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Chapter Eight
They put their plan into action the next day, early in the afternoon.
"Ready, Kitty?"
"Yup."
Mel sat down in front of the door and yowled as hard as she could.  Just as they had hoped, the human came out brandishing a rolled up newspaper.  Quick as a rabbit, Felix dashed inside when they were not looking.  Mel felt uncomfortable indoors, so she had offered herself as a diversion.
Like she had said, there was a cat sitting on the couch.  The human came inside, and Felix dove behind the furniture.  They walked off to the place where food was prepared.
"Hey!  Wake up!" whispered Felix, jumping up beside the tom.  His grey fur was matted and stuck out everywhere.  It clearly had not been groomed in quite some time.  He jumped, his eyes strangely wide.
"W-What's that?!"
"Are you Loon?"  Loon paused, carefully calculating what this question asked and how to answer properly.
"That...that's what they call me...those ones..."  Loon was obviously trying to calm himself down.  His claws flexed in and out.
Felix bowed his head respectfully.  "I'm Felix. Do you mind if I ask you a few things?"
Loon's eyes narrowed.  "About what?" he asked.
"The pound."
Loon's eyelids opened wide, and he stared blankly away.  The couch tore beneath his claws.  It was like some deep memory that he had tried so hard to bury was unlocked.  Felix felt terribly for causing this trauma.
"Please, it's important.  My friend...she was taken by them.  The Catchers.  I can leave if you want, though," he said, choosing his words carefully.
It seemed like hours before Loon spoke again. "No...I'll tell you.  But I tell you...it's hopeless...all hopeless..."
"What can you tell me about it?" Felix pressed on.
"Walls and walls of cages...no space...cats go into the back room, they take them there, they don't come out..."
Felix thought of Yuke being taken into this room and gulped nervously.  "Where is it?"
Again he stared at nothing.  Again the claws met fabric.  Again Felix wondered if Loon would answer.
"Please..."
"Downtown.  Dead end.  Just like the lives of the cats put there.  A few miles.  Siren...oh...it's so terrible!"  Loon's murmur ended in a yowl. He darted around, eyes wild, scratching and biting at whatever he came in contact with.  He thumped to the ground abruptly.  His quick breathing slowed, and Felix decided he must have fainted and crept forward to investigate.
Mel's voice made him jump.
"Don't worry, he'll be fine."  He turned to see her crouched on the windowsill.  Felix climbed up the back of a chair and out the opened casement to meet her.  The human came back and gave a little shout, picking up Loon.  Felix told Mel of Loon's not-too-specific clues, and together they figured out the general direction that the pound must be in.  Loon's gaze haunted Felix, but instead of the mentally unstable tom he saw Yuke.