Sarah's Copycat Response

(Did this during CALM class. I think it was about half an hour. For those of you who've read Kaz ... it's half canonical. This is a planned scene, (from book four) but I don't know if it'll turn out this way. The essentials, however, are correct.)

I tiptoed out of my room, shielding the candle flame with my hand. A floorboard creaked underneath me, and I winced, sure that everyone on the hall must have heard it. But nothing stirred, and after a moment, I started breathing again.

Dip curled around my legs then slipped off down the hall.

“Hey!” I whispered. “Wrong way! We’re going to the stables, remember? There’s nothing that way but bedrooms.”

He looked back at me, blinked, and continued on his way.

“You stupid cat. What, you don’t think I should go? Too dangerous for the crown prince, huh? Well, nobody thought that when I took down that hag!”

That was me, Clarence said from the scabbard under my arm. You didn’t do anything.

He had a point there. “Well, what about the dragon?”

Also me.

I rolled my eyes. “You’re just my sword, Clarence. I killed it!”

Well that’s rich, Clarence said indignantly. I’d like to see you kill anything without me!

“I took down those mermaids by myself, didn’t I?" I hadn't fought them, exactly, but Clarence didn't really have to know that. "The point is, someone has to go scout out the mansion, and I’m the best choice.”

Plus me, Clarence added. And the cat.

The cat. Yaks, I’d almost forgotten about the whole reason for the argument. I crept down the hall, peering in the shadows. “Come on, Dip. Where …” I cut off as I found him. He was squatting beside a door at the very end of the hall, looking pleased with himself.

“You’ve made me come a whole hallway in the wrong direction. I could have been caught. Are you happy now?”

He meowed, causing me to wince and look around at the bedrooms. Nobody stirred – I guess they were all used to cats by now.

“Shh,” I hissed. “Do you want to wake up …” I peered at the door, trying to remember who was sleeping in there. Al? No, he was on the other side of the hallway. That door was … “Sharli?” I said incredulously.

Dip meowed again, scratching at the door. I dived for him. That was a very bad idea. His claws flashed like lightning, raking down my hand, and I stifled a yelp. “Dip … we can’t take Sharli. Not anymore.”
He hissed at me, his eyes glowing yellow in the light of my candle.

“It’s not my fault!” I snapped. “I’d take her in a minute. It’s her. She doesn’t want us anymore.” Not that she wouldn’t come if I asked. Sharli wouldn’t want to be let out of something this big any more than I would. But that was the point – she had left me out of that business with the giants. I figured it was my turn.

But … didn’t someone have to make the first move? I could use a partner at the mansion … and Dip wanted her. My lucky cat. He’d never been wrong yet.

I shrugged. “Suit yourself,” I whispered. I reached out to rap on the door, then stopped. I couldn’t risk making that much noise. So, holding my breath I turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.

A chilly breeze caught me in the face, but the room was quiet. She must be asleep. I lingered out in the hall, quite sure she wouldn’t like me barging into her room. 

“Sharli?” I whispered.

Dip meowed and padded into the room before I could stop him. Still, Sharli did not wake up. “Sharli?” I whispered again. That breeze was still there – was she sleeping with her window open? How could she stand that cold? I took a cautious step inside … and froze.

The window was open, all right. The bed was untouched. Sharli was gone.

“Oh Yaks.”