a human with a severe lisp. Sweetboy, however, seemed unaware of his lack and
expressively moved what he had. He even managed to make it obvious when he was
not just moving the thumb-length stub, but lashing it. Now he peered at his bowl
under a thigh the thickness of a trim man’s waist. It moved, straightened.
“Drink up, Tige,” Ahdio said, and turned to his own mug. By the time he lifted
it to his lips, his beer-loving cat was sounding more canine than feline in its
enthusiastic lapping. Hip against the table and one elbow on the keg, Ahdio
quaffed his beer while watching Sweetboy put away his. The big man’s face wore
an indulgent smile. It faded, and he sighed.
The hard part was the disappearance of Sweetboy’s former companion and fellow
watch-cat. Notable. Both Ahdio and Sweetboy missed the big red cat. First Hanse
had popped in late one afternoon and just had to borrow him; then, even while
Ahdio was trying to explain that Notable was a one-man cat, the damned traitor
had come in all high-tailed and started in rubbing Shadowspawn as if the cocky
thief were his favoritest person in the whole world. So off went large watch-cat
with smallish thief, and into the governor’s palace and out. And Hanse had
brought Notable back, too, bragging on his loyalty and valor-and loud voice.
That was right before Hanse had left town, in a hurry. Apparently he had taken
with him the eldest daughter of the murdered S’danzo, Moon-flower.
Next morning, Notable was gone, too. Just short of frantic, Ahdio searched and