Free Hilda - Cats by Paul Kater

strange change about her: her dress seemed less pink. "My
head hurts." Now there was a surprise. Esmee sat down next to Babs.
"Did I really fly into that cage?"
    "You sure did, kiddo," said the ugly witch.
"Spectacular. I don't suppose you want to do it again to show Hilly
and Willy, right?"
    Esmee wanted to look daggers at Baba Yaga but
decided against that. "No. I don't. Where were you this morning? I
heard that cook was quite upset about something in the dining hall.
Did you see anything strange?"
    The three said they had not seen anything
they had not seen before. Esmee shrugged. "Sometimes they are like
that. People, I mean."
    "Ordinaries," Hilda helped.
    Esmee nodded. "Yes, them."
    Hilda then told the flower witch about the
things they had discovered that morning. Esmee quickly woke up over
that strange news. "No, never heard of a cat that is also a woman
around here. Nor anywhere else, for that matter." Esmee frowned as
she thought about that again, but came up with nothing. "No.
Never."

10. A strange
meeting

    As Esmee was being brought up to date on the
findings earlier that morning, two people met in a shed. The shed
was not on the castle grounds; it was about a mile from the nearby
village. When the man entered the shed, making sure nobody had
followed him, he found that the woman was already inside and
waiting.
    "I thought you would not come," said the
woman.
    "Magda, listen, I have many things on my
mind. I have to tell people what to do and such. How did it
go?"
    The woman shrugged. "Nothing special. There
is not much progress and something seemed out of control this
night. As if there was a force interfering. I don't know what to
make of that."
    The man sat down on a block of wood. "But you
can keep this up, right?"
    "Lindolf, look, I know you want to expand
your influence and I am grateful for all the energy you can supply
me with, but I still say we have to take this slowly. All this
changing business is hard work and wearing me out no matter what. I
can keep this up, yes, but not at the rate you want."
    "But the 'scaring the people' part? Are you
ready for that soon?" Lindolf leaned over to Magda, as if that
would make a difference.
    "Soon. I think so. Once we're more stable,
and that is starting to develop," Magda nodded. "In a few days I
could try something in the village. I will need some small animals
there though, somewhere we agree on in advance. I don't want to
waste time looking all over the place."
    Lindolf waved both hands. "No problem,
really, I will have Jock put a crate of chickens wherever you want
them. Just let me know when and where, and things will be
prepared."
    "Good." Magda got up and stretched her back.
"Argh, I'm getting old and tired."
    "Nonsense," said Lindolf. "You are a young,
wonderful and strong woman!"
    "I miss the 'beautiful' in that list,
Lindolf," she laughed, "but you are not looking for a beautiful
woman. Instead you come to me. Because I have what you want." She
laughed even harder now, forgetting for a moment that the meeting
should go unnoticed. "I'll send word to you when I'm ready."
    "I'll be waiting," Lindolf said as he got up.
"You should get some sleep, Magda, you look like you were up all
night."
    "I should kick you for that, Lindolf," Magda
grumbled, "but I don't feel up to that. Yes. I need to sleep."
    Lindolf nodded. "We'll meet again soon,
Magda." Then he left.
    Magda waited for a while and then she too
left the shed.

11. A village
trip

    Hilda believed what Esmee had said. A person
that also was a big cat would not go unnoticed. "Right. So bottom
line is that we have only very little to go on. Several handfuls of
bones, some hair and a few paw-prints of uber-cat size. Ideas
anyone?" The assembled magical society remained alarmingly
quiet.
    From inside the castle a few children started
wailing. Esmee groaned. "I wish I was not around, Hilda," she said,
"when I am not around I don't have to come to the rescue..."
    Hilda frowned. "I thought you like