Our Brother Churchill

[poliphilo]

The room that used to be the Temple is now the rabbit room. Once we kept it spotless. Now it's ankle deep in straw. And why not? The gods like it better this way. 

But I didn't always think so.

Before there were rabbits there were cats. And we were very prissy about keeping them out of the temple- all that fluff, all that scrat-scrat-scratting. We'd been taught, see, that you honour the gods by keeping their space immaculate. The high priestess of our mother coven once threw a terrible hissy fit when sparks from the too enthusiastically fuelled cauldron leaped for freedom and burned holes in her lovely new temple carpet.  

And then along came Churchill- a very ancient cat who'd been knocked out of shape by a car and so-named because of his pug-faced resemblance to Sir Winston. We got him from a rescue centre. We were told they couldn't shift him because he was so ugly. Well, ugly is as ugly does. We preferred to think of him as characterful.  He had no teeth,  his tongue stuck out the front of his mouth, he was  blind in one eye and he walked with a lurch, a jerk and a teeter and it's a wonder he didn't fall over sideways more often. On one occasion some neighbours brought him to our front door wrapped in a blanket and said, "We're afraid your cat has been in an accident.". And we thanked them and took him back and looked him over and said, "Naah, he's always like that."

And Churchill was a witch's cat. We couldn't keep him out of the temple.  He insisted on being in the room with us when the coven met. And he knew the etiquette. He'd didn't think it was all about him.  He'd scrupulously limp round the room deosil while we danced the Witches Rune, brushing the wall with his shoulder. 

He was referred to as "our Brother Churchill" and regarded as an initiate. We were proud of him. Look what a clever cat our cat is. And we trusted him to behave in an appropriate and reverent manner. 

Oh, my God- look!

Churchill was squatting against the wall, all hunched up, regarding us severely.

A moment of horror. Oh my god, he's peeing on the carpet! 

Scrag him.

But look where he is. (He was in the western quarter, right under the shrine to Zephyrus). He's honouring the water elementals...

It's a Nature religion, dummies. So take what Nature gives.

"Whooping noises and general hilarity* 

I'm not really a cat person.  Rabbits are nicer. I look back on that time of my life as an aberration.  We had a whole bunch of cats and they came and they went and I don't really miss them- with one exception.

Ailz says she sees him sometimes- out of the corner of her eye.  

Comments

[queen-in-autumn.livejournal.com]

I'm not a cat person either (or any kind pet person!) -- but that's a great story!

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

I am unashamedly a cat person, also dogs, ferrets, pretty much anything with four legs and all-over hair. That was a great story indeed.

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

Lovely story!

Nanook is a cat, but I think he's part Malamute. I've taken to calling him "puppy" lately instead of "kitty", and as long as food appears in his bowl, he doesn't care. He's put on a hugely thick winter coat.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

On the whole I prefer small animals- meaning ones that are meant to be small, not chihuahuas. Ailz is talking about having one of those giant rabbits- the ones that are about the size of a labrador- and I'm not that enthusiastic.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

The rabbits will be fluffing up for winter too. Mind you, they seem to exist in a continual state of moult.

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

Nanook starts putting on coat in July and starts losing it in February or so--but it's still in the 90's here every day. (But as you say, putting it on doesn't mean he doesn't have plenty to leave on the carpet and my clothes and my face.)

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

Oh, they're scary - though I'd quite like to plonk one down in front of a cat and see how they each reacted.

[saare-snowqueen.livejournal.com]

My daughter is a witch in California and they regularly hold Coven services at her house. At last count there were 6 resident felines and I don't think any of the Gods who visit are bothered by them.
Great story about a great cat.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

What a character and what a great story. Do any photographs survive of Churchill?
Cats know their place and it's generally at the top of the pecking order.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Gerbils rule. We got through quite a few of them when the kids were small.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Still in the 90s. Phew!

The temperature here has taken a sudden dive and I'm wearing a body warmer over my woolly jumper.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

At one time I think we had 9 cats- but there was so much coming and going the total was always changing.

We used to take waifs and strays and pass them on.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

There's a picture somewhere, but I don't have a scanner.

And anyway, no picture could do him justice.

[baritonejeff.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed Churchill's story immensely.

Ah, your way with words........

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

Took a whole morning, that did.....

[suemars.livejournal.com]

great story...we have had rats several times. they are the greatest pets. our kids also loved them. they are really smart.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Ailz is very fond of rats. I'm afraid I find it hard to get over my prejudice. You know, the Black Death and all that

[oakmouse]

Marvelous story!

Our old cat used to insist on being underneath the altar during all rituals. Period. She was happy and comfortable there, and no sign that the gods minded, so it worked out for all concerned.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

A lot of our younger cats were fairly frisky. There's no way they'd have sat under the altar and merely observed.

There were- now I think of it- safety issues too- related to the incompatibility of candles and waving tails- not to mention claws and skyclad flesh.

[oakmouse]

That would be an entirely different matter! We only let Tig stay there because she did, in fact, stay there. Once settled, I'm not sure she even twitched a whisker until it was all over. I'd like to claim she was docile and well-behaved, but in fact I think it was sheer fright. She could certainly see things, and used to get quite pathetically upset when one of the local ghosts (of whom the building had several, human and animal) turned up. She didn't seem to understand that they weren't physical.

[chochiyo-sama.livejournal.com]

Any god who was offended by the presence of a cat would be no god of mine. :P

I have always been in a rather Egyptian state of mind about cats. Bastet rules.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Has there ever been a rabbit god or goddess? I rather think not- but I remember having a terrifying dream about a woman with a rabbit's head (after the model of the Egyptian gods) when I was a very young child.

[manfalling.livejournal.com]

churchill photo?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

We've got one somewhere- but we don't have a scanner.