The TSAVO Lair

Rex climbed to the top of a jagged mountain range. He had traveled day and night to central Kenya. Rex fell through a slit in the rock and fell through a tunnel to the bottom of the mountain. He woke beside a lava lake. Suddenly his eyes opened and he jumped to a crouching position ans sniffed in the air quickly left to right. He felt the CHANGE coming. He loved it. It was quick and painful, but oh the power,ROAR! He shape shifted and began running through the tunnels. The tunnels were like a winding maze with no alternate route. Rex was sure this would take him to the TSAVOS one way or another. The heat was increasing and he was sure this was not far from hell itself. Rex stopped suddenly at a long bridge directly above the lava river then he jumped and hurled his body across with all his might. Suddenly the space began to narrow as if it had a mind of its own. Rex stretched his physique until it squeaked through the thin tiny tunnels to a large doorway made of rock and lit by candles. He walked out into a huge cavern on all fours. In the background was an incredibly high cliff with a red luminescent light at the top. He knew this is where he must go and climb he did to the very top. Rex jumped and climbed for what seemed like hours until he saw the portal and walked through it and there he was suddenly in the living space of two of the most feared cats the world has ever known.

Who Are They?

"No one ever told me that," he said as he looked down at the crowded streets below. She stopped, she could tell he wasn't ready to hear the whole story and she wasn't ready to tell him. He looked back at her. She was beautiful in a strange sort of way. "The mark is why those cats didn't kill you," she said. He looks down in the palm of his hand. He always thought it was a strange sort of thing, but never this strange. "How do you know about that?" he asks. She laughed, "I'm over 5,000 years old, there's not much of anything I don't know. I know most of what was and will be in this world and the here after." "Are you saying,I'm one of them, who are they?" "They are part of a pride of shape shifting cats," she said. "Like Werewolves?"he asked. "Yes, but your destiny is unclear," She says. "What about the ruins?" he asks. "You didn't get what you needed there, you didn't see, because you weren't looking," she said. "Next time, I'll be prepared," he says defiantly as he turns to face her. The room is silent again and she is back on her perch stiff and still.

She Speaks

When Taj is gone Minx shape shifts into a tall woman. She yawns and stretches as if she has come out of a long sleep. John Henry looks at her amazed. She has long dark brown hair, blue eyes, and a white hooded cloak.
She walks around the drab room for what seems like hours. "It wasn’t by accident that you picked me what do you mean,” said John. Have you ever noticed the mark on your hand? It’s the mark of shen; it comes from an ancient line of royal cats," Minx replies. He shook his head and says,"I’m not a cat." "Of course not, silly," she said. He stood and looked outside the window.” You are very special John Henry, “ she said.

Minx The Siamese Cat

Minx is a 3000-year-old cat. She was the constant companion of Ramses IV. She died not long after Ramses and She was embalmed and sent to Rameses’ tomb, when she was stolen and discarded in the Bast Temple. The priest in the temple resurrected her and gave her the power to speak and shape shift. She has the power to change into a white witch. She is white with a brilliant beaded collar 3 inches wide around her neck. Minx is a Siamese cat with bright blue eyes.

Rex ‘Wildcat”Panthera

Of course there was"Wildcat”Panthera. He is 6 foot as a cat,200 lbs
and he looks around 16 but his age is 320 years old.
He always wears athletic clothing. Rex is the fastest runner in the family.
blond hair green eyes.
He is the smallest in the family.
Rex has a tan complexion. He is an above average thinker, a geek who tries to be tough. He loves to play with prey before he kills it.
He speaks as if he knows everything, you can hear it in his tone.
He will stand will the cats until death although he fears it.

Rex was born in Australia and was home schooled.
He refuses to work in the family business and prefers odd jobs.
He loves himself and wants to be king of all cats.
Rex has an inner need-to be a beast always. He feels he is stronger when he is a cat. He will step on anyone to get what he wants and secretly has low self esteem.
A witch doctor cursed Cat’s youngest child to be the most frail. Rex is extremely sneaky and kills other than to eat.
He often rambles to the point of being told to shut up, he feels he must always the teacher.

What Now?

The next day the family goes back to the site and tracks the boy back to his orphanage. They are in the bushes overlooking the orphanage. They shapeshift. Then they go back home. Kitty asks Leo, "Why are we back so soon?”
"We have to be careful there are other cats in the area and they could track us to him. Besides we need to go back in human form," says Leo. "Then what are we going to do with him?" asks Rex. "We are going to bring him back here," says Leo. The two adults roll in their beds to hibernate for a few days. But the teens can't sleep.
That night Rex sneaks out of his room and speeds to a cave nearby in North Uganda.

The Tigris

Tigris “Cat” Panthera is the mother of the family. Her height and weight are 350 lbs and almost 8 feet tall. She has long blonde hair. She is 390 years old. She is a champion jumper. She green a round face with green cat. She loves wine, but sometimes fears going places alone.
Cat stands with Leo most of the time. He is the leader and anything he says goes for her. She has a tanned complexion.
Cat has great athletic ability and has good intelligence. Cat likes to chase small animals for sport. She drawls and roars when speaking. Cat stands for what’s right as well. She also fears their secret is getting out and will do anything to protect it. Leo has stopped her from devouring many humans who saw them change. Cat misses her parents and sister, who dies centuries ago. She used to watch them as a tiger before they died. She was born in Australia. She is Caucasian.
Cat works at home as a travel agent.
She was cursed by a witch doctor over 300 years ago. Cat usually says one thing does another. She has a hot temperament and dislkes people

Leo the Lion

Leo Panthera is the patriarch and the leader of the pack.
He is over 8 feet and 350 lbs as a cat. His appearance is blonde, with brown eyes. His age is about 40 years old and he tears a lot. Leo wears casual clothing and has an athletic build. His health is good and he has great physical strength.
Leo has mid length, dirty brown hair, beard that goes all over the whole face.
Leo is addicted to small prey. He is a good were cat and uses powers for good and to eat. He is slightly tanned and is an incredible runner. Leo exhibits the wisdom of a 400-year-old person. He paces before he strikes and his voices thunders.

Leo fears leaving his family. He will do anything to protect them.
He becomes violent easily. He is Caucasian and was brought up in Australia.
Leo is self-taught and learns through travel. Leo is a travel agency owner.
He is a travel Agent. His goal is to help John. His personal motivation is to do what’s right. Leo will do anything to protect his family.
He became an immortal in Africa 400 years ago. Leo at 30 years old was mauled by a lion but survived. He is a natural leader and resilient. He watches houses. His point of view is they. He is realistic . He was once caught for indecent exposure once after he shapeshited back to a lion. Leo worships Ra and is middle class. He visits his parent's grave, as a lion and sits on a neary hill. He loves to travel.
Leo is prejudiced against humans and hates kids that don’t listen.
His superstition is related to the Bast cat.
He believes in truth and often replays events over in his mind and can’t let things go easily. Leo can’t imagine after life without cats in it. He has a nice disposition, but a hot temperament. He likes to hunt and dislikes daytime.

Kitty Panthera

These days it was hard for John Henry to tell his friends from his enemies. Now there is Kitty Panthera. She is is a 5 10 slim white panther with blue eyes.
She is 350 years old. A long scar on her neck from countless cat fights.
Kitty has an athletic build and has great health. She is an attractive, platinum blonde, with crossed eyes.
She is addicted to red meat. Although she doesn’t like to hurt innocent victims.
Kitty wants to protect John even if it means an end to her powers.
She has a very pale complexion and is a super jumper. She is a dim wit and loves to watch too much television. Her voice quality is that of a high scream.
She fears death. She hates the thought of spending the rest of her life alone with her family. She often dreams of venturing out to meet other werecats, or anybody else.
Kitty was born in Australia and home schooled there as well. Now she works in her father’s online travel agency as an online travel agency.
She wants to help others but is suspicious of humans.
Many times she must do what family wants even if it goes against what she wants
She was caught once and displayed as a circus act until her family saved her. The circus keeper loved to see her change, but didn’t know what to feed her afterwards, the appropriate meal being humans. She is has a soft side, is often too trusting, and is always hungry.
Kitty often gets caught easily when roaming. She eats too much but has a superior knowledge of prey.
She has a good attitude and always thinks in terms of others first.
She is Caucasian and speaks a high pitch voice with long pauses. When she is still you can almost hear her purring.
Kitty is physically very strong and has a good relationship with other people.
She was arrested once when she jumped inside a zoo exhibition.
She is middle class and her religion is the Bast cat.
Kitty loves to knit clothes for herself. She hates it when humans kill cats.
She knows all superstitions. Unlike the others she is afraid.
Her ambition is to one day meet the Bast cat, now or in the after life.
Kitty often imagines she is human and defends them.
She has a calm temperment, but scares easily. She dislikes being a Werecat and secretly longs for mortality.

Taj Singh

Taj Singh hears the cat speaking and enters the room. Taj is John’s conscience. He always likes to be the center of attention at every decision, which is why he speaks with lightening speed at times. John gets lost in the conversation, but Taj will say one thing that is usually right and a good idea to bring John back to reality. Taj and John are the same age and came to the orphanage at the same time. He is thin with broad shoulders. His best trait is that is reason and intelligence. Taj is often cool in troubled situations, mainly because he has a bad sense of what is dangerous and what is not. He has a vast knowledge of Egypt. He always thinks in terms of what the whole group will do. He is mostly very chatty which drives most people crazy, except John. In fact Taj and Isis are constantly arguing to no end.

Why Us?

Leo looks up to his son's room as Rex slams the door. Kitty purs,"Don't worry dad, he'll be back when he gets hungry enough.
Kitty asks,” Is that why we moved to Egypt?”
"Yes," answers Cat when she comes back into the room, "And to be near our own kind. Remember your father was an anthropologist." Cat is carrying a plate of raw bacon and sits it on the table. All three gather around the table and begin to eat.

Why Him?

“Dad go on,” begs Kitty.”
“It is believed he is the beginning of an ancient Egyptian prophecy to end the blood thirst for all shape shifting cats. He is the son of Sekhmet and Ptah, through Imhotep, or possible Ra himself!” he says.
Cat says, as she walks into the kitchen,” We need to get to him before the TSAVO do."
"We can’t hurt him," asks Rex.
"No,We must make sure he is not hurt at any costs," says Leo. "Why,If he puts an end to the blood thirst that puts and end to us," says Rex.
“ Some of us don’t like being this way,” says Kitty.
“Hey some of us do," Argued Rex!
Leo says, "It’s settled we won’t hurt the boy.“
"Rex, there more” The boy is a theriantrophy, he contains the spirit of one of these gods, we can’t hurt him," says Cat.
"Well I don’t believe this stuff," says Rex. He rises and goes to his room.

The Next Day

Two days later, a girl sleeks from the shower in her room and walks into the living room. Her mother is there on the couch passed out. "What’s wrong,Mom did you have a rough night last night,” She giggles. “Something like that," answers Cat. The father is in the living room asleep. "Dad, why did you call off the attack? “ It’s hard to find that much food out here,”says Kitty.
He says, ”The boy has the mark of shen, the beginning and end mark of protection,” I saw it on his hand." A pre teen boy about 13 emerges from his room yawning. Cat asks, ”Rex are you all right?”
“Yes,” He says.”
Cat says,” How you manage to get so many scratches I’ll never know.”
“ Hello,” I’m the smallest continues, ” saysRex.
“When I named you Rex, I thought you would be a big powerful Lion,” Leo roars with laughter.
Kitty says, ”You should have named him Kitty and me Rex,” they laugh.

Back Home

After he left the Bast Temple, John returned to his room. Immediately the Cat came alive. "Hello, my sage,"he said. "What is your name anyway,"asks John. "It is whatever you wish, but in ancient times I was called Minx, by my last master," says Minx. "Then I will call you Minx as well,"says John. "Why didn't you take me with you?"asks Minx. "You haven't yet told me how,You seem to appear when you want, but you could have told me it was a cemetery," "My lord, you are dealing with supernatural and immortal forces that you can only remotely comprehend, I will tell you what you need to know all in due time. You will need to return to the temple and look for the "Cat's Breakfast," says Minx. "What's that," asks John? "It's a scarab beetle, that can unlock doors," says Minx. "Where is it?" asks John. "It's hidden deep within the walls of the temple," says Minx. "And from now on, just wish for me and I will appear," says Minx.

More Isis

John can always depend on her for the truth and that’s the way he liked it. She is about 5 foot 4. She likes to pretend she can wear skinny jeans and high heels, both which are forbidden for girls her age. She dreams of being on her own. When she comes of age she can dress how she pleases. She always wears the standard uniform for her school. Although when they leave the premises they must wear a headdress.

Isis

Isis is 14 years old. She has light brown eyes and dark brown hair. Her eyes are the color of her sun kissed sin. She was found in Cairo at the age of 3 near a building that had been burned down. It never seems to bother her that she doesn’t have a family in the traditional sense of the word. She isn’t warm or the cuddly type.

Last Door

John manages to open it and both walk through a broken cobbled ridge upstairs to another statue of Bast. “Is this it?” asks Isis. John is stunned he looks for more. “Maybe there is something on the hieroglyphics of the walls,” John says. Isis says, “Not much here, even over the doorways or on the walls.” “Maybe be cause this is a temple, ”he says. She begins to take pictures. John says, “Wait!” We have to have something,” she says. “Don’t be so jumpy,” she says. That’s why you are here,” John says.

Inside

Next they move through this entrance to a space that is about 5 meters long to another doorway, which is the entrance to a room. The torches outside the second room magically light up when John shines the flashlight towards them. Isis is spooked but seems as if she won’t be deterred. Both enter another door and there at the back is a large onyx statue of Bast. Isis can see what looks like remnants of an old carpet down the middle of a room full of pillars. There is a small door on the left.