Hearts and Stones - Robin D. Owens Page 0,13

emotion too thickly to talk.

The cats ate greedily, licking Karida’s hands.

“They’re hardly more than kittens,” Levona murmured, squatting to offer her hand with some bites, too.

They is much younger than Me, Pizi said, though she only neared her four-month mark. You should give Them ALL my treats. They need it more than Me, she ended virtuously.

We’ll get more for you, Levona said on their private channel.

Of course. Pizi had no doubts of that. She licked Levona’s hand, then sauntered around the alley, lifted her muzzle and sniffed loudly, tilted her head.

There are more out there. The dam of these and the sire and others!

“We should bring them in, all of them, and take them to people who’ll appreciate them,” Karida said.

She meant folk in the barrio, and no doubt Karida believed in her community, but Levona had followed her parents’ example and not stayed where she’d be specifically targeted for her psychic gifts.

Karida called out loud to the cats, and two more short-haired grays poked their heads around the alley wall. One trotted forward. Karida sat down right there in the alley, and projected a hypnotic mental song that stilled Levona, too. Come to me, cats. I will find you homes with loving people who will cherish and respect you.

Pizi nipped at Levona’s thumb and she jerked from the trance, frowned at the summoning, and said, “You need to use less words and more images, and definitely send emotion. That way they’ll feel that you’re sincere and not wanting them for … experiments … or whatever.”

Karida glanced up at her. “Right.” Holding her hands flat, she inhaled and drew on her power. A moment later raw hamburger lay on her palms.

“Translocation,” Levona breathed. “An impressive power.”

“Yes, thank you.” Then Karida turned her head to stare down the alley that opened into a rubbled space. “You have good maps in your head, that’s one of your gifts.”

“Yeah.”

“Then you probably know all about the routes into the ship.” She cleared her throat. “Into Lugh’s Spear.”

“Maybe.”

And once We get into the ship, We will FEEL it, and know all its passageways, too! Pizi burbled.

Levona grit her teeth at Pizi’s revelation.

Karida wiggled, settling into the spot, body angling away from Levona and Pizi, as if dismissing them to go their way. “I believe that having semi-intelligent animal companions like these cats is very important to our cause here on Earth.” She sighed, then reached out when another late-kittenhood feline zoomed toward them. The little black tom leapt and attached himself to Karida’s jacket, crawled up to snuggle against her neck. “Lady and Lord,” Karida murmured. “This one is mine!”

“Lady and Lord? Oh, the Divine Couple.”

“Yes, a very good religion to forge a community, generous and with the tenet to do no harm.”

“I can believe in that,” Levona said.

The cat revved his purr. The soothing sound filled the alley. Levona sensed he, too, sent out a telepathic call.

“Better get going,” Karida said.

“Yes.”

“There’s another cat,” Karida whispered.

“They are psi mutants like us,” Levona said. “They must be nurtured and cherished.”

And become heart friends to peoples! Pizi put in. We will alls help each others. Here and there and everywhere.

“That sounds good to me,” Karida said.

“I want one of these little cats to go to Bartek,” Levona said.

Karida nodded. “Done, and I’ll keep an eye on him.” Her mouth flattened. “Quite a few of us are keeping an eye on Bartek. I’ll watch out for him and the cat.”

“Good.”

Levona recalled words painted on the graffiti wall. “Blessed be.”

“Blessed be, go with the Lady and Lord,” Karida answered. She dug into her pocket and tossed up Levona’s fake I.D. bracelet, didn’t watch as Levona caught it.

I will do nothing to frustrate your … plans, but I do not condone them, came Karida’s whisper in Levona’s mind. She turned squarely away from them.

The tom rumbled his purr even louder, using psi magic.

Show off, Pizi grumbled as Levona tip-toed out of the alley. Her purr had always been rather thin.

They found a cheap food window and Levona parted with a few singles for a veggie smelling handpie filled with stuff that promised to be nutritious if not tasty, and treats for Pizi.

They had to get on Lugh’s Spear as soon as possible, before whatever good will Karida had for Pizi and Levona dried up. Sneaking on wouldn’t be as difficult as hiding until the ship launched.

So they waited in the darkest of shadows through long hours with fear and anticipation rising and fading, but keeping Levona’s teeth on edge and