Tachii walked out of his quarters with a conch in his hands.
"This here's the only one. Was savin' it for my wife, you see."
"How much?" asked Baron.
"Oh, I'm not sellin'," replied the old captain.
"Please," begged Baron. "It's for Haru."
"Why do yah need one so badly?" inquired the cat.
Baron sighed before sitting down on a barrel and telling his story. When he had finished. Tachii whistled.
"That's some story yah have there."
"So, please can we have it?" pleaded Baron.
"All right then, but after Miss Haru is fixed, ya'll have to come down and help me find another one, yah hear," Tachii said. Baron sighed in relief. Tachii handed him the shell and he bowed.
"Thank you Tachii. I'll be sure to come back and help you find another one," Baron promised.
"Yah don't have to bow to me; we're friends, and friends are no higha than lowa than each otha," Tachii said. Baron straightened and nodded. He jumped onto Toto's back and Muta held up his arms for Toto to grab them.
Tachii waved as they took off. Baron waved back.
"Thank you again!" he called.
"Don't mention it!" Tachii called back. "Now what am I goin' to tell Kaede?"
Baron lay in a field of cattails. Toto and Muta were sleeping. His thoughts wandered to Haru. He hoped she was okay. There was only 5 days left. But everything would be alright, because they only needed 2 more things, and they were very easy to find. In fact, the Cat King already had the Cat's Tail, so now all they had to do was go back to that clearing and get some of the dirt. And, of course, that last part, "And return to your origins."
