Ninja Nuns and Nunjas

Extract from Flight from Fernilee

“One by one, they approached the golden dragon, raised their hands above their head and, with clenched fists, clicked both wrists together by way of a salute. The last to do so was Sister Prism who then clapped her hands as a signal for the chanting to stop, opened her arms wide and began to address the image. 

"Oh, mighty Babel! We come to offer our praise. Grant us power for the task you set before us."

"Power be upon us," murmured the rest of the women. Sister Prism turned to the congregation and announced, "Let our devotions begin!"

Suddenly, the whole atmosphere changed from one of hushed reverence to charged energy. Most of the Nunjas formed a circle which two of them entered. This couple bowed to each other, held up their staffs in a ritualistic salute and then, accompanied by ear-splitting shrieks, threw themselves into a frenzied bout of gravity-defying leaps, kicks and parries, using their staffs, their agility, and even their feet to gain an advantage over their partner. It was a truly mesmerising display, both women swirling and somersaulting with grace. Even their frumpy frocks seemed elegant, transformed to the exotic robes of Samurai warriors. 

"Wow!" exclaimed Joe. "They're like Ninjas!" 

"That's right!" Odi replied. "Ninja nuns! Nunjas! Just look at them go!" And he chuckled to himself, enjoying the display. Joe, however, felt more fear than at any time since his capture. It wasn't so much the Kung Fu that disturbed him, although the sight of shrieking women hurling themselves around was bad enough. No, it was the image of the dragon. His skin crawled whenever he looked at it. How he wished he could go home.

Worse was to come, however. Sister Prism had taken to the floor and her fellow nunjas stopped their own activities to watch in awed silence. After a series of amazing feats, she was halfway through a stunning mid-air pirouette when Odi, bloated from his recent gorging in the larder, burped. 

Loudly."

US:   

https://www.amazon.com/Flight-Fernilee-Jacy-Brean-ebook/dp/B07K24G3GJ/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Flight+from+fernilee&qid=1609152010&sr=8-1

UK:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flight-Fernilee-Jacy-Brean/dp/1086551907/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Flight+from+fernilee&qid=1609152215&sr=8-1

Nature or Neutering

Ok, in the overall scheme of things, a cat's castration is not very high on the scale of earth-shattering events. Unless you're a cat, of course. Or its owner.

My family have always had cats. Dogs too, but they generally escape the enforced neutering ritual imposed on the feline species. So this blog is about my cat who, having played innocently enough with the cats  next-door for most of his young life, had begun to show amorous inclinations. It was obviously time to get him "done". 

This assumption that "getting done" was the done thing was quite a dilemma for me. My previous cat had been female and the thought of her having kittens was a definite no-no. I never stopped to consider whether she had the right to bear young. In fact, she-cats who have more than one unplanned litter are viewed as being abused. The male, however, is somehow expected to spread his seed and emasculation seems a drastic way to control him. Cruel and unnatural.

But is that because we tend to humanise animals? To credit them with reasoning way beyond their prospects. After all, a male cat is unlikely to find a mate for life; to get married and raise a family. Toms are led by instinct, by the scent of a female on heat that is becoming rarer and  increasingly difficult to track.    

A man I knew who was irresistibly drawn to women once compared his libido to a raging animal to which he was chained. A passing glance from a member of the fairer sex was enough to trigger the beast. Fortunately, this very intelligent man was (usually) able to control his urges, to reason things out. "The wife wouldn't like it" or "I haven't the time/money/energy to pursue her, and anyway I might catch Covid." Nicely under control, as expected from a sentient being who doesn't want to get arrested. 

Humans have a choice.

It's not the same with cats. All it takes is a whiff of a fertile female and that's it. Common sense out of the window, on the trail no matter how far. She doesn't even have to be good-looking! A tom cat will brave almost anything for a one-night stand; traffic, razor wire, rival males and irate gardeners. He may get lost, run over or run out of town. But so strong is his urge to mate, he really doesn't care.  

So, it's off to the vets. 

https://www.cats.org.uk/tenterden/feature-pages/why-neuter-your-cp