Day 57

(Rick POV)

Home sweet... barren empty cavern.

I'm going out on a limb here, letting all of the cat-people in. At the very least it has a nice gate; something I whipped together from solid stone. It has a poison dart launcher activated by a clumsy attempt to open my door. It has a simple number lock on it. If you try to enter any set of numbers the trap activates. I also have a backup that I haven't primed yet, that activates in the case of siege. The correct answer is to depress a section of frame around the fake lock in a certain way. I showed it to little rat, in case he needed to return without warning. Only we rats know the trick.

I warn the cats not to touch it, mentioning the poison. I'm not sure I trust all of them yet, but Siamese seems genuine.

For now, it is an insurance policy on the off chance they decide to kick Niala and I out or kill us to keep the room.

Aside from the massive jewel in the roof accommodations are Spartan. I wasn't planning for numerous guests when we left.

The cats also seem annoyed because there are no weapons. I promised weapons, but have none. As they bicker and argue with Siamese I silence them by forming knives out of the bedrock. While far from perfection these are at least better than clubs made from branches. You could shave with them. Not that they'll be used for that. The cats regard hair as a status symbol, apparently. The big guy's bushy beard and long hair resemble a dark mane... probably what it is, in fact. I wonder what the deal is with the other woman, the laidback Tabby, her hair is short. Different tribe? Something else?

The knives in question aren't simple blades, I added some simple designs etched on the blade and modified them to the limit. The large male comes over first and growls a question.

“Theras asks if you can make any weapon.” [Siamese translates]

“Yes, with the right materials, better than this... much better.” [Rick]

The black maned cat asks something else.

I turn to Siamese, curious.

“He wants... a weapon... I do not have the words... a staff with a cutting edge?” [Siamese]

Interesting. A polearm. Hmm. Halberds, naginatas... Ahh... of course. I craft as solid two inch pole of rock six feet long and form a two foot long, one-sided cleaving edge with a sharp point. A voulge. Since the guy seems to want substance rather than style I don't add fancy engraving, instead I reinforce it as much as possible so that the brittle rock will last a while.

He looks impressed.

I test the weight. Not terrible for such a mass of stone. I find a loose rock and test the blade, cleaving it with a crash.

He now looks desperate to try it out himself.

I hand the voulge to him, with a smile.

He tries it by swinging in an empty area, the sound of the weapon cutting the air is terrifying. He's smiling like a madman as he does. Well he was easy to please. I guess the guy just REALLY likes his weapons.

Not that I can blame him, out here a weapon is a lifeline. You need a dependable one.

“Tell him that in a few days I'll be collecting some ore, to make decent weapons. That voulge is only as good as I can do, using raw stone.” [Rick] “Iron and steel will make him drool.”

Well, now is my time to shine! I have to make myself indispensable. Also, secretly build up myself in case of treachery. I'm paranoid, sure. I learned the hard way, betrayal can blind-side you.

Still I do trust the cats, to a degree. The thief didn't help their cause but loli-kitten and Siamese don't seem the types to break a trust. The others I don't know so well, though. After all I can't talk to them directly yet. Theras seems to be a blustery guy, he had doubts about my offer from day one which he said aloud at every opportunity but now he seems the most at ease, since he's armed reasonably well.

Next I invite them out, to view the most interesting nearby room. It's only a half hour's walk away. What is so special about this room? You'll see.

The walk is casual and easier now we are unburdened by supplies. I'm not quite sure how the cat-people will react to this room, but so far it has been safe. It is only a few hundred feet wide. I has no food, few resources and absolutely no monsters as far as I can tell.

There are no great interruptions on the way, no monsters thankfully.

The reaction to the room is confusion. Niala and I are the only ones who know what it is. It is a massive natural bath. The place has an unnatural angle to it, the water temperature is steady as is the water level in the scalloped edged stone cavity. Further more as if proving it is manufactured, a steady stream of aromatic herb essence and liquid soap pours down. This creates the final effect; a massive hot-spring bubble bath. I guess every room can't be a death trap.

It seems the cat people don't really know baths, but then I doubt many here do. I explain the use; in a few minutes, after a lot of silly hesitation they are having a blast, splashing water, running around.

I for one am mighty pleased, as they have all shed their clothes. The view of Siamese is fascinating.

Turns out, they all have tails after all. They're short. Almost as if they were docked like sheep. I suppose their tail is actually similar to the tail of a bobcat. Goes to show loli-kitten probably is a completely separate sub-species.

Aside from that, the front isn't so bad either, heh heh heh. The tabby girl isn't terrible to look at either, although I draw the line at Kitten. She's cute, not sexually attractive. Like a niece or a daughter, far too young so I don't pay attention there.

I let my inner ratboy have a field day, fantasizing about the Siamese catgirl chatting with me casually as we all soak side by side.

Such a wonderful day. So much better than the last. My hand is back to normal after an extended hug from Niala, but the fingers don't feel quite right. The regenerated ones feel strange. Phantom limb syndrome? I've heard it can drive people to even sever limbs they feel are 'wrong'. Eh, I'll get used to it. I hope.

Occasionally I get flashes of old memories as the face of my brother comes to mind. Then I remember the monster that mimicked him... ugh. I'm going to be pretty screwed up for a while over this.

Leaving is less pleasant, despite the hot air vents like full-body hairdriers. The clothes are still filthy rags for our new friends. Have to do something about that. Hmph. If it comes to that, I'll just skin a few dozen monsters. If I can find a few furry ones. I suppose plain leather works, too.

I have big plans for the future. That iron ore is key to my plans for subjugation of the corrupt ape people. I wonder how little rat is doing over there. The distance is troubling. I hate that phones don't exist here. Well... at least I have a seer. That trumps the arcane science of weather forecasting and the arcane fantasy of astrology anyway.

If I'm lucky it may end up useful. At least I assume it allows the changing of the predicted events. If they turn out to be predestined I'm gonna be pissed off. After all in physics the act of observing can change a reaction. I assume the principle is the same here. Knowing something is going to happen changes the event subtly.

When we return home we make a fire and sleep around it as a group. Aside from me. I remain on watch at the gate, as the rest sleep. It is boring though.

Or at least it was until I heard a few faint footsteps behind me.

I'm a little surprised by the stealth, but it turns out to be a very sleepy Siamese.

“Sleep, I don't need rest. I'll watch the gate until morning.” [Rick]

“I can't... I woke up because I felt something missing... it was you. You calm my doubts.” [Siamese looking through unfocused eyes]

I sit down against the wall, patting the ground beside me.

“What is your name? I've wondered for a while. I'm Chirrick. Call me Rick.” I ask as she splays out on her side.

“Minke.” She murmurs, resting her head on my lap.

I stroke her head and I'm a little startled when she starts purring.

“I like spending time with you.” [Rick]

The purring stopped, which made me worried that she was about to get angry. Until I realized she'd dozed off. Gently I spent the night stroking her hair, this is the first time I really appreciated the fact I don't sleep.

Day 58

Hunting and foraging the group is split between Minke, myself and a few other cats including Tabby who are hunting, as Theras guards Niala, Kitten and the rest out looking for food.

Our first room is a bust, a room filled with dead trees. We hack a little for firewood and leave it behind to carry back when we return. I'm glad, we have enough for a few buildings and plenty of firewood. If it recovers every time we enter then it is a major benefit, but it has no use for hunting.

We pass the river, filling our water-skins and my old canteen. At least we have access to water too. Have to do something about that however, in the event of a siege we'll dehydrate long before we starve. I'm thinking a large scale storage system, or pipes.

I'm also thinking about small scale farming in our sealed room, to supplement our foraging. Food may be unlimited, but only if we leave our locked room. Same problem as the water, really. I hope someone here has agriculture skills...

The next room is ridiculous. I thought we wandered out of the maze for a moment. The roof was seemingly a starry night sky. In actual fact, turns out it was an obsidian stone roof covered in a layer of glow-worms.

This was a rich room, filled with prey animals. Rabbit-like beasts with no eyes, pale shaggy fur and the size of a large dog. They were grazing on some strange plant growth, lichen I think. Taking a cautious approach I attacked one far from the edge of the group. Thankfully they didn't display herd tactics. No, the creature instead attacked right back, as I stabbed the sword-breaker into the neck.

It was hurt, pretty badly. I was expecting some kind of kick, but the beast had a far more insidious retaliation. It spat needles at me. I admit I was quite surprised. They were barbed too. I was very annoyed as I tore them out of my arm and cheek. They left nasty looking injuries.

The swordbreaker was stabbed again, this time through the ribcage. That put it down for good. But damn, the wounds hurt. Some kind of irritant I think. Itches like a million flea bites.

From then on we struck from the side and aimed for the vitals center torso.

I found out by dissecting the creature the spines were actually modified teeth. The saliva was a nasty piece of work and clearly the cause of the irritation. A mild venom, probably. I made a container out of thin rock and filled it with the fluid, a makeshift pepper spray grenade.

Still we end up with a good supply of furs. A few dozen pounds of choice cuts of meat, too.

Since I took one for the team, we walk away with only myself injured. The cats learned enough from my blunder to avoid the needles.

We collect the wood and a few stout branches I set aside for crafting on the way back.

Niala's already home. She has a good pile of root vegetables and apple-like fruit waiting. I get a hug for my troubles. Once I have a fire going again I try simple cooking, using a frying-pan I made from the stone (ironically it counted as a weapon). The vegetables are crisp and tasty when cooked. The meat however was disappointing. It tasted like cleaning fluid, as if marinated in ammonia.

So much for food from monsters always being 'good'.

The 'apples' are soft and filled with delightful nectar. So even if the meat was a failure we didn't lack for delicious food. But vegetarian meals always leave me feeling like something is missing.

Oh wait, the missing thing is meat. Of course. I don't want to live in a world where I'm forced to be a herbivore. I'm so glad I'm still an omnivore.

As I sit up at the gate for my round of guard duty Minke walks over immediately and leans against me. We talk about the past, I tell her about my life. She tells me about her own. In the end, they're both sob-stories. Figured as much considering she is a former-slave and I'm a self-forged living weapon. Some of it makes my whiskers curl. Some of it makes me want to kill...

In the end she drifts off to sleep as I stroke her hair again. This is nice.

Niala gives an evil glare from the fire-side but she's buried under a sleeping Kitten. She can't get up to complain. Funnily I'm in the same situation. Cats. They only care for their own comfort. They are starting to grow on me.

What we learned:

Kitten: is Niala's foil.

Minke: has clearly grown attached to Rick.

Theras: busy polishing his weapon.

What will Rick do with all of his iron?

There are a large number of weak herbivores?

Where are the predators? Close.

One of my reviewers from a while ago wondered why Rick knows so much about weapons; I based that quirk on myself. I used to read weapon encyclopedias. Things like katars, polearms and such really interested me. I spent my lunch-times at school reading these reference books so avidly they were removed from the shelves by worried school librarians...