Introduction

Owing to her gift, Celesse the healer cat is a highly esteemed member in the neighbourhood. As the matron’s favourite she enjoys spending her lazy days in the warmth of the house.

But then, a mother hare storms in, asking for help. Her persistence defeats the reluctance of the healer cat, taking her through a nightly snowstorm and biting frost. In a dark forest, Celesse comes face to face with a scary surprise and is forced to gather her powers.

Once the long night and the successful trip are over, the sun comes out, warming not only the snowy forest but also the heart of the healer cat.

The Healer Cat

Celesse the cat couldn’t complain. She lounged on top of the brick oven, enjoying its after-heat, and watched as the matron was putting sweet buns into bags for freezing. Soon she would serve Celesse a full saucer of cream milk and allow her to curl up in her lap at the coffee table.

Celesse was the only indoor cat of the house and enjoyed the special attention thereby bestowed upon her. The barn cats had to settle for much humbler conditions. But Celesse wasn’t an ordinary cat; she was the healer cat, widely famed in the neighbourhood for her healing powers. Many a human and animal alike had been healed by the power of her low purring and soft paws.

At nights the master and the matron often lay down side by side on the bed, reading the day’s papers. The healer cat had the habit of accompanying them, warming the toes and ankles of both of them in turn, or curling up against the aching back of the matron. Celesse put a little more effort into caring her; after all, she was the one who gave her the best treats.