A Shadow of a Dream

"I can hardly stop you, Basil. We both know that even if I said not to, you`d go and do as you like regardless."
"I would think to myself that you probably wouldn`t like it first," Basil offered. "Sometimes, I even give myself the lecture you would give me."
The sigh Simon gave was both annoyed and affectionate.

"Will you write me?"
"Not likely. I don`t like writing."
"Far too much use of your brain?" Mirza asked, disappointed. "You prefer activities that don`t involve thinking?"
"That hurts," Basil responded, feigning indignation. "Why, I spend every moment with you thinking... about why I did not go in the opposite direction when I had the chance."

Cats are smart creatures. They train humans to perform any number of wonderful tricks.

It was the fear of every hunter. Why the normal rules of society did not apply to those belonging to the Order. They lived such short lives. Either they were killed by the monsters they hunted or by their companions when they became the monsters. Few lived past thirty. Those who did usually went mad from fear or obsession. They knew what hid in the dark. Innocents did not understand. In their world, ignorance was a blessing.

"Are you feeling pity for a murderer?" Basil wondered.
"You don`t?"
"I feel a lot more for the people who were murdered."
Mirza sat up, leaning forward. "Perhaps the murderer had good cause."
Basil didn`t answer immediately, watching instead as Mirza ate a piece of the cake he`d ordered. "I wonder if you argue more to be contrary, or if you truly are this naive."
Mirza`s smile was mischievous. "Do I seem the type to be contrary?"
"I suspect you were born for expressly that purpose."

The council expect success, but not too much of it.