Лейси Дери - Leger's Foe

‘I don’t think I’ll bother with this. It’s clearly a bad batch,’ Leger grizzled, turning his nose up.

He wondered if he looked so ridiculous when he indulged in catnip and if he did, why didn’t anyone tell him? Perhaps he would wait until later, when nobody was around to make a fool of himself.

He tiptoed back to the living room, bypassing Brianna who was now cutting out a set of rabbit feet, presumably to place on Bob’s legs as they were too big to fit either him or Lily. Leger leapt onto the windowsill and listened as Annabella terminated her phone call and had to repeat Carole’s name twice to get her attention. He couldn’t stop thinking about Carole’s glum mood. It was unlike the bubbly young woman to be so pensive and introspective and he wondered if perhaps there was a problem with her husband, Gordon. After all, he had yet again not made the effort to spend time with the people who were important to his wife. Perhaps there was more to this than met the eye.

Leger’s train of thought was interrupted when he noticed a commotion outside. It was taking place at the tree between their house and the hotel. The tree was often frequented by the local cats, although was less crowded the last few weeks since two of the cats had decided to stay in the village with their human and not venture this far out.

In attendance that day were Piper, a beautiful white molly with sapphire blue eyes, Domino and Oreo, the black and white brothers whose markings reflected their name choices and Massingham, a relatively new cat to the island, who was grey and always wore his collar loose, with his identity tag hanging low. Although he lived with the other two cats who no longer visited, he chose to continue mixing with the clowder, Piper especially. Leger had taken an instant dislike to Massingham, despite knowing it was illogical and irrational. He just couldn’t shake the feeling that there was a bad vibe when Massingham was around.

He peered through the window, his eyes widening with interest as he watched the fracas and eventually located the source of the disturbance. There was a tiny grey bird waddling at speed, fearing for its life. Despite his feline instincts telling him it would make a splendid present for Annabella, he knew he had to save the tiny creature. It was clearly a baby and therefore naïve and unable to defend itself in the way an adult bird would.

Leger wasted no time. He didn’t even bother to sprint to his cat flap. Instead, he propelled himself up to the opened window above his head and squeezed his lithe body through the gap. It didn’t even bother him to fall to the ground and land on his back, as he simply rolled until he was able to steady himself on his paws and raced towards the tiny bird.

He stood between Massingham and what he now recognised as a cygnet and hissed. Massingham hunched his back and extended his claws.

‘This is my gift for Emilija,’ Massingham seethed, referring to his human companion. ‘Stand aside!’

Leger glared at him, maintaining eye contact, hoping to appear threatening. Truthfully, Massingham was a little bigger than him and likely to win any fight. His girlfriend, Ginger, had managed to terrify this arrogant grey tom when she had visited the island a few weeks ago but Leger was far too restrained to do any real damage or be violent. Ginger had simply acted on her maternal instincts and intimidated Massingham with sheer bravado.

‘I cannot let you harm this creature,’ Leger said. ‘He is much smaller than you and not able to put up a fair fight.’

‘Oh, really? I did hear that you were a bird lover. Looks like it’s true,’ Massingham spat.

Leger stood his ground as Massingham approached, who kept his eyes fixed on Leger as he took small steps closer. Each movement was slow and deliberate, drawing out the tension and heightening Leger’s anxiety. He had to make a choice. He could stand and fight a battle he might lose or he could grab the cygnet and run, taking the tiny bird back to the parents where it would be safe. He had to think fast as Massingham would soon be reaching out to take a swipe.

Leger swivelled his body away from Massingham and the rest of the clowder who were watching the stand-off with wide eyes. He clamped his jaws around the scruff of the cygnet’s neck and ran around the side of the house, through the back garden and towards the small loch where he assumed Massingham had found the cygnet.

On reaching the loch, he laid the baby swan down on the gravel.

‘Are you alright? I didn’t hurt you, did I?’ Leger enquired.

The cygnet gazed up at him. ‘You didn’t eat me.’

Leger licked his lips, fighting hard to rein in his instincts, which were telling him he had to sink his teeth into the cygnet. He could taste a hint of swan flesh on his mouth and it was delicious.

‘No, I didn’t and I don’t intend to either. What’s your name?’ he asked.

‘Iain,’ the cygnet replied.

‘I’m Leger and I’m probably the only feline on this island who will protect you. If any of those cats give you trouble again, just tell them you’re my friend.’

Iain rubbed his head against Leger’s leg and sighed. ‘I’ve always wanted a friend who wasn’t a swan!’

‘Iain!’ a voice shrieked. ‘Get away from that cat!’

‘Dad!’ Iain blurted. ‘It’s OK, he’s not hurting me.’

Before Leger could ascertain where the voice had come from or to whom it belonged, he felt the sharp shock of a beak pecking into his sides. He was startled into paralysis for a brief moment before he extended his claws to protect himself, scratching only twice. He was able to free himself and run to safety. As he escaped, he heard the owner of the beak calling out to him.

‘Tell your whiskered friends Iain the swan won’t stand for any more kidnappings! I’ve already killed one human in cold blood, it would not bother me one bit to do the same to a cat.’

*****

‘You’re a little quiet this morning,’ Lily noted, slicking back the fur from her face.

Leger looked at her briefly then closed his eyes. He didn’t feel like talking after the events of the previous day. Besides, there was an odd atmosphere in the house that morning. Carole hadn’t come home since going for a walk the night before. She had gone out alone after putting the children to bed, leaving Annabella and Hugh to babysit. He feared she may have gone to the loch and met the same fate as Sean Gilbert.

‘I think you need a hug,’ Bob announced, reaching out his paws to grab Leger, then panting with delight when Leger swiped him away.

‘I just want to be left alone,’ Leger grumped.

‘Why?’ Lily pressed.

‘I had a bad day yesterday,’ Leger said. ‘I was going to attempt solving the drowning case but that would mean spending time by the loch and I won’t be doing that any time soon. Not as long as that swan family are there anyway.’

‘Is this linked to your fight with Massingham?’ Bob asked.

‘How do you know about that?’ Leger snapped. ‘You’re a dog! You surely can’t have heard it from the cats.’

‘I was watching from the window. If it’s any consolation, I think you did the right thing. It’s not classy to fight and you saved a life. You may have lost face, but that makes it all the more admirable.’

‘I agree with Bob. Even though I don’t understand why you wanted to save that bird, I don’t think any less of you,’ Lily declared.

‘I’m not sure I can show my face outside this house again. I shall have to give up my detective work and be a housecat,’ Leger sighed, rolling onto his back and yowling to increase the drama.

‘Or you could dismiss everyone else’s opinion, if they indeed have one, and be true to who you are,’ Lily countered. ‘That is what I would do.’