Shardai: Cats of Catarau, #1

By Sandra Cox

Shardai is a large, sleek cat with attitude. He has the courage of a tiger and the disdain of a king. The fearless feline has only one weakness, his guardian. He would do anything, even come back from the afterlife, for her.

Shardai is the first in the Cats of Catarau series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sandra Cox
• Release date: Oct 31, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201938451

Sandra Cox

Multi-published author Sandra Cox writes YA Fantasy, Paranormal and Historical Romance, and Metaphysical Nonfiction. She lives in sunny North Carolina with her husband, a brood of critters, and an occasional foster cat. Although shopping is high on the list, her greatest pleasure is sitting on her screened-in porch, listening to the birds, sipping coffee and enjoying a good book. She’s a vegetarian and a Muay Thai enthusiast. Readers can find Sandra at sandracox.blogspot.com, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SandraCox.Author, or at twitter.com@Sandra_Cox.

Book preview

Chapter One

The council of cats sat in a circle. There were nine, representative of a cat’s nine lives. They wore gossamer robes and the table where they sat floated in misty clouds. The sun occasionally peeped through to warm their silken fur. In front of them, a magnificent white cat with glowing green eyes stalked back and forth.

He rose on his hind legs and placed his paws upon his sleek thigh bones. I must go back. She weeps so.

The elder, a dignified Abyssinian named Ramses, gave a weary sigh. We have been through this, Shardai. You spent twelve years with her this time and seven before that. Do you forget she had you killed?

That was a shock, Shardai admitted and lashed his tail, but in her mind she was saving me from pain and starvation. The tumor had grown large inside my chest.

A petite silver tabby, named Lolita, who had always been enamored of the big white cat, spoke up. She should have known better. I would have known better. We all know Shardai is a great fighter, who fights even death. You would have preferred pain and starvation to the ignominy of being put to sleep by a mortal vet.

She knew, Shardai said quietly. But she couldn’t bear my pain. She wished this for me. His paw made a sweeping gesture around him.

A hundred feet below the clouds, thousands of cats roamed and played. An occasional dog or horse was visible. Many stood at a golden gate, eagerly awaiting their guardians who would soon pass over. The gate opened onto a rainbow bridge which connected Catarau and Heaven.

Cats that had used up a life on earth and passed on to Catarau had a choice. They could live eternally among their kind or cross over the rainbow bridge to be with their beloved humans.

But no humans could live in Catarau. Some people had brought great love but many more had maimed, killed and starved the feline species.

St. Peter, who respected their no-human rulings, often would stop on the other side of the bridge and call out the list of coming souls to the cats and other animals that clustered around.

The elder rapped on the table with his paw, drawing the council’s attention back to the matter at hand. If that is what she wanted for you, why this desire to go back?

Her faith is weak. She is tormented. She will never know if I passed through to the other side or if I will be eternally caught in that one moment when I felt the pain of the needle passing into my muscle then looked into her tear-filled eyes with surprise. He gave a small cat laugh. She fears I fight on still.

But that is silly, said a beautiful Seal Point Siamese admiring her gleaming curved claws as she unsheathed them.

Shardai gave a shrug of his powerful shoulders. Humans are not rational creatures. Look, he pointed through the mists to a spot on earth that he had once inhabited, even the dog pines.

The council looked down at a liver-colored spaniel that lay with his head between his front paws, his chocolate brown eyes filled with sadness.

Stay, Shardai. I could make you forget your wearisome human, Lolita batted her eyelashes at him, her manner coquettish.

The elder said sternly, Lolita, a council meeting is neither the time nor the place for your goings on. If you are going into heat, I suggest you join one of your love sick admirers on the green.

The council collectively stared down into Catarau’s lush meadow, dotted liberally with catmint and a hundred other herbs and flowers designed to entice a feline’s senses. A dozen toms in assorted colors sat a hundred feet below the council, looking up, waiting expectantly.

Shardai laughed. You don’t need me, little one. But I thank you for the singular honor.

Then you are going back? she asked.

With council’s permission.

The elder looked at him gravely. You know the risk you run.

Shardai nodded.

"Once you leave this holy place and return to the human’s earth, we can no longer protect you. If you are starved, tortured or gassed, we cannot interfere.

Travel through space is less than a perfect science, especially for cats, and there is no guarantee you will ever find her. Earth is a large place. And even if you find her, what are the odds she will know you?

I will know her, the big cat said quietly. That is all that matters.

What if you find her and she gives you away? a beautiful Mau named Nefret asked worriedly. Shardai’s human ran a small cat rescue. Stray cats passed through her portals regularly.

She will know me, the white cat said stubbornly.

You run a risk, my friend, Ramses the elder said, his glowing gold eyes troubled.

Shardai swept out his paw. Look around you. Do you think I want to leave all this? She would do it for me. I have no choice.

Ramses sighed from deep in his golden belly.

Shardai admired the council leader’s regal golden-brown, black-flecked fur. Ramses’ ancestors had served the kings and queens of Egypt and had been mummified with them when the rulers passed on.

Shardai grimaced. Maybe there were worse deaths than being put down by a vet.

Ramses deep voice cut through Shardai’s thoughts and drew him back to the present.

We will put it to a vote. All those in favor of allowing Shardai to return raise your right paw.

Four paws shot up. Nefret’s, Lolita’s, Luna’s and Frodo’s stayed flat on the table.

Shardai felt his muscles tighten, as he looked at Ramses. He was so close. He had to get back to his beloved mistress. He strode round the table till he stood directly in front of Ramses.

The Abyssinian’s golden eyes narrowed. I distrust that look, Shardai. Don’t think to sway me with one of your pretty speeches.

Shardai leaned his front paws on the table and looked into Ramses eyes, his expression intense, his long tail swishing. I never beg or plead, though I would in this case if I thought it would get me home to her. Instead, I ask you to remember fifty years ago when you died. The boy was what, twelve, thirteen? Trembling on the threshold of young adulthood and he still cried into his pillow every night for weeks for his beloved Ramses. And even after all these years, he speaks fondly of you to his grandchildren. The bond was there, Ramses, you knew it, you felt it. You know what it’s like. There were cats and dogs that came after you over the years but no one took your place. That corner of his heart he locked away and you’ll always reside there.

Shardai felt the gaze of the council on him, but focused on the Abyssinian who held his fate in his paws.

A warm light breeze ruffled the cats’ fur but neither Shardai nor Ramses felt it, their eyes locked. The silence stretched out for several heartbeats.

Shardai’s gut tightened and the nerve endings under his skin quivered and jumped. Just as he opened his mouth to hiss out his rage and pain, Ramses’ shoulders slumped and he threw up his paws. "If this is what you wish, so be it. He stood up, tall and regal. The sun glistened on his fur as he began to chant:

"For troubled shores now thee leave

Man’s imperfections to receive

With mortals weakened, faulty shell

So shall ye among them dwell..."

Ramses paw shot out rigidly in front of him.

Shardai was gone, leaving a wisp of blue smoke floating in the spot he had inhabited only moments before.

SO FOOLISH, LOLITA complained to Morris, the council member on her right.

Have you never loved a human? he asked curiously, as they watched Shardai’s descent to earth.

Never, she spat.

Morris shook his head.

Chapter Two

Atiny paw clawed at him as he fought for the teat. Shardai hung on tenaciously. Warm, life-giving milk spurted down his throat, as he worked the pulsing surface with paws no larger than a human child’s fingernail.

When he finally drank his fill, he loosened his hold and let a little gray tabby that reminded him of Lolita take his place. At least he thought it was a gray tabby. He blinked and tried to focus his blurred vision.

His hind legs pushed against a brother or sister as he cuddled against his mother’s soft fur. Shardai raised his head and tried to look around.

He’d come back as a ten-day old kitten. He would have preferred to come back as an adult, but one was not given choices when one time-warped. The only thing that was a given was that he had come back in the present. Ten days after his death. Ah, so that was why he inhabited a ten-day old body. And if he hadn’t inhabited it, some other traveler would have.

His mother began to lick him. I felt your entry into the body of my child. Welcome, my son.

Thank you, Mother. He looked as best he could through blurred eyes at the thin tired cat that protected him. She sniffed him then continued to clean him with her raspy tongue. You are an old soul.

This is my third entry to the human’s world. What of my siblings? There were four others nestled against their mother’s silken stomach.

All new souls.

A dark little bundle beside Shardai stirred. What’s a new soul, Mamma?

You are, dear.

Shardai snuggled closer against his mother’s warm body. And you, Mother?

New as well, do you think I would be here by choice?

He lifted his head and tried to keep it from wobbling as he sniffed the air, heavy with the scent of hay and decay. There was no smell of human habitation. We are ferals, Mother?

Yes, my son. Never trust people. They will hurt you. They might pretend otherwise, but they will hurt you in the end.

He kept his council. Much of what she said was true. How old are you, Mother?

One summer old. He could hear the weariness in her voice. His poor mother, life must be hard for her. His last mother had been a pampered white Persian.

Give me time, Mother, and I will take care of you. And find my human mom.

"I know you will, dear. I am lucky to have an old soul in my litter. What are