Free Karen Anne Golden - The Cats That 05 - The Cats that Watched the Woods by Karen Anne Golden Page B

cell to call Jake. There was no reception. “I was afraid of this. Oh well. I wanted to get away, so I’m truly getting away,” she mused.
    Katherine opened the door to the screen porch, and Scout and Abra shot into the cabin’s main room. They immediately explored every nook and cranny.
    “I bet you’re hungry,” Katherine called after the cats. “I’ll feed you after you’ve settled down. Want to help me make the bed?”
    The Siamese ignored her. Instead they found a wide windowsill and were sitting back-to-back like bookends, peering outside. Scout’s tail was twitching; Abra’s was thumping back and forth.
    “At-at-at-at-at!” Scout clucked.
    “What are you two looking at?” Katherine pulled the partially opened curtain and looked outside. A large crow was standing on top of the Subaru. “That’s the biggest bird I’ve ever seen,” Katherine said, astonished.
    The bird sensed a human and flew away, emitting a loud string of “caws.”
    “That, my little furry friends, was a bird. Not one of your Manhattan pigeons you used to watch on the window ledge, but a crow. Crows have their own language and can even count. What do you think about that, Abra?” she asked, petting her on the head.
    Abra glanced back at Katherine and cried, “Caw.”
    Katherine laughed. “Did you just say caw?”
    “Raw,” Abra answered.
    “Okay, enough. I’ve got to make up my bed if we’re going to get any sleep tonight.” Katherine moved to the bedroom and found an antique armoire. Inside were clean bed linens, blankets and enough towels to last a month. The king-sized bed had a log headboard and footboard. When Katherine looked up, she gasped. Mounted above the bed, close to the ceiling, was a giant faux moose head with a large rack of antlers.
    Curious about what their human was doing, the Siamese trotted in, took one excited look at the moose head, and effortlessly leapt to the top of it. The moose head was so large, they could both sit on it, balancing between the ears and the antlers.
    “Good thing I didn’t bring Lilac and Abby or you wouldn’t be sitting up there now.” Scout and Abra were down-to-earth cats, while Lilac and Abby were more comfortable being able to survey life below.
    After several hours of unpacking, feeding the Siamese, and eating her own dinner, Katherine curled up on a sofa, which looked like it came straight from a rustic decor catalog. The frame was made from logs and the green cushions had a bear and elk scene printed on them. All of the cabin furniture seemed to be constructed out of logs. The TV console had hand-hewn log legs with a bear on each of the two cabinet doors. Inside was a row of DVDs of some recent-release movies. Katherine wasn’t sure if she’d watch any, because her goal was to be at one with nature. The small dining table consisted of a plank top on log legs, with benches on either side.
    The thunderstorm pushed through a much-needed cold front, so Katherine turned on the gas log insert in the fireplace. Scout and Abra trotted into the room, and flopped down on their sides. Scout washed Abra’s ears, then Abra returned the favor. This peaceful interlude lasted about half a minute until Scout bit Abra’s neck, and the two went flying from room-to-room in a fast chase.
    Before Katherine and the cats retired for the evening, she made sure the windows were locked, as well as the front and back doors. She latched the door to the screened-in porch. She’d wished that it had been a regular door, because she feared someone could easily cut the screen and gain entry. In her bedroom, she leaned a security bar against the door. She looked out the back window, amazed at how dark it was. Even with the porch light on, she couldn’t see beyond her SUV.
    Once she hit the bed, she fell fast asleep, but was awakened by two hyperactive Siamese who wanted in. Finally, after two minutes of their plaintive cries and the constant jiggling of the door handle, she got up and opened the