Here’s a bit from Damian’s work in progress, Without Evidence.

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© Damian Herde, 2008, All Rights Reserved

“Honoured warriors,” Teals said, “Who am I speaking to?”

He noted the agitated twitching of their tails and flattened ears. ‘This is a situation that’s not going to end well’ he thought, ‘they’re hunting.’ The tail of a Katarr was able to grab and hold, or strike with damaging force, while his own was not. Vron had ducked away, aware of the imminent trouble, and Teals had no friends here to call on.

The golden Katarr answered him.

“I am Gradrr, and my sesslaans are Chesll,” he said pointing to the mainly orange Katarr, “and Griik,” pointing to the remaining Katarr of mainly white colour.

“What do you want of Teals? I’ll pass on the message when I see him next,” Teals said, casually sitting again, placing one hand in a pocket, and the other idly playing with his empty glass.

‘For the murder of our Sesslaan, we will pass judgment,’ Gradrr said.

“How do you know it was him?” Teals was confused. He had not killed a Katarr on Dernolet. Everyone knew how the remaining family went on a blood hunt for revenge, so it was rarely worth it.

Chesll and Griik had begun moving in, scenting the air. Teals tapped the bar with his cup, slipping his other hand from his pocket to the bar stool.

“The evidence from the scene points to Teals. There are a number of you Siamets in this city, but he is the one implicated.” Chesll turned and nodded to Gradrr.

“The murder of a Katarr is not taken lightly – Teals!” Gradrr finished with a roar, and all three of the Katarr launched for him.

Teals had expected them to attack, but it seemed to him that Chesll had been working on a scent signature to confirm his identity. Damning evidence to a felinoid species, which made the evening all the more confusing.

As Teals heard his identity revealed, he waited no longer, but pushed up from his seat, flicked himself backwards and landed with his hands on the bar and continued his flip backwards behind the bar.

When the detonation-inhibitor in his pocket moved away from the explosive he had planted beneath his bar stool, the timer activated with a half second delay, igniting as he fell behind the bar and the three Katarr were in mid launch.

‘They just don’t think things through,’ he thought, as shards of wood clattered down to the floor.

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