Mittens Part 6

This will effect over stories going forward

Mittens Part 6

I look at them both confused. My eyes are still just as wide as the moment we got here. What are they saying! Maybe she really is the same cat that scratched me earlier today!

“Are you finding it….odd… being a girl…?” Lorelei asks me honestly. “Bit of shock for you I’m sure.”

“You did this to meow!?” I growl, feeling my blood boil. “Change me back!

Lorelei steps back nervously and stares at Lars. “You haven’t told her….have you?”

“No,” he replies quickly, shaking his head with a dour expression.

Lorelei then turns back to me with a bashful expression. Stepping forward she grabs my hand with her paw and looks into my eyes.

“You humans have a saying about us cats,” she explains slowly. “You say we have nine lives.”

I nod my head in agreement. We do say that about cats.

“Well…,” Lorelei continues, letting go of my hand. “That’s somewhat true, but the details are a little wrong. In truth, what we have is nine different lives we can affect.”

I narrow my eyes. What is she telling me! “erm….I don’t understand what your saying.”

Lorelei gives me a warm smile before lowering her head.

“Understand it like this,” she continues with a gloomy tone. “For me to have transformed you—I have lost what you’d say is one of my nine lives.”

“So it was you!” I bark in frustration. “Use another ‘life’ to change me back!”

Lars steps forward and places a comforting hand on Lorelei’s shoulder. He slowly shakes his head at me as I demand to be changed back.

“She can’t,” he says softly, holding her tightly. “That was her last….life. Any more and she will pass on.”

I stare at them both in disbelief. I didn’t ask for any of this!

“You change me!” I huff, pointing at Lars. “You change me back then if she can’t!”

Lars awkwardly coughs and looks away from my glare.

“I can’t,” he replies, touching Lorelei’s shiny colorful fur. “Only ones chosen for this gift can do it. Lorelei is the last I know. We are banking our last chance….on you—princess.”

Getting a headache, I find it all too much to take in. I press my back up against the wall and cover my eyes. There has to be a way to change me back! I can’t stay like this!

My blood pressure now spiking it causes my breathing to become heavy. Why me!?

“W-why..?” I mumble stressfully through my fingers. “Why me!?”

“See Lorelei,” Lars emphasizes. “I told you to target the sister. She wouldn’t have had to change gender and would have likely dealt with this better!”

“No!” Lorelei quickly answers, determined to defend her decision. “Believe in my choice Lars. Don’t act so defeated in front of the Princess. It’s rude!”

“I’m NOT the princess of this horrible place!” I scream with everything I have. “STOP calling me that.”

“Princess,” Lars quickly replies in panic. “Lower your voice…please.”

Frustrated, my chest rises and falls with each long breath. I glare at Lars as he holds his hands up to quell my rage.

“Mitzy!” Loreilie says softly, trying to defuse the situation. “Please, sit down and let me try to explain to you what's happening.”

I snap my glare at her and find her expression soft and friendly. I shut my eyes for a few seconds and try to calm myself. Moving over to the small cloth seat next to the fire, I sit and take in a long breath.

“Ok…,” I say, flapping down my dress to cover my knees. “Tell me what happened here?”

Lorelei swiftly moves to sit on the floor next to me. Lars continues to stand, looking over us both with stern shoulders.

“There used to be so many cats like me,” Lorelei begins to explain, wiping her face with her paw. “Families, friends—all playing in this area without care. I still remember the celebrations we’d have when Formadors were born.”

“Formadors?” I’m quick to ask, breaking her flow.

“Cats like me,” she replies with a smile. “We have the gift. Usually, we have fur that is different. Mine is a shiny pink color.”

“So…. are cats like you the only ones to have nine lives?”

“Yes. In a sense that is correct. We have the gift to adjust lives nine times. That can be ourselves, our friends, or anyone we touch.”

I see her then turn her attention to the arm that she scratched on me this morning. “I’m glad I didn’t cause too much harm.” She says awkwardly

If what she’s telling me is true, there are others out there like her. Others that can change me back to normal!

“Where are the others?” I ask, desperate for an answer.

“Gone,” Lars interrupts. “or they’ve fled to the human world.”

“You mean…..?”

“Yes, Dead,” Lars is quick to answer. “We are few and far scattered these days. Our culture is gone and with, our way of life has vanished.”

“I can see that,” I reply, looking out of the small window. “What happened to this place?”

“He took it Mitzy,” Lorelei sobs. “He took what was ours. For generations, Formadors like me would help those in need. It was our calling. It was our destiny! Until HE came and took our most precious of treasures.”

“Who is HE and what did HE take?” I ask, staring at Lorelei and then quickly turning my attention to Lars.

“We don’t know,” Lars answers, shrugging. “All we know is that he is of Human origin. No one knows what he truly looks like.”

“That’s not all Mitzy,” Lorelei interrupts, drawing my attention. “The treasure they took allowed for Formadors like me to be born. Without that, our work can’t be completed, and eventually, it has led to the ruin of our home.

“What is this treasure? What does it do?”

“It’s a sphere,” Lars answers abruptly. “A sphere that has several missing pieces or chunks.”

I look at Lars and see the dread on his face. He really is serious about what he’s saying.

“A sphere?” I question. “I was expecting like….erm…I dunno, something a little grander.”

“Oh it’s precious,” Lorelei is quick to answer.

Turning to face Lars, Lorelei gives him a complicated look. “Lars, what was the human word for it again?”

“Oh erm,” Lars mumbles, rubbing his neck for a moment. “A philosopher's stone.”

Trying my absolute best to follow, I rub my sore and now very tired eyes. It has been a really long day!

“Wait,” I grumble, getting a little confused. “You said it has missing pieces. I don’t really understand how someone just taking something could lead to your world looking like it does!”

“Oh child,” Lorelei softly scoffs. “Imagine if in your world someone took all of the resources to make electricity. What do you think would happen?”

Scrunching my face, I reach up to scratch one of my cat ears. “I guess that person who took it all would be in control of everything.”

Lorelei nods and smiles. “Imagine that small pieces were left behind. What do you think people who do to get those small bits of hope?

My tail flaps as a terrible answer come to mind. “Everyone would fight over them.”

“Not just a pretty face…,” Lars chuckles. “Can you see princess? Our society collapsed and fell to infighting. Now, what remains of our culture is scattered.”

I give Lars a quick nod, then look down at myself in Kerry’s dress. What are they expecting me to do about it! I’m just a young….girl. Actually even younger than when I woke up this morning as a boy!

“Thank you both for answering my questions, but I’m still very confused as to why you think I can help with any of this!” I say, shaking my head at that absurd idea.

“We need the pieces Mitzy,” Lorelei directs, getting to her feet and walking over to the small window to look outside. “Once we have those, we can use them to find the rest of the sphere.”

Lars moves over to comfort Lorelei by placing a hand on her shoulder. “You see, we hope that once we have the sphere back—we can try and rebuild our home.”

“Sure….,” I dubiously reply, rubbing my arm as Lars comforts Lorelei. “Still, I don’t want to be rude, but I’m nothing special. Saving the world isn't exactly something I’ve….done before.”

“Try not to think too much into it Princess,” Lars is swift to answer, letting go of Lorelei as she turns to face me. “Just know this—Humans can’t pass into this world. However, you as a Werecat can pass between both worlds.”

“So….,” I reply, shrugging my shoulders. “I’m still confused.”

“We need you to find the missing pieces in the human world Mitzy,” Lorelei states bluntly. “We are unable to move freely in your world. Doors pose a particular issue, and so does gaining transport.”

“Right….,” I reply, nodding my head in agreement. “So I just need to find the pieces and then you’ll be able to change be back to normal…right?”

Lorelei quickly turns to give Lars a worried face. Then both swiftly smile uncomfortably.

“We aren’t sure,” Lars answers. “We’d need to find another willing Formador.”

Lorelei then opens her mouth to talk, but Lars holds his paw over her mouth. “Not yet,” he exclaims, stopping her from talking.

Smiling, Lars lets go of Lorelei’s mouth and puts his hand on his sword with confidence. Standing tall, he gives us both a wide grin.

“I will of course be your guide in all things,” he declares, speaking with passion. “I will accompany you back to the human world!”

Lowering a shoulder, I stand with one hand on my hip. “As my…..pet cat?”

“Is that problem?” Lars asks, clearly a little offended by my reaction to his chivalry.

“I guess not,” I smirk, pointing at his sword. “You can’t have that in the house. My parents will ask too many questions.”

Lars grins and we share a playful look.

“You must go now,” Lorelei demands, looking rather jittery. “The raiding parties will soon be this way and if they find you both here they will strip me of what little I have left!”

Lars instantly holds out his hand for Lorelei to take. Pulling her close to him, she rubs his nose against hers. Lorelei does the same in what must be an intimate moment for them.

“Stay safe,” Lars tells her, rubbing his whiskers against the side of her face.

“You too, my love,” Lorelei responds, holding him tight.