AI of course
The pic above reminds me of UrsulaK. LeGuin’s Catwings series, the only children’s books she wrote. (Earthsea was intended for teens, though these days it’s shelved under Adult.) In this series a mama cat gives birth to four winged kittens who have names like Harriet and James, and the quartet uses the wings to escape from their hostile surroundings. It’s a bit Beatrix Potter, published in the late 1980s when all things Victorian underwent a resurgence.
I miss that brief time before Riott Grrl and Grunge came along and changed fashion and societal concerns. It was pretty and harmless if a little twee. But the two movements combined later under Gothic Lolita, and that trend is still going strong today.
Cats are, of course, very associated with magic due to their position of being witch’s familiars. So they would have spells and magic items related to them, like these published over the years on my X (once Twitter) feed.
Cat Magic
| Spells | Albino Pride: Turns an ordinary group of lions (or lion-like monsters) into albinos – all white with red eyes.
Create Feline Golem: Creates a small clay statue of a cat that obeys the caster. Darlingle’s Sabretooth Shadow: Creates the menacing shadow of a large, long-toothed cat within any light source. Flat Cat: Temporarily puts a feline into the two-dimensional world, rendering them incapable of attack or being attacked. But they can also become completely invisible when viewed head-on. Lion Velocity: Makes the recipient charge as quickly and fiercely as a lion in combat, giving them a +3 on the attack. |
| Magic Items |
Book of Lion Magic: The covers of this volume appear to be made of pure gold. It contains all manner of spells with “lion” in the title or relating to lions.
Capelet of Endless Caterwauling: This cursed item appears to be made of wildcat pelts. When worn, the pelts will start yowling and hissing like mating cats. If the wearer tries to take it off, the pelts’ claws will dig into the wearer’s neck and shoulders so it can’t be removed without damage. Dust of Feline Digging: When cast on the ground (and the magic words “Ty-Dee-Kat” are uttered) the dust will attract felines of all kinds who will scratch there and use the area as a litterbox. Oil of Cat Form: When spread on the body, the user takes on the illusion of being a large feline of similar size and weight. But their abilities remain those of a human. Perfume of Tiger Dirt: Found in a small tin stamped with a tiger’s face, this scented ungeant, made from tiger fat, enhances the wearer’s martial arts prowess. One dab lasts a few hours. It smells like sweat and sandalwood. |
