Sage

Purring contentedly, I curl myself up into a tighter ball next to the fire, tail twitching gently as slumber holds me steady.

Heated flames warm my black fur as I bask in the quiet serenity of my and my human’s home, though unfortunately for me, that was short-lived.

“Oh, no. No, no! Don’t blow--!”

I hear my human screech, but she is cut off by an explosion, and I jolt up from my position, growling at the obnoxious sound.

Now awake, I yawn and stretch my front legs out, spine elongating as I move. Grumbling in exasperation, I pad through the cottage silently, following the noises of commotion my human was creating.

Weaving around table legs and crumpled parchment, I discover Freya hunched over her workbench, one of her hands tangled in her fiery red curls, and I gracefully hop onto the wooden surface of her desk, wondering what has made her so upset.

A soft meow escapes my lungs while I lean in to nudge my head against Freya’s, my actions prompting her to shift, and my companion lifts her chin, her hazel eyes flicking up to focus on me.

“Hey there, Sage. Did I wake you from your nap?” Freya questions sheepishly while raising a hand to scratch behind my left ear.

Making a low hum in my throat, I fall into my human’s touch, enjoying the head rubs, and I grunt a soft huff, telling her that she did rouse me from my slumber, but I careen into her hand even more, not wanting my companion to stop.

“Ah, sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to,” Freya apologizes, craning her head down to kiss the bridge of my nose, and I blink at her slowly, showing my acceptance of her apology.

Trilling happily, I push myself closer to my witch companion, encouraging her to pet me more, and the redhead giggles in amusement.

“Well, aren’t you needy?” she began, her hand drawing down my spine just the way I like. “Don’t worry, though. I like that about you, Sage.” Freya murmurs.

Her palm sliding along my fur feels exquisite, lulling me into a stupor, but before I could get too distracted, a putrid smell hit my keen nose, and I couldn’t stop myself from gagging, even if I tried.

“Oh goodness, I forgot about my botched potion!” Freya lamented, groaning softly as she dropped her hand from my back.

Tilting my head in curiosity, I sway in the direction of the rancid stench, doing my best not to inhale too much of it, and my eyes water when I peer over the lip of the miniature cauldron, seeing the stinky, ebony goop caked at the bottom.

“Sage, no! That isn’t good for cats! Actually, it isn’t good for anyone. Please do not eat it!” my human demands, scrambling to yank me away from the bowl, and I yowl, batting at her hands with my paws as if to scold her for grabbing me.

“Sorry, you little hellion! I am not taking any chances with that nasty stuff.”

My companion reprimanded me, wincing when my claws mauled the delicate skin of her hands and forearms, and the woman shoved the mini cauldron further away from us.

Scowling at her, a low growl rumbled from deep within my chest, to which Freya merely puffed her cheeks out and rolled her eyes, and the woman spun on her heels before placing me down on the ground.

“I’ve got to clean this mess up before heading out to purchase more herbs and oils, Sage,” Freya mutters, pinching the bridge of her nose as she stares at her workbench for a few moments, but then she whirls back to fix her hazel gaze on me, and points a finger at me and demands, saying,

“Stay away from my work station, naughty kitty. That goop could be fatal!”

With that, my human scurries off in the direction of the kitchen, my eyes tracking her movements as she runs away, and I do as I’m told, staying right where she left me.

Rushing back in after a few minutes, Freya has returned with a rag and a bottle filled with liquid in her hands, and she beelines for her work station. She proceeds to spray the most god-awful, irritating lemon-scented mixture from the bottle all over the station, and I can’t help but sneeze a couple of times.

While I attempt to cover my face with my paw to block out the scent, my human companion is swift in her clean up, wiping down the bench and disposing of the cauldron, and the stench of lemon permeates the air as it fails to mask Freya’s botched potion. When the woman is finished, she wads up the rag and exits her spell room, and I follow her loyally.

Quickly and without hesitation, the woman tosses the dirty cloth into a bin, most likely to be dealt with later, then she puts the bottle of cleaner away before bounding into her bedroom.

Wandering into the living room, I wait for my witchy human, and I leap onto the sofa, coil my body into a loaf. My tail swishes while I rest, wondering what is taking Freya so long, and my eyes start to droop as sleep does its best to consume me once more.

After several minutes, which felt like hours, Freya emerges from her room, and my head pops up from its resting spot. My tired eyes land on the woman, seeing that she is now dressed in a long, black peasant skirt, a moss green blouse, a cardigan, and to top off her look, she has her signature boots on, as well as her hat.

“How do I look, Sage?” my witchy girl asks when she spots me, spinning in a circle once.

Leisurely, I stand up from the sofa, jumping down as I assess the redhead, walking around her form to take in her outfit, and I rub my body over her skirt-covered legs and between them before stopping in front of the woman. Sitting down, I flick my gaze up to her, blinking slowly at my companion, and I hum lowly.

“I will take that as a sign of approval. Now, let’s get going before darkness falls, Sage.”

Nodding in understanding, I pad alongside my witch girl as we head towards the cottage’s front door, and I pause as Freya scoops her basket up and opens the oak egress.

Slipping out of the entryway, I halt at the porch steps, observing the woman behind me as she shuts and locks the door behind her. When that is done, Freya sidles next to me, and we finally head into town.

Children and adults flood the streets, dressed in costumes and carrying sacks ready to be filled with goodies, but I hug myself close to Freya, knowing that tonight monsters will be coming out.

And those creatures were beings I hoped we could avoid.

At all costs.