A Hero's Curse Read Online Free PDF Page B

said.
    “Underneath what?” Mom sounded like she didn’t believe me.
    “Underneath the dirt.”
    “A cat is underneath the dirt?” Mom sounded incredulous.
    “Please Mom, it’s trapped!” I pleaded.
    “Keira, let me.” Dad’s heavy footfalls came right up next to me. “Where is it, Brightstar?” I pointed where I had heard the dirt shuffle. Dad knelt and put a hand on my shoulder. With the other hand I heard him moving the grass and dirt in front of us. “Well, well, good ears, girl. There is a hole here.” He took my hand and guided it to the hole. “Feel the hole and the dirt. Tell me if it’s fresh.” 
    I felt the hole. The air was soft and cool coming out of the ground. “I don’t know,” I said.
    “The ground here is hard. This hole is old. It’s been abandoned. That doesn’t mean nothing lives here—there could be vipers here or some other creature that’s looking for some shade—” Dad said.
    “Cat,” I interrupted.
    Dad was quiet for a moment. “Hm. you think so huh? Well.” He picked me up and set me aside a few feet. I heard him start to move dirt and smelled the dry dust in the air.
    “Don’t hurt it. It’s little,” I said.
    “Okay,” grunted Dad and he continued to paw for a couple more minutes. “Keira, come here.” I heard Mom walk over to Dad. “Look at this little guy.” 
    Mom sounded excited. “Essie, come here.” She took a couple of steps over to me, took my hand and helped me trot back. Dad was still on his knees. I felt his great, dusty hand take mine and guide it to a little ball of fur in his hand. The ball of fur hissed and spit and then sneezed.
    Dad chuckled. “Good ear, Brightstar.”
    Dad cupped my hands together and put the ball of fuzz in them. I cradled it to my chest.
    “You were right, it looks like a cat,” he said, “but this wasn’t its nest. It must have just crawled in here when it heard us coming by. I don’t know where it might have come from. I don’t think it could have come from the Jorgensons’. That’s quite a ways for a little guy like this. It looks like it just opened its eyes a few days ago,” he finished.
    “What color are its eyes?” I asked.
    “Green,” said Mom. “Very green. But they might change. Some kittens’ eyes change color as they grow older.”
    “I like that his eyes are green,” I declared. “Can I keep him?”
    “I think you should,” said Dad. “You rescued him. He wouldn’t have made it through the night out here without a nest or a mama.”
    “What color is it?” I asked.
    “Gray. And dusty,” said Mom.
    I cradled the little gray ball all the way home. That night “Tig” spoke. He cried for his family and asked for milk. I didn’t tell Mom and Dad. I was too excited, and a talking cat was so strange I was worried they might take him away.
    I know others can hear and understand Tig if he’s careless—I’ve been blamed for his sarcastic remarks more than once. Tig and I keep his ability to talk a secret. It’s too unusual to share. I don’t know any other animals who can talk. I’ve spent many luckless hours with Sassafras, trying to get her to ask politely for an apple core. Maybe it’s magic. I like the mystery, and it makes both of us feel special.
    Tig bumps against my leg, bringing me back to the present. “Excuse you,” he says absently.
    We find the trail that follows the meandering path of the Mar and stick to that, making the going just a little faster. The river Mar is the defining feature of our realm. It’s even what our kingdom is called: the Kingdom of Mar. The river snakes out of the Valley of Fire taking rich black dirt into the whole province. It used to flood once a year, but that hasn’t happened in a long time.
    The gravel is hard and packed under my leather shoes. The new soles feel perfect. I like the softer leather. The shoes don’t last as long, but they mold to my feet so I know more about the ground. They also help me keep my balance or stay quiet