I always thought that I would be the one to travel alone. Move fast. Move light. No commitments. No demands. Alone.

Didn’t work out that way.

Now I’m not saying that I found a soul mate or anything like that. Some cats do, but I was given to understand my Ma and litter-mates that such was not meant for me. I was the runt. And I was not gifted in the ways that they were.

For now I walk with the human Sarah. She doesn’t like me much and I feel the same about her. But it works. Mutual lack of respect I guess. But we have much in common so that we feel like we belong together, I guess. Like the fact that both our families considered us disposable. Not useless. But only useful in that someone better didn’t have to be sacrificed to meet the objective. I don’t know what Sarah’s story is. It happened before my time. Nor do I care about it much. I’m a cat. Why would I care?

I know her name because I hear other humans call her that. She’s never asked what my name is. Nor would I give it if she did. She calls me ‘cat’. A fitting term of respect. And no, I won’t share my name with you. Names have power, even among us who are regarded as powerless. So there.

We go places together. By train when that works, or bus, or foot when nothing else is available. We share tuna from cans, although I sometimes forage for myself if we stay in one place long enough. That doesn’t happen too often. Since her house got eaten by the fire, she prefers open spaces and night sky. I don’t blame her. Since I travel with her, her enemies are my enemies and they still have an interest in us, even if neither of us has anything left that they could want. Predators are like that. If there is weakness, one must gain the advantage.

I tell myself that we should part one of these days. But the journey continues to be interesting, and the human needs someone to look out for her. She can be dimwitted at times. So much so, that I don’t think she sees the road in front of her. Sometimes I have to get very aggressive with her to keep her from walking into harm’s way. I keep my claws sharp and my teeth sharper.

For a dimwit though, she has uncanny perception. She’s the only human I know that talks to ghosts and treats demons with respect. Even when they don’t deserve it. I don’t believe she has the ability to harm another living being, which can sometimes be a shame since she deals with so many who would be happy to harm her.

Like us. She gave Ma shelter when it was time for us kits to be born. The human was oblivious to our mission. But even if she had known it, I think she would still have welcomed us, hopefully with different results. But a pregnant cat is a good cover and we used it to gain access into her stronghold and discover every one of its weaknesses. When the time came to set the fires, we had an easy time of it. Ma and my siblings were well rewarded by our master for our work.

The plan, however, required one kit to remain behind. My job was to keep Sarah in the house as the flames consumed it. I was entangled in yarn, bedding and magic spells, so that I could not have escaped if I wanted. She saved me. She made sure that none of us were left in that burning house, and spent the time it took to free me and get me out of there. I respect that.

So yea, we travel together. Sarah and me.