The Adventures of Cyril the Banshee

By Bob Battersby

Cyrils mother was a tart. His dad was an overnight guest he never knew.

As part of a clowder (or community) of feral cats, little Cyril was lucky be mentored by an old tom named Winston. Winston, once a high-society cat who had been abandoned, looked out for the kittens that needed help and guidance. He taught Cyril to walk, dance, yowl, and protect himself. One sad and exciting day, Winston told Cyril that since he was two, it was time to go out into the world and be his own cat.

Cyril left the clowder to find a new home and headed west, where he encountered strange animals and frightening new dangers. He was chased by wolves, chilled by cold and snow, and haunted by hunger. It was a scary journey for a young cat, but he trusted that Winston knew what he was doing. The trip was long and after wintering in an old barn Cyril headed west to Tabberts Corners where he found the home he was looking for and soon settled down and started a family.

In his free time, Cyril worked on his fearsome yowla sound that became so strong and fearsome that humans mistook it for the cry of the dreaded (and mythical) banshee.

• Language: English
• Publisher: LifeRich Publishing
• Release date: Feb 23, 2015
• ISBN: 9781489704115

Bob Battersby

Bob Battersby is the author of the book of prose The Gardener at Sea and Other Tales, the novel Babylon, DD4 and the Dancing Nun, and the children’s book Pete the Cat and Calico Joe. He lives in Mill Valley, California.

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Copyright © 2015 Bob Battersby.

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ISBN: 978-1-4897-0409-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-0410-8 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4897-0411-5 (e)

LifeRich Publishing rev. date: 2/20/2015

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Two generations of feline beauty: the youngest Simone, her mother Mirabelle and her Aunt Elyse lay in the sun and occasionally shifted as the sun moved past their window. Collectively, they thought of moving to follow the sun as it found its way into another window but then, its warmth was waning so they thought the carpet is warm where we are. Later, they would all go to their favorite nooks. Mirabelle had dibs on the people’s bed. Elyse, her sister, would choose the laundry room. There always seemed to be a basket of clothes or sheets ready for a wash or just out of the dryer. Simone would go sleep in the dog’s basket and, although it often smelled like something he had rolled in, she knew that cross-breed ruffian wouldn’t dare complain. There had been a silent truce between the dog, ‘Fetch’ and the cats since he peed on their scratching post and Mirabelle retaliated by spraying his imitation fire hydrant.

The three mollies had made plans to go to Mr. Buttons’ Cat Spa later this afternoon for a whisker trim and special preening. The annual Tabbert’s Corners Clowder Cotillion was in the evening and they wanted to look their very best. Tonight, Mirabelle would present her daughter, Simone, at her coming out party. Aunt Elyse would help, but it was really Mirabelle’s show. Mirabelle loved her daughter and loved her name. The lady (Wanda May Gritts) who owned the place where they lived had spent a summer in France after she left college and always felt