Little Cat, Big City

[Stella Maris]

I hope for this to be an ongoing project and welcome any commentary that might be offered.

Enjoy!

~SM~

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Tabby. That is the what human-folk call me. They cannot pronounce my kit-name, even just sounds, and lacking ears that swivel and tails entirely, the name would make no sense at all. Substitute name not make sense, either, but can be spoken.

Only a month past, I was still a raw kit, playing with other youngsters and getting lessons about the outside. Those lessons were preparation for when it would be my time to venture out, away from relative safety of our own lands, in search of something, some prize, some artifact, some reward that would prove to elders that I had earned the right to be counted among adults of our people.

I was not first to emerge from our jungles into human territory. It had been some time since first disastrous meeting and a treaty had been negotiated and blood debt satisfied. While it was still not completely safe for our kind to move among furless ones, we knew enough of their weapons I would not be in much more danger than one of their own who has wandered into unknown territory. And unlike them, I had been taught how to defend, how to fight, how to survive.

The first I encountered, still among the trees, was a group of five. Three were male and two female. They told to me they were doing thing called river rafting. They claimed they knew where they were and where they were going, but I knew better. If Guide had not put me in their path, they would have drifted into far more dangerous territory and likely been lost to their tribe.

I do not understand why humans have fascination with water.

But now I'm hero. Not great hero. Not great enough to earn adult-name. But enough for own apartment for short time.

Time enough to get bearings and find greatness.

[Stella Maris]

It is new day. Sun will rise soon, but there is no prey to hunt. Nature has been forced back and held at bay with buildings and roads and paths.

No hunting, so must have barter substitute called money. Still have money from guiding home of wayward humans, but have counted. It will not last enough time to earn adult-name.

So, today must find work. Must earn money, replace hunting so can stay to find way to impress elders.

I smell air. It will not rain this morning, but clouds are heavy with water. Good that I have umbrella. Very useful. Raincoat is also useful, but smells of black death water, so do not like to wear.

It has taken days to learn use of cooking devices. Do not trust the fast heating box. It makes sound that bothers my ears. Humans cannot hear it, I have found. The slow heating box called toaster oven I trust. I do not understand how lightning power turns into heat, but is obvious how heat cooks food. The big heat box is too tall, built for humans, much taller than People. Was given made stump called stool to stand on to make me fit it better. The main part is the same as our ovens, but it keeps heat constant so less checking needed until close to done. The top is mechanical cook fire. You turn knob and get flame. How big flame is controlled by knob. I have roasted many thing with flame, but once I learn to decypher their record marks, book with red white cover will teach me new ways to make meals as humans do.

Along with clothes, must carry card that tells others who I am. Am only People in this place, but without card, it not known if I am accepted by human tribes. With card, they still do not walk close, but I cannot smell their fear so strong.

Most difficult to adapt to was what they call bathroom. It is room for getting wet. In two different ways. They not have groom plant to clean with and it would not help them if they did, because have no fur. So must use other things and water to groom with. I also must use other things to clean fur. Things found in place for food and tools meant to aid caring for companions called pets. My human name is also type of pet that look like tiny type of stalker. Those tiny stalkers do not like my smell. They fear me. The barterwoman found what I want for me to keep the tiny stalkers from harming selves in tiny cages. I do not like tiny cages. Would free tiny stalkers, but would only cause harm, so forced to leave them. The last water thing in bathroom is for waste. No nature means no place to bury spoor, so must find other way to not foul home. Since waste water go to place not connected to drinking water, is ok to use that way.

Have meeting later with human agent who will provide me tasks in trade for money. Do not want to admit but am excited for first job. Will mean not just kit any more.

[owen84]

I have enjoyed reading this but dose the narrator look Human? I'm a bit confused.

[Stella Maris]

She looks like a large bipedal jaguarundi, more or less. I will be touching on details of her appearance more in the next installment.

Thank you for reading and I hope to be a little more proactive in getting future installments written.

~SM~

[owen84]

Ok thanks Loved the cooking part I was giggling like a school girl.

[Formless]

Interesting. She have a witty sense of recognition. I wonder how that job will turn out to be.

[Stella Maris]

I look at false fur called clothing bartered for earlier. It is made to fit their own female young. I have bartered several coverings they call dress. This is also word for putting clothing on. Their words very confusing. So many sound same or are same but mean other. Not sensible like People language. Probably caused by lack of tails.

I like other clothing more than dress, but they not made for People, so no place for tail to come out. Dress still hold tail down, but not trap it. Under dress is thing called panty. Like panty even less than dress, but humans think not having panty give offense. That would make earning adult-name more difficult, so I suffer with panty and dress to appease humans.

Once grooming is complete, I make sure I have card that tells that I am accepted in human territory and know how to find place to be assigned tasks for money. This was not so very different from how the People did things. Direct barter was more common and negotiation expected within the tribe, but such things tended to be frowned upon in human territory. While here, she would act as humans act and prove that she was no longer a foolish kit.

The last thing I need to take, is key. Key is what keeps others out of my own personal den. Most would not venture in without permission, but there are always rogues. Humans have their way to deal with rogues different from People way, but always some rogues escape notice. So to keep rogues out of den, there is key.

Key can be kept in pocket, but not all dress have pocket, so key kept with card and money in small pouch on string. String is looped over head to hang around neck and then tucked into dress to keep out of way. I not keep all money in pouch, of course. Bulk is kept hidden in den and I only take what I think I need.
One last check of den to make sure all is secure and in place and it is time to be assigned task. There is special place for People to get tasks that People better at than humans. When no People, they use beast called dog.

Dog is not usually tiny predator. Some dogs are bigger than People, even. Dogs are trained to do things humans cannot. They smell better than People, and hear almost as well. Cannot see so well, though. Not as clever as People or humans, but smart enough for many useful things.

There are no dogs in home territory, so we are taught of them in preparation for time with humans. In early times, they acted badly to People, but they have become used to us. Now they know we are People and not prey, though some still forget. Some dogs are too dumb to know their place.

Keeping everything in mind, I venture out of den, securing it before departing. Way to task assignment place is simple, though will take time. I have much time. I hope task assigned is exciting. I am eager to return to home and leave this strange and unnatural place the humans have created for themselves.

[Stella Maris]

For those who are curious, this is what Tabby's face looks like.