Day 14, later in the afternoon (after Cat's spoken to Dargis)

Cat strolled along, humming softly to herself, swinging a couple of
dead rats by the short length of string she'd tied around their necks.
Later, she'd take them back to her apartment and skin then, to make
into ... she thought for a while. What could she make them into?
Something useful. She'd think of something.

This took her back to the old days, when she'd arrived at Norwall
along with Mr Purr, offering her services as Ratcatcher. Those days
seemed so long ago. Before Anthra, before Kaymann, before Sabian.
Before things got complicated.

Cat scowled and swung the rats harder as she walked along. Killing
rats did help her mood a little, but it wasn't the same without Mr
Purr around. Sure, she knew he was still alive -

occasionally she would find a dead rat or mouse in her apartment, with
his tell-tale bite. But he was avoiding her.

Maybe he's jealous of Anthra? she thought.

Cat was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't notice the robed
figure watching her.

"Quite the little hunter," said the figure, in a soft voice. "But my,
what unconventional prey..."

Cat whirled round, reaching for her knife.

"Who are you?" she asked suspiciously, as her eyes took in the tall
figure. "And what do you want?"

Vodan's bright blue eyes gazed back out from his hood. Drawing his
hood back, his head and face were completely barren, without a hair
anywhere, "I am Vodon of the Travelers.  I was looking for a young
man.  Well muscled, attractive, but rather docile.  He also knows a
great deal about plants."

"Oh, that'd be Dargis.  What d'you want with him?" Cat asked, even
more suspicious.  Dargis was sweet and she felt a little protective of
him.  She continued to hold her knife at the ready.

Vodon held his hands open, "I merely wish to ask him questions
regarding the plants and herbs of this land.  However, I am curious as
to why you killed rats.  Is there something special about the rats?"

Cat grinned. "Nothing special really," she said. "They were just
unlucky. Wrong place at the wrong time, if you get what I mean!"

"So you killed them simply because they were there?  They provided no
threat?"

Cat laughed. "Threat? Not really, though it's not a great idea to let
them get into the food stores." She paused. "But that's not what you
meant, is it."

Cat shrugged. "Okay, I killed them because it's what I do. I'm a
ratcatcher. Well, was, until I became a dragonrider.  But then I
thought 'hey, what's the problem with being both?'"

Vodon nodded, "I see.  However, I know cats and owls exist, so
shouldn't they take care of the rats?  It is..nevermind, I am here to
learn, not preach."

"And you wanted to see Dargis," said Cat. "Okay, I'll show you where
the gardens are."

"Do not trouble yourself," said the Traveler. "Telling me the location
of the gardens would be sufficient,"

Cat's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"But you are a guest!" she said, "so it would be my pleasure to show
you around,"

She bowed low, then straighened up, sweeping her cloak around her.

"And besides," she said, with a wicked grin. "I gotta show Dargis my
rats!"

Vodon raised his eyebrow at her behavior, "Very well, Miss ratcatcher,
show me the way to Dargis."

Cat walked quickly, talking all the time, all the while keeping a
close watch on the tall stranger.

"So, Vodon, what are you doing here? Other than learning and not
preaching!" she added with a grin.

        "I am here because it is my calling, my duty to my people,"
Vodon replied, "I was born with The Gift and so I was given the
opportunity to learn about the lands outside our own, to eventually
bring that knowledge back to the Keepers."

        "The Keepers," Cat inquired.

        "Yes, they are the ones who take our knowledge and keep it
stored in the Great Library," Vodon answered.

"I think you'll like it here," said Cat. And if there's any way I can
be of help, just say the word," said Cat. "Just consider me your
unofficial guide!"

        "I shall take that into consideration, Miss Ratcatcher.  By
the same token, should you require something of me, you may ask.  Part
of the Promise is that we teach as well as learn."

"Thanks, I'll bear that in mind..." said Cat.

Arriving at the warren's gardens, Cat spied Dargis in the distance.

"There he is," she said to Vodon. "What did I tell you?"

Then she called across, "Hey, Dargis! Someone to see you!"

Dargis stood up in surprise, and looked towards them.

"And look," Cat added, holding the pair of dead rodents aloft, " I got
those rats!"

        Dargis nodded his head, "Okay."  He wasn't exactly sure why
she had told him that, but she must have had good reason.

        Vodon moved forward eagerly, Cat falling behind as the
Traveler's long legs quickly covered the distance between him and
Dargis, "Dargis, it's very good to see you again.  I must say that I'm
very grateful that you have the knowledge that you do, or at least
that I hope you do.  May I sit?"

        Dargis was a bit taken aback by the tall man, "Okay."
        Vodon sat down and Dargis sat next to him, moving to examine
the flowers, "What type of flora do you specialize in, Dargis?"

        Dargis examined a couple buds closely, speaking as he did so,
"Oh, I don't specialize.  I know just about everything when it comes
to flowers and stuff."

        Vodon's jaw dropped slightly, "Really?!"

        Dargis stopped and nodded happily, "Uh-huh.  My mom and dad
taught me about all that stuff."

        Vodon grinned, "Dargis, you and I are going to be spending
quite a bit of time together."

        At that point, D'lion landed by Dargis, his small 30 foot
frame gracefully alighting beside the garden, **Who's this tall guy?**

        Vodon gazed at the yellow dragon, "Is this one yours?"

        Dargis idly scratched D'lion eyeridge, making him rumble
contently, "Well, we belong to each other.  If you want to scratch
him, that's okay."

        Vodon reached out hesitantly to scratch D'lion's head, who
watched him, **Is he okay?**

        <Yep, he's okay.  I think he likes flowers, too.  He wants to
know everything I know.>

        **About flowers?  I suppose that makes him okay.  A little
crazy, but okay.**

        Vodon finished scratching the dragon's head, blue eyes shining
in wonderment, "Absolutely magnificent.  Will your dragon stay with
us, too?"

        Dargis shrugged his shoulders, "Sure.  He sometimes needs to
eat and stuff, but he usually hangs around me."

        Vodon smiled, "Excellent.  Now, down to business..."

**************

The two men appeared to have forgotten about Cat, which suited her
fine. Sitting down on a rock just near enough for her to overhear
their conversation, but not so close as to be obvious, she settled
down to listen. Realising that this *would* look obvious, she set to
work skinning the two rats.

The fact that the tall stranger was so fascinated in Dargis and his
plants were interesting in itself, but soon the conversation drifted
on to things Cat didn't understand - plants with strange sounding
names, and the soil conditions they grew in. Cat continued with her
task, keeping half an ear open in case the conversation turned
interesting again.

"Oh yes, quite a few of these plants are poisonous..." said Dargis.

*That* sparked Cat's interest, and she snatched a sideways glance at
the two men.

"Yes, the roots of the black arum are extremely deadly," Dargis
continued.

"And which plant would that be?" asked Vodon.

Cat lifted one of the skins to the light, as if examining it for
imperfections, meanwhile looking past it to where Dargis was pointing.
Hmmm. Tall, spear-like leaves with a blue-black flower. Worth
remembering.

"It's a good thing that the roots are buried so deep," Dargis
continued, "otherwise animals might be able to eat them and die..."

Vodon nodded wisely, and Cat smiled to herself. Another useful little
bit of information to store away in her brain.

Cat noticed D'lion sidling up to her, curious, perhaps as to what she
was doing there.

*Hi, D'lion,* she mind-spoke to him, cheerily. *You hungry?*

The dragon looked at her in surprise. If he'd had eyebrows, he'd have
raised them.

*Because I'm afraid all I've got are these two rats. You're very
welcome to them, but I don't think they'd taste that good. And they'd
hardly make a mouthful for you!*

Dargis gazed over at Cat and D'lion, then turned back to Vodon, "Um,
is it okay if we stop for now?"

        Vodon looked slightly disappointed, but nodded, "As you wish
Dargis.  With a dragon I am certain you have multiple duties.  I shall
meet with you at the next earliest convenience.  In return for your
vast knowledge, I would like to teach you something.  Let me know what
it is you would like to learn."

        The tall traveler walked off and Dargis looked at Cat, "You
heard about the black arum, didn't you."

"Black what?" said Cat, innocently, gathering up her skinning tools.

"I think you *did* hear," said Dargis. "And you've got to be careful,
Cat. That's a very dangerous plant."

"Hey, Dargis, relax!" said Cat. "I'm not going to do anything stupid."

Dargis just looked her in the eye.

"Dargis - even if I *was* going to dig around at that plant's roots,
which I'm *not*, by the way, I would be in no danger whatsoever."

"But it's deadly!" said Dargis.

"And so are a lot of the things I keep in my apartment!" said Cat, in
good-natured exasperation.

Dargis looked horrified.

"Hey, forget I said that," said Cat. "But anyhow, I'm a ratcatcher -
I've got to have rat poison, haven't I?"

Dargis looked unconvinced.

"It's quite humane really," Cat continued, wondering why she was
bothering to try to justify herself to Dargis. "And it's perfectly
safe if you know what you're doing..."

Dargis bowed his head, "Okay, Cat, but if you do decide to work with
it, you find me first.  It must be handled in a very special way, and
I don't want anybody to get hurt."

A slow smile spread across Cat's face. So, Dargis was giving her
permission to work with his poisonous plants. Okay, she'd fulfil her
side of the bargain, and recruit his help if ever she needed (or
wanted) any of the deadly black arum.

Well, probably.

**********

A joint post, submitted by

Carina Norris
AKA  Cat, a dragonrider (and ratcatcher!)

Chris Weeda
AKA Vodon, a Traveler
Dargis, a dragonrider (and gardener!)




 

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/