Creation's Lament Chapter Three: The Cat Prince and Kingdom
The brunette doll was a bit surprised but bowed low.
"I am Haru. Well, since you appear unhurt, I'll say goodbye." She turned to leave, but felt the cat prince's paw on her shoulder.
"Please wait. I owe you my life, is there anything I can do for you?"
Haru thought about it carefully.
"Well, unless you know a place where I can wait out the upcoming winter, I can't think of anything. I'm on my way to the Creation Refuge, but I don't think I'll make it before the snow flies."
The Cat Prince held one paw to his chin.
"I doubt any of the humans around here can be trusted with a Creation, if they can't handle a cat. I'd offer you a place at the Cat Kingdom if it weren't for the side effects. But would they work on a Creation?"
Haru cocked her head at him, lost in thought.
"What do you mean? What side effects?"
He laughed apologetically.
"If a human stays in the Cat Kingdom long enough, they will change into a cat and stay as one if they don't leave before the human world's next sunrise. Since you're not quite a real human, I really have no idea what would happen to you."
Haru thought about it carefully.
"Well, what were you doing out of your kingdom?"
He suddenly blushed hard, and looked at the ground with one paw behind his head.
"Um, you see, there's this very pretty girl cat back home, and I wanted to get her something so that she can know how cool I think she is. But those ruffians grabbed me and stole my collar before I could find anything."
Haru laughed sympathetically, but then remembered something. She slung her huge bag off her shoulder and started rummaging around in it.
"What color is her fur?"
The cat prince got a very dreamy look on his face.
"As white as snow, and she's got beautiful blue eyes the color of the sky. Her name's Yuki."
Haru found what she was looking for; a pink ribbon that she used as an obi to hold her light green kimono in place.
"What about this?"
Prince Lune stared at it she pressed it into his paw.
"It's perfect. Are you sure you want to give me this for her?"
Haru laughed.
"Trust me; I'm a girl, so I can reasonably say that she'll get the idea that you like her from this. Besides, it will ensure that I don't have to rescue you later."
He pressed the ribbon to his cheek happily.
"Thank you, Haru. Are you certain I can't repay you? The Cat Kingdom is very beautiful, and having whiskers isn't so bad."
Haru sighed, the cold chill in the air deciding her as clouds began to gather overhead.
'If there's a male human doll at the Refuge when I get there, I'm going to kick myself for this.' "If nothing else, a fur coat would help keep me warm. I'd love to visit your kingdom, Highness."
He grinned at her while folding the ribbon carefully into a small package.
"I think we can dispense with the formality. Lune would be fine."
Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
The Cat King was pacing madly around his throne room, wishing desperately to be interrupted for once. No one had seen hide or hair of his son for days and the old monarch feared the worst, with the portals to be shut down soon for the winter. Even the clueless Natoru knew better than to approach his ruler while he was in that state.
'Son…' His thoughts were distracted when the throne room was lit up by blue light. Knowing that was the color of their portals, the Cat King turned around expectantly, hope beginning to flare. His son walked through the portal, and looked behind him expectantly.
"It's okay, Haru. It's just like a portable door."
A second figure came through the door, making the Cat King stop in his tracks. A gorgeous human girl had walked through the portal next to his son, and was staring at her new surroundings in amazement.
"That's kind of cool."
Lune grinned, and then faced his stunned father.
"Sorry I didn't come home sooner, but some humans kidnapped me and sold my collar for some ale. It's only thanks to Miss Haru here that I was able to escape with my life."
The feline monarch continued to stare as the human girl bowed respectfully to him. He took a step forward to hold her hands.
"Thanks a lot, babe."
She looked surprised, but composed herself.
"It was no problem, really." She tried to take her hands back, but the king was still holding them firmly.
"If there's anything at all that the Cat Kingdom can do for you-"
His son patted his shoulder.
"It's already taken care of, Father. Miss Haru will be spending the winter with us before continuing her journey to the Creation Refuge."
He blinked.
'An entire winter… oh the possibilities.' "And why would a good-looking girl like you want to find the Refuge?"
"To be with my own kind of course. I'm a Creation."
The Cat King gasped. Was it possible? They were so rare…
"Would you please prove it?"
She sighed, and took a step back to reclaim her hands. She wrapped one arm behind her back, resting the other fist on her chest close to her neck. Then, before the astonished eyes of the king and his attendants, her body flashed with an inner light and became wood. A minute passed, making Lune laugh nervously.
"Okay, Haru; you've convinced them. You can change back now."
But she didn't. The prince grabbed her shoulder and shook it, her body as stiff as a board.
"Haru? Haru?!"
She shifted back, losing her footing on the ground thanks to Lune's paw. She rubbed the back of her head nervously while sitting up.
"Heh, sorry. I haven't been wood for a while, and I kind of need to be, every once in a while."
Lune helped her to her feet as a plan began to formulate in the king's mind.
"Say, babe, how do you feel about staying in the castle?"
The Creation thought about it.
"Actually, I'm still not used to talking to a lot of people, is there a way that I can get a small place to myself?"
Lune answered her.
"Of course. I'll get some workers started, and they should have a hut ready for you in a few hours."
The king noticed her ragged attire.
"What about some new clothes?"
Haru patted her shoulder bag.
"I have some nice ones in here; I wear this worn one for traveling."
He tried to think of some other way to accommodate her.
"Well, are you hungry?"
"Not really. Creations only eat for entertainment."
Lune saw what his father was trying to do, and decided to intervene before things got embarrassing.
"Come on, Haru; I'll show you around."
The king of cats watched his heir take his new friend by the hand and lead her down a corridor, her skin already gaining a glossy coat of tan fur. He watched her pull a pair of gloves from her bag and put them on, obviously still emotionally attached to fingers. He smiled widely, noting how good the Creation and his son looked together.
'She won't be leaving at the end of human winter, if I have any say in the matter.'