More like a good nose and a heavy dose of curiosity. Already this mission had born fruit. Arik would want to know about the illegal fishermen. The preservation of denizens of the sea was of high importance to cats. They loved their surf and turf.
“In the book, he emerged at noon and the world was blinding,” she said, pivoting to look around. “But he could see one thing.” She pointed.
“The edge of the world,” he stated. “Looks like the ice ends in a cloud.”
They headed for it, moving as quickly as they could on foot. She knew he had to be cold, and yet he didn’t complain. Just marched with determination.
Still, she couldn’t help but worry. Frostbite was a very real threat to him, as was hypothermia. Shifters ran hotter and weren’t as affected.
At least they didn’t have too far to go. The clouds got closer, and as they did, she said, “The air is getting warmer.”
“I think we found the volcano,” was his reply.
Soon enough, the humid mist enveloped them, and she caught Peter by the arm before he stepped off the edge.
“You might want to find a path that doesn’t result in you diving to your death,” she suggested.
He knelt and glanced down, muttering, “There has to be a path.” He was the one to find a ledge leading down and then into the volcano and curving and swirling, bringing them lower. He held her hand, and his excitement hummed through her.
They were almost there. At the end of the tunnel, they’d find the treasure.
Oh, and one last thing.
An abominable monster.
Chapter Fifteen
“Oh my God!” Peter exclaimed.
“Ditto,” Nora squealed. “Isn’t it just the cutest!” She clapped her hands in glee.
The Russian yeti rose in a shaggy ball of white-gray fur. It flashed an impressive array of teeth, thrust its horns, and uttered a big, “Grawr.”
“I want it!” Nora exclaimed. She would hug it and love it and call it Fluffy.
“You do realize that thing is eyeing us as its next dinner,” he declared.
Indeed, it waved its paws and did its best to appear fearsome. “It’s so fluffy!” She had two weaknesses. Sherpa sweaters and big cuddly yetis. She’d even gone to the Rockies a half-dozen times in the hopes of finding one. At last, her dream was coming true. “You’ll be my best friend.” She threw herself at the yeti, only to miss.
She missed! It was so rare that she lay there stunned for a second before she looked up, and up some more, past the fluted foot of a pedestal.
“I found it!” she squealed. In her excitement over the stuffed toy come to life, she’d almost forgotten the real reason for being here.
She sprang to her feet and glanced over the ornate box inlaid with bright metal but, oddly enough, showing no slot for a key. Which might explain the pile she spotted past the pedestal. All kinds of keys in a heap mixed with bones. Lots of bones. They were not the first ones to come here.
“I think the treasure might be cursed,” she told him.
“Well, duh. Big monster guarding it,” Peter said as he slid his bag from his back.
“Hardly a monster. Fluffy is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.” Nora smiled as she whirled and caught her soon-to-be pet trying to give her a hug. “Come here, cutie.” She reached out and snared its arms and dragged it close.
“Are you hugging that monster?”
“It’s adorable. I’m gonna keep it.”
“You cannot keep it. You don’t even know what it is.”
“Russian yeti.”
“I don’t think there’s any such thing as a Russian yeti.”
“Then what would you call my new friend?” She gave it a shake. Fluffy squeaked.
“Not a friend for starters,” Peter huffed, edging sideways. He had his tiny little knife in hand.
“Don’t you dare poke my Fluffy.” She shoved the yeti behind her and huffed. Hot misty air in. Tangy. And smelling burnt. Odd how it wasn’t hotter, though. The arctic sea and ice must be keeping the temperature down.
“Are you trying to get eaten?” he declared, waving the knife.
“She’s not going to hurt us. Are you, Fluffy?” She whirled toward the yeti, who backed away, head cocked, watching them both warily.
“She doesn’t understand you.”
“I disagree. She is totally listening to us.”
“Grawr,” Fluffy replied in the affirmative.
Whereas Peter frowned. “It does seem more docile than expected.”
“She.”
“How can you tell?”
“How can you not?” Nora repeated mockingly. “Although I am flattered your head isn’t turned by just any lady in fur.”
“I don’t believe in fur, although I do like steak.”
“Depends on the fur. If I was wearing it, you’d stroke it.”
Something gagged. Her poor Fluffy obviously had a hairball.
“I can’t believe we found the place in the book.” Peter spun around, slowly taking in the massive cavern covered in a sheet of ice as heat from the fissures in the ground froze. A heavy mist hung a few feet over their heads. A few openings led off the room, and it was tempting to check them out. After.
First, she had a box to open.
Fluffy stood in front of the pedestal.
“Move, Fluffy. I’m here for the treasure.”
Her new pet bared her teeth.
“Now, now, is that any way to talk to me? And to think, I was gonna find us some meat for dinner tonight.”
Fluffy gagged again.
Wait. Was her new pet a vegetarian? Or more horrifying, “Are you a vegan?”
Fluffy shook her head.
She sighed in relief. “But you’re trying to tell me something. I’m going to go on a limb and say, stay away from the box.”
Fluffy went wild bobbing.
Even Peter took notice.
“Is it because there’s a curse?” Because all fairy tales had one.
More frantic bobbing that led to Peter mocking. “It is becoming obvious you’ve watched too many movies featuring animals as people. That thing is most definitely not trying to tell us anything other than we look tasty.”
“You can be really close minded, you know.”
“Being strait-laced is what got me out of the hospital,” he muttered.
“The world is full of things that seem inexplicable,” she said, her attention drawn by a noise.
Fluffy’s head angled as well. It appeared they had company.
“Science will eventually explain everything.” Peter, with his human ears, hadn’t noticed.
“No it won’t.” Her firm belief.
He finally heard the approaching herd of humans, their attempts to be stealthy far from subtle. “Someone’s coming.”
“I’m hoping it’s the guys who stole the key.” It would be kind of them to deliver themselves into her paws.
Five men ran into the room—because their females were obviously too smart to tangle with Nora. They were armed with regular guns, not tranquilizing darts. That didn’t stop her new pet from trying to protect them.
Fluffy uttered a roar and waved her arms as she ran for them, only to get shot.