Page 10 of The Moon Sister
I called the cats’ names again, but there was nothing; not the faintest sound of a paw on a crackling leaf. With four huge pavilions, the cats could be anywhere and they were all obviously in hiding, probably sulking.
‘Hey, guys, it’s me, Tiggy,’ I whispered into the utterly silent air, my breath appearing in misty waves in front of me. ‘I’m here, and there’s no need to be afraid. You’re safe, I promise you. I’m here with you,’ I reiterated, then waited again to see if they’d respond to my voice. They didn’t, and after investigating each pavilion and listening for as long as I could without dying of exposure, I distributed the kill, exited through the gate, and walked back up the slope.
*
‘Where ha’ you been so bright and early?’ Cal asked me as he emerged from the tiny kitchen with steaming cups of tea for us both.
‘I went to check on the cats, but they didn’t come out. The poor things are probably terrified, but at least they heard my voice.’
‘As you know, I’m not a fan o’ cats in general. Selfish, scratchy, antisocial buggers whose loyalty lies with whoever feeds ’em. Give me a dog like Thistle any day,’ Cal commented.
‘I saw him in the barn this morning, I gave him a bone from the cold room,’ I admitted, sipping the strong brew. ‘Does he always sleep there?’
‘Aye, he’s a working dog, like I said, not some pampered townie pooch.’
‘Couldn’t he sleep in the cottage sometimes? It’s awfully cold out there.’
‘Och, Tig, you’re too much of a softie. He’s used to it,’ Cal admonished me mildly as he walked back towards the kitchen. ‘Want some toast and jam?’
‘I’d love some, thanks,’ I called, as I entered my bedroom and knelt down in front of Alice’s cage to open the gate. I saw two bright eyes peering out of the little wooden hut she liked to burrow in. One of her tiny legs had been badly broken in her fall down the rabbit hole and had never fully recovered. She limped around her cage like a pensioner, even though she was less than a few months old.
‘Good morning, Alice,’ I whispered. ‘How did you sleep? How about some cucumber?’
I went back into the kitchen to retrieve the cucumber from the fridge – which I saw needed a thorough clean to remove the green tinge of mould from the back and the shelves. I also noticed the sink was full of dirty pots and pans. I pulled the toast out of the grill and spread it with margarine on the cramped work surface, which was littered with what must have been a good week’s worth of breadcrumbs.
Typical man, I thought to myself. Even though I wasn’t anal about cleanliness, this was beyond my tolerance levels and my fingers itched to set to work. After feeding Alice, I sat with Cal at the small table in the corner of the sitting room and ate my toast.
‘So what do yae usually give the cats o’ a morning?’ he enquired.
‘Today, I threw in the pigeons and a couple of the rabbits I brought with me.’
‘Well, I’ve got a mound o’ deer hearts for yae stored away in the freezer. I’ll show yae – it’s in a shed in the courtyard at the back o’ the Lodge.’
‘They’ll love those, Cal, thanks.’
‘I don’t get it, Tig. You say you’re a vegan, so how can yae cope with handlin’ dead meat every day?’
‘Because it’s nature, Cal. Humans are evolved enough to make conscious decisions about our diet and we have plenty of alternative food sources to keep us alive, whereas animals don’t. Alice eats meat because that’s what her species does, and likewise the cats. It’s just the way it is, though I admit I’m not a fan of handling deer hearts. The heart is the essence of us all, really, isn’t it?’
‘I cannae comment; I’m a man and I like the taste of red meat between my teeth, be it offal or the best cut o’ steak.’ Cal wagged his finger at me. ‘And I’m warning you, Tig, I’ll never evolve, I’m a carnivore through an’ through.’
‘I promise that I won’t try to convert you, though I will draw the line at cooking you lamb chops and stuff.’
‘Besides, I thought all you Frenchies loved your red meat?’
‘I’m Swiss, not French, so maybe that explains it,’ I countered with a grin.
‘Margaret told me you’re also a bit o’ a boffin, aren’t yae, Tig, with your degree an’ all? I’m sure you could be getting a well-paid, high-flyin’ job in some lab, instead of nurse-maiding a few mangy cats. Why Kinnaird?’
‘Actually I did work in a zoo lab analysing data for a few months. The money was good but I was miserable. It’s the quality of your life that counts, isn’t it?’
‘Aye, given what I’m paid for all the back-breaking hours I work, I need tae believe that!’ Cal gave a deep chuckle. ‘Well, it’s good you’re here, I’ll be glad o’ the company.’
‘I thought I’d give the cottage a spring-clean today, if that’s okay.’
‘It could do with it an’ that’s for sure. Thanks, Tig. I’ll be seeing yae later.’
With that, he shrugged on his old Barbour and stomped towards the door.
