A Hero's Journey -- Part 44-

Catherine watched the lions. The trainers had been complaining about the change in their behavior since Trowa had left. She could definitely understand it. His presence had a calming effect on the felines. And on her.

“Trowa, where are you?” she murmured.

She had had no word from him or about him from his comrades. If she was honest, this wasn’t as long as his absences during the wars. However, it had been much longer than any of his occasional Preventer missions, increasing her anxiety.

She tossed one of her knives in the air, absently catching it by the hilt. She really should go practice since their first performance at this location would be the next night. However, she didn’t want to practice. Trowa’s replacement flinched too much.

“Catherine! There you are!” A young man jogged over to her. “Thank goodness you’re safe!”

“What are you talking about? Why wouldn’t I be safe?”

His face flushed. “Nothing, nothing. Just a bad joke.”

‘Darren’s not the joking type,’ Catherine mused as she rose to her feet. The boy stepped back away from her. His eyes kept going from her face to her knives.

“I will ask you one more time, Darren.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw another guy enter the tent. He too looked relieved when he saw her. It annoyed her.

“Maybe you, Joe, can tell me why people are suddenly so happy to see me,” Catherine said, keeping her attention on her first visitor. “Darren hasn’t been very forthcoming.”

Joe sighed. “Your trailer has been ransacked. We were trying to find you to make sure you were okay.”

“Who did this?”

“We don’t know. No one saw anyone in your trailer.”

“Man, Joe, what are we going to tell Trowa?”

“Trowa?”

Joe could have cheerfully maimed Darren. However, it was the lady with the knives he had to worry about. “Now, Cathy,” he began, holding his hands up.

“It’s Catherine. What is going on around here?”

“Trowa asked some of the guys to keep on an eye on you just before he left. Looks like we haven’t been doing too good of a job.”

She bowed her head. ‘Why, Trowa? Why tell them and not me? Can’t you trust me, too?’

‘It’s too dangerous for me to stay here now,’ he had said.

‘Too dangerous for who, Trowa? Me?”

“Catherine, you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay, Joe,” she replied, looking up at him. “So, how bad is the trailer?”

“Pretty bad.”

Catherine smirked. “Tell the replacement that practice is cancelled.”


Part XLIV Catherine watched the lions. The trainers had been complaining about the change in their behavior since Trowa had left. She could definitely understand it. His presence had a calming effect on the felines. And on her. “Trowa, where are you?” she murmured. She had had no word from him or about him from his comrades. If she was honest, this wasn’t as long as his absences during the wars. However, it had been much longer than any of his occasional Preventer missions, increasing her anxiety. She tossed one of her knives in the air, absently catching it by the hilt. She really should go practice since their first performance at this location would be the next night. However, she didn’t want to practice. Trowa’s replacement flinched too much. “Catherine! There you are!” A young man jogged over to her. “Thank goodness you’re safe!” “What are you talking about? Why wouldn’t I be safe?” His face flushed. “Nothing, nothing. Just a bad joke.” ‘Darren’s not the joking type,’ Catherine mused as she rose to her feet. The boy stepped back away from her. His eyes kept going from her face to her knives. “I will ask you one more time, Darren.” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw another guy enter the tent. He too looked relieved when he saw her. It annoyed her. “Maybe you, Joe, can tell me why people are suddenly so happy to see me,” Catherine said, keeping her attention on her first visitor. “Darren hasn’t been very forthcoming.” Joe sighed. “Your trailer has been ransacked. We were trying to find you to make sure you were okay.” “Who did this?” “We don’t know. No one saw anyone in your trailer.” “Man, Joe, what are we going to tell Trowa?” “Trowa?” Joe could have cheerfully maimed Darren. However, it was the lady with the knives he had to worry about. “Now, Cathy,” he began, holding his hands up. “It’s Catherine. What is going on around here?” “Trowa asked some of the guys to keep on an eye on you just before he left. Looks like we haven’t been doing too good of a job.” She bowed her head. ‘Why, Trowa? Why tell them and not me? Can’t you trust me, too?’ ‘It’s too dangerous for me to stay here now,’ he had said. ‘Too dangerous for who, Trowa? Me?” “Catherine, you okay?” “Yeah, I’m okay, Joe,” she replied, looking up at him. “So, how bad is the trailer?” “Pretty bad.” Catherine smirked. “Tell the replacement that practice is cancelled.”


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