A Short Fanfiction inspired by a cat that can be found roaming the streets of Balders Gate.
The sheer size and population of Balders Gate was staggering to those not familiar with the city. The streets hum with the voices of its people through both day and night. Merchants pitched their sales, buskers sought coin in exchange for entertainment, and the newly instated steel watches clanked and thunders as they roamed the streets of the city.
Admist all the noise and chaos, not many had both the time and ability to hear the soft mewling of a lost kitten, calling out to passer-by’s who simply strode on by without looking down.
Gale, always one to be charmed by the magical and the mysterious, felt his heart tug as he knelt beside the kitten. "Lost are you?" he cooed, allowing the kitten to nuzzle against his palm. "No collar - I’d wager this one is born of the streets.”
Shadowheart raised a brow as Gale scooped up the ragged and tiny creature, “Before you suggest it, I believe we have enough animals travelling with us as it is.”
Gale held the kitten close to his heart, whispering comfort into its perked ears before looking up at Shadowheart, “Then we must set out to find it’s mother. I absolutely insist.”
“We have more pressing matters, don’t you think?” Shadowheart replied, though she could feel her fortitude waning at the sight of the kittens enormous, innocent eyes. Gale looked up at her with similarly large, gleaming eyes, and she finally caved, “Fine. We’ll look for the cats mother - but you can be the one to explain to everyone the reason for us being late to Elfsong.
The local vicinity held no clues or evidence of another cat inhabiting the area. Determined not to give up, Gale began dragging Shadowheart to people’s front doors, luring them out with a knock and asking if they knew anything about the kittens mother. Everywhere they went, Gale introduced the kitten as "our charge" while Shadowheart pretended to be indifferent.
When it came to be her turn to hold the kitten, she found it even harder to resist fawning over the innocent creature. It was a bit dirty and ragged for her liking, but it’s soft purring and brilliant eyes were difficult not to fall in love when.
She supposed the two of them actually had something in common. The kitten was searching for a mother it couldn’t remember - she could relate to that.
As night began to fall and street lanterns flooded with illuminating magic, they were beginning to feel as if the mother was going to remain elusive. Deciding to try one final home closer to Elfsong, they eventually settled on a building set on the street behind their meeting place.
Gale’s mage hand rapped it’s illusory knuckles on the door, and it was shortly opened by an old, wrinkled woman who grinned at them with yellow teeth.
“Good evening, madam, I do hope we didn’t interrupt anything important. We are in search of the mother of our charge, this adorable young beauty right here.” He gestured to the kitten that Shadowheart cradled like a human child, “Is there any chance you have seen an older cat resembling this enchanting young creature? Or perhaps know of an owner foolish enough to not bless him with a collar?”
Shadowheart felt a twinge of repulsion as the woman’s eyes fell upon the kitten. Her hideous grin stretched wider, and the kitten began squirming underneath the older womans gaze. Alarm bells began ringing in her mind.
“Ah, yes, I think I know who owns that precious little thing. Why don’t you hand it over and I can…pass it along to the rightful owner.” The elderly woman croaked. Shadowheart didn’t miss the way she lightly licked licked her lips as she spoke.
Gale seemed oblivious to the woman’s horridly suspicious demeanor, “Fantastic. Shadowheart, I believe we can finally-“
Shadowheart interjected before Gale could finish his sentence, “Sorry, madam, but we have decided that this kitten shan’t be returned to an irresponsible owner. I believe it will flourish better under a responsible eye, don’t you?”
She promptly turned around and marched back down the garden path, leaving Gale to rush an apology to the old woman and chase after her. His voice held a layer of irritation as he caught up to her, “Now, why would you go and do that? I thought you were intent on finding this young creatures owner?”
Shadowheart hesitated, her internal walls crumbling. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think you might have been right," she admitted. "It's grown on me. Maybe we were meant to find it. Besides, I do not trust that foul elderly woman.”
Gale didn’t answer verbally, instead simply staring at Shadowheart with an expression that reeked of both smugness and satisfaction.
“Don’t give me that look, this is clearly the responsible thing to do. I guess we simply have to solve every problem around here ourselves.”
And so, Gale and Shadowheart returned to the Elfsong with a new companion in tow. When asked by the others where the kitten came from, Gale would fondly respond, “I believe our dear friend Shadowheart is far softer than she intends to lead on.”
Shadowheart promptly denied the accusation, but later that night, once all had retreated to their bunks hidden away behind private partitions, the lost woman held the kitten close, whispering sweet comforts into its torn and ragged ears.
“You’re safe now, little one. You won’t spend a single night without a mother again.”
