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The Mysteries and Marvels of the Marrow Way Street Cat

Summary:

Life on the Boiling Isles is hard.
It's tricky enough taking care of yourself, so when Luz Noceda finds an injured cat in an alleyway, her world is turned upside down. Suddenly she finds herself responsible for the wellbeing of another, and her life becomes even more complicated the more mysteries unravel about the strange street cat. Thankfully she isn't alone, aided by her mentor, Eda, the demon King, and the mysterious Amity Blight, who found the cat with her.
It feels as though every day Luz wakes up with more and more questions, but one often finds its way to the forefront of her mind.
Can caring for those she's found herself tangled up with help Luz heal the own wounds of her heart?

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This fic is rated G for General but please be aware its more of a PG kind of fic for some mentions of blood and violence in places! It's mostly light and soft though. <3 I'll give warnings at the beginnings of chapters!

A collaboration with art by ArxticFive!

Notes:

Hi there! Thanks so much for hopping onto this fic! This is going to be quite a long project and I'm really excited to share it with you all since I've had this idea floating in my head for a long time! Just before we start I do just want to say a warning as this chapter does contain descriptions of an animal injury and the first piece of art does show blood and said injured animal! It does get tamer from here though, I promise!
A special thank you to ArxticFive for the art! This fic doesn't have a set updating schedule, I'll try and update it when I can!
With that I hope you enjoy!

TW // ANIMAL INJURY , GRAPHIC IMAGERY ,BLOOD

Chapter 1: Crossed Paths

Chapter Text

It’s a strange thought. 

To think that one day you may wake up completely unaware that your life is about to change forever. Many days like this start out the same as any other, with not a single hint of what’s to come; whether it be waking to the sound of birds, heavy construction, or contemplative silence. Some people then go about mundane mornings. They make breakfast and get ready for work or run errands for themselves or their families.  

It was an unassuming day in autumn, amber leaves just beginning to fall from gnarled branches as a lone, human teenager trudged through the streets of Bonesborough running such an errand herself. She shielded her eyes from the harsh sun with her free hand, and in her other she carried a paper bag full to the brim with various Boiling Isles vegetables and potions ingredients.  

She grumbled, dragging her feet as she walked. It had been a long, long time since Luz Noceda had felt any semblance of hope in her heart for things to change. In fact, things had changed enough in her life, and too often it had been for the worse. Luz was stuck in a mental limbo, and one might have even said she was stuck in a physical limbo too; it was definitely what the Boiling Isles felt like most days. 

But, despite it all, there were some pluses to living on the Isles. Learning magic was one of the bigger perks- after all, not everyone could say they were studying spells with a powerful witch. And there was no more dealing with nosey school counsellors or pointless schoolwork either. So, all things considered, it wasn’t entirely   bad here.  

“Hey, watch it freak!” 

Except today, apparently.  

Luz sighed and pulled the collar of her jacket up a little more around her neck, shrinking in on herself a little. She was used to this now, but it didn’t make it any less uncomfortable.  

‘Eyes down, don’t look back.’  

Still, her fingers tightened a little more around the handle of the paper bag. She’d never hear the end of it from Eda if some jerk stole their groceries, and it wasn’t like she had enough snails left to buy any replacements. She could feel eyes burning into the back of her neck wherever she walked, stared at coldly by witches and demons alike, but rarely did it ever end in conflict, thankfully. She supposed everyone had better things to do.   

 Luz turned the corner onto Talon Street. From here, it was a straight shot to the town’s outskirts and eventually, home. And with any luck, she wouldn’t have to worry about anyone, or anything, bothering her- at least for a few days.  

Except life had decided it wasn’t going to be that simple today. 

She could hear the construction work before she saw it, hoping that perhaps it was off on another adjacent road, but no, soon enough a big bright ‘ROAD CLOSED’ sign greeted her, the entire width of the road sectioned off with cones and tape. Still, Luz strolled over cautiously; an eyebrow raised and a slither of hope in her heart that maybe there was a clear pedestrian path, or at least a short diversion. Several workers in shabby looking Construction Coven garbs were busy fixing a large fissure in the street, but one witch remained off to the side, leaning casually against a wagon as he surveyed the development from afar. As Luz approached, she caught his eye.  

“Sorry kid, road’s closed, you’re gonna have to go around.”  

“What? Why?” The construction worker gave Luz a look, and only then did she really take the time to look beyond the initial work zone behind him. The street was in absolute carnage; buildings torn down- debris rife through the road. One lamppost was entirely uprooted and impaled through a fancy looking wagon. Luz could only hope they had insurance. Did Boiling Isles insurance cover this sort of thing...?  

“Oh. Yikes.” 

“Yeah, I’ll say. Some hooligan thought it’d be  real  funny  to set a herd of perytons loose from Philliam’s farm. We got damages to cover from Thumbones to the Hackingney District.” 

“What? But that stretches nearly all the way across town.” Luz huffed. “Come on man, do me a solid. Just let me cut through.”   

“No way. Last thing we need is a lawsuit on our hands.” The worker stood a little straighter now, stepping towards Luz. There was a look of suspicion in his eyes, as though he was half expecting her to make a break for it. Not that Luz was willing to take that risk. The last thing she needed was a broken leg. “If you go back the way you came, you can follow Thistle Street down to the promenade. Or you can go the longer way up Gryphon Boils Road to the northern exit out of town. Your choice.” 

Luz couldn’t be bothered to argue anymore or try and explain that her guardian probably wouldn’t file a lawsuit if anything happened on account of her being a  wanted criminal.  She simply sighed, resigned to her fate, and set out on the much longer walk home.  

‘Ugh. I really hope Eda appreciates the hassle I’ve gone through today to get her all this.’  

At least it was a scenic route, even with how busy it had gotten from the traffic diversion. Luz had to admit the promenade gave her a nice view of the Bonesborough harbour, the boats bobbing peacefully in the mauve Boiling Sea. In the distance she watched a serpentine body breach the water’s surface briefly, its tail whipping up as it dived down into the depths below. No matter how long she had been here, the sights of the isles never truly failed to inspire awe in her.  

Well, awe and a healthy amount of fear. It was always important to remember that anything here could kill you at any given moment.  

Lost in thought, Luz didn’t see a tiny demon scamper out in front of her until it was too late. Her foot connected with the creature and she tripped quite spectacularly hitting the pavement with a hard and painful thud. The ingredients scattered ahead of her, one apple rolling down and into the adjacent alleyway. 

“Hey watch it!” Came an angry, high pitched voice. Luz felt a tiny foot kick her in the shin before it scurried off.  

“Maybe you should watch it,” Luz muttered irritably under her breath as she pulled herself back up on grazed, stinging palms, trying to scoop what she could back into the paper bag. Luz stared down the empty alley at the lone apple, sitting quite perfectly out in the open. Luz sighed as she stumbled to her feet, and she stepped carefully between the dilapidated buildings to pick up her final piece of produce. 

Mrrrr

Luz froze, her fingers a mere inch from closing around the fruit. The hairs on the back of her neck rose, a terrible, cold chill trickling down her spine. “Hello?” Luz moved slowly, placing down the shopping bag and she reached over her shoulder behind her to find her grip around a familiar and reassuring baseball bat handle. “Is anyone there?”  

There was no answer, but still Luz didn’t relax. 

When a can clattered and rolled out from behind a dumpster, Luz jumped, whipping out the bat which she held steadfast in front of her like a sword, pointing its end at the offending empty tin. Her eyes narrowed.  

‘It’s probably just a rat.’  Luz thought. Still, her grip tightened. Better safe than sorry.  

Luz waited for what felt like an age, unwavering, until finally she watched a white and brown blob stagger out and collapse on the cobblestone. Luz stared at it, waiting, but when it didn’t move, she timidly approached. What was it? Luz pursed her lips, squinting. Now closer, she could see a clearer silhouette under the thick layer of curly fur.  

It was a cat. A big, fluffy, white and tan cat with two tails- one that almost resembled a Siberian or a Maine Coon breed from Earth. It also reminded Luz of a cat she and her mother had owned once when she was a small child, and though she could only recall a few memories of her childhood pet, she was sure this one was bigger, and its fur thicker and wavier. The creature looked like it had seen better days too, with clumps in its matted fur, and an underside caked in mud and...  

Oh no. 

 

 

The closer Luz looked, the more she noticed the grizzly injuries littering its coat. Cuts and scrapes littered its legs and face, with one particularly long gash across its right eye. Its ear on that side was tattered and torn too, and a horrible, deep jagged cut marred its belly. The poor cat was bleeding heavily, a small river of crimson trickling towards Luz’s trainers. 

Any sense of scepticism gave way instantly to pity and empathy. Luz crouched beside the creature anxiously, tentatively reaching her hand out. “Okay... I’m trusting you not to turn around and morph into a creature that snaps my hand off...” She whispered. Her palm connected with soft, yet unkempt fur. “Oh, you poor thing... what happened to you?”  

Its breathing was shallow, but as Luz nervously reached to pet it behind the ear, Luz was sure she could hear it purring faintly. The cat cracked open an eye weakly, but it didn’t look at Luz. It just stared vacantly ahead pitifully, and part of Luz’s heart broke. She knew that look too well. It was the look of a creature that had given up on life.  

Luz could have left then. She could have let the poor creature go quietly, and that would be where our story ended. But she didn’t. Something stirred inside Luz, something she couldn’t quite describe. It was something she hadn’t felt in a long time. A strong urge, motivation, a spur to do something to help.  

Just then, a shadow fell down the alley as someone began to walk past. Although perhaps it wasn’t the wisest decision, Luz shouted out impulsively.  

“Hey!”  

The figure stopped, silhouetted by the sunlight behind them.  

“Hey- please, I-I need some help over here.”  

They didn’t move at first. Luz didn’t need to see their face to know they were regarding her with the same wariness Luz had felt when she had heard the cat rustling behind the dumpster. Then slowly, the witchling stepped over and out of the glaring light.  

She was about Luz’s age, with long curly teal hair that fell around her shoulders, half tied up into a short ponytail. Brown roots showed through the dye, framing her pretty face, and bright golden eyes peered back into Luz’s own. 

She was wearing a pink and white sports uniform,  ‘HEXSIDE’  adorned across the shirt. Hexside... that was the local Bonesborough high school, wasn’t it? She was pretty sure her friend Willow studied there.  

The girl strolled over, cautious, but with an aloofness about her, as though confident in her abilities should things turn on her. Luz could feel her sussing her up, scrutinising her. To be honest, she didn’t blame her, you had to be incredibly careful who you trusted on the Boiling Isles. She had learnt that lesson several times over. 

“If you try anything, I’ll end you.” The girl said darkly.  

“That’s uh- that won’t be a problem. I swear.” Luz held up her hands defensively. The girl continued to glare at her suspiciously as she crouched down beside the cat. Then, Luz watched her eyes soften.  

“What happened?”  

“I don’t know... I just found it like this.”  

The girl pressed a hand to its side firmly. “It’s cold.” She muttered quietly. “Quick, give me your jacket.”  

“What?” The witchling glowered back, her hand out expectantly. “Alright, fine...” Luz grumbled bitterly.  

This was a bad idea, she knew this. You didn’t just hand your jacket over to a total stranger, in this, or any world. Still, she did, and Luz watched as the girl scooped the injured animal up and swaddled it up. Then, she pressed it to Luz’s chest, who wrapped her arms around the bundle in surprise. 

“We need to get it to a vet.” The girl said quietly as she stood. “There’s one not too far from here on Tendon Street. C’mon.” Without another word, she turned heel and left the alley, each stride full of purpose. Luz clumsily grasped at the handle of her groceries bag before she pulled herself up to follow, cat now cradled close with one arm.  

They walked in silence some way back up the road Luz had strolled down moments earlier, the promenade now even busier as more and more people followed the detour down to the western side of town.  

“Stay close.” The girl hooked her hand around Luz’s arm, tugging her closer. 

“Oh, uh. Okay.” Luz pursed her lips awkwardly. She wasn’t entirely comfortable with this- she had known this girl for all of five minutes and had no real reason to trust her. But this cat needed urgent help. Besides, if this was some sort of trap, Luz could handle it. 

...Probably. 

However, it was unlikely her new companion would try anything here, out in the open. After all, there were still laws prohibiting unprovoked, public violence, even on the Boiling Isles. 

“There,” the girl gestured with a little nod to a rather unassuming building on the corner of the street, with a rickety, creaking old wooden sign. Rough and worn, its paint flaking away, Luz could just barely make out the depiction of a three headed dog with a cone around each neck and its leg in a bandage.  

Luz thought that would be it, they would now surely part ways as strangers. She didn’t expect the girl to walk up and open the door for her. But there she stood with a crooked brow expectantly, waiting for Luz to follow her lead. So, she did.  

The lobby was so busy it was nearly an assault on Luz’s ears. Squawking birds, yowling cats, barking dogs... Luz winced slightly as she sidestepped a large snake that she decided she did not want to get on the wrong side of, given by the witch-shaped lump in its length. 

A tall thin lady with green skin sat behind the reception, two of her six eyes glancing up from where she was playing a solitary card game on the dusty countertop. “Welcome to Tendon Street Tender Care surgery,” she said in a monotone, nasally voice. “How can I help?”  

“Uh, we found this cat.” Luz nodded down at the bundle in her arms awkwardly. “And it’s hurt.” 

 “Is it your cat?” The receptionist droned.  

Luz glanced aside at the girl, but she only looked back to Luz for an answer. “I... no.” 

The receptionist let out a long, drawn out sigh, then tapped away on a little brass device on her desk. It buzzed, printing out a ticket with a ‘ 24’  punctured through its paper. She then pointed with a pencil to the only empty chair in the room. “Take a seat. Dr Ariete will be with you in... whenever.”  

Luz let her companion take the seat, sitting on the floor as close to them as she could manage, resting the paper bag of groceries in the space of her crossed legs. She cradled the cat ever closer anxiously. “You’d better pull through, little fella,” She whispered softly. “I’m going through an awful lot of trouble for you.”  

It was an agonising wait. Luz watched as a little counter mounted on the back wall ticked over.  

NOW SERVING PATIENT 20.  

She snuck a glance back up at the girl, and swiftly slipped into the neighbouring seat once its occupant, an elderly witch with fourteen bouncing furballs, stood to shuffle along into one of the clinic rooms.  

“Hey, so um, not to be ungrateful but... why are you still here?”  

The girl had been halfway through typing something on her scroll when she paused, not looking up. She looked thoughtful for a moment, then shrugged. That was all Luz got out of her for a few minutes. She thought it best not to press her luck with any more questions.  

“How’s it holding up?” The girl whispered eventually, her voice almost lost under the chorus of waiting room beasts. 

“I don’t know,” Luz admitted, gently scratching the cat behind its ear. “I mean probably not good, considering.”  

“Patient twenty-four,” the receptionist called out dully. “Do we still have a patient twenty-four?” A kind-faced, middle-aged looking vet with deer-like antlers stood patiently, waiting in the doorway of one of the clinic rooms.  

“Huh? Oh!” Luz stood quickly, walking briskly over, her witchling companion close behind. She placed the still wrapped up cat gently on the counter as Dr Ariete closed the door behind them.  

“Alright,” he began in a gentle voice as he peeled away the layers of Luz’s jacket. “So, who do we have here?”  

“Uh... I don’t know, actually, I was just walking home and found it in an alley.”  

“It’s not yours?” The vet’s eyebrows raised slightly. Luz shook her head. “Oh, well... either way...” He muttered, as he checked over the cat quietly. It took some time, but the cat made no attempt to flee, flopping rather helplessly as he moved it about. Luz could read it in the vet’s eyes, the injuries were about as bad as Luz had feared.  

“I won’t lie to you, she’s in pretty bad shape. She’s going to need surgery on that eye, deworming, stitches, a blood transfusion...” The vet rubbed the back of his neck with a gloved hand. “We’ll do all we can for her. But she’ll have to stay overnight, and you’ll have to pick her up in the morning.”  

“Oh...” Luz cleared her throat nervously. “But she’s uh, she’s not my cat. Can you not just let her go once she’s better?” 

“Legally, no, we have to release animals back into the care of a guardian. Besides, she’s going to need post operation care and medication and we simply don’t have room in our kennels for long term stays. If you can’t take her back, we’ll have to put her down.”  

Luz inhaled sharply through her nose. Well. It would seem this cat was her responsibility now, at least for the time being. “Alright,” she relented. “I guess I’ll look after her.”  

The vet nodded, and Luz watched as with a spell circle, he summoned a cat carrier gently laying the cat and jacket inside. “Alright, I’ll take it from here. Ms Florence will calculate your bill for you out front.” 

Oh. The bill. Luz grimaced, her stomach churning. She hoped it wouldn’t be any more than... How much change did she have left over from the market? Seven snails? Maybe eight?  

Luz felt her heart in her throat as the receptionist typed away then finally looked up with an undecipherable expression. “That’ll be seven hundred snails please.”  

Luz’s jaw dropped almost as much as her heart did. “Seven- Seven  hundred ?” She stammered. “I don’t... I don’t have that kind of money on me!”  

All six of the receptionist’s eyes narrowed. “Ma’am we run a business, not a charity,” she droned. “It’s seven hundred snails or we euthanize the cat. Your choice.”  

Beside Luz, the girl cleared her throat. “I think you’ll find that won't be necessary.” She responded coolly. She had pulled a purse out of her bag and was slowly slipping out what looked to be a maroon and gold coloured bank card adorned with a fancy cursive  ‘B’.   

 

 

The second the receptionist saw the golden letter glistening in the light, her eyes widened, and her face paled slightly. She sat up a little straighter and feigned a smile to hide her suddenly clearly frazzled nerves. “M-Miss Blight!” She cooed. “My sincerest apologises, I-I didn’t realise-”  

The girl cut her off. “Seven hundred snails, right?”  

“Yes,” the receptionist swallowed dryly. “That’s correct.”  

Luz quirked an eyebrow, eyes darting between the receptionist and her companion. Blight? She was sure she had heard that name before somewhere...  

The girl swiped her card through the card reader and the receptionist now silently tapped away at the demonic looking cash register. A little receipt was spat out of a mouth on its side, and the receptionist timidly handed it to the girl without making eye contact.  

“We’ll uh, prioritise this surgery for you.” The receptionist’s eyes darted briefly up to Luz’s own, almost apologetically. “If you could just sign here, and come back tomorrow, we’ll have her ready for you.”  

“Thank you.” The girl snapped her purse closed and the receptionist flinched slightly, as Luz printed and signed her name at the bottom of a form she admittedly only skimmed through. “Now if we’re all done here, I think I’ll take my leave.” Without another word, she turned on her heel and strolled out the door. Luz was left stunned for a few seconds before chasing after her.  

“W-Wait!” 

The girl was only a few paces out the front door when she turned and Luz bumbled clumsily to a halt, nearly tripping on her shoelaces. “I-I uh,” she stumbled over her words, not entirely sure what to say. The girl waited patiently, a hand on her hip. “I... didn’t get your name.”  

For a moment, she seemed amused, finally cracking a small smile. The look she gave Luz was clear, one that read:  ‘You r eally don’t know who I am by now?’   But at Luz’s blank stare she conceded. “The name’s Amity. Amity Blight.”  

Luz smiled. “I’m Luz. Luz Noceda.” She put out a hand and for a moment Amity hesitated before she shook it. “I don’t really know how I can ever repay you.” 

“Oh please, you don’t need to repay me.” Amity waved off the statement. “Seven hundred snails is nothing.”  

“I don’t know what world you’re living in where seven hundred snails is nothing, but uh...”  

“Look, don’t worry about it, okay? Just meet me back here at 8am tomorrow. There’s probably gonna be a load of paperwork to fill and more fees. Medication, aftercare, all that.” 

“Oh. Right. Yeah.” 

“Well, it was nice to meet you, Noceda. But I’m already twenty minutes late to a piano lesson, and if I don’t leave now my teacher will lose his head. Probably literally.”  

“Oh. Yeah, yeah, you go. Thank you, again. Uh. Bye.” Luz saw Amity off with a wave, watching her until she turned a corner and was gone from sight. Amity Blight, huh...? She seemed pretty cool. Well, maybe cool was an understatement. She had just dropped seven hundred snails to save a random cat’s life. That was enough to buy like,  two hundred  choripanes from her favourite sandwich bar back on Earth.  

The thought of food brought a ravenous growl to Luz’s stomach. As she finally turned to start the journey back home, groceries once more in tow, one thing was certain in her mind. That cat had been incredibly lucky that the two of them had walked by that day.  

 

*** 

 

Luz barely slept that night. 

It came as a surprise just how concerned she felt over the little street cat; no matter how much she tossed and turned she couldn’t tune out the image of it laying there cold and alone on the cobblestones.  

Maybe she empathised too much.  

Luz huffed, resigning herself to not getting any rest anytime soon. She got up and crept over to the window, slipping out soundlessly onto the roof. The rush of cool air that hit her face was refreshing, blowing away the worries of the day as she clambered over loose slate tiles to her favourite spot, just shy of the building’s chimney where she lay staring up at a twinkling night sky. It was so clear, it was nights like these that Luz liked to make up her own constellations to distract herself from her thoughts.  

That one looked like a rhino. That one was two lions in a fierce battle. That one was a giraffe. That one was... uncomfortably uncanny in its resemblance to a cat.  

Luz wrinkled her nose and sat back up with a slump, instead staring down the road towards Bonesborough.  

“You alright, kid?” It was Eda’s voice that interrupted Luz’s thoughts, the elder witch’s head poking up over the slope of the roof. She pulled herself up and settled quite contently beside Luz, lounging back against the chimney.  

“Oh, sorry, did I wake you?” 

“Heh, nah,” Eda scoffed. “I was still up when I heard scrabbling on the roof and figured it was either you or a rat. So, what are you doing up here, huh?” 

“I like to look at the stars when I’ve got stuff on my mind.”  

“I don’t blame you. They’re very shiny, and sparkly, and nice to look at.” When Luz didn’t crack a smile or chuckle, Eda’s face softened, and she nudged the human gently with her elbow. “So, what’s eating at you?”  

“You know that cat I was talking about at dinner?” Luz said softly. “I just... I really hope it pulls through.”  

Eda was quiet for a moment, then, with confidence she spoke again. “Ahh, I’m sure it will. You have to be tough as nails to survive on these isles. But uh, even if it... y’know. Doesn’t. You did what you could. And that’s a very honourable thing. Not many people would consider helping the way you did. To be honest, a lot of folks would just see it as a free meal.” Eda shrugged.  

Part of Luz knew Eda was right. Thinking about it like that, the confused look on the vet’s face when she had told him it wasn’t hers made sense now. It must have been rare for someone to care enough about a dying street cat to bring it in. Especially given the hassle of treatment costs. All the same, Eda’s words didn’t do much to settle Luz’s nerves.  

“Yeah. I guess.” She mumbled quietly.  

“You’re a good person, Luz.” Eda thumped Luz affectionately on the back. “You care, and that’s a rare quality in the people here. But don’t let it completely overshadow everything else going on in your life. It’s dangerous when caring gets obsessive.” With that, Eda stood and brushed off her dress. “Alright, I’m gonna go get some shut eye. We’ve got a long day ahead of us tomorrow, so we need to get an early start.” 

“Yeah... Oh- no wait!” Eda paused as Luz shot upright. “I have to pick up the cat from the vets in the morning. I promised Amity I’d be there.”  

Eda stared back at Luz quizzically. “Amity? Who’s Amity?”  

“Oh, she was with me when we took it to the vets. I think she said her last name was Blight?”  

At the mention of her last name Eda’s eyes widened, and she rubbed her chin. “Hold on a second. Did you say  Blight? ”  

“Yeah. She paid for the surgery, and I think she implied she’d help me pay off the post-op treatment too.”  

Eda stared at her in surprise for a moment. “Well, I’ll be. I guess ol’ Odie and Al managed to raise a kid right. Somehow. That’s a surprise.”  

Luz squinted at her. “Uh... who?” 

Eda smiled and waved her off. “Don’t worry about it. You just do what you’ve gotta do tomorrow and meet me at the market when you’re done. I’ll need your help in the morning rush.”  

“Alright. Sleep well, Miss Eda.”  

With that, Luz was left alone once more. She lifted a knee to her chest and rested her elbow on it, pressing her knuckles to her lips in thought. It would be fine, she thought. This would all work out. She’d probably just have to keep the cat at home for a few days, maybe a week and then she could release it back into the wild and get on with the rest of her life without ever having to worry about it again.  

Luz ran a hand tiredly down her face. Fatigue was beginning to set in. She needed to get some sleep, especially if she was expected to get up so early tomorrow. 

 

***  

 

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!  

A shrill noise pierced the lethargy of the morning air as a phone buzzed and rumbled against ancient floorboards. Luz groaned, as an arm fumbled out of the mess of duvets and slapped around the ground irritably in a feeble attempt to find it.  

Cállate , ” she grumbled, bleary eyes now poking out of her cosy little cocoon. Finally, her hand closed around the phone, and she silenced the alarm. It was far too early to be awake right now. Luz’s brain was a blurry mess of jumbled thoughts, her body sluggish and heavy.  

‘Why am I awake. This must be a form of torture. It should be illegal to be up before 10.’  

“Hey! Knock knock!” Eda’s voice chimed from behind the door. “Wakey, wakey, giant toad eggs and bakey!”  

Luz couldn’t understand how anyone could possibly be so chirpy at 7 in the morning. It was especially jarring, given the unpredictable routine of Eda, who rose from her nest anywhere between 7am and noon. Old people really made no sense.  

On the bright side, Eda bringing her breakfast in bed took some of the sting out of waking up so early. Luz scarfed it down and was out the door by 7:30. It was colder today, and Luz gritted her teeth, rubbing her arms. She missed her jacket already, she felt rather exposed without it. 

She was cutting it rather close though, she worried, as she checked her watch. She’d have to make a run for it to have any hope of getting there on time. As it turned out, running for your life from monsters on a semi-frequent basis was a good workout, and she was making good progress, but it still wasn’t enough. As Luz sprinted through the streets, she heard a clocktower in the centre of town begin its chimes. 8 o’ clock. And she was still a good twenty minutes away.  

Luz’s eyes scanned the road. If she jumped the fence and ran over the top of Fly and Go Mart, she’d be on Tendon Street in half the time. Easy. Effortlessly Luz climbed the chain-link and jumped, pulling herself up and onto the ledge, dashing across the rooftops as though she had done it a hundred times because, well, she  had.  Luz vaulted a chimney, slipped down a drainpipe and there it was, the clinic. And there  she  was, leaning against its wall, waiting.  

Amity hadn’t noticed her yet. She looked as though she was about ready to give up and leave when she finally caught Luz’s eye. A small smile caught on her lips, and she averted her gaze back down to her perfectly manicured black nails. 

“I was starting to worry that you’d bailed on me.” 

“Me? Flake out? Nah, I just got uh, a little held up in foot-traffic.” Luz chuckled, fidgeting with her shirt as she jabbed a thumb over her shoulder at the very clear and empty street behind her.  

Amity smirked. “Oh really?”  

“Oh yeah,” Luz hummed with a little nod, stepping slowly closer. “There was a traffic jam off Marrow Way, because of a... a kraken attack. But I like, y’know. Beat it up. No biggie.” 

The witchling tried to stifle a laugh, clearly caught off-guard and Luz felt her face twitch into a little grin.  

“So, we going in or what?” She asked.  

Amity opened the door with a little theatrical bow, the bell chiming as she did. “After you, oh, mighty kraken slayer.”   

The waiting room was a little quieter today, and it was a different receptionist at the desk, a perky looking boy about their own age with freckles and curly red hair. 

“Oh, hi there! Welcome to Tendon Care Veterinary Surgery, how can I help?”  

“We’re here to pick up a cat?”  

“Of course, and what was the name?”  

Luz pursed her lips awkwardly. “Name? Uh, it doesn’t... I mean we haven’t really-”  

Amity rolled her eyes light-heartedly. “He means  your  name. It’s registered under  your  name.” 

Oh! ” Luz’s face scrunched up as she flushed in embarrassment. “I-It’s Noceda.” 

“Alright, if you’d like to take a seat.”  

Luz and Amity sat silently on the cheap, wobbly, wooden chairs, Luz fiddling awkwardly with her thumbs in her lap as Amity checked her Penstagram casually. Should she try to make small talk? What was there really to talk about?  

Luz sighed, turning her head to find herself nose to nose with a giant, panting, slobbering, demon bulldog; one with red, scaly skin and black, batwing-like ears.  

“Boof!”  It barked with such force that Luz’s chair scraped the tiles, and she was pushed backwards into Amity, whose scroll fell with a clatter to the floor.  

“Agh!”  

“O-Oh, I’m  so  sorry- here let me-”  

It was too late. Before Luz could retrieve the scroll, the demon dog, having seen it, lunged forward dragging its owner with a panicked yelp to the floor. Its maw snapped closed around Amity’s scroll and it bounded away on stubby little legs, its tail waggling excitedly. 

“Hey! No! Give that back!” Luz cried out indignantly. Behind her, Amity only watched on in surprise as Luz chased the creature around the lobby, the pair tearing around like a tornado. Bulletin boards were knocked from walls, leaflets scattered to the floor from their wire racks, and at one point the poor clerk boy abandoned his post to protect an innocent fish tank from falling in the carnage.  

Eventually Luz seized the creature by its collar, but now she was doing nothing more than riding it as though it were a bucking bronco. Luz grimaced, wrapping her arms around its thick neck and she tried to pry the dog’s jaw open. “Let... go...!”  

“Miss Noced- ah! ” An unfortunate vet stepped out of his room at the wrong moment. The dog crashed into the man, the impact causing it to spit the scroll out, and it flew through the air, landing back at Amity’s feet. 

Amity stood and picked the scroll up by a corner, the device seeping with slobber. Her face screwed up uncomfortably. “Ugh... Uh... thank you. I think I’m just going to leave this out to dry...” She held it as far from her as she could and placed the scroll on the front desk gingerly.   

The vet groaned, pulling himself up as the dog’s owner finally regained control over it.  “Miss Noceda?” He repeated, glowering at the human as he brushed himself off. Clearly, he wasn’t quite as warm and inviting as Dr. Ariete had been. She nodded sheepishly, and he gestured for her to follow him. Luz felt Amity catch up to trail behind her. 

The vet led them back into the same room as before, the cat carrier sat neatly on the table. Luz dared a little peek as the vet closed the door behind them. Inside, curled at the very back in the folds of her jacket, Luz could just make out a blob of white and tan fur. 

“Is... is she okay?”  

The vet nodded sagely. “She’ll live. Thankfully she suffered no serious internal bleeding, so we cleaned her wounds and stitched her up. She’s very lucky, if the cut had been any deeper, we likely wouldn’t have been able to save her.” Inside the carrier, the ball of fur stirred sleepily, and Luz watched as it turned and peered at her. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t save her right eye. It was too badly damaged and infected, so we’ve had to remove it. She seems to be reacting well to her medication though.”  

Now that the vet mentioned it, in the dark of the case, Luz could only see one, magenta eye peeking curiously back at her. The other was sealed closed, and as a result, it almost looked like the cat was cheekily winking at her. Luz leaned a little closer as the vet and Amity talked about post op care, and the cat wriggled towards the bars as though to also get a closer look at her saviour.  

She still seemed to be in some discomfort from her injuries, but regardless she crawled over the fabric with vigour and sniffed at the finger Luz timidly poked through the bars. Part of Luz expected the cat to swipe at her, or at the very least hiss, she was, after all, a feral street cat. But she didn’t. The cat just pressed her wet, little nose against Luz’s finger then rubbed her cheek against it happily.  

Luz was immediately, and overwhelmingly enamoured.  

“Hola pequeña...” She cooed softly. “Aren’t you pretty?” The cat trilled softly, and Luz smiled.  

“Did you get all that, Noceda?” Amity’s voice caught her attention.  

“Huh? What?”  

Amity sighed. “Never mind. I was listening at least. Thank you, doctor.”  

Luz felt a little out of the loop as they left, Amity poking various pill containers and creams into her jeans’ pockets.  

“This one is for her eye. She needs two of these each day; one in the morning one in the evening. You need to apply this to the wound on her stomach every morning. Have you got all that?”  

“Uh, I... I think so?”  

Amity puffed her cheeks out and shook her head slightly, clearly dwindling in faith. Then she frowned, as she glanced Luz up and down. 

“Are you even going to be able to afford her post op treatments, check-ups and medication? She has to go back next week for another operation on her eye, you know.”  

Luz grimaced. Another operation? The first was expensive enough as it was. “I don’t know, honestly. I guess I’ll have to figure something out.”  

It was quiet for a moment, and Amity crossed her arms pensively. “Look,” she started, staring out across the road. “I don’t know about you, but I can’t help but feel like, maybe, we’re stuck together with this now.” She gestured vaguely to the cat carrier. “We brought her to the vet together, and like, I don’t know,” Amity rubbed the back of her neck. “I’m not good at this. Look, what I’m trying to say is, I don’t feel like it would be right for me to bail on you right now. So if you need help...” 

Amity’s meaning clicked in Luz’s eyes. “O-Oh! You- yeah! I mean, if you want to, I’m sure I could use a hand. I’ll be honest, I’m not really sure what I’m doing, so...”  

Amity stepped closer and crouched over staring into the cat carrier. “So... I guess she’s our shared responsibility for now.” She said quietly. “Though once she’s better, we should probably think about trying to find her owner.” 

“Owner? What makes you think she has an owner?” 

“There’s just something about her... I mean, she  looks  like a purebred, and she’s way too tame to be a born street cat.” A playful look danced through her eyes for a moment. “If she were, she would have taken your finger clean off when you poked it through the bars of her cage earlier.” 

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Luz chuckled. “Anyway, I’m sorry, but I gotta dash, I need to help my mentor in the market as soon as I get this little lady home.”  

Amity stood straight again and with a small spell circle, summoned a pad and pen. She scribbled a number down and tore the page out, offering it to Luz. “Here, my scroll number. Let me know if you have any trouble getting her settled in. Maybe text me your address later or something, and I’ll come over and check up on things.” 

“O-Oh. Sure.”  

“Alright. See you around, Noceda.”  

“Later... Blight.”  

Luz watched the witchling saunter casually away until she was gone from her sight. Then, she exhaled deeply, as the weight of reality set in. She had a responsibility for this little creature now. Something was heavily depending on her, and it was a strange and new feeling, one that she couldn’t yet understand.  

“Alright... I guess I better get you to your new home, huh?” One bright eye peered back up at her curiously through the slots in the plastic.  

Little did Luz know that in saving the cat, the three of their lives were now tangled together in ways she could have never predicted.