The next morning, there was a peaceful rain falling.
Well, I thought it was peaceful. Probably didn't come across that way to the soaking cat sitting outside my door. I suppose you never know what could happen in Stardew Valley; one day, there could be a soaking cat sitting at your doorstep.
The poor thing looked up at me and emitted something that wasn't quite a wail, but was too strong to be a mere meow. Hesitantly, I bent down and looked at it. It didn't look hostile. It looked very much in its right mind.
Didn't appear to have a collar. Its hair was also pretty matted in places. That, I think, gave away to me that this kitty was a stray.
So I reached out to pick it up. It had nary a protest. It actually relaxed a bit in my arms.
…What gender was this cat? That was pretty important. The thing was I'd never investigated a cat's privates before, and was honestly a bit afraid to do so.
I lifted the cat and looked at its belly. Didn't seem to have nipples, so maybe it was a boy, but I still couldn't be sure.
Until I looked down a bit further and saw what did very much appear to be a… uh… Well, I was holding a tomcat. There ya go.
I thought about neutering for a few seconds. I mean, I'd heard horrendous stories regarding fertile toms, and didn't really feel like cleaning tomcat stank off my furniture. Maybe I'd have to head back into the city one final time to get him fixed.
Soon enough, I shit you not, he started purring.
One thing was definitely for sure. After he specifically waited out in the rain at my door, and relaxed upon my holding him… I mean, unless someone else came forward… this cat was mine. He found me, and for that, I wasn't going to let him down.
As I wrapped him up in a towel, I grasped for names. Nothing struck me. I sure as hell wasn't going with "the cat." My precious baby deserved more than that.
…His face had a sort of confident look to it. This wasn't your sly, snobbish street cat, oh no… He was dapper. A gentleman. I swear to (insert higher power here), whenever he looked at me, it looked like he was about to invite me for tea or something. Kinda like…
…Of course. There was one figure that immediately came to mind. A womanizer in theory. Always offered to take all sorts of ladies out for tea.
Even when this cat was meowing outside the door, he sounded like some sort of cat prince.
This figure came from a fable called "Fate of the Flame Emblem," basically a story about two families feuding and everyone dying.
And this feline was about to be named after him.
"So…" I told the cat, as I rubbed him with the towel as to dry him off. "If you'd be okay with it… I dub thee Laslow."
He meowed. Sounded content.