[The X Phial]

After catching the queen's eye, Athel pulled herself back behind the vase and listened to the dinner conversation. The hated heir and his parents seemed oblivious to the tension between the king and queen but she knew the Morwen woman was aware and enjoying it. She could see her from her vantage point, smiling slyly and shooting small contemptuous glances at Beruthiel when the King spoke in his quiet voice.

Most annoying, though, was the wolfhound puppy. Athel's primitive hatred of the dogs was at a near fever pitch in her mind. Like her brother's fear, her need for vengeance sometimes overtook her sense. Seeing and smelling the puppy sitting so quietly was driving the small cat mad. She risked another small look out from the shadow and noticed that none of the humans were paying any attention to either the mantle or the pup. She decided she would have her fun.

Ever so slowly and lazily she flicked her tail out of the shadow in the direction of the dog. In his glaze of boredom it took the dog several tail flicks before he noticed. She could feel his sudden attention, smell his excitment, but not yet hear him barking. She wanted him in a frenzy, removed from the room, but she had to be careful not to be seen by anyone else. She flicked just the end of her tail out again, teasing the sharp eyes of the hound. His excitement was growing and she risked another. Finally, she heard him whining, growling, and ultimately yipping up at her on the mantle. Smiling to herself and sensing the disapproving annoyance of Lassra from across the room, she stuck her paw out ever so slightly and spread it wide so it looked like she was yawning. She knew it would drive Huan into a frenzy and was not disappointed when a series of high-pitched barks erupted. She couldn't see him, but knew he would be straining and staring intently up at the mantle. It was a risk, his attention might easily give her away.

Once more with the tail and the barking was full-blown, loud, and undoubtedly disturbing to the humans. From across the room she heard a small noise and then heard the dog's focus changing, barking randomly at it. She didn't know if the noise had come from the other cat or the queen, but knew it was meant to shift focus away from her, and she was glad.

Finally, she heard the voice of the queen calling for Huan's removal, and even Morwen's voice murmuring in assent. A liveried servant came and picked up the small canine, still barking, still struggling to reach the source of the maddening black tail. Athel noted the satisfied tone in her mistress's voice, heard the outburst from the dog's master, and closed her eyes, satisfied with her work.

[ August 13, 2003: Message edited by: The X Phial ]