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Tiger-Lily/Dizzy

"I didn't even see the first attack coming but the spirit protected him. I'm hoping that it will continue to do so. But how can we fight these attacks? I have wards around the dwelling but he isn't in there right now."

She is near to a state of panic. Losing another burden and the possibility of being locked away again is looming closer.

Shadow

The distress radiating from the younger feline was practically tangible, so almost grudgingly he offered a compassionate option to take her mind off things.

"The spirit is keeping your Burden safe. Come, help me with mine, I will allow you into my territory for this."

The little cat meowed back "she collapsed. She should live but I don't know for sure."

Jayden ran towards the paramedics who bundled out of the wagon. They ran into the house that they had stopped in front of. Inside he could see another fallen form. A middle aged woman was lying in the hall on the carpet.

Jayden


He skidded to a halt, breathing hard.

"There's another woman collapsed just down the street," he said, pointing.

One of the paramedics looks up and frowns. He looks to his partner and asks "you got this?"

The other EMT nodded.

The first with a name tag that says Parker stands grabbing hus tackle box. "Take me to her," he said to Jayden.

Jayden


"Just up there," he said, pointing again as he headed out at a trot toward the recumbent old lady and her trio of feline companions.

Tiger-Lily/Dizzy

She looks back at her burden. At least he is trying to do something as the spirit is with him. She turns back to Shadow.

"OK.. but let's make it quick. You lead I'll follow."

She hopes she is making the right decision.

Shadow

The residence of the burden which called itself Janey Smith was nearby, and it was there that Shadow swiftly strode. It was warded by the deaths of many nonsapient creatures, but would that have been enough?

Jayden and Parker jogged up. The EMT set the case down and started assessing the old woman. His face betrayed nothing as he worked.



The cats entered the burden's domicile. It was mostly quiet except for some soft music from one of the back rooms. Shadow knew that was a room with many things to perch on and gave an excellent spot for him to nap in the sun and or survey much of his domain.

As they entered they saw his burden in a reclined position on the couch. At first glance she seemed to be sleeping.

Shadow

This was no time for niceties. He leapt up, aiming for her lap.

Jayden


Jayden stood nearby and watched the paramedic work. After a moment, he noticed that his two of the three cats, including his own, had left the scene and he stood more erect, looking all around.

Not seeing Dizzy, he frowned and shook his head briefly before turning his attention back to the paramedic and the old lady.

Shadow's burden took the landing without even a flinch. In fact she barely moved at all. She was breathing shallowly but that was all he could discern.

Shadow

Right then. Time to headbutt her hand repeatedly. If even that didn't work, then it would be necessary to bite her hand almost but not quite enough to break the skin.

Tiger-Lily/Dizzy

This is Miss Amy all over again. She has to do something!

"I'm going to help. Stay with her."

She turns tail and runs, retracing her steps as quickly as she can and she can run really fast when she wants to.

She is yowling 'Help' as she approaches her burden, a sense that time is running out. She calls to the spirit.

"Tell him there is another dying"

Then she yowls again, turning to run back a couple of steps, turning again to look at her burden and repeating until he gets the message.

Jayden felt an impetus he couldn't explain, to go into the house. Someone was on death's door.

Shadow continued to try and rouse his burden without success.

Jayden


He turned, drawn by a familiar, yet suddenly strident cry from his cat but, before Dizzy reached him, he felt like something twisted his head toward the door of the nearby house.

There was something there... something inside that house.

Jayden gave his head a brisk shake, trying to repress the impetus he felt drawing him toward the house. It did not work and he took off for the house, moving quickly, almost running.

"Be right back," he called back over his shoulder to the paramedic.

The paramedic continued to work, though Jayden was sure that the man heard him.

The house was like so many others. Towards the back of the house was a living room adjacent to a kitchen. Lying on the couch is a woman with a new cat on her lap. DC is close by.

Tiger-Lily/Dizzy

Relief. He is coming.

She moves to draw his attention to Shadow's burden, hoping her can see the problem and that he can do something about it.

"Thanks."

She meows softly to the spirit.

Jayden


"Damn... another one," he muttered, glancing around as if he feels something dark and mysterious in the air.

"What the hell is going on around here?"

Jayden moved to the woman's side, kneeled beside her recumbent form and checked for a pulse.

"The lady looks sick, doesn't she, Dizzy?"

The woman's pulse is a bit difficult to find. It is so very soft, and slow. Yet she did live. It was as if she was in a very deep sleep.

Tiger-Lily/Dizzy

She looks at Shadow ignoring her burden initially as she cannot understand what he is saying anyway.

"I hope she will be all right Shadow" she meows softly.

Then she rubs against her burden's legs signifying her approval. He is doing really well.

Shadow

Nothing was working. nothing. Little nips, headbutts, prods, just enough tooth, just enough claw, the incessant meow demanding that she awaken...

This couldn't be happening. She was Mine! This room was Mine! This house was Mine!

He was responsible for that which was His. That was the bargain, a sacrifice of food and pettings on demand for stout protection and unceasing vigilance. Hundreds of creatures had had their lives cut short for her sake, and now...

Now the smaller cat interrupted the circling spiral of his desperate reverie. His ears flattened, his teeth drew back, but she was here on his invitation, with his permission. So, he dropped down, and plaintively mewed,

"There's life in her, but she's not responding, not to anything. This is all so wrong..."

Here, in the heart of His territory, the centre of His power, Shadow looked lost.

Jayden


Frowning, he reached down, briefly stroked Dizzy's head and then eased her away from his ankles before moving quickly to his feet and running back outside.

"There's another old lady inside," he called out to the paramedic, "and she looks to be worse off than this one."

The paramedic exclaimed "sugar honey ice tea." Closing his tackle box he stood and came to join Jayden in the doorway.

When he got to the woman's side he started checking her vitals. He didn't seem bothered by the cats.

Jayden


Too many things were happening at once and most - if not all - of them bad. Jayden felt... well, confused at least.

He moved up close to the sofa but not close enough to get in the paramedic's way. He reached down and picked up his cat.

Holding her in the crook of his arm, he scratched lightly behind her ears and then stroked her throat, as much for his own comfort at for hers.