Page 19 of Me and My Christmas Familiar
Tears welled in his eyes.“Lachlan called me Kit.” His throat tightened painfully. “He gave me my name.” After so long without one, of just being a “cat,” a lost and lonely stray on the streets, he’d found Lachlan, and Lachlan had given him his name. “I’m Kit. I’m Lachlan’s familiar.”
Grady knelt in front of him, but Kit didn’t look into his eyes. He just kept his watery gaze on his hands.
“And what about before that?” Grady was asking about the before. Kit didn’t want to talk about the before. He glanced to Lachlan, as if for help.
But Lachlan still didn’t speak and still didn’t look at him.
“Lachlan,” Kit whined.
Lachlan made a sound. His eyes skittered to Kit before he looked away again. His hands were clasped tightly together in his lap. Kit wanted to reach out, touch him. But Lachlan didn’t want that now. He didn’t want Kit now.
He let out a shaky breath, body slumping.
“Were you a cat for a long time?” Wulfric asked.
Kit frowned, unsure what Wulfric meant. “I am a cat.”
“But you’ve been a human, like this”—Wulfric gestured to him—“before, haven’t you?”
Kit nodded slowly. “I have walked on two legs. I had no fur.” The memories felt less flowing, less wispy in this shape. He could follow the threads of thoughts and memories, which usually disappeared when he walked in his other form. “In the before.”
“Before?” Grady pressed.
Kit glanced at Lachlan, who still sat so far away. Maybe if Kit kept answering the questions, Lachlan would become lessuncertain and realise Kit was still Lachlan’s familiar, still his Kit, still his cat even when he walked on two legs and had no fur.
“Before the streets,” Kit said. “Before I walked amongst the buildings that piled on top of one another. Before then, I walked through trees, many, many trees. There was lots of food to catch and eat. And before that…” He paused as he sought the word. “…a farm.”
“And that was a long time ago?” Briar asked.
“Yes.” Kit nodded. “Many winters. Many summers.”
“And when was the last time you were like this?” Wulfric gestured to Kit.
“Long before the city,” Kit said.
Wulfric nodded. He glanced around the room. “If a shifter stays too long in one form, they can forget their other.” He looked at Lachlan. “After a long time, it’s said they can’t change back. Sometimes it becomes impossible for them.”
“I had to change so I could speak,” Kit said. “It was hard. It was painful. I couldn’t remember how. But Ihadto shift to speak words.” Kit turned his whole body to face Lachlan, and Kit leaned towards him. “I had to tell you I loved you too.”
Lachlan looked at him then.
Kit had found the words to explain everything that had happened. He smiled as pride filled him. He lowered his head to rub it against Lachlan’s chest.
Lachlan snapped back. He stood, eyes wide with horror.
Kit couldn’t breathe. His heart lurched. “Lachlan. Why…why won’t you let me touch you?”
Lachlan panted. “I…” He trailed off, mouth moving but no sound coming out. He shook his head.
Grady cleared his throat. “Maybe we should all rest. Go to sleep and process what has happened. I think tonight has been a lot for everyone.”
Lachlan nodded. Kit’s hands itched with the need to touch and hold Lachlan.
“You could take my bed tonight, Lachlan,” Grady said.
“What? No!” Kit’s hands clenched. “Why won’t you sleep with me in our bed?” Tears fell from his eyes. Lachlan had told him he’d care for him and look after him.
“I just… I need a little…” Lachlan’s chest rose and fell quickly.
