Feral Magic Read Online Free

disrespectful conversation, the cat led him to food.  She slunk over to a few bites in a dish set outside a wooden fence.  Dak's nose twitched.  He hadn't eaten for a long time.  He stared at the cat.  He supposed it would be rude to eat her.  No matter how irritating she'd been, she'd helped him.  And he really didn't eat felines.  Except after battle with Bretine's klatch.
    He caught a whiff of something and his heavy mane lifted along his spine.  Favel!
    With one leap he was over the fence...and hit by two small and plump cat bodies.
    This is OUR house, go away! said the black and white one.
    Go, go, go! said the long-haired black.
    I have come for my kit, Dak snarled, putting vibrato into his threat.
    The thing.  He has come for the thing! the younger, long-haired cat said.
    Good.  He can have the thing.  He is another thing.   Black-and-white cat was older and dominant.  Dak sensed that though the two lived together they weren't family or friendly.
    The black-and-white cat lifted his lip to show tiny fangs.
    Dak let his growl rumble all the way from his gut.
    The damn black cat shrieked.  Neither of the small ones backed down.  He could admire their courage even as their foolhardiness disgusted him.
    Creaking door, stomping feet.  The hopeful and wonderful smell of Dark Panther Klatch shit and urine – Favel!
    "What's going on here?"  A woman walked out, holding the baby who wore a cloth on his nethers!
    Dak bounded over the small cats, sending them tumbling with his tail.
    *~*~*
    Brandy froze, angled her body to protect the baby.  Her heart pounded.  The one step back into the house and closing the door would be too slow.
    The threatening black jaguar pinned her with his glare.  His head was taller than her waist.  She'd viewed a lot of photos of wild cats on the internet, and though the cat had a jaguar's facial features and build, his mane was a lion's, long and growing nearly halfway down his back.
    Huge, bigger than any of the "largest" stats.  Longer, heavier.  Bigger teeth.
    His upper lip had risen, showing really scary fangs.  A dangerous, predatory, intelligent purple gaze watched her.
    She managed a tiny swallow.  She'd known Stanley had been well cared for.  But why hadn't she thought someone – something – would come for him?
    The adult version of Stanley tilted his head back and his nostrils flared.  His plumeless tail lashed.
    Don't run.  Don't run.  Don't run.  Mountain lions.  Make yourself appear bigger!  Yell!  She didn't think that would work with this beast.  She supposed she was lucky seeing him at all instead of being ambushed and killed.  She took a step back.  Didn't stumble over the threshold.
    He prowled forward.

Chapter Five
     
     
    A bigger swallow.  "You're scaring me and I'm holding Stanley, please stop," she quavered.
    The tip of his tail twitched.
    Dak, dak, dak!  Stanley shrieked into her mind as he gave a loud shout and wrenched free and jumped .  Straight for the small concrete patio.
    He missed the steps.  The beast rushed, twisted, and the baby thunked onto his back.  Stanley grabbed his mane, laughed and laughed and laughed.
    Hand over her heart, knees weak, Brandy sank to the top step, dizzy with fright.  She needed to put her head between her knees, but not with that beast near.  Not gonna happen.
    The large cat strode to the grass, lowered himself, growled at Tom-Tom and Gypsy as they belly-slunk toward him.  Sure, she hadn't mowed for a while, but the grass wasn't that high, and it was pretty yellow.  Her boys were obvious – and obviously dumber than she'd thought.
    When she stood, the black jaguar whipped his head around and fixed his gaze on her.  She wanted to retreat, and it appeared she could trust Stanley with this...whatever he was.  If he'd wished Stanley dead, he could have just stepped aside and watched the baby smack the concrete.  "Well, uh, nice meeting you."  Lie.  "Glad you came for Stanley."  Truth.
    She