I peeked through the bushes, trying to hide under the leaves as much as possible as I looked around for a new potential home. The leaves didn't provide a ton of shelter, but they were better than being in the open air, especially with the rain coming down like it was.

I could have gone to wait under the overhangs on one of the nearby buildings, but I was looking for a more permanent spot. Besides, the covered hallways were far too crowded with students seeking shelter, and I wasn't all that anxious to get trampled on.

On the other side of the quad, I could see the trees that bordered along the tiny creek at the end of the campus. So far, I'd avoided the area, mostly because it was way too far from the food. But no one was going to be eating outside today, and I was getting soaked. The trees seemed like my best bet. I'd worry about food after I found shelter.

I bounded through the chest-high grass, trying to get out of the rain as soon as possible. I splashed through a few hidden puddles, and by the time I made it to the tree line, I was more than ready to get out of this weather.

I ran to the nearest tree and looked up. It was almost dauntingly tall. Still, I had claws and the ability to climb. The first branches weren't that high up— they were probably just out of reach of any human who'd try to grab me. It meant that I'd end up winning my little game with the janitor if he decided to come by. Maybe I'd show him this tree, next time he caught me trying to scrounge for food. I'd run up here and eat my meal in peace as he stood impotently on the ground below— just so he'd know that I'd beaten him once and for all.

I scrambled up the tree until I got to the first branch. I was pretty sure that it was the highest I'd ever been in my life, and my stomach did a kind of flip when I accidently spied the ground below. I crouched down onto the branch, digging my claws further into the bark and squeezing my eyes shut until I could get ahold of myself.

Fortunately, the branch was a little wider than I was, so there wasn't much danger in me falling off. At least, that's what I told myself. And I thought I remembered something about always landing on your feet. So, it would probably be fine. Still, I'd keep my claws firmly planted into the tree, at least for a little while.

The rain was almost non-existent up here under the canopy, After a few minutes, I began to relax, listening to the almost-comforting sound as it hit the leaves above me. I closed my eyes and fell asleep to the rhythm.

· · · ─────────── · · ·

I woke up to the sound of voices. They seemed bizarrely close by— maybe only a few feet away. Humans? Normally, I was careful to avoid them, especially if I was going to take a nap. But no, these didn't sound like the humans I was used to; they were too-high pitched and chirpy. I opened my eyes just a sliver, trying to clear the fog from my brain as I tried to orientate myself.

"Is it awake?" I heard a voice ask. Then, there was silence.

"Can't tell," another voice replied. Then it got louder, "Hey! Cat! Are you awake?"

Me? Were they talking to me? I finally opened my eyes all the way and looked vaguely around. I was still up in the tree. Look at that— I hadn't fallen after all. I grinned to myself before widening my search, trying to figure out who was talking. In the next tree over, I saw two scrub jays staring my way. 

Huh. So it really hadn't been humans that were calling out to me. I'd never heard a bird talk before though, and I stared at them, trying to decide if my tired brain was just playing tricks on me. But there wasn't anyone else around, and these two seemed to be about the right distance away. I tilted my head to the side as I considered them.

"Hey, cat!"  the second bird said again. He was fluffier than his companion, and had a surprisingly annoying confidence about him. "Aren't you a little far away from headquarters?"

Headquarters? What did that mean? The word struck me as vaguely familiar, but I couldn't say why. Was it important? Did I actually have a headquarters somewhere? Or did he just mean the bush I'd recently relocated from?

"Mrrrow?" I asked lazily, not bothering to put any particular meaning behind the sound; I didn't really see the point in talking to a bird. The only reason I said anything at all was because the two birds were clearly expecting something. The fluffier bird tilted his head to the side in that weird, jerking motion that birds tended to do as he regarded me critically. A sudden and almost uncontrollable urge to leap into their tree washed over me for just a second and I started calculating the distance between us.

"Who are you?" the thinner, younger bird asked.

"Mrrrrrrrow," I said again, dragging the word out slightly. The tip of my tail twitched up and down as I tried to decide if I could make it to that branch before the two flew away. The rain had stopped, which was good. But everything was still wet, which was less good. It'd be pretty embarrassing to jump all that way only to slide off the branch at the last minute.

The birds turned to each other, looking somewhere between confused and worried. I wondered if they'd realized my plan to attack. I laid my head back down on the branch, trying to lure them into a false sense of security.

"What do you think?" the younger bird asked his friend. The other one considered me.

"He doesn't seem like one of their soldiers," he responded. "And look at his eyes. There's no hatred, no cunning..."

No cunning? Clearly they didn't suspect my plan for a free meal. I smirked to myself at the prospect.

"True. He does seem a bit dense, doesn't he?"  the younger one said. He turned to me, as if to see my reaction. But what did I care if food insulted me? I'd be getting the last laugh, I was sure about that.

"I don't think he understands," Fluffy continued. "Maybe he really is just an ordinary cat."

"Agreed," his friend nodded. Then, without warning, he took off, sweeping just over my head.

Instantly, I reached up, trying to grab him as he flew by. But he was just out of reach. I stretched up as far as I could, following him even after he'd passed over me. I nearly fell out of the tree and had to twist around, and a kind of yelp escaped me. I dug my front claws into the branch to keep from tumbling to the ground. My back legs swung precariously in the air. It must have been a hilarious sight, because both birds started cackling uproariously.

"Just a regular cat," the bird confirmed, landing back on the branch next to his friend.

"And not a particularly bright one, either,"

I hissed at them, flattening my ears as I did. Neither was particularly intimidated. Probably because I still hadn't managed to get back on the branch yet.

"Cats never are," Fluffy said. "But this one seems especially bad."

As I clawed my way back onto the branch, the two birds tittered happily amongst themselves. Once I managed to get all four feet firmly on my branch, they stopped, sizing me up. They regarded me for only a moment before dismissing me altogether. They turned back to their conversation as if I didn't exist. But now, I was interested. Who were they to make fun of me?

"Did you clear the squirrels out of that nest yet?" Fluffy asked.

"Got rid of them last week," his friend confirmed, bobbing his head up and down.

"Excellent. Chip has secured a supply of quarts from the art building, and Lark's team is collecting the mugwart. We'll be more than ready on our side when the lunar eclipse comes."

"Good. Any update from Ekster?"

"Not yet."

"Well, perhaps it's time we pay him a visit."

The two flew off, and I just watched them go. Something they said sounded familiar. I racked my brain, trying to think of what it was.

The lunar eclipse... that was ringing a bell. There was something important about that, I was sure. But I put that aside. The name Ekster was bouncing around in my brain with a lot more urgency, and I couldn't figure out why.

I thought about it. I had a vague sensation of a tall, skinny man with horn-rimmed glasses and a perpetually stern face. Where had I seen that man before? Did I know him? Well, I decided. I was going to find out.