Winded Sails - Chapter 1
Kali sat in the crow's nest, her back against the mainmast and her light gray tail loosely draped across her lap. She watched the desert's golden hills that rolled by. Her eyes traced along each one, meticulously combing the landscape despite the...
Winded Sails - Chapter 9
Despite clutching her sore stomach the entire time, and every step sending a reminding ache through her pelt, Kali didn’t stop running. She pressed on, even after Mikora’s furious shouting and growling vanished among the remaining din of the Benz...
Winded Sails - Chapter 2
The desert skies were bright and clear again, even as the sun started its swift descent past the golden horizon. Stars appeared one by one overhead, glimmering faintly as the last rays clawed back the night's veil. However, this wasn't the end of...
Winded Sails - Chapter 3
Days passed quickly while serving as a ship's apprentice. Starlit nights went by even faster, with the flurry of activity on deck. Half of which was missed, as the apprentices slept before the morning shift. This was how The Sandstalker operated from...
Winded Sails - Chapter 12
Kali watched the prince and his entourage depart, clustered together with fluttering laughs and mewls. Tasean's voice rose over the others and echoed down the hallway. Usually, when he left, she felt more at ease. This time, however, agitation tweaked...
Winded Sails - Chapter 14
While at home, curled up and comfortable in her hammock, Kali rarely woke up early. Not once her clock has adjusted back to a cat's natural nighttime hours. She slept until dusk, and sometimes rose even later than that, as most residents of the Benz...
Winded Sails - Chapter 5
Four days of cracking crabs. Four full days, from dawn to dusk, with little reprieve at nightfall. The moment dinner was over, a pile of plates replaced shellfish. Kali washed all the plates, bowls, and spoons afterwards. Each night, when she finally...
Winded Sails - Chapter 10
The line for the lift wrapped around the block, twisting and snaking through the Benz streets, like it usually did in the late afternoon. When the sun kissed the sand on the horizon, before the nighttime bustle started, that was when the grand Mjau...
Winded Sails - Chapter 13
Kali froze where she was, the fur on her neck and tail prickling with alarm. Tensed, ready to flee, though she couldn’t go anywhere. Her position on the flimsy shelf was already precarious, at best, and she only stayed there with Rinzaan propping her...
Winded Sails - Chapter 11
The prince's silver pelt and black spots, an almost exact replica of the empress, were easy enough to see. As were the gem-studded jewelry and the loose, rich red silks he wore–palace silks, the sort cats only wore on Dockside, with short sleeves and...
The Switchback Canyon Race
The biggest legends have the smallest starts. That's what Maeve told herself, again and again, when she signed up for the 205th Annual Switchback Canyon Race. It was just a small time local competition. Nothing newsworthy. A short race through...
Winded Sails - Chapter 4
For a fleeting, drowsy moment, Kali was content. Curled against Rinzaan, his arms wrapped around her, and his chin tucked into the nook between her neck and shoulder, she could've stayed there all day. His slow, steady breaths wafted through her short...