Short Fiction · Character

Lady May

A telepathic cat Partner who reads danger before her human does, she thinks in warm affectionate babble and flings herself at threats with a warrior's speed.

supporting

Also known as The Lady May

First appearance: scanners live in vain

As a supporting figure in Short Fiction, Lady May is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Underhill's cat partner, a telepathic feline who helps him hunt dragons.

In the storyThe Game of Rat and DragonOpen this moment free

See Lady May in The Game of Rat and Dragon Book page

Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.

Lady May is Underhill's Partner in the Fighting Room, a cat whose mind brushes his with images of a golden-faced son and soft downy fur even as she scans space for enemies. She perceives faster than he can, and when the little girl named West finds something immense and greedy in the dark, it is Lady May who is already in line, already firing. Her tenderness and her ferocity are the same instinct, and that doubleness is what makes the early battle scenes feel both loving and lethal.

Continue beside the text

The fuller portrait of Lady May sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Lady May in scanners live in vain

Character Web

8 connections

A slice of how Lady May sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Friendship
Social
Other

Character groups

Scanner society members
Protagonist
Key Scanner figures

+3 more in the full Character Web

Open in reader

Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

Underhill’s emotional peak occurs in the silent, affectionate exchange with the Lady May, where their bond tra…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

Follow the arc while reading

Relationships

Father Moontree
friendship · positive
Father Moontree and Lady May share a close, trusting bond, possibly as confidants or… How this plays out →
Underhill
social · positive
Underhill
social · positive
Father Moontree
friendship · positive
Father Moontree and Lady May share a close, trusting bond, possibly as confidants or… How this plays out →

Father Moontree
Father Moontree and Lady May share a close, trusting bond, possibly as confidants or spiritual advisor and patron.
Underhill
Lady May and Underhill are acquainted, possibly through social circles or shared interests.
Underhill
Lady May and Underhill are acquainted, possibly through social circles or shared interests.
Father Moontree
Father Moontree and Lady May share a close, trusting bond, possibly as confidants or spiritual advisor and patron.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Lady May in scanners live in vain

In the story

Lady May appears across 5 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The Game of Rat and Dragon
Underhill's cat partner, a telepathic feline who helps him hunt dragons.
The Shuffle
The most thoughtful Persian cat Partner, drawn by Underhill; has a complex emotional mind.
The Deal
Underhill's cat partner, placed in a projectile and connected telepathically; her consciousness merges with Underhill's.
The Play
Underhill's cat partner, who perceives the enemy as a giant Rat and fights with feral elation, though she is left exhausted after the battle.
The Score
Underhill's Partner; he anxiously inquires about her condition and remembers her as quick, graceful, and beautiful.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Lady May unlock in the free preview.

See Lady May in scanners live in vain

See Lady May in The Game of Rat and Dragon