During the next few weeks he had taken to wandering and acquainting himself with his new home, scuttling round the streets, becoming as familiar with his territory as he possibly could.
The events surrounding Mirii troubled him, crawled within not allowing him much rest at first.
The following day Denali had decided to cross back over into the city, taking care to tread lightly and watch for dogs. Having Venger around had made him feel more at ease with canines in general, however he did not want to become too careless or too trusting and end up regretting it later.
Had Venger and Bernard managed somehow to escape the alleyway mutts as he had? Were they alright?
With all that had happened he hadn't been able to give it much thought aside from the occasional memory. The bared fangs, slavering muzzles snapping at him, running, the pounding of his heart, the smell of pure hate and rage right at his heels, baring down on him mercilessly with the intent to snuff out his life for nothing more then entertainment. He shuddered inwardly shrinking from the vivid images that reminded him of just how close he had come to death.
Infact ever since he had woken on the docks, his life had been a hailstorm of peril; meeting Bernard, their unlikely friendship with Venger, his exploits with Samantha, hunting, finding Mirii and the cat in his dreams, fighting off the spectral felines in the forest and barely managing to slip free of them with his pelt still attached....
Why was his life such a mess? Why couldn't he have woken up a kitten again beside his mother, with brothers and sisters all raring and ready to explore life and figure out the great mysterious wonder of growing up? For that matter why couldn't he remember something like that, a shred of warmth, the color of his mothers pelt, the milk scent or anything? What cruel twist of nature had taken his memory from him? More then anything else he had to know, to find out and sate the nagging questions buzzing through his head like angry bees seeking retribution for stolen honey.
A man coming out of the bakery had spotted him sitting perched on a parked Chevy truck hood. Waving the human approached and smiling a toothy grin tore off a hunk of bread from out of a package that read Bluffs Bread and Bakery laminated with red and yellow plastic- and set it down in front of the tom before going about his business. The bread was fresh and hot on his tongue, giving under the weight of his jaws and teeth the slight tang of honey and the thick icing melding into a delicious mixture of rich flavor flowing along his taste buds.
Unfortunately there were only a few mouthfuls and his belly still growled but the sugar hyped up his blood, his energy lithe and elevated to new heights. The hood was cold underneath his belly as he bent forward to devour the last morsel between his paws before he drew himself upright to observe and watch people milling about and the random bird flying overhead, calling down merrily or warbling in their high whistling voices. They truly were beautiful creatures, much as he found the thought morbid at that moment he wished he were able to eat them. To spring into the air and somehow be able to close the distance and snag one down to become a fresh meal for his hunger.
He wasn't exactly fur and bone just yet, his coat he'd kept groomed and sleek since the day he'd woken and for the most part he'd been able to feed often.
Sighing Denali shook his head, wishing that keeping a balance wasn't so tedious.
With his luck he'd probably either starve or eat too much and be just as venerable either way.
"A cat who eats too much catches no mice" he murmured dryly under his breath, chuckling at the strange nautical ring the saying had. Perhaps he'd heard it said somewhere before...
With some amusement he let his mind wander while lifting a paw to groom himself. Tongue connecting with his pads he ran them along his face before drawing it along his forearm and through his chest fur, the white wisps spiraling up while he cleaned them before smoothing them down again with the butt of his chin. Idly he kept one lazy eye honed in on the humans and the traffic beyond- not really paying close attention but keeping alert just in case he needed to for any sudden reason make a run for safety.
"DEN!? Denali...?"
His eyes flew open and his ears shoot up as recognition hit him. It was Bernards' voice, at first surprised and filled with excitement and then disbelieving.
Turning his head he was just in time to see the tabby tom pelting towards him, tail held high as he dashed along the pavement beside a large black dog.
"Venger! Bernard!"
Leaping down from the hood he raced to greet them rubbing noses with Bernard and receiving wet happy licks from Venger.
"It's great to see you both again!" he purred.
"Great to see you too furball" Venger woofed, his muzzle turned up at the edges into a huge grin. " Must admit, I was worried seeing that mutt take chase after you. I would've helped but there were two others...and it was quite something to get this guy" here he motioned towards Bernard with a nod of his head, "out of the alley safe and sound."
"We thought you were chopped liver for sure!" Bernard hissed shooting the canine an indignant look before turning back to Denali whiskers twitching with appreciation. "Glad you are okay and that that .....that mongrel didn't snap you in half."
"However don't believe anything this big lug tells you" Bernard said winking. " I held my own back in that alley and we both got out of there as a team."
Denali shook his head in amazement.
When he had first met the tabby tom, Bernard had been anything but keen to have a dog around. Infact for the first while he had been petrified by the thought, yet here he was bantering with Venger and fighting dogs with a dog and acting as if it were all the most natural thing in the world.
"Speaking of which where have you been Den? Judging by all of the smells on your pelt you've had quite the time."
"I have" he murmured twitching his tail thoughtfully. "Quite honestly though I think it would be safer to find a quiet spot where we can talk and not have to worry about being seen or overheard" he whispered looking over both shoulders.
"Ah common Denali" Venger chortled. " You don't have to be shy. It's not like we don't understand the call of the wild. It's normal when a guy runs into the right circumstance. Tell us was she pretty?"
His fur growing hot Denali nodded numplused at how easily the dog had been able to pick up Samantha's scent on his fur.
"She was...is beautiful though to tell you the truth it was just spur of the moment...kind of thing..."
"Most times it is" Venger admonished panting and smirking with glee. Bernard for his part kept silent although he winked and clicked his tongue.
"Any plans to meet up with said lucky feline fatale again sometime in the near future?"
"Not really....I mean...it would be nice" Denali admitted drawing his ears down close to his skull in embarrassment. "I guess it really just depends on how things play out and if....damn! Quite honestly I don't know. A lot of things have happened that have made things much more complicated. I had the misfortune of exploring Mirii..."
"Wait! Mirii!?"
Bernard instantly bristled.
"Den, please tell me that you didn't wander around that place on your own without anyone watching your back! I'd just as soon hear that you decided to up and try to take on an entire pack of street dogs on your own as you go anywhere near that place without me or Venger or someone by your side! Going there the three of us would be bad enough...but alone.....would be suicide."
Venger tilted his head to one side pensively though he still looked amused. Bernard didn't exactly have a reputation for being brave or someone who didn't scare easily and the dog was probably entertained by a place that had his friend riled.
"I've heard of Mirii" he growled thoughtfully. "An ancient cat kingdom somewhere along the edges of town near the old part, kind of an abandoned place. Always been curious about it I'll admit though at the moment I'd rather hear about your feline buddy that you played with. Was she a cute little kitten with devious ideas?"
"You could say that" Denali murmured.
"Venger! Leave him alone. Don't hound him about the dame" Bernard hissed impatiently. "Let's just be thankful he's still in one piece at all after dogs and then Mirii!"
Venger ducked his head somewhat in guilt although he couldn't seem to hide a huge grin from blossoming along his face, tempering his features into an altogether mischievous expression that made Denali all the more self conscious.
"I am thankful for that although by the sounds of it I may have had a run in or two of my own with Den's lady friend."
"Will you drop it about his lady friend!"
"It's okay Bernard."
He chuckled as he studied one then the other his whiskers twitching.
"Honestly if I'm going to share what happened to me in Mirii I'd feel better doing so somewhere less populated and crowded...maybe even someplace more comfortable."
Turning towards Venger he added "Afterwards if you have to ask I'm an open book."
He was pleased to note the dog give him a sly wink in reply.
"In the meantime shall we migrate to said haven?"
"I know just the place" Bernard piped up bouncing ahead his tail held high in a straight line behind him. His gate was eager and Denali couldn't help chuckling as he fell into step beside Venger, both enjoying the comical visage before them.
Bernard sauntered along in what looked like a dance of some type though if it were one recognized by anyone but the tabby himself they couldn't be sure. Soon he was animatedly hopping from one surface to the next, performing mild acrobatics and as he went he began to sing in a meowing, screeching voice that brought Vengers' eyebrows to an arch.
The Queen had a way with mice, she'd scoff them down
When the King found out he'd call and shout
Which was heard for miles around
So much for a fat cat catching mice, ask them and we'll play nice
Taste that colors life with spice
Won't you save the queen a slice
We'd waltz cross the floor with the ones we adored
When the King dictated thus, twas quite a fuss
Heard for miles around
So much for a fat cat catching mice, ask them and we'll pay nice
Taste that colors life with spice
Won't you save the queen a slice
Loaded until she quaft and wailed, The Call sounded and the kingdom assailed
Still waltzing, still dancing, still prancing along
To the kingdom the gloom it trailed
So much for a fat cat catching mice, ask them and we'll play nice
Still waltzing, still dancing and prancing while tasting of spice
Won't be saving the Queen a slice
One day a healer, come to dance and prance among us, to share with us
Darkness turned upon itself when before is taken up with trust
Who then will deliver us
So much for a fat cat catching mice, ask them and we'll play nice
Still waltzing, still dancing and prancing while tasting of spice
Who will save the Queen a slice
Not our Queen, not our King but Healer strong can chase the night along
While we waltz and prance long' our paths in darkness where we belong
Who then will belong
So much for a fat cat catching mice, ask them and we'll all play nice
Still waltzing, still dancing and prancing while tasting of spice
Who then will save the Queen a slice
Dark Call sounds and once again the Queen wails and catches mice
Once again she treads and waits for us, won't play nice, won't pay nice
Healer and Queen belong but only one deliver us
So much for a fat cat catching mice, ask us and we'll play nice
All waltzing, all prancing all dancing while sampling spice
Who then will secure a slice
Catching snippets of the tune, when Bernard wasn't singing off key and going off on tangents of his own though even amused as he was some of the words struck him as strangely familiar. The line that said something about "The Kingdom assailed" and another that mentioned "Dark Call" again.
Him and Venger started joining in in mocking, rambunctious voices every time the chorus came around. Truth be told it was very catchy.
As they headed along Denali noticed that they were headed towards the park where they all had first met and he sighed inwardly relieved that for once their destination was familiar to him.....
