before and, based on the outcome, Pandora doubted Felicity’s magic was very strong. Then again, that might be a reason why she would be interested in the box. Maybe she hoped the lily extract would increase her powers.
“But she’s not one of the humans trying to get the box,” Pandora pointed out.
“Not overtly,” Inkspot said. “But maybe she has formed an alliance with one of the others, or maybe she’s trying to get it in a different way that has yet to be revealed.”
“Maybe …” Pandora considered it. They could be right, but she doubted this was the case. Pandora had a very strong feeling this had something to do with Danforth … or did she just think that because she was the one who had discovered the information about his ancestor?
“And let’s not forget about Fluff,” Snowball hissed.
Pandora had recently had a run-in with Fluff, one of Mystic Notch’s most evil felines. Pandora had barely escaped and managed, with the help of Hope, to outsmart the white Persian who looked like an angel but was really a devil in disguise. It was not lost on her that Fluff had taken up with Felicity Bates, which was a big surprise to everyone since she’d previously acted like she hated cats.
“Have you been able to influence Elspeth or any of the other humans in this matter?” Pandora decided to attack it from another angle. If the other cats’ ‘old ways’ weren’t working, maybe they would be more inclined to act on the information she found with her ‘new ways’.
“I heard Elspeth and Bing talking about the box, but they were using such vague terms I couldn’t tell if they had a plan,” Tigger said.
“That’s why we need to come up with one,” Pandora stated.
“A plan for what?” Inkspot was the voice of reason. “We don’t even know if this lily extract is what is contained in the box.”
“That’s true,” Otis agreed. “If it is not the extract the box contains but something less threatening, then, perhaps, we do not have to act so hastily.”
Pandora hissed out a sharp, exasperated breath. What was with the cats? They were so slow-moving. “But Obsidian said whatever was in the box could plunge Mystic Notch into the deep abyss of an evil greater than mankind has ever known, so even if it isn’t the extract, I think we still need to act quickly, before—”
“Obsidian said what was in there,” Inkspot interrupted her. “That was in his time over three hundred years ago. We don’t know what’s happened to the box over time. It’s best we find out what really does lie inside before we make any rash decision.”
“Okay, I’ll give you that. But we need to find out what’s in there pretty quick, in case it is something bad.” Pandora said.
Inkspot nodded. “I agree.”
“Okay. Good. So how do you propose we do that?” Pandora asked.
“I know of only one way.”
8
D usk was Pandora’s favorite time of day, but she didn’t have time to enjoy the elongated shadows of the trees, the mellowing color of the sun as it approached setting, or the cool temperatures as she raced through the woods that provided a shortcut between Elspeth’s house and the police station.
She hoped their task would not take a long time. She wanted to get back before Willa ended her visit with Elspeth and found Pandora missing from the barn. Her human was already a little nervous about Pandora's odd behavior and she didn’t need to add any fuel to the fire that would make Willa watch her any closer or, worse, take her on an unnecessary trip to the veterinarian.
Pandora could have stayed back, but she had been unable to resist. She knew curiosity killed the cat, but she was dying to find out what was inside that box.
When they reached the edge of the police station parking lot, Inkspot motioned for them to duck into a narrow alley between the police station and the pizza place. They hunkered down behind a dumpster that smelled of stale dough and rancid vegetables. Pandora dialed
“But she’s not one of the humans trying to get the box,” Pandora pointed out.
“Not overtly,” Inkspot said. “But maybe she has formed an alliance with one of the others, or maybe she’s trying to get it in a different way that has yet to be revealed.”
“Maybe …” Pandora considered it. They could be right, but she doubted this was the case. Pandora had a very strong feeling this had something to do with Danforth … or did she just think that because she was the one who had discovered the information about his ancestor?
“And let’s not forget about Fluff,” Snowball hissed.
Pandora had recently had a run-in with Fluff, one of Mystic Notch’s most evil felines. Pandora had barely escaped and managed, with the help of Hope, to outsmart the white Persian who looked like an angel but was really a devil in disguise. It was not lost on her that Fluff had taken up with Felicity Bates, which was a big surprise to everyone since she’d previously acted like she hated cats.
“Have you been able to influence Elspeth or any of the other humans in this matter?” Pandora decided to attack it from another angle. If the other cats’ ‘old ways’ weren’t working, maybe they would be more inclined to act on the information she found with her ‘new ways’.
“I heard Elspeth and Bing talking about the box, but they were using such vague terms I couldn’t tell if they had a plan,” Tigger said.
“That’s why we need to come up with one,” Pandora stated.
“A plan for what?” Inkspot was the voice of reason. “We don’t even know if this lily extract is what is contained in the box.”
“That’s true,” Otis agreed. “If it is not the extract the box contains but something less threatening, then, perhaps, we do not have to act so hastily.”
Pandora hissed out a sharp, exasperated breath. What was with the cats? They were so slow-moving. “But Obsidian said whatever was in the box could plunge Mystic Notch into the deep abyss of an evil greater than mankind has ever known, so even if it isn’t the extract, I think we still need to act quickly, before—”
“Obsidian said what was in there,” Inkspot interrupted her. “That was in his time over three hundred years ago. We don’t know what’s happened to the box over time. It’s best we find out what really does lie inside before we make any rash decision.”
“Okay, I’ll give you that. But we need to find out what’s in there pretty quick, in case it is something bad.” Pandora said.
Inkspot nodded. “I agree.”
“Okay. Good. So how do you propose we do that?” Pandora asked.
“I know of only one way.”
8
D usk was Pandora’s favorite time of day, but she didn’t have time to enjoy the elongated shadows of the trees, the mellowing color of the sun as it approached setting, or the cool temperatures as she raced through the woods that provided a shortcut between Elspeth’s house and the police station.
She hoped their task would not take a long time. She wanted to get back before Willa ended her visit with Elspeth and found Pandora missing from the barn. Her human was already a little nervous about Pandora's odd behavior and she didn’t need to add any fuel to the fire that would make Willa watch her any closer or, worse, take her on an unnecessary trip to the veterinarian.
Pandora could have stayed back, but she had been unable to resist. She knew curiosity killed the cat, but she was dying to find out what was inside that box.
When they reached the edge of the police station parking lot, Inkspot motioned for them to duck into a narrow alley between the police station and the pizza place. They hunkered down behind a dumpster that smelled of stale dough and rancid vegetables. Pandora dialed
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