Although the heading is ‘The Eel’s Mother,’ we are uncertain how many children this monster eel has mothered. It is the last thing on Nero’s mind when the head of the giant rises from the lake with its teeth bared.
This is the moment Lucinda has waited her whole life to experience. All those movies she watched her mother direct and longed to join in and be the star. Now, this is real. This is the moment. She has carried the matches she brought in her rucksack all this long trip. Now she uses one to set a stave ablaze. Do not be misled. Lucinda doesn’t think this through when she acts. Her act of defiance is instinctive. She is the hero, rescuing her comrades, defeating evil at all costs, risking her own life.
Stunned by the light and heat, the beast retreats underwater. Just as its head is about to disappear, the surface of the water swirls, and the eel utters a deep, sub-bass rumble and a loud, hissing roar of expelled air. The cats feel a vibrating hum through their chests as a blast of bubbles rises to the surface. As the sound bounces back from the cave walls, a flock of small fish darts away from the disturbance, then the swell of water subsides once more.
Brango, quick as a thought, reaches down, snaring several fish as they swim close to the raft.
The waiting cats on the shore cheer. Nero sees their arms waving. But he stands motionless for a moment before joining the others in paddling rapidly to the shore. They have a respite, but for how long? Lucinda is the hero. He has never met such a brave feline. A true Mousecateer!
The images and videos were generated by AI from the author’s prompts.
