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Description

Jill went to watch the Skunk Avenue race as usual. Not because she was a gang member, but because giant wild cats were seriously more interesting than any mundane thing she normally did as a day nurse. Besides, this race was rather regular. Most other street races you can only happen upon.
So she was there, meeting and petting the more friendly cats, and trying to stay out of snapping range of the scary ones. When the horn was sounded for the cats to get to the starting line, she went up onto a good house-sized rock to watch.
The gun fired, and the cats were off as usual- in their typical hysterical and chaotic way. Leaping over each other, and some people were just jerks that went so far as to bring weapons to attack other riders with. People were dodging them pretty well, but once they started going faster, they instead targeted a rather small-looking cat (well, small by comparison) that was running towards the rear of the spreading pack.
One man threw a wrench at the young grayish cat- hitting it in the head despite its very heavy thrash to try to avoid it, and his front right paw missed the road.
Both rider and cat went tumbling.
Worried, Jill leapt down the rock and started running over- they were not too far off, maybe 200 yards or so. Though she was considered a “good runner” by most, even her fastest sprint felt weak and slow- and time moving too quickly. After what felt like an eternity, she got there and was by the rider’s side. The rider was a woman, and she was injured terribly and unconscious. The cat was lying down next to its friend, trying to lick the dirt off a deep scrape. It seemed fine altogether, but would probably have some very heavy bruises for a while. The area around its left eye was bleeding, but the eye itself looked fine.
Jill knelt down to the woman.
“Hey! It’s ok, I’m a nurse, are you alright?” The woman didn’t open her eyes, but she was able to barely say;
“His name is Altair.”
“Altair?” She asked. “Who’s Altair?”
A giant shadow loomed over Jill and her heart almost stopped until she realized that it was the cat- he had stood up and walked over without Jill even realizing it, and has stooped down to nudge and lick at the woman’s wounds.
“Take him and go,” The woman said. “Take care of him.”
“What?” Jill asked. She’d never seen a dying patient before, and actually being in the field she didn’t know what to do. She’d only ever administered medicine- it was all she was good for. She didn’t have the money or resources to take care of one of these giant cats anyway.
The woman passed out again. Jill found herself crying heavily, against her training. On the upside, it wouldn’t matter. A man riding bareback on a giant brown and silver cat came over.
“Do what the woman says. Get on the cat.”He said whilst slipping off and putting some reins on the cat called ‘Altair’. Jill was suspicious of him.
“Why? Why now?” Jill asked.
“Someone called an ambulance.” The man replied. The police will be here soon, too. You need to get out of here. Do you have a place to keep this cat?”
“No.”
“That’s ok. It’s yours now and I know somewhere you can keep it safely.”
“Where?”
“Texas.”

“I can’t just move to Texas!” Jill cried. The man stopped and looked at her, a compassionate look was in his eyes.
“Then what’s going to happen to him?” He motioned towards the cat. “I can’t take him, and he’ll either just go hungry or get shot. I’m giving you an option that’s best for both of you. Take it.”
He finished putting the reins on the cat and gave Jill a piece of paper. “This is the address. Take it or leave it, but get on that cat and get out of here.” He ordered, and jumped back onto his cat’s back. The cat was eager to go.

Jill heard the sirens coming. Having no more time to decide anything she climbed onto the back of the still mourning Altair and rode off. The cat didn’t complain or lament- it also understood sirens.
Sirens meant “run”.
It was all either of them could do.

Description

Jill went to watch the Skunk Avenue race as usual. Not because she was a gang member, but because giant wild cats were seriously more interesting than any mundane thing she normally did as a day nurse. Besides, this race was rather regular. Most other street races you can only happen upon.
So she was there, meeting and petting the more friendly cats, and trying to stay out of snapping range of the scary ones. When the horn was sounded for the cats to get to the starting line, she went up onto a good house-sized rock to watch.
The gun fired, and the cats were off as usual- in their typical hysterical and chaotic way. Leaping over each other, and some people were just jerks that went so far as to bring weapons to attack other riders with. People were dodging them pretty well, but once they started going faster, they instead targeted a rather small-looking cat (well, small by comparison) that was running towards the rear of the spreading pack.
One man threw a wrench at the young grayish cat- hitting it in the head despite its very heavy thrash to try to avoid it, and his front right paw missed the road.
Both rider and cat went tumbling.
Worried, Jill leapt down the rock and started running over- they were not too far off, maybe 200 yards or so. Though she was considered a “good runner” by most, even her fastest sprint felt weak and slow- and time moving too quickly. After what felt like an eternity, she got there and was by the rider’s side. The rider was a woman, and she was injured terribly and unconscious. The cat was lying down next to its friend, trying to lick the dirt off a deep scrape. It seemed fine altogether, but would probably have some very heavy bruises for a while. The area around its left eye was bleeding, but the eye itself looked fine.
Jill knelt down to the woman.
“Hey! It’s ok, I’m a nurse, are you alright?” The woman didn’t open her eyes, but she was able to barely say;
“His name is Altair.”
“Altair?” She asked. “Who’s Altair?”
A giant shadow loomed over Jill and her heart almost stopped until she realized that it was the cat- he had stood up and walked over without Jill even realizing it, and has stooped down to nudge and lick at the woman’s wounds.
“Take him and go,” The woman said. “Take care of him.”
“What?” Jill asked. She’d never seen a dying patient before, and actually being in the field she didn’t know what to do. She’d only ever administered medicine- it was all she was good for. She didn’t have the money or resources to take care of one of these giant cats anyway.
The woman passed out again. Jill found herself crying heavily, against her training. On the upside, it wouldn’t matter. A man riding bareback on a giant brown and silver cat came over.
“Do what the woman says. Get on the cat.”He said whilst slipping off and putting some reins on the cat called ‘Altair’. Jill was suspicious of him.
“Why? Why now?” Jill asked.
“Someone called an ambulance.” The man replied. The police will be here soon, too. You need to get out of here. Do you have a place to keep this cat?”
“No.”
“That’s ok. It’s yours now and I know somewhere you can keep it safely.”
“Where?”
“Texas.”

“I can’t just move to Texas!” Jill cried. The man stopped and looked at her, a compassionate look was in his eyes.
“Then what’s going to happen to him?” He motioned towards the cat. “I can’t take him, and he’ll either just go hungry or get shot. I’m giving you an option that’s best for both of you. Take it.”
He finished putting the reins on the cat and gave Jill a piece of paper. “This is the address. Take it or leave it, but get on that cat and get out of here.” He ordered, and jumped back onto his cat’s back. The cat was eager to go.

Jill heard the sirens coming. Having no more time to decide anything she climbed onto the back of the still mourning Altair and rode off. The cat didn’t complain or lament- it also understood sirens.
Sirens meant “run”.
It was all either of them could do.