek and Rax the kitten became Raxokarkos. Each of them had produced a litter of fine offspring on either end of a wide field. By night, their mates did battle over the territory, and soon the grass died from the blood spilled upon it, which sizzled like fire. Nothing would quell the quarrel, and both Hykrexibek and Raxokarkos supported their mates, licking their wounds after the fight.
One night, the warring was so fierce that the adder and the tomcat lay dying in the field, injured and weak, Raxokarkos ran to find her mate something to nourish himself with, and so did Hykrexibek. But their combat had scared away all the birds and rabbits and field mice and squirrels, all the bats and all the butterflies and dragonflies and every creature beneath the sky. There was nothing to eat. Nothing, that is, but the offspring.
Hykrexibek approached the nest in the dull weeds and saw before her three kittens, as jet black as their mother. She unhinged her jaw and in one motion, the three kittens found their way into her gullet, still mewling and wriggling, until she silenced each of them with deadly venom.
Raxokarkos approached the nest in the grey stones and saw before her three snake babies, as red and yellow and white and black as their mother. She opened her maw and in one motion, the three snakes found their way into her teeth, still squirming and wriggling, until she bit each of them with vicious fangs.
As they brought the food to their mate, each saw what the other had done and flew into a blind rage. They dropped their prey and then were upon each-other. The cat bit and kicked and swiped with her claws. The snake struck and lashed and grabbed with her tail. The mates ate. The fury of the former friends flecked the field with flesh as black as a curse, until finally neither could move.
“I wish that no-one would ever enjoy your food again.” Muttered the cat, panting.
“I wish that no-one would ever want to hear another story from you.” Uttered the snake, heaving.
The tom cat became a lynx and the adder became an alligator. They stood over their dying mates and nodded. “It is done.” They said in unison.
Then they lay by their mates and whispered to them.
“You lay dying here, but your rage must have a body to carry it. Do you wish for a form not so frail?” Asked the Lynx.
“Yes.” Raxokarkos replied, choking on her blood.
“Do you wish for a form that could match hers and carry your hatred in kind?” Asked the Alligator.
“Yes.” Hykrexibek replied, her vision fading.
“It is done. But never must you tell.” they said in unison, and before them lay Raxokarkos and Hykrexibek, no longer a cat and a snake, but two women. They were young and naked, with fair faces, but dark hearts. They felt as wise and as powerful as the old wytch they had lived with.
The lynx licked his paws and shimmered, and his lynx skin fell off with a puff of red and black. It left the form of an unassuming black cat that climbed onto Raxokarkos’s shoulder. The alligator snapped his teeth and shimmered, and his gator skin fell off with a puff of ash and fire. It left the form of an unassuming snake with bands of colour, that slithered onto Hykrexibek’s shoulder.
“Now go into grand society, find yourselves clothes and husbands, make yourselves homes near enough to never forget the other’s atrocities and make many children to carry your legacy.” They said in unison. “But you will need new names, for Raxokarkos and Hykrexibek are the names of demons and you will be turned out if you wear them.”
The snake tickled his woman’s ear. “You will be called Gretchen.”
The cat nuzzled his woman’s cheek. “You will be called Brunhilde.”

The End.

Shaper Jenn

Shaper Jenn

Shaper Jenn

Shaper Jenn

Shaper Jenn

Shaper Jenn

Shaper Jenn

Shaper Jenn

Shaper Jenn