The afternoon sun was warm against Cee's fur.  The air had a slight chill in it, which made the sun feel even warmer. Cee had found a comfortable spot on the railling of someone's porch.  It was nice to get off the cold ground.

Cee reflected that this was his tenth fall.  Not many outdoor cats made it to that age. Cee fell into a doze thinking of the many things he had seen in his many years. Some bad, but most of them good.

He was glad he had met Demitri, Laura, and Abby.  They were excellent examples of what humans could be if properly trained.  he would have to keep an eye out for them.

The three of them came down and conferred with him about the boogeyman and Tomo's fear.  Cee assured tham that Tomo would be fine.  He was just knocked off his feet because he wasn't expecting it.  He aggreed that it was strange that the boogeyman left a scent that lingered all night. The boogeyman is mostly a mental apparition and out only thought you smelled it.  After it is gone, the smell disapears.  A lingering scent opened the possibility that it was a physical creature.  And as a physical creature it could be defeated. Cee told them that he would do some investigating of his own.

Now that he was aware of it, he could detech the scent off the creature at many houses in his territory.  If you weren't scenting for it, it just gave you the sublimbinal sensation of fear. The houses it concentrated on were those that had young ones.  The humans had tols him that some of the children had been stolen right out of their rooms.

Cee left his territory to widen his search. Further down Charlotte street he encountered a house that was covered by a dark aura and reaked of the boogeyman. Cee went around the house, but he could not find any means of entry.

*greetings great warrior in orange.*

Cee looked around.  It had to be a house cat.  They spent their time writing long flowery speaches.  He spotted her in the window of the house next door.  A lovely toroise shell.

*greetings she who is coloured like a prescious stone. my name is Cee. do you know what happened in this house?*

*my name is Alexandria.  why do you care was happens in territory not your own?*

*a young human in my care was also attacked by the same creature.  i wish to sharpen my claws on its entrails* Cee could make flowery speaches too.

*sounds exciting. last night, the dog next door created a terrible row. howled that its packmate was being eaten by the bed.  i heard it directly from Tru, the cat that lives there.  she said it was terrible.  the young ones parents opened the door but they were too late.  Tru said that the dog tried to grab the child in her teeth, but could only grab the strange material they put on. it ripped and the child was lost.  the parents tore the room apart, but they could not find a trace.  the dog raced from bed to bed to closet, but it could not find the child.  it was a terrible sound to hear.  the poor dog cried itself until it was horse.*

*thank you for your excellent telling of the tale.  such as you are rare indeed.  beauty and talent in one.  i will tell of your aid when i recount how i managed to slay the beast* Cee bowed deeply.  Alexandria had given him excellent information.

Cee sat on the deck, enjoying the sun, and waited for an opportunity to talk to the dog inside.