Jewel of the North [P]

Having procured the treasure, Satoru decided it was time to return to the Land of Iron in order to complete this mission. However, having ended up in this part of the mountain through no work of his own, he was faced with a challenge of finding his way back home. Now he was forced to venture forth into unknown territory, either by mountain pass or hidden path.

The green flames burned bright as his smoldering surroundings lit up with the shadow of another night’s approach. Thankfully, Satoru was able to procure a single lantern and short sword for the remainder of the journey as his body wasn't quite up to a physical altercation, especially after the berserker transformation.

With the lantern in one hand, Satoru carefully navigated the rough pathway, trying to maintain the balance needed for the hazards of the forest. Gently kicking a loose rock with the toe of his boot, he cleared a small path through the muddy undergrowth. Climbing higher, he came to the cave leading to the top of the mountain. With so much to be done, he decided the most important thing was to keep moving and not think about the danger all around him. An injured cat with a peculiar white tail stood like an abandoned marker at the entrance to the cave. From his posture and fur color, it was obvious this was the territory of the white mountain cat.

“Hehe, you seemed to have gotten here first,” Satoru called out. Looking up from his meal, the cat simply stared back at him with eyes that seemed to be piercing his very soul. The orange eyes stared back at him with a look that suggested he should be beaten with his own tail. “Eh? How… how did you get here? What does that cat want with me?” Satoru questioned the white cat in a nervous tone.

The cat yawned and let out a low rumbling purr before vanishing into the entrance to the cave. Satoru could only watch in amazement as the entire cat disappeared from his sight. The only sound left behind was the steady trickle of water. He gulped loudly and looked down at the clearing around him. His toes were deep in the black muddy puddles, but he dared not try to get away from the slippery ground. He stood there, pondering his next course of action.

Taking a deep breath, he reluctantly descended the mountain and into the darkness of the forest. The lantern’s light was not much to guide his way, but it helped. What he was about to do was not going to be easy, but then, neither was it supposed to be easy. In the distance, he could hear the loud bawling of many wild beasts, warning of his arrival. He gripped the sword and the lantern tighter and stepped off the path.

It was only after he was completely covered in the darkness that he could hear the beast’s very large footsteps approaching. As it drew closer, he could hear the other beasts behind it as they all sounded very excited. The sword’s light did not reach the area of the cave’s entrance, so he was completely blind when the beast finally reached him. As the sillhoute of the beast cast a long shadow over Satorus body, he was quick to notice a rather human appearance to the beast. Raising the lantern, he revealled a tall man, one much taller than Satoru, dressed in a large trench coat and heavy black boots. As he approached the white cat darted into his direct, roaring in its low voice.

The cat growled before bowing low to the ground. “I am Ed and the white mountain cat is Lord. Do you mind if I join you in your sleep?” Ed asked with his soft voice. Satorus eyes darted between the cat and the man standing next to him. With a loud snort, the white cat cocked its head to the side before sitting up on its hind legs and looking up at the tall man.

Satorus was not sure what to think. There was no way to tell who this man and the cat were. His voice had a softness to it that Satoru didn't quite understand. His black trench coat was covered in a slick substance that was clearly foreign to the environment around them. His eyes were a brilliant green color that almost seemed to glow in the light of the lantern.

The large cat began to pace back and forth. “Lord. Do you know anything about Satoru?” Ed asked the cat in a gruff tone. The cat looked at Satoru and began to shift its gaze back and forth between the two men. “Why do you ask? Are you lost? What do you want with me?” The cat asked in a nervous tone. “So it’s a familiar.” Thought Satoru while Ed gave the cat a condescending smirk as he crossed his arms. “I just thought you might like a few friends to help you when you got here. I’m Ed,” Ed gave a short bow to the cat before extending his hand to Satoru. “It is a pleasure to meet you, I am Ed.” The hand came with a length of rope attached to the end of it. “Would you mind please tying it around the cat’s neck. This will help make sure the cat is staying still while we’re sleeping,” Ed asked Satoru, who looked confused at first, but quickly understood. “Of course,” Satorus quickly agreed before straining to tie Ed’s rope around the cat’s neck.

The white cat did not put up a fight as he was tied to the bed of the cave, then Ed lifted Satorus over his shoulders. After moving a couple feet away from the cave, he stopped. “Can you stand up?”

Satorus was shaken out of his confusion as he slowly lifted his head. Once on his feet, he saw that Ed was in fact carrying him over his shoulder and carrying him to the entrance of the cave. “Thanks,” Satorus said in a weary voice. After standing upright, Ed started to move his arms as he dragged Satorus over to his cot in the back of the cave. He dropped Satorus onto the blanket and kneeled down to face him. “Are you hungry?”

Satorus eyes widened as he studied the small, dark, thin man. The only thing that seemed to be different between the cat and the man was his eyes. They were definitely human in appearance, yet seemed to look slightly off in color. The light of the lantern barely illuminated the features of his face as it only illuminated the portion of the man’s face next to his mouth. “I suppose so,” Satorus replied quietly. Ed stood up and disappeared into the darkness, leaving Satorus alone with the glow of the lantern. As he looked around, Satorus was able to make out his surroundings. The interior of the cave was in shambles. Rocks, broken wooden shelves, and smashed piles of bones were strewn about the room.

A cold, penetrating feeling surged through Satorus, causing his hair to stand on end. For a moment he had forgotten all about his mission however after a moment of clarity, Satoru snatched the lantern, dashed out of the cave and into the distance…

Before long, as the sun rose in the distance, he found himself by the west most entrance to the Land of Iron and so he made his way inside, completed his mission and went over to have a short kip at the local inn.

[Exit]