Odin Cats

To The Newest Members of the Family—Emily and Marshall

Odin Cats

By

Sandra Cox

Also by Sandra Cox

Nonfiction

Flower Gardens and More

Power Stones

Romantic Suspense with a touch of Paranormal

The Crystal

Amulets

Boji Stones

Rose Quartz

Black Opal

Time Travel Romance

Sundial

Montana Shootists

Romantic Suspense

Queen of Diamonds

Western Romance

Silverhills

Young Adult Series

Mutants 

Love, Lattes, and Mutants

Love, Lattes, and Danger

Love, Lattes, and Angel

Hunter

Vampire Island

Moon Watchers

Vampire Bay

Cats of Catarau

Shardai

Akasha

Makita

Young Adult

Sunset

Minder

Odin Cats

Ghost For Sale

Anthologies

A Matter of Taste

Parallels: Felix Was Here

Glossary

Catdom : The castle belonging to the royal Odins, deserted by man long ago.

Catonese: Language of both Odins and ferals.

Ferals: These cats have evolved too. A smaller species than Odins, they are hunted by man and live in the wilds.

Furrlin: The wise, white soothsayer Odin Cat who counsels kings.

Furr-traders: Humans that follow mercenaries. They hang on the outskirts of skirmishes then take the dead Odins and sell their fur.

Odin Cats: A fighting cat, known for its cunning and wisdom. A feline that has evolved intellectually to become man’s equal. He/she speaks both English and Catonese and his/her average weight is a hundred pounds. The females can only produce one kit.

Prince William: The human prince.

Sasha: Balinese Feral.

Sittchuk-Seth: The Prince, a silver-colored Norwegian Forrest Cat with russet paws, who will one day unite the Kingdoms.

Terra: Sasha’s human, a healer.

Thut: The Abyssinian King that rules the Odin Cat Kingdom.

Tiaa: The Norwegian Forrest Queen; smoky-gray in color.

Prologue

Man, with his constant desire to enslave and assert his will, has destroyed the Earth. From this destruction the earth has been rebuilt, similar yet different. Guns, in a primitive form, exist, but no cars or planes. There are no resources to fuel them.

Now two factions vie for power. Man, who did not learn from his mistakes, and Odin Cats.

There is a legend among the Odin Cats. An Odin will come with the pure blood of royalty flowing through his veins. He will lift felines out of their oppression and unite the kingdoms of Odin and man.

Chapter One

I want to go! Sittchuk -Seth’s silver plumy tail lashed back and forth. His jaw tightened, his expression obstinate.

His father Thut sat upon his throne. His beautiful russet paws rested on the burnished gold arms of the regal chair, his expression both indulgent and annoyed. What say you, Furrlin, shall we take this whelp of mine? he asked the soothsayer.

Furrlin padded over to the blue crystal ball that stood in the corner near the throne. Standing on his hind legs, he rested his front paws on the crystal. The interior of the globe began to stir, to roll and flash in prisms of color. Furrlin stared, unblinking, into the ball at the blinding display. After a long moment, the storm of colors receded and once more lay dormant.

Well? demanded Thut.

Furrlin turned and shrugged. His destiny is already written. Do what you will. He dropped to his four paws and padded back to the king.

What in the name of the goddess kind of answer is that?

The kind you get from a soothsayer, my lord. Tiaa, his beautiful queen, put her paw over his and leaned toward him from her throne. You promised, my lord. He would not accompany you into battle until he was a year of age. For a moment, her paw tightened on his and anguish shone out of her beautiful amber eyes. He is our only child. I can bear no other.

Mother, other Odin Cats fight at six months, should their future king not be at their side? Pacing back and forth across the smooth stone floor, Sittchuk-Seth stopped at the window. He rose on his hind legs to stick his head out the stone window embrasure and smell the clean salt air from the sea. He inhaled, drawing air deep into his belly. The massive castle reminded him of a velvet-lined prison. He yearned to fight his first battle against man and dogs, to flirt with pretty Odin Cats and ferals. Instead, he was confined to this dark gray castle that jutted on a scree of boulders, with the ocean singing its siren song far below.

He turned. Please, Mother, let me go.

She stood up from the throne, dropped to all fours, and padded over to him. She raised her manicured paw and placed it on his face, her touch gentle. I cannot.

He jerked his head away. I want to go. I’m almost as large as my sire. His voice sounded sulky, even to his own ears. I know I’m behaving badly, but I can’t seem to help myself. How can they leave me here like an old Odin Cat, or a kit?

The king rose on his back legs. His sleek coat glowed and muscles rippled along his shoulders and spine. A scar ran the length of his left foreleg where man had ripped it with a knife.

Do you want to try me, whelp? Five, and in his prime, a warning fire glowed deep in Thut’s emerald eyes.

I meant no disrespect, Father, but my place is by your side. He stood his ground, treading a fine line between reason and disrespect.

Enough! Thut bellowed, his patience at an end, his tail lashing. He turned to Furrlin. Take the whelp to his room. He looked at his son. While I laud your courage, your insolence bores me. Show your mother the respect that is her due. She has earned it. You haven’t. You will not go on this raid.

Disappointment bitter as bile rolled up in his throat, threatening to choke him. He opened his mouth, looked at his father, snapped his jaws together, and stalked out. He heard Furrlin follow, his steps more halting. The old Odin Cat was seventeen if he was a day.

Why won’t she see reason? Sittchuk-Seth snarled. She babies me so. All my friends will pass from kittenhood into cathood today, leaving me behind like a kit that needs a sitter. He cocked his head over his shoulder, talking to Furrlin as he trotted up

the wide stone stairway to his room. That’s what they call you, old friend—Seth’s kitsitter.

Furrlin put his front paws on the steep step and pulled himself up. I know it well. It doesn’t bother me. It’s been a pleasure to serve you, young Seth.

Why do you say has instead of is? Seth stopped, his paw raised in midair for the next gray stone step. Tension skittered just below his skin, causing it to ripple.

I won’t live forever, young master.

What did you see in that ball of yours? Seth sat down and wrapped his plumy silver tail around his body, waiting for the old cat to catch up.

Not my future, but yours. His mouth open, panting, Furrlin climbed the steps that stood between them and sat down next to his charge, his old legs trembling.

What is it? Seth leaned forward eagerly.

Patience, young Seth. To know it is to change your destiny and that I cannot do. Furrlin drew air deep into his belly.

Seeing his friend had regained his breath, Seth leaped up several steps. He waited on the landing for Furrlin. A black Persian Odin that served his mother passed by and nodded.

Seth dipped his head in return.

Furrlin pulled himself onto the corridor and padded down the hall.

Seth matched his stride to the old Odin.

Do you believe the legend, Furrlin? Seth asked as they entered his room.

I do. For a moment the old Odin’s emerald eyes blazed.

And there are other Odin Cats outside our kingdom? Seth walked into his chambers, padded to the window and stared down at the small garden of catnip below. The catnip bloomed year round, regardless of the weather. He sniffed, his head bobbing up and down. The scent of mint both mellowed and exhilarated.

I believe it to be so.

And the prince will come in my lifetime? Maybe from across the waters, hidden on one of men’s ships? He stared out at the ocean.

Perhaps.

It isn’t our lineage. Seth felt a fleeting regret then shrugged it off. Father hates humans. He would never allow a uniting of kingdoms. How can I serve this prince, if I can’t prove myself in battle? He stalked up and down the stone-carved room.

"Leadership is about more than battle. It’s about knowledge. It’s about heart. It’s about fairness and mercy. Listen to your elders, study so you will be ready." The old white cat, his fur an unhealthy shade of yellow, watched his young charge.

Seth stared out the window. They leave in an hour. What route do they take?

Furrlin heaved a sigh. Did you hear a word I said?

Of course, old friend. He forced himself to put away his preoccupation with the upcoming raid. Dropping to all fours, he stalked across the stone floor to his mentor, the smooth rock cool against the pads of his paws.

He rubbed against the old soothsayer’s silken shoulders. I have been learning since I was a kit. What else is there to know? I can hunt. I can speak both human and Catonese. I have studied the strategies of all the great rulers: the lions, tigers, pumas, even detestable man. I know everything I need to know.

The old cat shook his head, his whiskers twitching. You are brave, kind, and intelligent, but you lack patience and humility.

With a twitch of his plumy tail, Seth stalked off. Sppt. Patience is for the old and humility is for those not born to royalty.

Green eyes glowing, the soothsayer said, I wish I could learn these lessons for you, but I can’t. It’s a journey you must make alone, one that will be painful in the extreme. But know this—you will survive. And your story will be told around the campfires of both soldiers and peasant cats alike. The name of Sittchuk-Seth will ride the wind and be carried to the farthest corners of the kingdom. As Furrlin spoke, his shadow filled the room, his jeweled eyes mesmerized, and his voice beckoned like that of a siren’s. It echoed and re-echoed about the room. Colors flashed from his sharp talons.

Seth could feel his pupils dilate and his breath come in short, sharp pants as he watched his mentor. The nerves beneath his skin tightened. A quiver like a stroke over fur ran along his spine. Though they’d been together for years, seldom did he see the old soothsayer’s magic.

Then the shadow and colors dissipated, the voice no longer boomed, and the glowing green eyes dimmed to that of an old cat with the beginnings of cataracts.

He shook his head to clear it, looking around in wonderment. For one magical moment, he’d felt cloaked in the old magician’s power. A gull called outside the window. He turned to watch it soar, its magnificent wings spread wide to catch the wind. His whiskers twitched; he’d returned to the world of the ordinary.

What did you see in your globe, Furrlin?

Your future, young master.

Seth raised his head and looked into the old cat’s eyes that were as green as his own. My immediate future? He tensed, his stomach muscles in knots.

Yes.

Their eyes locked.

And you won’t try to stop me? He twitched his ears.

Your destiny is written in the stars.

And you won’t try to come with me? he asked, still not quite believing it would be this easy.

If I did? Amusement laced the old cat’s voice.

I’m sorry, Furrlin, but you would slow me down. He winced just a bit at the arrogance in his voice. But it’s the cat’s truth.

Furrlin’s eyes grew dreamy and undulated like green waves. Your journey will be both less and more than you have ever imagined.

Sometimes, old friend, your messages are a bit hard to follow. Seth plopped his hind quarters down, wrapped his plumy tail around his body, and cocked his head.

I am only a vessel. I deliver the messages from the great cat goddess Bast, herself. He shrugged.

Can you tell me what route my father plans to take? He leaned forward, eager.

North into the high country. A band of ferals have been captured by humans to use for experimentation. Your father plans to attack before they reach the safety of the humans’ city walls.

Then I will go north too. He stood up. Eager to be off, he couldn’t sit still.

He rubbed noses with Furrlin. Will you be here when I get back?

I will always be with you, young prince.

Always is a long time, Furrlin.

The old cat shrugged. You are my charge. Given to me by the goddess Bast, herself.

You make me sound like a present. A fat, juicy mouse wrapped up in ribbons. Seth snickered.

The old cat chuckled. Something like that. But no mere mouse could so try my patience.

Seth sobered. Will you escape unscathed for this day’s work?

Would it make a difference?

I will go regardless, but I would rest easier knowing that you didn’t suffer any consequences for it.

The old cat sighed. You still think first of yourself. He batted his paw as Seth opened his mouth to protest. "I am the servant of Bast. Not