Throwing the Book at Us (Tuesday october 15th, 11:30 pm)

[Shaper Jenn]

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.”