YOU WILL: Follow the River
The waves on the shore are far enough for you to catch the sound of rushing water, and you spot a river running further into the trees.
Noting that the current is flowing out into the bay you started at, you hope for fresh water further upstream. And if you follow the riverbank, nobody might get lost.
Now that the storm has passed, the sky is clear and bright. Light streams through the gaps in the verdant canopy, and although unfamiliar, the sound of lush wildlife puts everyone in an easy mood.
You let The Hazy take up the rear, and The Bleak falls into step beside you. You tell everybody to be cautious, and keep your own ears on a swivel.
Soon, the river gradually splits off into a couple smaller streams, so you stick to the bank closest to your side. Eventually, the current dies down as the water runs clearer.
You all stop briefly when A Thrift spots a bush of berries that she recognizes, wanting to gather them for her stores.
The familiarity of running errands as a group sweeps away any lingering wariness about the situation, and the two apprentices start chatting amongst themselves. The Hazy sits nearby, flicking the tip of his tail idly as he listens, before interjecting some thoughts of his own.
It sounds like the topic of conversation is ghost stories.
You flick your ear dismissively when The Bleak leaves your side to listen as The Hazy starts to share a chilling rumour he picked up from somewhere– deftly explaining away any holes The Dark tries to poke in the validity of his claims.
Although also assuring themself with sound logic that the tale is false, A Rush’s tail starts to get bushier as they start to feel more on edge.
A sudden rustle from the brush behind her startles her so badly she falls over.
The tension immediately dissolves at the sight of A Sky sitting with his tail neatly curled around his paws, next to a berry nearly the same size as him.
The Thrift emerges from the bushes right after, and then everybody is back on their paws.
Eventually, the stream connects to a large lake. You feel relief as you notice an abundance of fish beneath the glimmering surface of the water.
The rest of the day is spent creating makeshift shelter for the night, fishing from the lake and gathering additional material– all to a great level of success.
Everything is in order by the time the sun dips below the horizon, and around you your crew settles in for the night.
Feeling secure in your surroundings, you let your consciousness drift. As you grow distant from the waking world, you find yourself gradually fading into a hum of sorts. Your body feels distant, but you are still quite aware. Everything feels soft and warm, like static.
“Excuse me..? Hello? Can you hear me?”
Suddenly, you comprehend that in front of you awaits a young cat— peering at you with hopeful eyes and wringing their paws together in their nervousness.
Unmoving but buzzing electric blue wings keep them aloft from the ground. You make a noise of surprise at the sight, and it startles the other.
“Oh! You do! You really do!” They let out a shaky laugh and start to flit about. “You have no idea how happy I am right now..!”
Despite being a stranger, their kind and soft spoken nature puts you at ease.
“I know this might be quite confusing for you. My name is The Sweet— I’ve been on this island for a really really long time.” With a hint of bashfulness, they continue. “I saw you and your friends arrive last night, and I’ve been watching you since.”
Distantly, you feel somewhat alarmed. You were certain every member of your crew must have been extra cautious throughout the day— how could none of you have noticed somebody tailing the group?
“Maybe that’s scary to hear..! It’s not like that, see— my life had ended a long time ago. The reason I still stayed… is because I have a wish. And now that you’re here, I believe that it can come true.”
A kind of fierce passion has kindled in The Sweet’s eyes.
“For so long I’ve longed to see a life be built, here, on this very island. The kind where everybody lives in harmony, where one's strengths help another’s weakness. The kind of life where nobody feels truly alone. I want to be able to call this place a home.”
“There have been cats that wound up here before… but none of them stayed long. They had no reason to. The bonds you already have, the compassion you all carry, I really believe it can grow into something so much more. Maybe it’s a big ask, but…”
You realize the longing that you see in The Sweet’s eyes is not only their own, but also something familiar.
You see it while you drift aimlessly from port to port, the daily life lonely and monotonous. You see it when lonely souls seek out other lonely souls, quietly bringing them along under the guise of needing more hands to man the ship.
It’s the same look you see, looking at your crew. And it’s the same look your crew sees from you. You agree.
“I’ve spent my living days tenfold on this island wishing for this.” The Sweet presses their forehead against yours. “I share that strength with you, for when you feel you might falter.” The Sweet has blessed you with 9 lives. “Thank you, Glint.”
The Sweet swiftly steps back, tucking their chin against their chest in embarrassment. “If..! If it’s… alright to call you that?”
“Okay! Okay, that’s…! Really great! You should get some rest now, Glint.” Although spoken calmly, you can see The Sweet trying hard to restrain their elation. “You have a big day ahead of you..!”
You are now…
The Bleak
A Thrift
The Hazy
A Rush
The Dark
A Sky
Voting ended onMar 2
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