1.2 Lost Whiskers
So long as there is a sun to light the day and stars, the night, the sea washes the shores and the wind buffets the mountains, this land will be yours to live on. The land where you laugh, the land where you weep, the land where you die.
Ferias, nymph of the Sacred Olive tree, covenant made to the people of the Burrow at the ascension ceremony.
"How about a comedy? I want to hear a comedy!" pouted Cherry.
"No, a love story! Bring on the romance," argued Lupe.
"That's so childish, Lupe!"
"It's not childish! It's beautiful!"
"Um, excuse me."
"You never had good taste, lil' sis."
"No fair, Cherry! Just because you're older, doesn't mean you get to pick!"
"Um, excuse me."
"You need to grow up," Cherry teased.
"Real mature. Playing the bust card. That is so like you, Cherry!"
"Um, excuse me."
"WHAT?"
"*cough* Might I suggest a romantic comedy?" said Silver.
Lupe and Cherry traded glances.
"Sure," they agreed.
As the three sat down to read the story, Sapphire entered the sitting room.
"Have you two been arguing again? I thought I heard shouting."
"You must be hearing things, Sapphire. We were just about to sit down to read Harry Potter and the Magnificent Farce. Do you want to hear it, too?" asked Cherry.
"Sorry, but you know I'm teaching today and I was on my way to the door. I see Ferrous is running up the walk. I hope it's nothing important."
At that moment, Ferrous reached the door and began knocking on the door.
"Coming, Ferrous. Hold your gryphons."
The door opened to reveal Ferrous on the front step, his black hair ruffled with worry.
"Sorry to trouble you, Sapphire," panted Ferrous, "but I can't find Fey. She didn't arrive for work in the shop today and I'm a bit worried that something might have happened to her."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you know that she lives in the mushroom glen. There's not many people out there. She could have fallen out of her tree and broke her leg or been attacked by hobgoblins or something. I was going to go out there and check on her."
"Let me guess, you're too afraid to go alone, right?" said Sapphire snidely.
"You could put it like that, yes."
"I'm terribly sorry, but I have teaching duty today."
"I could help you, Ferrous," volunteered Silver.
"This is in the far western reaches of the forest. They're a dangerous place for the inexperienced. Are you sure you're up to it?"
"Of course I am, Ferrous, and besides I've got to learn sometime."
Cherry was upset by this turn of events and expressed it thus, "What? I thought you were going to read to us."
"Don't worry, Cherry, I can read to you two another day. I'll tell you what. I'll visit again tomorrow. Then I'll read for as long as you want. How does that sound?"
"Oh… all right."
"How is your breathing, Silver? We don't want you fainting out there."
"I'll be fine, lady Sapphire. That medicine you made me really did the trick."
"Don't overexert yourself, okay?"
"Good-bye, Cherry, Lupe!"
"Good-bye, Silver! Bye, Ferrous!"
Sapphire, Lupe, and Cherry waved goodbye, then returned to the house.
"I need you girls to behave while I'm gone, okay? No fighting."
"Come on, Sapphire, you know us," persuaded Cherry.
"Yes. Yes I do."
"Do you want to read?"
"No. Do you?"
"No."
"Then what do you want to do?"
"…You could read to me."
^,^
"I've never been to this part of the forest," Silver said reverently. "It is so beautiful."
"Yes, it is," Ferrous murmured
"Are you alright, Ferrous?"
"What? Yes, I'm fine."
Ferrous leapt over a pile of fallen trees. Silver climbed slowly over it.
"You seem pretty distracted."
Ferrous didn't answer, but instead studied the next jump. He jumped to the large elm tree hanging over the bank of the river. From there he jumped across the river, onto the opposite bank. Silver tossed him the other end of a long rope. After tying his end to the tree, Silver crawled across on the rope.
"How does Fey do this every day?" Silver said to himself.
Ferrous gave an involuntary squeak.
"What's up?"
"N-Nothing."
Silver eyed Ferrous closer. His black hair was decidedly unkempt and lines of worry creased his fur.
"You're really worried about her, aren't you?"
"Shut up!" Ferrous growled, stomping off into the trees.
"Hey, wait for me!" cried Silver, giving chase.
Ferrous quickly left Silver behind, and it was not long before he was lost. The close trees began to feel oppressive. His breath quickened and he began to feel a coldness traveling up from his paws. The path had to be there somewhere, he told himself fervently. The light from the sun was becoming uncomfortably distant.
He crawled to the base of a tall sycamore tree and stared into the dark, rustling undergrowth around him. The wolves of the forest were about, surely. Great, savage beasts they were, four feet tall with 200 rt. of muscle to back its claim to its prey. He would surely be trapped in the darkness of the forest, unable to escape their hungry maws.
Fortunately for Ferrous, he wasn't in that part of the forest. Wolves avoid large concentrations of nekomata. Little did he know, Ferrous just happened to be lying at the base of a treehouse on the edge of an outlying nekomata village.
"Hey, Ferrous!"
"I must be dreaming," Ferrous whispered to himself. "It can't be."
It was.
"Ferrous! What in the world are you doing here?" asked Fey.
"Fey! Oh, goddess! Where did you come from?"
"Where did I come from? Well, that's a long story. I'll start from the beginning. You see, my parents first met in the fall of '67…"
"It is you, Fey! I was afraid I might be hallucinating!"
"Like you could possibly imagine my beauty in such detail. Why are you sleeping on my parent's doorstep?"
"Your parent's doorstep?"
"Yes, this is their house after all. I just came over today because it's their anniversary and… Oh, you aren't here because I forgot to call in, are you?"
"Of course that's why!" exclaimed Ferrous.
"Sorry, it just slipped my mind. Do you want to come in?"
"Yes! Thank heavens, yes!"
"Then you have to say the magic word."
"Really, Fey? Please!"
"Nope, try again."
"For the love of the forest, please let me in!"
"You know what I want to he-ear!" she teased.
"Oh! All right! All right!" he coughed. "'Fey is the most clever and beautiful vixen I have ever set my eyes on. Her eyes are more luminous than the moon and her hair gleams like morning dew. No nekomata since born can match her nerve and wit.' How was that?"
"Great. You can come up now. Watch the first foothold, it's a little slippery."
Ferrous climbed into the tree, watching the first step. Fey helped him onto the little platform that was the front porch. Inside, a warm fire was blazing in the hearth and a blue and a black nekomata were curled up on the sofa. The atmosphere was quite inviting.
"Mum, dad, this is my boss, Ferrous. He was the vagrant sitting at the base of the tree. I forgot to report for work today and he got worried. Isn't that right?"
"Erm- Yes. It is a pleasure to meet you both. I'm sorry I interrupted your day with your daughter."
"It's no problem, please sit down, lad."
"So you're our little Fey's boss. She's told us so much about you. Do shop managers make a lot?" questioned Fey's mother.
"Mum!" cried Fey.
"You remind me greatly of your daughter, madam."
"You have no idea," said Fey's father.