⊗ Wait, were we? Who cares! Let's talk to the broken about the story!!!
That's right! If you forgot it, it can't have been important, right? You swear you've heard some of the adults say that before. Clearly, whatever that was was FAR less important than this - namely, The Stone and The Spider!
Wow, that was so cool! You gush to The Broken, once you're far enough away from The Storm to have a private conversation and not disturb her nap. Was that what she was telling you about last night, as well?
Well, she didn't get very far last night. All she did was tell me that The Stone existed, and what the world was like. Like how the spiders and slugcats got along in the cave because spiders weren't allowed on the floor, only on the ceiling, so the slugcats always knew not to get too close to the walls.
And that spiders are real, too, but they hate light, but also they can fuse into one big scary spider thing, and then they don't care about the light anymore, so I should be careful in the dark! But how can an animal fuse? That doesn't make sense, so I don't think they're real. I think they're probably a story The Storm made up to try to get us to sleep earlier, so we're not in the dark.
You nod along. You don't really know how to imagine a spider anyway - other than that it usually doesn't look like a slugcat, and has a lot of legs. You wonder how many legs they're supposed to have?
Are there any other stories The Storm has told you? You've been hanging out with her while I'm with my parents, right?
Her ears droop just a little. You feel a little bad again, all at once.
Sorry. You add.
Oh, it's nothing. She folds her paws and huffs. I know my parents are gone and I guess they didn't like me anyway, since I have a title like this. I know everyone doesn't wanna call me The Broken forever, and your dad's been waiting for my apprenticeship to see what I can do and get me a new title.
Well, that makes sense. You say. You're not even broken! I dunno how an animal could be broken. I dunno why anyone named you that.
I don't know either. I didn't realise there was anything wrong with it 'til I got picked up by your dad's clowder and I said that was my title. I don't really remember my parents anyway, I guess. You just look so happy when you're sleeping, and they're wrapped around you.
You respond by opening your arms, getting on your tiptoes and grabbing her, wrapping yourself around her and pulling her into a hug. You even wrap your tail around her, just to make sure your whole body is hugging her.
Ahh, gross. She complains, but there's no heat in it, and she hugs you back. You're so mushy.
You can come sleep beside me too, you know! You say, squeezing her even more tightly, with all the strength in your body. I just thought you didn't wanna 'cause you always wander off.
She makes a cough as you choke some of the air out of her, and you're about to loosen your grip but she squeezes you back, even more tightly because she's older and a little bigger than you. Now it's your turn to cough, but you don't let go anyway.
I guess I thought it was just a family thing. The Broken finally says. I mean, I know The Wind, The Untouched, and The New Sun always cuddle to sleep in their nests, but none of them have any more family.
The New Sun has her grandma, You remind her.
Oh, right. I guess she cuddles with her grandma sometimes too.
My dad and The Wild cuddle, too!
Well, so do you and me. She retorts. But not to sleep.
We can cuddle and sleep. You insist. No one says we aren't allowed. And didn't you say once that you used to sleep beside Mama? She'd probably like it if you came back! I bet she thought you just didn't wanna anymore too. 'Cause you're almost all grown up, and about to be an apprentice next month and everything.
She scuffles her paws in the sand, so you scuffle yours back at her. She makes a face at you, so you make a face back. She promptly steps on your foot in response, and you squeak in protest.
I was GONNA say I wasn't sure, She grumbles. But I guess if you're going to be a butthead about it I have to. So you stop being a butthead.
You respond by butting your head against hers. There! Now YOU'RE the butthead.
Noooo, that's not how it works! She complains, now squirming in your grip. You tighten it, making sure she can't get away from your hug of friendship.
Well I make the rules now!!! Because I'm younger than you!
That's DOUBLE not how it works!! I'm older than you, so I get to make the rules!
Well why do you wanna make the rules?? Do you wanna be like Bouncy?
No way! She sticks out her tongue at you. He sucks, I don't want to be like him! Nobody likes him, anyway!
Really? No one? You pause, looking at her. That's sad...
Well, I guess not really no one. I think the adults probably like him, 'cause he sucks up to them. And I know The Storm likes him. She pouts. I don't get why though, he's no fun at all. Even when he wasn't grumpy, he was always telling me about rules. I don't know why he's even being a mediator, 'cause he's so bad at it. And everything else.
Oh, YEAH!!!!!!! That's what you had wanted to ask her about!
I was gonna ask The Storm about him. You tell The Broken. I was listening to the story cus it was so good so I forgot though.
I guess you can go ask her, but why would you wanna? She shakes her head, then looks at you with a gleam in her eye. Hey, and another thing you forgot: what were you gonna tell me last month?
Oh, yeah! I didn't forget that one! You lie. I was just waiting for the right time. Last month The Bouncy was telling me about the pebble games, remember? And then he told me that they used to play with a pearl, not just any old rock, but they couldn't find it anymore. So I thought we could go looking for it together!
Oh! That sounds great! The Broken seems excited. We can really impress them by finding that lost pearl! I think those are supposed to be super important and valuable. Or like, people really like them? We should go alone, without the teens! That way we can surprise them when we find it, and give it to them!
That sounds awesome! Her happiness is infectious; you start feeling similarly enthusiastic. I still have this other stuff I wanna do, but after that we should do it!
She nods. Good idea, that gives me time to store something yummy in my pouch in case we go too long and need travel rations. You should do it, too! And then we can have a secret signal, so that I know when you're ready.
You think hard. Umm... I don't know any secret signals.
That's why they're secret, duh! Make one up!
You think some more, before eventually coming to an idea. You finally let go of her and step back, and as you do you lift your tail up, then curl it into almost a strange semi-droop: a ? shape. Ok, how about this?
Perfect! Her eyes gleam with excitement. Okay, see you then!
⊗ can we talk to the storm about why the bouncy is so rude. isnt that a bad trait in a mediator. also we're baby and he needs to respect that
As you approach, The Storm lazily flicks her tail at you. Without even opening her eyes, she says, Didn't I earn a longer nap with that story?
You've already been sleeping for at LEAST 10 minutes!! You say immediately, because you don't know how long it's been but you do know it's been more than enough time. That's so much time!
When you're my age, that'll be like the blink of an eye, She retorts. She sighs and cracks one eyelid open, watching you with that small glimmer. Alright, squirt, what do you want?
I wanted to ask you about The Bouncy. You plop down beside her on your butt, shifting your tail towards her. Why's he so grumpy and mean? Does nobody really like him? How come he's a mediator if he's going to be rude to everyone? Doesn't that make him bad at his job?
She yawns, stretching her mouth wide, and rests her chin on her arms. With a shake of her head, she finally opens her eyes and looks at you. Huh. Didn't expect you to ask that one. Alright then, I'll try and go down the list.
First thing's first, you're right, it's not exactly mediator material to piss off everyone that looks at you. Guess everyone that wasn't even sure if I should be a mediator is really eating their words now when it comes to him, eh? We used to study the stories together, and how to do it together, on account of no actual mediator ever being around for us to train off of. He gets the theory, and I didn't think he was bad at putting it in practice, but...
The Storm shrugs.
We're friends, or we used to be. As you say, he's been mighty cranky recently. I think he's calmed down a bit again now that he's a mediator too, so I guess he had his tail kinked in a knot over me being mediator before him? Mighty weird if you ask me, I was already older than him and started before he even joined so it was just always how it was gonna turn out.
I think it's got something to do with wherever he came from, if you ask me. When The Pale set us up as mediator and apprentice, Bouncy got all weird at me - started calling me "ma'am" and asking me permission to do things he never used to, and I'd tell him to just do it, he doesn't have to make it a thing, but that just made me even more annoyed.
Reckon you also know he's always been something of a snitter, so honestly it's more a miracle of circumstance - that means the situation we live in - that we were pals than anything else. Really, I don't mind him, he does have a sense of humour under all that. I think if you got that stick out of his...
She pauses, looks at you. You look back at her with wide, curious eyes. She clearly thinks for a second, then continues.
...Pouch... Then he'd be easier to talk to. Like I said, he's been more chill lately since he graduated too, so he probs wouldn't bite your head off anymore.
I think he's in a weird spot where he's kinda in the middle of the age range of Wind, Untouched, New Sun, then Olive, and finally me, but those three are so close knit that it's like there's no place for him there at all.
And then, sure, he's only a month off from Olive's age, but there's how he and Olive get along like a plant on fire - you've seen them both tagging along with the trio, yeah? Those three like Olive, kinda look up to her I guess, but then she hates Bouncy's guts, and the feeling's only mutual. Those personalities just clash, you know? Olive's a lot more like me than him, we love the trouble, while he's a stickler for the rules.
So then, even though they'll hang out with him and he'll hang out with them, the three are always going to pick Olive over him if it comes to it, and then that leaves him with just me. Which wasn't a problem for a long time, 'cause like... Sure, we're only a couple months off, that's as much as you and Broken.
But you saw how important it was to him for some kinda reason, when I was his mentor - made it seem as if the whole friendship thing had gone to the leeches. Still not totally sure how to talk to him, to be real with ya. I just try to treat him like I usually did, and I guess he's doing the same? But there's a kinda awkward air there, I'll say that.
So I guess we're still friends? But we just don't know for sure. I guess we're gonna keep trying to navigate that, and hopefully that'll be fine.
I guess when Olive is hanging out with me Bouncy goes to hang out with those three? But obviously in those cases I'm talking to Olive, so I don't really know how he gets along then with them.
He's going to be a year old in another month's time too, and then he'll be thought of as an adult for real. If you ask me, I think he's kind of hung up on that.
So saying, The Storm exhales a final time through her nose and thumps her tail with finality.
Oof, you got me talking a whole lot more after I already told you that story. Reckon you could fetch me some water, just as a favour for a favour? Gotta de-parch this sore throat.
Sure! You reply promptly, cheerful as ever. You did get a lot of important information about The Bouncy from her, after all! It's a good thing she knows him so well, you bet he never would have said any of that to you himself!
You trot off to go looking for wherever someone has left a cup lying around - there's a couple always scattered around camp, then a couple more in the shelter. Finally, you find one that The Rust had just finished using; this one is another one made out of the trash lying around, carefully chipped away so the middle is hollowed and the sides are smoothed. There are nicer ones, made out of prettier, rarer things, but you don't know who took those today.
Someone mentioned once that they've heard of a cup made out of a pearl. You wonder if you can find another pearl, and make one like that too? How do they make them, anyway?
Well, you forget about it for now. You wander off to find a nice plant to collect the dripping rain water off of, and give this to The Storm. She laps deeply at it, gulping it up - it's only once the cup is empty again that she stops, and stretches out her forepaws.
Ahhhh, thanks for that. Alright, now I really am going to take my nap again. Try not to wake me up unless the rain's coming or something like that this time, okay? I do need sleep.
Okay! You say. But you sleep all the time anyway!
That's what old age does to you, kiddo.
You think about how your parents are all way older than her, and they don't take nearly as many naps. You think to yourself that maybe The Storm just isn't telling the truth, then wonder if she actually is sleeping when you're all in the shelter. You don't really know, because by then you're asleep! Maybe she's busy then?
You resolve privately to try to stay awake one night, just to see who stays up all night and who doesn't. For now, though, you leave The Storm to her second nap of the day.
⊗ talk to the pale!
Hi Papa! You trot eagerly up to your father and then throw yourself against him - he catches you with his tail and one arm to spin you around with, cooing in delight to see your enthusiastic response to his invitation over.
Hello, darling! The Pale rasps his tongue over your face, and you immediately respond by pushing your paws against him and trying to ward it off, squealing a laugh. Nice to see you again, I have missed you. Not up to trouble, I hope?
You giggle at his teasing tone and wiggle against him, your tail wagging eagerly. Maaaybe! But I'm a good kid, so it's okay! What'd you call me over for!
He adjusts his hold on you so that he can bounce you in his grip a little, rocking you up and down. You've noticed your mother and I leaving the nursery to go get a little exercise, yes? Well, right now it was my turn with dear Little, while Silly is keeping the eggs warm.
They insisted that I take my walk with them and Wild, you see - worried, I suppose, that if they turn their gaze away they'll come back to me twisting my tail taking care of the clowder! He humphs in mock-annoyance, but he clearly doesn't mind at all. So I went with those two across the territory, while they searched around for plants to store.
I searched as well, but they really didn't want me climbing up high on anything at all - I'm sure I can imagine your frustration now when we told you not to go climbing around on the shelter now. Sadly, no one is carrying me up high places!
I'll carry you, Papa! You immediately volunteer. He's been doing it for you, after all, so it's only fair if you help him up too!
He smiles down at you. You're very thoughtful, Winged, thank you.
Well, The Little has been a bit worried recently about the herbs he's been able to gather - the past two months he wasn't able to find any, so we were all very lucky this time, because he finally found some berries with medicinal properties! And, there was just enough that he even let me bring some back for you.
So saying, The Pale finally presents the arm he's been holding behind his back this whole time with a flourish - in his paw is a small cluster of purple-blue berries, and you look from him to them with wide-eyed curiosity. You sniff them, nose twitching at the new, distinctive scent, before plucking one off and holding it up.
It fits between your thumb and forefinger - the berry isn't big at all! It makes you cock your head, curious, because blue fruit and even the dandelion peach were both much bigger than this; you had no idea fruit could be so small.
Experimentally, you eat it. Immediately, you're wrinkling your whole face up and letting your ears flatten back - you really don't know what to make of this taste! It's not gross like the time your mother brought back some kernels of a popcorn plant for you to try, but it just tastes strange. You've never had anything like it before!
The Pale makes a small trill of amusement watching you. He reaches out with the berries, and tucks the whole bunch behind one of your ears instead - you resist the urge to flick it, and look up at him.
I thought you might like to have it as an accessory, He explains. We'll have to dry it out to make sure it won't rot, and it might take some practice to tuck it right in your fur, but I think it looks good on you! I'm sure the shelter surface is wet enough that you can see your reflection if you want to see yourself - or, of course, we can go find a puddle for you to check.
You like the idea of that, and nod eagerly. With you snuggling up against his chest, your father walks around the camp, eyes flicking this way and that, before he finds an appropriately sized collection of rainwater to set you down in front of.
What you see truly delights you. It does look cute - you look cute! You touch at your ear with a paw, watching your reflection do the same, and then wiggle your pleased excitement.
Turning around, you run to The Pale and throw yourself at his leg, tail wagging. Thank you Papa, thank you! I look so pretty, I love it!
His own tail thumps the ground, and he strokes your head. I'm happy you like it, Winged. I'll show you a good spot to store any accessories you find later on, okay? I've got some hidden around somewhere myself in the shelter - it's nice to be able to choose to wear something for the day.
You absolutely want to have as many pretty accessories as possible!
You nod eagerly, nuzzling against him - you're careful to avoid the damp patch that has been on his belly, preferring to cuddle against the rest of him, where it's dry. Though you lean over his leg and take a good lick while you're here - you can eat real adult food now, so you don't really need it, but... Milk is tasty! You just don't usually like getting it all over your pelt, and prefer sleeping against your parents' chest and higher stomach. Not that your tail doesn't get wet from that, anyway...
As you suckle at the closest soaked clump of fur, you reflect that maybe you should have realised your papa was also pregnant now that your mama was. After all, both of them make milk, and no other slugcat does - but you thought that milk was for you! That it was just a parent thing! And it must have been, before they had the eggs growing inside them. Mostly, you think it's very confusing.
After your little snack, your father tolerantly standing still, his paw still caressing your head as you studiously clean some of his fur for him, you break away from him.
I'm gonna go show everyone else my pretty berries! Thank you again for the present, Papa!
Aww, it's no problem, Winged! I'll try to keep an eye out for more, and I'll let Silk know that you like them too.
With another hug and a wave, you're off again to gambol around camp.
You have unlocked the Accessories option.
This is another free action; you can choose to wear or remove them at any time.
As more accessories are collected, a page will be created documenting your inventory of them.
⊗ talk to the little (maybe about helping with the rain)?
Hullo, little wings. The Little doesn't turn around as you trot into his part of the shelter, more than used to your visits by this point.
As are you! You've been here quite often to collect bundles of herbs for your mother, but it's been put on hold for the moment - The Little has explained to you that since she's really completely fine and the pregnancy had seemed to be going smoothly, it had been mostly herbs to make sure that when she laid her egg, she'd be hale and hearty, to prevent any problems before they could come up.
Now, with everyone just waiting on the eggs, and you no longer needing to drink milk, neither she nor your father need the other herb yet. He's shown it to you before - it's a pretty purple flower, with a smell that makes your nose wiggle. You don't quite remember what it's called, but you do remember it helps with making milk. So for now, they don't need it.
How can I help you? They glance sideways over at you and give you a warm smile, though they don't stop arranging the herbs on the raised, bumpy surface jutting out of the shelter wall before them.
Papa showed me the present he got me when you and him were on the walk! You climb over their thick tail, and sit down on it sideways like a log, looking up at them. It's really nice. He said you've been running low on herbs though.
That is true. Luckily, this harvest was enough to keep the stores looking a little better - and yours looks best on you! The Little makes an approving chuff as they look again at your new accessory. You beam up at them.
I wanna ask about The Rain. You use your tail to point, indicating the elderly slugcat ball curled up some distance away from where the two of you sit. He's as far as he can get and still be counted as in the medical area of the shelter - you wonder if it's because he doesn't like being here?
The nests for patients that The Little set up are especially soft, and uses special material from your normal nests - you're not sure what exactly, but they've explained to you that they try to build it with stuff that's not as likely to be breathed in. If you're already coughing, you don't want to have more gunk in your lungs, after all!
But the normal nests are all made out of whatever the slugcat wanted to sleep on, with downy fluff of different animals and anything soft they can find. Even though it's a lot softer here, you think most of the slugcats miss their own beds when they sleep here.
You wonder, when you're older, what you'll pick to make your nest out of? You've been perfectly happy with what your parents have built, so maybe you'll ask them what they made it from when you're all grown up.
Oh? The Little looks in The Rain's direction as well, then down at you. They tilt their head in curiosity. What did you want to ask about him?
I wanna help you help him feel better! Can I please? You give them your best big, sad, innocent stare, eyes wide and wet as you let your ears droop down just a little.
They seem amused at this. Of course you can help, Winged. There's no need to pull out your secret weapon for me; I've no objection to your tagging along. Well, in that case let me start by telling you what I have so far.
Eagerly, you settle down back on your haunches against them.
The Rain is not doing too badly. His cough is minor, so it may be only a common cold of some kind. Given that it's a mild illness for now, we don't have to be too worried - however, we do need to keep an eye on him, because a less severe illness can develop into worse symptoms, or he could catch something else while he's already weakened by this current sickness.
Because he is getting on in years, it's also even more important to make sure we take care of his minor cough, as he won't be able to recover as easily as a slugcat in their prime. We want to keep him safe and warm, and find something that will help soothe his throat. Coughing irritates it, so it is important to help with those symptoms and let him feel better.
I have asked your father and borrowed his lantern, so we have The Rain snuggled against that to help with keeping warm. Another slugcat's body would also warm him up, but getting so close can make it easier for you to catch the cold he has, so it isn't something I'd say you should do.
If you have a thick tail like me, that can be good for laying over others - that way, I can keep him warm and not get so close that I am breathing in what he is breathing, you see? Of course, I am also often busy, so it isn't the best solution either, as I cannot be his blanket there forever.
Some slugcats have been able to find thick, warm pelts or other flat material to use as a blanket before, but where we live I've yet to see such things be readily available, so we make do with what we can. I did recommend he stay away from the entrance, as the hole of an open doorway makes a wind blow in, but he doesn't appear to have listened to me.
That is another thing you must keep in mind, little wings; even when you suggest something to the patient that will be for their own benefit, they might not want to do it. They may, in fact, entirely ignore you. Unfortunately there's not much we can do about this, as it is their choice to listen or not, but it does make my life harder.
They sigh at this, and their tail twitches under you - you think they had wanted to flick it, but since you're sitting on it, they didn't actually move it that far.
Clasping their paws together, The Little turns and gives you a small smile.
All of that being said, for now I have just been sorting out what supplies I gathered with your father's walk. We did find a lemon, which is quite useful as the case may be - the juice of it can be mixed with water to make a soothing drink. You could try just drinking the juice, or eating the fruit, but I would not recommend it, as it is really quite sour. There are seeds in the lemon, so I've some hope that perhaps I could plant one close by.
Another remedy that would be helpful would be honey, but it can be difficult to get this from hives - especially if we want to come back and get more later on. I'm afraid we don't have any at this point, so if you would like to help The Rain, it will be by the lemon. Would you be able to help me fetch a cup of water? I'll take care of the opening portion, and you can help squeeze some in too. Then we will stir it, and you can give it to him.
Okay! You're more than happy with this - you get to help out after all, just like you wanted! Though you think collecting honey from a hive sounds like it could be fun, you don't really know much about either object involved, so it doesn't bother you particularly to be going off to make a lemon drink for The Rain instead. You're just happy to be here.
With a little hop, you get off The Little's tail and gallop eagerly away to go look for a cup again - you've been doing that a couple times recently, huh! This time, because you're looking after someone who's sick, you try to find one of the nicer cups. You don't know for sure, but you figure, if it's a special cup, maybe it will be better for him?
Finally, you find The Wild snoozing beside one of the cups made out of a snail shell. This one is a purple that turns into a pink, iridescent and glimmering, and you really like it - you always like using it when you can find it. It makes you think of your mother, and it's just very pretty as well!
You pluck it from the ground, one half of your task done, and go off to find a nice pool of rainwater to gather from. The puddles on the ground are okay, but if someone sick shouldn't breathe in too much, then the sand or grit that gets in the water probably isn't good for them either! So you go looking up, until you find a nice stream trickling down the side of one of the big structure walls.
When you come back, The Little ends up having to hold the lemon chunk alongside you to squeeze the juice out into the water - on your own, you just can't quite get it to make more than a few drops. When you lick your paw to try to clean it afterwards, you scrunch up your face tight and make a little squeal - it really does taste super sour!
Finally, though, the drink is ready. Turning around with it held carefully, you traipse over to your patient. Hi, Rain! I got you some healing stuff.
Well, hey there. The Rain's voice is raspy from his illness, not smooth like usual, but he gives you a familiar friendly blink as he raises his head. Your father's lantern was tucked under his throat - now exposed, it throws out a little more lighting against the both of you. What have you brought for me, little thing?
It's lemon water, You say, proud. I got you my favourite cup and squeezed the lemon! The Little helped me. They say it'll help your sore throat.
Why, thank you. The Rain uncurls himself and places his paws on the nest, sitting up properly before reaching for your cup with a playful graveness. That's a brave sacrifice to make for an old man like me, Winged. Quite thoughtful of you, thank you again.
He takes a sip, and then swipes his tongue across his mouth. Hmm, sour. Just the way I like it. Thank you, little one. I'll enjoy this. With your help, I'm sure I'll be hale and hearty again in no time.
You beam at him, and puff your chest out. The pride of a job well done warms you; you think you'd like to help The Little out more.