The Last Cat: Beyond the Stars

The Last Cat: Beyond the Stars
Tatyana Feeney

Celine Kiernan

A gorgeous short story from the collection, BEYOND THE STARS, written and illustrated by two great Irish talents in children’s fiction todayAs battle rages beyond the castle walls and soldiers fall like flies, the king despairs. His kingdom is crumbling around him, and he has lost his fighting spirit. His people know that without that, they will surely lose the war.While the bombs fall and arrows rain down, a black cat wanders silently amongst them, invisible but for her footprints in the snow. Only she may pass unnoticed through the deserted courtyards and along the empty corridors and snow-covered battlements of the once-bustling palace. For she has taken a silent vow to protect the princess who once saved her from drowning as a kitten. Watching her at play, lonely as can be, the cat knows she can never abandon her charge; she must help her and the young prince find each other, even if she is the last one remaining.A beautifully crafted tale by a highly regarded author with delicate illustrations to match by one of Ireland’s rising stars.

Other short stories from Beyond the Stars collection, also available as e-books: (#ulink_b4dc6a68-5617-5be3-ac37-97d650d7bb52)

The Star Dogs (http://ads.harpercollins.com/bobauk?isbn=9780008103323) by Roddy Doyle, illustrated by Steve Simpson

The Hero of Drumree (http://ads.harpercollins.com/bobauk?isbn=9780008103330) by Derek Landy, illustrated by Alan Clarke

The Brockets Get a Dog (http://ads.harpercollins.com/bobauk?isbn=9780008103347) by John Boyne, illustrated by Paul Howard

How to Help Your Grandda (http://ads.harpercollins.com/bobauk?isbn=9780008103354) by Judi Curtin, illustrated by Chris Judge

The Lookout (http://ads.harpercollins.com/bobauk?isbn=9780008103361) by Eoin Colfer, illustrated by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick

The Snow Globe (http://ads.harpercollins.com/bobauk?isbn=9780008103378) by Marita Conlon-McKenna, illustrated by P J Lynch

The King of the Birds (http://ads.harpercollins.com/bobauk?isbn=9780008103385) Michael Scott, illustrated by Chris Haughton

The Battle of the Ice Queen (http://ads.harpercollins.com/bobauk?isbn=9780008103392) by Gordon Snell, illustrated by Michael Emberley

Across the Cold Ground (http://ads.harpercollins.com/bobauk?isbn=9780008103415) written and illustrated by Oisín McGann

Ice Fairies (http://ads.harpercollins.com/bobauk?isbn=9780008103422) by Siobhán Parkinson, illustrated by Olwyn Whelan

Discovering Bravery (http://ads.harpercollins.com/bobauk?isbn=9780008115593) by Emma Brade, illustrated by Niamh Sharkey

The Last Cat

Celine Kiernan

Illustrated by Tatyana Feeney

Copyright (#ulink_9e5e4d91-d11f-5486-9b0b-4f8925909709)

First published in Great Britain and Ireland by HarperCollins Children’s Books and Fighting Words Ltd. as a story in Beyond the Stars: Twelve Tales of Adventure, Magic and Wonder

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‘The Last Cat’ text © Celine Kiernan 2014, illustrations © Tatyana Feeney 2014

Cover design © HarperCollins Children’s Books, cover image © Shutterstock

Celine Kiernan and Tatyana Feeney assert the moral right to be identified as the author and illustrator of this work.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook onscreen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins ebooks and Fighting Words.

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Source ISBN: 9780007578467

Ebook Edition © 2014 ISBN: 9780008103408

Version: 2014-09-15