Chapter 12

The cemetery cats had turned out to be a false step in their investigation, much to Missy’s consternation. There had been not a single orange cat present in the hideout. Missy is aware that not all cats of the territory would’ve been present while they’d been there, but neither she nor Hemp had seen any fur left behind. Black fur, yes, and there’d been black-furred cats aplenty, but it was a common color to have. And a bigger factor had been the missing carrion scent, even thought Missy had been so certain that a place where the dead were buried would stink of carrion. Apparently not. 

“What now,” Hemp asked, while they’d made their way out of the cemetery and into an alley. Missy frowned. Moon, trailing behind them, ambled up to them and brushed his side against his brother’s.

    “Now,” Missy decided, “we go into the next block and continue.”

    “That’s foolishness, sister.” Blue eyes narrowed. “You plan on going to every block to kindly ask them if they’d seen a murderous cat pretending to be a fox? They’ll throw us out faster than the Night Cat’s falling tears.”

    “I’m aware of that, thank you, Hemp. But looking for evidence at the territories and blocks closest to ours is our best way to find something.” Missy said. “Carrion-scent doesn’t disappear so quickly, especially if it clings to cats as well.” She glares at Hemp, willing him to understand that they cannot let a murdering, sacrilegious cat go free. He holds her gaze for another moment before averting his eyes, ears flicking.

    “Alright, even though I think it’s a stupid plan. Moon, are you good to go?” The grey brother nods, and they set off again, backtracking their way towards the intersection of the blocks. They go west towards Mary’s instead of to their own, winding around people and Owner dens while those climb higher and higher into the sky. They get lost a few times, and have to stop twice to catch some stray birds and mice to feed, but they make it to the hideout by the time the Day Cat is just greeting the sky. Mary’s hideout is high up, nestled inside the silver skeletal frames of an unfinished structure that had been abandoned by the people before Missy or Hemp and Moon had been born. By her estimates, they’re located as high as two regular-sized Owner dens, higher than even the tallest tree in her own block.

    “Who are you,” a cream-colored sister asks upon noticing them. She is standing sentry before the entrance to the hideout.

    “We’re of the garden block,” Hemp states, doing his best to look innocent. “We come from the cemetery but got lost on our way back. The streets smell all the same, but we’ve heard that Mary’s is located high up, so we set out to find you.” He curls his tail around himself for good measure. “Might we stay the day, please? We are unused to being so far from our block, and with the threat of the fox…”

    Missy can see the sentry sister melt. “Of course, who would we be to turn any cat away, especially if they’d made it up high? Come in and rest for as long as you need; we’ve also some freshly-caught bird if you ask our hunters nicely enough.”