Those same eyes welled up with tears. “Is it. . .is it truly you?”

“Meow!” I yowled.

“Anna!”

Arian drew me into a bear hug, both literally and figuratively. A thick mess of dark brown hair popped out of the skin on her arms and nearly suffocated me. I could hear the stretching seams of her clothes as more of her grew larger.

She yelped and drew us apart, nearly dropping me in her hurry. “I am so sorry!”

I shook my head. “Meow.”

Arian set me on the table and her body returned to its normal human form. She dropped to her knees in front of me and looked me over. “How did you learn to change yourself into a spiritual cat.”

I shrugged, not a small feat when you use your front arms for support.

My friend leaned back and folded her arms over her chest. A dark cloud settled on her brow. “And you cannot change back?”

I shook my head before I stabbed a finger at her.

She blinked at me and pointed at herself. “Me?” Her eyes lit up with understanding. “Oh! You wish to know how I change back?” I nodded. Arian set a finger on her chin and furrowed her brow. “I merely use my magic to call forth my other form and revert back but you have difficulty controlling yours so perhaps that will not work.”

I hung my head. Visions of me in my senior years danced through my brain. There were a lot of hairballs and dandruff involved.

Arian held her hands in front of her and shook her head. “I did not mean to discourage you! Surely you can master your magic and resume your form before long. You did learn how to master the ability to create chocolate after all.”

I lifted one paw and held out the tiny toe beans toward her. This is a little more complicated than candy.

She cupped her chin in her hands and tapped a finger against her chin. “I wish I could understand you.”

I tapped my foot against the paper beneath me and dropped onto the floor where I chomped down on the pencil. It tasted disgusting but I couldn’t be picky. Besides, it was better than gripping crayons. I hopped back onto the table and tapped the tip of the pencil on the paper.

Arian nodded. “I understand, we can communicate through writing. Could you tell me what happened after I left you-” She stopped and bit her lower lip. Her eyes brimmed with tears and her hands fidgeted in her lap. “Did I. . .was it my fault you were changed into this?”

I spat out the pencil and trotted up to her where I gave her cheek a slightly pushy purr.

Arian laughed and leaned away. “I am relieved but what did happen to you?”

My shoulders slumped a little as I picked up the pencil and began the arduous task of writing out my tale. It began with one word and Arian scooted forward to watch me. Her eyes followed each shaky letter as they were formed. “S. H. I. A. N.” Her breath caught in her throat. “Lady Shian? She did this to you?”

I swayed my head from side to side before I resumed writing. It took a few minutes but Arian was finally able to read out what I had written.

“Shian led me thru gate and push me into water.” Her hand flew to her mouth and her eyes widened. “Surely you cannot be serious!”

Oh, how I abhorred my current situation as I was forced to let that old joke slide. I continued my scratchy tale and my jaw was glad when I was finally able to open my mouth and let the pencil drop.

Arian was nearly dumbstruck as she read aloud my story, omitting all the spelling shortcuts and errors. “I cannot remember anything after that until I awoke on the side of the river in this form. Eastwei found me and has been caring for me since.” She cocked her head to one side and lifted an eyebrow. “Does he know your true identity?”

I shook my head. And he wasn’t going to know until I was good and ready.

Arian sat back on her folded legs and clasped her hands tightly in her lap. Her eyes were filled with anger and confusion as she shook her head. “I. . .I cannot believe Lady Shian would be so jealous of you that she would make an attempt on your life.”

The tip of my tail twitched and I stabbed a paw at myself.

She sighed and nodded. “I understand. The evidence is before me.” My friend bit her lower lip and her eyes flickered to the door. “But what shall we do now? The others may not believe you are who you profess to be and even if they did they will not believe your word against that of Lady Shian. She is a member of one of the most respected families in all the five realms.”

My ears drooped as did my shoulders. Arian was right. I was trapped in this body for more than one reason.

Arian set a hand on my finger or tried to. My bones were so small she only managed a couple of fingers. “Whatever happens I will stay by your side.”

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I perked up my head and my butt unconsciously lifted. Still, I picked up the pencil and drew out some more words.

Arian leaned forward and read them. “Are u sure?” She set her hands in her lap and bowed low to me. “I swear on the honor of my clan that I will never leave you, no matter what.”

My heart was full to bursting with glee and hope. No matter what happened I’d always have a friend. I leaped onto her and gave her chin a good rubbing. Arian sneezed and turned her head from side to side to escape my love.

“Lady Anna! Please!” she giggled as she grasped my midsection and set me on the floor. She wiped away my love kisses with the back of her sleeve. “There is no need for such thanks. Besides, we must think what to do with you now that you are in this form.”

I plopped my butt on the ground and cocked my head to one side.

“You wonder why I ask?” She used both hands to gesture at the area around us. “You shall live here, of course.”

Oh boy. I turned my face away and scuffed the ground with one paw.

Arian blinked at me a moment before her eyes widened. “You. . .you intend to live with Lord Eastwei?”

I was glad for my silken fur as it hid my blushing, but I answered her with a meek nod.

“But he is Lord Eastwei!” she reminded me in a higher-pitched voice than usual. “And he does not know who you are!” She leaned in and lowered her voice to a hoarse whisper. “What if you should see him?” I cocked my head to one side and a deep blush accented her cheeks. “You understand my meaning, yes?”

I shook my head.

Arian wrung her hands together and her head was now bright enough to have proudly served a red-light district. “B-but what if you were to see him?”

A part of me knew I was being devilishly evil but again I shook my head.

Arian shrank so far into herself that I wondered if she would disappear. “What if you were to see him. . .naked?” The last word was spoken in a hushed voice reserved only for the most sacred of temples.

She looked so shriveled and illuminated that I regretted my playful fun. I lifted my butt and sauntered over to her where I rubbed myself against her cheek. She inhaled a bunch of fur and the sneezes came in a torrential flood of back-breaking achoos.

I jumped back and watched Arian’s head fling back time and again as the sneezes overcame her. She crawled away from me and furiously rubbed her nose with her hands. I so desperately wanted to console her but a falling bit of fur scolded me that I was the source of her fit.

Arian scurried to her feet and into her bedroom. I watched her fumble around, sneezing all the time, and she finally dragged a handkerchief out of a drawer. She furiously wiped her nose before straightening and turning to face me. The red on her face had taken a turn for the outlandish. Her cheeks were as rosy as a firetruck and her tear-soaked eyes were bloodshot.

She strode out of the bedroom and back over to me. I tapped a paw against the table and gave her my best scolding look.

Arian hung her head and her arms drooped at her sides. “I. . .I had hoped my childhood allergy to cats had long passed but apparently that is not so.”

I picked up the pencil and wrote a few words. She lifted her head and leaned over to read aloud what I had scratched out. “U r fine. I will stay w/ lord until I can change back. Will visit often.” She smiled at me and wiped away some loose tears. “I will look forward to those visits.”

I swept my bewhiskered face over the house and pointed at myself.

Arian blinked at me before my question dawned on her. “Prince Yushir has already spoken to me about staying here. He promised I would be able to keep the place until someone desires the place but not many will. It is rather smaller than many other palaces.”

I hopped up and down and turned in a quick circle with my tail held high.

Arian’s hand twitched and she bit her lower lip. “Oh, how I wish I could pet you! Even a little!”

I backed up and shook my head before I jumped down from the table. The time was getting long since I’d left Dadan’s palace. I cast a regretful glance over my shoulder at my friend.

Arian smiled and clasped her hands in front of her before she bowed. “I look forward to your next visit.”

“Meowr!” I replied and I let out the biggest purr I could muster.

My friend laughed and her charming titter echoed in my ears as I dashed out of the house and down the path. All was well in my world as I trotted back to Dadan’s palace for a nice long rest.

How wrong I was, on both counts.