Merlin's Bestiary 3 - Fairy cat memes business

The latest entry in Merlin's bestiary. This ain't your friendly neighbourhood bongo cat! I introduce to you the cat sidhe! (pronounced "cat sidhe")

The fairy kitty - pencil on paper

I've actually started writing a short story about Merlin and his relationship with the fey creature. So, I decided that doing a more detailed study for his bestiary was in order.

An early sketch

The cat sidhe is a Celtic creature that stalks the Scottish highlands and is believed to be either a type of fairy creature or a witch that could transform herself into a cat. Either way, it's not a creature you want to mess with. When Merlin encounters one, this cat means business.

Merlin describes the cat as, "black as pitch with the exception of the shock of white fur that burst from beneath its chin. Yet, its coat shimmered and moved, showing off its unusual stripes, the deepest, most empty blackness like the voids of the night sky. It had large blue-green eyes that shone like two moons and fixed me in a chilling stare. However, the thing that showed its true sidhe nature were its miraculous ears that twitched and flapped like bat wings... As it moved, its form billowed like so many swirls of campfire smoke, it’s midnight figure a flickering shadowy flame."

Sketch of Scottish wildcat

My cat sidhe is actually a combination of a Scottish wildcat and the Kellas cat (which is actually a hybrid of wilcat and domestic cat). However, what sets the cat sidhe apart are its over-sized fairy wing ears and large saucer shaped eyes I also thought that Celtic swirl stripes would add to its other-worldly.

I enjoyed doing the drawings in pencil as well as it allowed me to play about with shading, smudges and an eraser to achieve smoke like affects.

I'm having a great time working my way through the bestiary. I love the synergy between the writing and drawing. I always start with a quick draft of ideas then I begin to draw. Then, as I draw I come up with wee details that I then find ways to work into the writing. It's how I prefer to write and it probably takes longer than if I just sat down and bashed out a draft but it makes the experience richer and more exciting for me.

The full story of Merlin's cat sidhe will be in the bestiary when it's done but I hope you enjoy this tiny taster. You can check out some of the other pages from Merlin's bestiary about the sidhe (fairies) and wyrms and gargoyles as well. Next will be GIANTS!!!

Check out more from the Bestiary here!

• Eachy
• Giants giants giants
• Gargoyles
• Chimaera
• Kelpie
• Dragons, sidhe (fairies), and trows

Hope you enjoy!

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