Read Rystani Warrior 04 - The Quest for Free Online Page B

high metabolisms could consume their own body weight a hundred times over in just a few hours. The way the creature had just attacked, Kirek suspected he was famished. Although this one didn’t seem large enough to consume a human, he was taking no chances with her life and lifted the spitting creature out of Angel’s reach.
    “‘Lion’ is my pet cat’s name.” She used null grav in her suit to float her to the beast and gently took him into her hands. The animal immediately settled into her arms, but the hair on its neck still stood straight up.
    She had a pet. A living, breathing cat.
    “I thought he was attacking you.”
    “He was.” Angel grinned and cuddled the cat against her chest and under her chin. Clearly, she was in no danger. She threaded her fingers through the animal’s coat—his fur flattened, and he purred. If she’d held him against her chest and stroked him like that, Kirek would have purred, too.
    Shoving aside his jealousy, he eyed the cat curiously. “You keep a pet on the ship?”
    “I have his suit adjusted to automatic, and he likes it in space.” Her voice softened as she held Lion. “We’ve been together a long time. I rescued him from the streets about ten years ago. When I took off in the Raven, I tried to leave him behind with a friend, but the rascal stowed aboard.”
    Her cat had a suit? He’d never heard of such a thing. “I’ve never had the luxury of owning a pet.”
    “Cats aren’t a luxury. On Earth, you can pick one up for free at any animal center.”
    “On Rystan, it was difficult enough to keep people fed. After my family moved to Mystique, I made one journey after another.”
    He’d never had time to make friends with other children, but the lack of others his own age hadn’t bothered him since he’d had so little in common with them. He’d preferred the company of adults. However, a pet would have been a wonderful companion, and his heart lifted at the prospect of spending time with a domesticated animal. He broke into a wide smile of pleasure. “May I pet … ”
    “Lion?” She plucked the cat from her chest and let him look at Kirek. “He may not forget your rough treatment. He doesn’t like being held by the neck.” She spoke softly to her pet as if he was an intelligent being. “Lion, this is Kirek, a Rystani warrior who is on a mission to save the galaxy from the Zin.”
    “You weren’t supposed to tell him that.” Kirek admonished, grin widening. “My mission’s a secret.”
    “Lion can’t talk.”
    “Sure he can.”
    He let the animal sniff his hand then gently took the furry feline who gazed back at him, his yellow eyes wary, his back arched and stiff. He let out another sharp hiss.
    Angel snorted but played along. “What’s he saying? That he doesn’t like you?”
    Kirek stroked the soft fur, but the animal didn’t purr for him like it had for Angel. However, his fur finally lay down, and Kirek figured that was at least some progress. Lion’s stomach growled, and he wriggled to get down. Kirek wanted to hold him but wouldn’t force his will on a pet. “He says he’s hungry.”
    “He’s always hungry.” She plucked a container out of a drawer and placed a handful of pellets into a fired clay bowl that was attached to an automatic watering device. “Cats are supposed to be picky. But Lion will eat anything.”
    He expected the cat to gobble the food, but it ate daintily, chewing one piece thoroughly before going on to the next. The dry food didn’t look too appetizing, but as Angel had predicted, Lion didn’t mind.
    Angel rested her hands on her hips, and her tone became guarded. “I suppose since you thought Lion was a threat and that you might be risking life and limb to protect me that I should thank you.”
    He shrugged and tried to keep the sheepish expression from his face. “I’ve never seen a cat.”
    Her eyes flashed with indignation. “Did you think I’d allow a dangerous creature on board?”
    “You let me