“There’s an intruding cat on our lands,” Airám informed, approaching his mencey.
Tanausú looked at him, raising an eyebrow. “And what do they want? They won’t be hostile, will They?”
“I… didn’t think I’d ask him… honestly…”
The mencey shook his head with a chuckle, “Let’s go meet this intruder…”
Airám led him to where he’d seen the cat, but he met him halfway. The cat was actually heading briskly toward its den.
“These lands belong to EcheideClan,” Tanausú announced, standing in front of the strange intruder. A fawn-colored cat with white markings, like a diamond on its forehead, green eyes, very furry, and carrying a mailbag.
“Oh! Thank goodness! I thought I was lost. This is the first time I’ve brought a package to this clan, and it’s quite confusing terrain… I assume you’re the leader.”
“The mencey,” Tanausú corrected. “But yes, it’s me.”
“Perfect! I’m a messenger, and a kittypet from the next town asked me to bring you a gift. He says he read it was a common offering to the gods and thought it could be useful for your altar. A curious cat, very friendly, yes sir, very friendly.” Tanausú and Airán looked at each other in confusion as the strange foreign cat took something out of his bag. “I wrapped it in this cloth so it wouldn’t leave my bag smelling like that for a month…” And finally, he took out and unwrapped the thing. It was a cheese.
“For the offering? I’ll have to thank him when I see him again. I’m sure the goddess will love it…” Tanausú commented, sniffing the large cheese. “Thank you very much for bringing it… erm…?”
“Cliff, my name is Cliff. And it’s been a great pleasure. That’s why I became a postman.”
The cats said goodbye to the strange traveler in a somewhat more animated and relaxed manner than when they arrived. They actually found him a little odd, but even odder was the cat who had sent them the cheese.
"Come on, we have to take the cheese to the offering!"
And both cats returned to the jameos, the tunnel where the clan lived.
The altar with the offerings already had several prey skulls, a goat horn, some prickly pear fruits, and Magec was, at that very moment, placing some herbs he thought the mother goddess might appreciate.
"Qué es eso?" Magec asked, looking at the cheese his leader was carrying.
"Eso es queso," Airám replied with a smile and sing-song tone.
Tanausú placed the cheese next to the goat horn and finally, with his mouth free, explained, "They gave it to us for the offerings. It's goat cheese, so I'm sure Chaxiraxi would love it."
Magec moved the cheese a bit so it would be better placed, more aligned, and continued adding herbs and flowers to make the offerings look better. They'd had good luck with fishing and hunting lately and decided to thank the mother goddess with some offerings, but it had gotten a little out of hand.
"Do the gods like cheese?" Jonay asked, approaching and looking at the altar intensely.
The mencey shrugged. "That's what the kittypet who sent it said. He said he read it. We have nothing to lose by trying..."
"Anyway, the cheese is not ours," Airám added, and noticing the intense stares, his fur bristled. "It was a joke! Please, it was just a joke!!! You never understand my jokes."
Tanausú shook his head, watching Airán walk away to escort Magec back to the tunnels.
“My mencey…” Jonay spoke, following Tanausú.
“What do you want?” Tanausú asked with a crooked smile and an arched eyebrow. He knew they only called him that when they wanted something or had messed up in some way and it was his turn to fix it.
“Well… I just wanted a small piece of the cheese.”
Tanausú didn't believe what he was hearing. Jonay wasn't a sweet tooth and respected the gods greatly. Why did he want a piece of the offering?
Jonay must have seen the confusion on his mencey's face and rushed to explain his reasons, which only made his leader's confused face turn into a grimace of surprise and some horror.
"I have my own altar at the foot of the volcano... for Guayota..." Tanausú's heart raced. Guayota was evil. He had never heard of a cat making an offering to him, not one, not for a moment. It was madness to any cat's mind, but Jonay had a good reason. "It's for Gara, she... She's a creature of Guayota and... and I thought that... I don't know... if he blessed me with Gara... he also deserves an offering from time to time, right?"
With a snort, Tanausú shook his head. He was about to refuse his Achimencey's request, but... he finally sighed, turned to face the altar, and took a small piece of cheese. Jonay could hardly believe it as he received the offering. Tanausú placed it at his feet. “Don’t make me regret it,” he said, as he always did when Jonay got his way. “And take an escort.”
“I always go with Gara.”
“Cat escort. From now on, whenever you want to approach the volcano, you will take another cat as an escort, for safety. Okay?”
Jonay sighed, somewhat annoyed. “Of course, my mencey,” he said, and took the piece of cheese.
“I’ll send Airám to accompany you.”
Jonay left to find Gara and Tanausú went to find the warrior. He entered the tunnels, expecting to see him lounging around some corner. What he didn’t expect was to find him in the medicine den rubbing noses with Magec. “By the gods…” He sighed; today was a day of surprises and discoveries. “Airám, I need you to accompany Jonay to the volcano. Magec should accompany you too. It will be good for them to look for herbs.”
“To the volcano, you mean? To that terrifying mountain of lapilli, inhabited by the great demon? What is Jonay looking for in there?” Airám asked, surprised and confused. It is customary, almost law, to avoid the volcano; it is forbidden land, and one must not step on the volcanic cone.
“Jonay has… He has an altar of offerings there,” the mencey explained.
“Offerings to Guayota!!?” Airán didn't believe it, and even less did he believe that Tanausú would approve.
“And you want me to go near that altar?” Magec asked. “Don't you remember the myth? My name is the same as the god Guayota tried to kidnap. What if he takes ME for the offering?”
“Nothing of the sort will happen!!! You won't step on the volcano, you'll just get closer, and it's safer for everyone to go together. And Gara will go too, so she'll protect you from the evil god, okay? Now don't waste any more time, both of you, walking! If you won't do it for your achimencey, do it for Gara.”
Finally, they sighed, huffed, grumbled, and accepted the task, leaving the cave and meeting up with Jonay and Gara outside, ready to begin the long march to the foot of the volcano.
[Words: 1186]
┌─────────────────────────◂ cats on patrolJonay | He/him | HP 100% | HUP 0% | Sick: NAirám | He/him | HP 100% | HUP 0% | Sick: NMagec | They/them | HP 100% | HUP 0% | Sick: N├─────────────────────────◂ custom predators / preyYes - LINK HERE ┬
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─────────────◂ level 0experience: 66─────────────◂ inventory items usedNon─────────────◂ active / monthly tasks:active task #1 (Non-explore NPC)
active task #2 (A cat and their love)
active task #3 (Sacrifice of cheese)─────────────◂ opted in to death?no ┬
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◂ inventory
prey | 1 FP | x2
prey | 2 FP | x0
prey | 2 FP | x0
prey | 3 FP | x0
prey | 3 FP | x0
prey | 4 FP | x0
herb | x0
herb | x0
herb | x0