Ch 6: Sarah and Ophelia

Nighttime had come once again. Ben slept near Charlie on the makeshift bed with Vincent nearby. Tim had let Charlie know that since Vincent would be with Ben that he would spend the night with Avery at the animal farm to instruct the new cats on their sacred duty. They still slept with one candle lit because of Lexi's cries when she was younger.

Ophelia and Esther shared spots on the other side of the bed. Esther sleeping above Lexi's head and Ophelia sleeping in Sarah's arms just like Esther had done years ago with Lexi. Sarah's breathing started to become heavy, so Ophelia went inside her mind.

Sarah stood at the door to a house. Screaming was happening inside. She could see through the windows and saw a giant snake with wings fighting with her dad. The snake was breathing fire! Her Mom tried to get to the door, but the snake quickly lit her on fire too. Sarah started screaming, crying and banging on the door. Ophelia decided to appear in the dream by the door as her feline self.

"Do you want me to do anything?" Ophelia asked Sarah. The dragon inside noticed Sarah and flew towards the door. Ophelia screeched at it rearing on her hind legs and pounding on the door when it started to get too close.

"No!" Sarah screamed. Hands grabbed her around her waist and threw her in a carriage.

"Just in time…" a male voice said. She starred at the old man who creepily resembled Mr. Stephan from the home. "It's angry and set out to kill. We must go…" he said.

"He's right. You had to leave then. You couldn't have saved them." Ophelia said and appeared on the side of a sobbing Sarah in the horse drawn carriage.

"Why was that thing so angry?" Sarah asked Ophelia.

"I don't know. I'd have to investigate the original area and I don't know how far away it is from where you are now." Ophelia said.

"I spent a day and a night traveling with the old man" Sarah said.

"You think it was a day and a night… My sweet child it was a couple of days and nights and he made sure you ate and drank enough water before he dropped you off at the labor farm. He said he would have kept you if he could have afforded the extra food costs. He dropped you off here for a better life since he couldn't keep you any longer."

"I miss Mommy." Sarah cried.

"It's okay." Ophelia hugged onto Sarah. "I'll keep you safe." Ophelia showed Sarah in her mind her dragon form. "I will protect you from any of those mean dragons. It is our duty to protect people. It has always been our duty to protect you. Some of my kind make mistakes. I can't leave you to find this dragon that hurt your family, but I will report this to Tim and he will look further into it with the Council of Elders since he's an Elder."

"Elder?" Sarah asked.

"Yes. We have a Council of Elders that rule us. Tim is an Elder sent to watch over Esther. Esther lost her" Ophelia paused thinking of how to explain it, "Esther lost her husband. She had had a baby, but the baby was not well."

"I don't understand," Sarah said. "Esther is a Mommy?"

"Yes. Her baby did not make it. She was sentenced for hurting a person to watch over people forever. I don't know how or why, but she bonded to Lexi like I bonded to you." Ophelia cried with Sarah over her parents' deaths. "I will stay with you for as long as you like."

"Why would I want you to go away? Ophelia, you protected me from that mouse in the bathroom." Sarah said. She woke up for a moment and hugged Ophelia that was sleeping right beside her. "I don't care what you are Ophelia. You protected me." Sarah fell right back asleep in the comforting warmth of Ophelia's body.

"Thank you" Ophelia said. She noticed Sarah was sleeping and pawed at Esther. "Could you watch Sarah for me for tonight? I don't think she'll wake up again, but I need to report something to Tim. Tim's at the animal farm, right?"

"Sure, I'm watching Lexi. You know Lexi wouldn't let anything happen to Sarah either. Tim should be in the animal farm the cat barn with Avery tonight." Esther said to Ophelia. Ophelia pawed Esther's face in thanks then hopped off the bed and ran out the door.

She arrived at the animal farm in no time. She could hear the mewling of kittens which directed her to the cat barn. Tim was on top on the second floor and she climbed up a rope to join him. "Elder, we need to talk about the little girl."

"I go by Tim now, but continue." He scratched his head and licked at his paws. "I already know the little girl's name is Sarah and she went through something traumatic like Lexi did all those years ago."

"Yes. Sarah's family was killed by a rogue dragon. I saw it in her dreams. She talks to me sometimes. She tells me how she's so afraid to talk about it because the 'snake with wings' will kill her. She's so closed off from the real world. I don't know how to fix this with her without getting her justice from that rogue dragon. Could you contact the Council of Elders and let them know that a rogue dragon killed a kid's family? It even tried to kill her, a youngling!"

"I'll let them know what I can. I must train these new dragons first on how to be cats and how to protect everyone here. We can't show our true form and have to remain cats. They must learn from the few real cats here what it is like to be a cat so they can fully integrate into society as cats." Tim sighed at all the work in the future. "My job was only to watch Esther and now look at me!"