“Well, strictly speaking, she is her daughter.  How some ever, Hepzibah’s husband was dead when we did frolic and beget a child.  In those days, it was a small matter to put it about that a far-away sister had died, leaving the infant in Hepzibah’s care.  Since we live small and close anyway, it was no matter for her to remain within during the necessary months.”

“She gave birth alone?” Lyddia was shocked.

“Well, not exactly.  She was a cat when the babe came forth.  Our cat dames did attend her.”

Lyddia stared at him a moment.  “I am so glad I sent Junior to bed early.  I do not think he needs to hear this.  So…she was in cat form when Dulce was born?  And that is why Dulce changes?”

“More or less.  Somewhat more, actually.  You see, for every old dame who wished her cat could be a man, there has always been somewhere a human who wished they could live the life of a cat.  These human cats are usually human–except for the three nights of the full moon.  Hepzibah was one such.  She was a bit less cat than Dulce, however.  She remembered her nights as a cat.  Dulce does not.”

“So…Dulce is Hepzibah’s illegitimate daughter; hidden away all these years.  Hmmm…well, that has possibilities.  The problem lies in proving the relationship, and getting the change recorded.  It would be easier to buy the place for back-taxes–except that there are none owed.  Where did she go to school?”

“She did not.   Hepzibah taught her letters and spelling.  She tried to teach us…but it is hard to teach a cat.  It was hard enough to teach us to run the machines and to use the needles to make the clothing.  Some of us like to make clothes for ourselves as well–don’t we, my Tabbi?”  He snagged Tabitha by the waist as she passed through the kitchen. 

She swatted his hands.  “Go on with ye, now, Daddy.  I’m not in the mood–and if I were, I know a fine striped Tom lives not a mile from here.  I’ll have no dead or sickly kits.”

Tom’s eyes followed her as she went from the room.  “She’s a lithesome lass.  Still, she has the right of it.  We are sadly inbred; yet everytime we breed back to cat, we more cat become.  Some among us already cannot make the change, or make it only rarely.”

Dan carefully did not broach the subject of parenthood with this feline patriarch.  Clearly, his tribe ran on cat morality, not human.  “But all of you who were captured yesterday changed!  I’m sure I would have noticed if you had not.”

“You are correct.  Usually, those who do not change leave us after a time.  Some go to live among humans.  A few–a very few–bring back kittens who change.  Still, our numbers dwindle.  Our litters have become smaller and fewer.  You, your wife and child are the first hope we have had that we can even communicate with the world at large.”

“Found it!” Lyddia announced, changing the subject.  “One Simon del Perro is buying up property across the state to make a chain of resorts.”

“Del Perro!” Old Tom bristled.  “Were dogs!  I should have known!”

Chapter one

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five