The restoration of Sorentina following the Defiled attack continued at a slow pace with all available hands set to task. Walls were rebuilt brick by brick, roofs thatched and tiled, and the inventory of shops and markets were gradually resupplied. It was difficult, grueling work, but that didn’t stop the excited whispers of the approaching Cherishing Day.

Of the holidays dedicated to Saoirse, Cherishing Day was the one the citizens of Nyarlea most looked forward to. It was a day to pass one’s love and appreciation to those around them in the form of handcrafted, thoughtful gifts. All relationships, whether friends, neighbors, or lovers, were expected to put forward an effort to remind their peers of the care and positive impact they had on the world.

The origin of the holiday was written in the oldest Nyarlean tomes. Saoirse herself had descended to Nyarlothep with a hundred baskets in her presence. Each of her followers present received a gift befitting of their generous deeds. Clothing spun from golden thread, sweets baked with flour harvested from the very clouds, and jewelry crafted by divine hands. Saoirse declared that her followers were the most cherished piece of her existence and bade them pay her joy forward. And so, on the same day each year ever since, every catgirl in Nyarlea celebrated her visit and spread her generosity.

A gnawing voice in the back of Ceres’ mind had reminded her countless times it was coming, but she continued to push it away. Her days were kept busy by the constant overseeing of other soldiers and citizens in their tasks. Her nights were spent penning yet another day in her journal that her lord, Matt, had not returned.

Ceres drew meaningless patterns on a blank page in her journal, lost in thought. Does My Lord know that Cherishing Day quickly approaches? Had he had the time to fabricate gifts for his companions? She doubted that greatly. If his efforts in Sorentina and their plans were to be believed and carried out, he’d had little time to do aught else than travel.

Not that her luck was much better. Aster had already begun spending her nights sewing new aprons for her companions weeks past, and Violet was known for growing beautiful bouquets of lule misri to enrich their homes. Usually, Ceres would polish and improve the armor of her closest companions, but even that would be a late gift due to perpetually conflicting schedules.

And an increasingly nagging part of her wished to do something special for Matt.

Certainly, there must be something I can do. Beyond his axe and shield, his armor was crafted from mainly leather—an area that Ceres was unfamiliar with. Cloth or steel were her specialties, and cleaning the shield of her savior seemed…mediocre.

Ceres sighed and glanced down at her journal. At some point in her idle thoughts, she’d drawn multiple hearts along the page. She recalled the tempting aromas of Sorentina’s bakery. When she was young, her mother would often surprise her with heart-shaped confections for Cherishing Day, and the sweet flavors of the cakes echoed across her tongue.

What if she baked Matt a cake? Would he enjoy such an offering? Sugar was difficult to come by, but surely she had enough Bells stashed away to afford what was needed for a cake. Even if she’d never baked a cake before…

But it couldn’t be that hard, could it?

And it had been so many days since he’d left. She was certain he’d return soon, in enough time to still enjoy a freshly made dessert. At least if he didn’t, she could share it with her friends.

With a resolute nod, Ceres closed her journal and crawled beneath the neatly laid blankets of her bed, and fell into a fitful sleep.

The following day after posts were assigned, Ceres slipped away to the best-known bakery in Sorentina. By Saoirse’s blessing, it was untouched from the attack—Ceres herself had helped clean mud from the roof and give the inside a good sweeping the week prior. The proprietress was an older woman named Julia, with greying hair and orange eyes. The same proprietress that had sold Ceres’ mother cakes when she was a child.

Ceres found Julia organizing the day’s pastries for display on wooden racks. With the sugar shortage, her inventory consisted mainly of loaves of bread and tarts sweetened with fruit. A gathered white cap perched on her head, and her grey cat ears poked through slots on either side.

“Good morning, Julia.” Ceres bowed deeply as she greeted the baker.

Julia glanced up from her work and beamed, wiping her hands on her apron. “Ceres, dear! It’s wonderful to see you.” She chuckled as Ceres bowed again. “Always so formal. You know there’s no need.”

“I will always show reverence to those who deserve it,” Ceres replied. “I have a favor to ask of you, should you have the time.”

“I’ll make time, dear. What can I help you with?”

Ceres paused, her nerves momentarily getting the better of her. She clasped her hands together and swallowed her anxiety. “I wish to learn to bake a cake.”

Julia blinked, then chuckled. “Is that so? There must be someone special you have in mind for Cherishing Day.”

Ceres felt the hints of a blush touch her cheeks. “Yes, there is.”

“How many summers have passed us now since your mother was here buying sweets for you?” Julia waxed nostalgically, eyes shining with the memory. “And now you want to learn how to bake.”

The tips of Ceres’ ears burned with embarrassment, and she flattened them to her head. Her tail tucked between her legs, and she nodded. “Many, miss. If it is too much of a hassle—”

“No, no. I’m just teasing you, love. It’s not a hassle at all. But, you know about the sugar?”

Relief flooded Ceres’ shoulders. “Yes, I am aware. I am prepared to pay for any ingredients required for this endeavor.”

“Are you sure?” Julia raised a brow. “It’s pretty damn expensive right now.”

“I am certain.”

Julia studied her carefully before approaching the swinging door leading behind the display. “Well, alright then. Tighten your apron strings and come on back.”

“Thank you so much! I will be an attentive student, I promise you.”

“Yeah, that’s not what I’m worried about,” Julia added. “Let’s begin.”

Ceres sliced a sharp knife through the first batch of cooled cake. It cut easy enough, to her relief, and she reached for a fork.

“Careful now,” Julia advised.

Ceres nodded, a thin sheen of sweat forming on her forehead. There were so many steps to baking a cake! And they hadn’t even begun to discuss toppings like icing and decorations. Many times had she drafted plans for battle, but never had an outline seemed so intimidating as the recipe Julia fired off from memory.

She slid the fork between the baking dish and the cake itself, hooking the bottom of the dessert before raising her wrist. But the cake didn’t come with it.

Ceres froze. “It’s— hm. It’s stuck,” she murmured.

Julia furrowed her brow and studied the dish. “Did you butter the bottom of it as I instructed?”

Ceres nodded. “Yes. Just as you said, I set a cube of butter at its center before pouring the batter over it.”

Julia’s eyes widened, and she masked a smile behind one hand.

“What? Was that not what you intended?” Ceres asked, alarmed.

Julia shook her head and averted her gaze. She took a deep breath, still stifling a laugh, then said, “You use the cube of butter and coat the bottom of the dish in a thin layer. Like painting a wall.”

Ceres looked back down at the cake. “Oh.”

“I don’t think we’re going to want to eat that, either.” Julia pointed to the fluffy brown concoction. “That’s a lot of butter.”

Ceres nodded solemnly. “I understand.”

Julia placed a soothing hand on Ceres’ shoulder. “No one gets it on their first try, dear. Come now, let’s try again.”

“There must be something wrong with me,” Ceres said, staring at the four failed cakes on Julia’s narrow baking table.

Julia leaned on her elbows, frowning at each baking dish in turn. Her tail swished back and forth behind her in thought. “I think you’re taking too many liberties with each one.”

“My changes are not satisfactory?” Ceres mumbled.

“The thing about baking is that it’s very exact. With cooking, you have a lot of room to improvise. As you see here,” Julia gestured to the pans, “that isn’t the case.”

They’d sampled every one after Ceres’ first failed attempt. Too much flour, too much flavoring, too much sugar. One was dryer than a tile roof on a hot day; another wasn’t baked long enough and fell to ruin as soon as a fork penetrated the surface.

Ceres hung her head in her hands. “Perhaps I am making a monumentally expensive mistake.”

Julia pulled the most recent cake toward them. “I don’t think so. This one was almost perfect. If you’d measured out the right amount of cocoa extract, we would have had a winner.”

“Cherishing Day is in two days,” Ceres muttered through her fingers. “I apologize for wasting your time, Julia.”

“Nonsense. You’re learning! This is the most fun I’ve had in years,” Julia laughed. “Give yourself a day’s rest and come back the morning of Cherishing Day.”

“But you shouldn’t be working on the holiday—”

“This isn’t work, girl. Consider this an early present.”

“You are too kind to me.” Ceres stood and bowed deeply before another thought occurred to her. “Will that be enough time? I do not want to occupy your kitchen and waste your ingredients a second time.”

Julia shook her head. “You won’t. Trust me.”

Ceres frowned, but Julia’s certainty was contagious. At last, she offered a slight nod and said, “As you wish.” She reached into her [Cat Pack] to procure coin for the sugar she’d squandered.

Julia waved an emphatic hand. “No, dear. We can worry about that when you’ve finished your cake.”

“Are you certain? I am sure I can pay—”

Julia placed her hands on Ceres’ shoulders and playfully pushed her out of the kitchen. “Come on. Out with you.”

Ceres laughed and made her way to the door. “Fine, fine! I will see you in two days!”

On Cherishing Day, all work was put on hold for the holiday. Girls of all ages went door to door, handing out their gifts. The melancholy atmosphere that hung over the city since the day of the attack had dissipated, replaced by air vibrating with excitement and joy.

Ceres stood at Julia’s counter, her stomach twisting into knots at the thought of blundering her final attempt at her gift for Matt.

Julia greeted her with a warm smile and a mug of hot chocolate. “Come on back, love. We’ll get it this time.”

Ceres was precise in her measurements and forced herself to move through the steps more slowly, taking care to follow Julia’s every word to the letter. She shifted nervously between her feet when they slid the baking dish into the oven.

“Goddess above, girl. You looked less scared when you stood at the feet of that damn Defiled,” Julia noted, then winked. “You did perfectly. I watched.”

“I certainly hope so.”

While it baked, Ceres and Julia made the icing together. Ceres remained just as astute, terrified that she’d go through six batches before creating the perfect consistency. Thankfully, this one only took two.

“That’s it, you’ve got it, dear! Taste it. You’ll see what I mean.” Julia gestured at the bowl.

Ceres touched two fingers to the surface of the icing, then carefully lapped the creamy mixture away on her tongue. It was fluffy and sweet, but not overly so. Memories of sharing cakes with her mother resurfaced, and she smiled. “It is delicious.”

“That it is. And now it’s time for the real test.” Julia moved to the oven and slid the cake free. “It looks wonderful, Ceres. But we can’t taste this one if you’re going to gift it.”

“Right,” Ceres conceded. “If you believe it looks adequate, then I am confident.”

“Oh, it’s more than adequate, love, I’m certain.” Julia laughed. “Let’s decorate it.”

After spreading the icing over the surface and coating the sides, Ceres took a moment to admire her handiwork.

“You should write something in the center in another color,” Julia suggested.

Ceres recalled many of the pastries from her mother. They, too, had donned beautiful words in elegant script. ‘My Love.’ ‘For Ceres.’ ‘My Heart.’ She accepted the piping from Julia and carefully wrote the first thing that came to mind.

My Lord.

“Goodness, they must be important,” Julia murmured, reading once Ceres was finished.

Just as Ceres was ready to explain, an unintelligible shout came from outside. Then another, clearer this time. “Matt’s back!”

“They’re back! They’ve come back!”

“Matt’s here!”

Ceres nearly dropped the piping. Her heart felt as if it’d stopped, then fluttered alive again. “He’s returned,” she whispered.

Julia crossed her arms and gazed at Ceres with a tilted smile. “At the perfect time, I see?”

Ceres nodded and plunged her hand into her pack. “What do I owe you? Please, allow me to pay for all of it.”

“You saved our lives, girl. You owe me nothing.” Julia shook her head. “Go give that boy his gift.”

“I— But, I—” Ceres stammered, looking from the cake to Julia.

“Go!” Julia laughed.

Ceres carefully scooped up the baking dish and marched to the door. She followed the cheers and points of the other girls in the town. Her heart hammered in her chest and ears, and her golden braid bobbed with each step. She approached a growing group of catgirls and weaved her way through them. At last, Matt and his companions came into sight. He caught her eye and smiled. Her breath caught.

Matt waved and approached her. He looked tired and in much need of a bath, but his smile never wavered. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“My Lord!” Ceres exclaimed, searching his face and sorting the myriad emotions fighting in her chest. She suddenly recalled her efforts on his gift. She dropped to one knee and presented the cake to him. “Happy Cherishing Day, My Lord.”

“Oh, fuck. I completely forgot,” Ravyn groaned, stroking the parrot on her shoulder.

“Not like we’ve had a way to remember,” Keke added.

Matt’s eyes widened, and he accepted the cake. “Wow. This looks amazing! Did you make this yourself?”

“Yes. I, um,” Ceres stammered and rose to her feet. “I hope you like it.”

“If you made it, I’m sure it’s delicious. Thank you, Ceres. Really. You sure know how to welcome a guy.” He chuckled then looked around. “Why don’t we share this at the tavern and catch each other up?”

Ceres felt as if her heart had grown wings. He was here. He’d really come back for her. “I would like that very much.”

The return of her companions was the best Cherishing Day gift Ceres could ask for.