Sinking Ships

Cat

"Oi! Cap'n? Land ahead! We're to port!" A loud ringing squeal in my head woke me up before the high pitched whiny voice of my first mate did. I don't remember falling asleep.. so maybe it was some kind of injury. I must have smacked my head on the main mast again- I felt... different though. I looked in the mirror to see if anything had changed, but I still looked the same. Raven dark hair, and golden sliver spotted eyes. I raised my hand to tuck some hair behind my ear, and saw a flash of silver on my palm. 

"Shielad.. Princess... I am your Sheilad.."

Shielad? 

Princess? 

I grasped my hand and trailed my fingers over the mark on my skin, my brow furrowing as I closed my eyes. I don't know why, but I'm sure this had something to do with why my head felt like it was being trod on by camels- 

I concentrated on keeping my fingers dancing along the glowing brand while I tried to remember.. something. Anything really? 

"A Shielad is a spiritual being bonded to rulers of power...."  A few mentions of a "Kuulos" and a "lost princess, I found you"

What the devils? 

Flashes of blue eyes, soft pink lips.. 

Cat? 

I shook my head, I don't have the time, we're landing soon! Adventure is out there, remember? But I want to- No! Fine! I huff to myself, how am I ever going to be a leader for anyone if I can't even win a silent argument in my head? 

Where even was Cat anyway?  

Making my way out of the cabin, I see him resting in the little man basket on the front mast, panting in the hot swampy evening. I'm not sure how we were going to hide him from everyone but it would have to work somehow. We couldn't exactly have a tiger roaming amongst villagers, nor could I have him be a human, not in front of the crewmen. He needed to get out, and stretch his legs.

"I'm not entirely an animal Doll, no need to worry about me stretching anything." I felt his voice rather than heard it, like it was in my head.

And then the sudden realization, he was in my head. I'd always chalked it up to him just being observant- but no. I think he was actually reading my mind. Looking back on it now, it was almost impossible to think it was anything else! He always knew what I was thinking- sometimes even before I thought it myself. 

"Are you done analyzing me yet Ever?" But he pronounced it so it sounded like "Eevah". I snapped at him, "When were you going to tell me?" 

"Because I knew you were going to figure it out yourself."  

It was almost like I could feel his amusement, creeping into my mind like snake crawls through grass. 

"I would've though by now that you knew I was a cat, but I guess not, eh?" 

I smirked to myself, "Hmm I thought animal's couldn't talk. So what's your excuse mister?" 

"Ah, darn you got me." I could tell he wasn't perturbed, only amused. 

I lagged behind the other sailors as Cat jumped down gracefully from the mast, and I walked toward the brown cross walk. 

"I need you to tell me what happened last night." 

His big white furry body brushed up against mine and I nearly stumbled at the weight of it. "What do you want to know?"

Rolling my lip between my teeth, I looked on ahead at the faded orange sky, "Everything.."