[Poor Grallus, the Rogue – 10]

Not knowing where to go or even what direction to start heading in if he were to ‘go,’ Grallus had decided to travel east. Not knowing who he is, where he’s from, or even why he fell in that hole the other day, he figured why not pick a prime direction and start walking. East was as good as any other direction, and for some reason it seemed the slightest bit familiar. Earlier in the morning, while still following the dense forest path, he had come across a friendly older couple on horseback who were nice enough to inform him that there was a large town to the east. So again, why not?

After walking several hours, the forest fell away to large fields of long flowing grasses and waist high prickly bushes. The walk became easier as the rugged wooded horse path had also given way to what seemed to be a much more traveled road. The road is wider here but he hasn’t seen anyone since the couple this morning. The afternoon sun’s brutal shine caused for fairly heavily sweating under his woolen cloak, but for some unknown internal reason he knew he should stay hidden underneath the heavy fabric, at least for now. For the past hour or so Punkins had given him a break carrying him around his neck. He realized pretty quickly that the little cat could generate a good amount of additional heat curled up around his shoulders. As he walks the road, Punkins is running and hopping from small dirt piles to little rocks and back again, digging or tipping them over to see if there is anything interesting underneath. There almost never is, but it hasn’t stopped him from continually trying with much anticipation.

Curling his hand around his eyes to shadow himself from the sun he sees something starting to come into view on the horizon. What should be about another hour away, there seems to be what looks like a very high stone wall with tall rooftops poking up behind.

“Look Punkins, a city or something,” he says with his hands still cupped forward.

Punkins abruptly stops chasing an almost invisible speck of dirt that he was convinced a second ago had inexplicably moved, and stares forward to the city wall. Suddenly he scoots in front of Grallus and starts jumping up and down in place kicking up the dirt and dust. He is giving Grallus an oddly nervous look.

“What’s wrong? It’s a place with people, beds and food, wouldn’t that be nice? We could sleep inside under a roof for once.” Punkins stops in the road directly in front of his feet almost causing Grallus to trip over him. “Come on,” he says as he picks up the little black cat. Holding him in his arms the cat turns and forces direct eye contact with Grallus. “Okay now you’re making me nervous,” he says as the little cat stomps once in his arms as to answer in the positive. “Are you saying this is a bad place?” Again the little cat stomps. Stopping, he looks away to think for a second, but notices the little cat is perfectly still, holding his gaze. Turning quickly to meet the cat’s glare, “Okay mister smarty paws, will I find answers there?” After motionlessly staring at each other for a few seconds the little cat’s left orange ear folds a bit and he slowly nods his head.

“Then *that* is where we go,” he exclaims flatly as he gently puts the cat back down on the ground and continues his walk forward. For a few seconds Punkins doesn’t move, simply sitting in the dirt watching Grallus walk ahead. He knows this journey is going to lead to darkness, but also instinctually knows that his place is with Grallus, and runs to catch up.

Looking down at the cat in tow, “I can’t believe I’m asking the advice of a cat anyway, I must be nuts.”

Punkins looks down at the ground as he walks, and just shakes his head.

[624] Words : Plots and plans