Raven Saga 01 - Raven

white hair was tied up in a bun, revealing an elegant long neck. She wore a woolly grey poncho that ended in a point just below her bottom. She was slim and sleek and as she moved, she did so gracefully.
    “Come on over, child. I won't bite or scratch you,” she yelled above the sound of the music. She didn't turn, instead she continued to sing and paint as if I wasn't there.
    I came out of my hiding place and slowly walked towards her, wondering why she would say that she won't bite or scratch me.
    As I approached, she finally turned to reveal perhaps one of the most beautiful faces I have ever seen on a lady of her age. But even with such beauty, I was startled by her apparent feline appearance. The way the colours in her hair intertwined with each other reminded me of the cat that had led me there. Her ears, although small, appeared to have a slight pointedness to them. And she had the brightest of light blue eyes. As she looked at me, she smiled a big hearty smile.
    “I'm guessing you're Lilly?” she said with a voice that could melt chocolate. She must have every man in Powell River after her, I thought.
    Nodding, I held out my hand, “How do you know?” I asked.
    “You look just like your grandmother when she was young,” she said as she took my hand, kindly holding it in one and stroking it with the other. “Plus... you have the same scent,” she added, smiling. “She, however, didn't have dyed hair!” she said with a laugh. “I'm Rose. I know your family well.”
    Rose. It suited her.
    “Plus, not a lot happens around here without me hearing about it. I do like a bit of gossip and you've been the talk of the town for some time. People have been gossiping ever since your parents disappeared. Now, I understand that you probably don't want to talk about it but I just want you to know that when you do feel like talking, my door is always open to any of the Tulugaq clan,” she said matter-of-factly.
    “Tulugaq” I repeated, “my grand-father told me what it meant this morning. I had no idea. I've always been known as Lilly Taylor so it's going to take me some time to get used to it,” I replied.
    She looked shocked. “You didn't know what it means? And you didn't know that you are a Tulugaq?” she asked, clearly not expecting an answer.
    Shaking her head, she gently pulled me by the hand and led me indoors. “Boy have you been kept in the dark.”
    We walked in through the back door that led into a cosy country kitchen and she suggested I sit down at her breakfast bar while she placed a pan of water to boil on the hob and prepared a cup of tea for us both.
    “I understand from Gabriel that your father changed your surname when you left the country. I'm sure it was because Tulugaq is not the easiest of names to pronounce. Especially for those English folk over there,” she added, smiling.
    “The word itself, Tulugaq, as you now know, means raven and it has been your family's name for many generations. There is much more for you to know but perhaps you are not ready for that yet.”
    “Can you tell me what you mean?” I asked curiously.
    Stopping what she was doing for a second, she turned and smiled, “Now that wouldn't be right. It is Gabriel who will tell you but he will only do so when you are ready. Now, would you like sugar in your tea?”
    I nodded as she dropped a heaped teaspoonful into the hot tea and swiftly stirred it before handing it to me.
    “Rose?”
    “Yes dear?”
    “Did you know my parents? I mean, before they moved to England?”
    “I knew your father, Jack, well, but not... not your... your mother. She wasn't from around here. I believe she was a city girl,” she sighed, “I am astounded that you know so little about your parents, your family and your ancestry. We are proud of our heritage here. I do know why you have been kept in the dark but, like I said... that's a conversation Gabriel will have with you when you are ready.”
    More like when he's ready, I thought.
    Changing the subject altogether, Rose led me into the living room, where I noticed about six cats laying in various places - a sofa, a soft rug, on top of a cabinet. Any nook and cranny seemed to have a cat curled up tightly inside it. The sound of soft gentle purring floated into my ears. It was so calming that I could easily have curled up with them for a nap.
    “These are my babies,” pointed Rose, “I won't bore you with all their names. There are 11 of them altogether... for now