The Glass Unicorn, Part 4 (Quest Wars)

Chapter 19 The Frazzle Cat

“Wow,” I said, staring at the turkeys. “We did it!”

I raced over to the birds, kneeling beside them.

I’d shot clear and clean—they would be easy to pluck and clean.

And each bird had to be at least twenty pounds.

I eased my arrows out of them—I was using my regular bow and not the one I got off the werespiders.

I might not be an expert, but I knew enough not to use poisoned arrows on something I planned on eating.

“Well, this will take us for a week or so. More if we extend it with vegetables and make a stew out of it,” Geoff said.

I looked around. “Do you think the other turkeys will come back? She wanted to catch a couple to raise a flock.”

“Have you ever tried to catch a turkey?” Geoff asked, looking skeptical.

“No, but how hard can it be?” The moment I said it, it sounded ridiculous. “Maybe we can find a net somewhere and set a trap?”

“Now that’s a plan,” Geoff said. He picked up one of the turkeys by its feet and tied a rope around them.

He then did the same with the other end of the rope and the second turkey and slung them over his shoulder, one hanging in front, one in back.

“Ready? The afternoon’s almost over. I don’t want to be out here after dark alone. ”

I nodded. “You’re right. We have no idea what’s lurking out here. You sure you can carry both of those birds? They’re heavy.”

He grinned. “I can carry them. By the way, thank you for introducing me to Liesel. She managed to email my brother. I asked him to talk to my wife and to watch out for them until I get out.”

“Do you think he will?” I lifted my nose to the air. Rain was close, I could smell it and feel it in my bones.

“He’s a good man. He’ll make sure they’re okay. She and the baby may have to move in with his family for awhile—I don’t know if he can afford to pay rent on two places—but he won’t let them starve or hit the streets.” Geoff sighed. “I’d never have come if I thought this was going to happen.”

“I don’t think any of us would have. It’s all fun and games, until it’s not.

But we’re here, and we’re going to have to make the best of it.

There’s nothing else we can do.” A noise to the side startled me and I froze.

“Hold on,” I said, lowering my voice and pointing to the bush where I’d heard the rustling.

We waited, and the rustling continued. I motioned for Geoff to stay where he was, and began to creep forward, going into stealth mode.

Given I was a ranger, and an Elf, my ability to sneak around was heightened, and I had at least a +3 on my dexterity, which increased my abilities to superhuman status.

While I was no Spiderman, or…well…whatever superheroes could skulk with ease, I had to admit, I was pretty impressive.

I was less than three feet from the bush and could still hear whatever it was.

Slowly, I duck-walked over to the edge of the soulaberry bush—which were like blackberries, only without the thorns and on a bush rather than canes—and parted an opening in the branches.

I peeked in and froze. There was a baby something in there.

It looked kind of like a kitten, only it was the size of a large Maine coon.

What the hell was it? I watched it, and it let out a pathetic little yowl, a cross between a meow and a burp. Suddenly worried for it—it might be larger but I got the impression it was nearly helpless—I made a soft chucking noise.

The creature paused its crying, looking around.

Then, it saw me. I was concerned it was going to run, but then it started mewling quickly and stood, tottering over to me.

I froze, though I wasn’t afraid. Something about it made me want to pick it up, to cuddle it.

I pushed the boughs open further, and it toddled toward me.

“Well, hello,” I said, aware that I might be making a huge mistake. But I couldn’t leave a fuzzy little moppet alone in the woods. I held out my hands and the creature sniffed my fingers, looking even more like a massive fuzzy kitten, though a lot more frazzled.

“Are you lost? Where’s your mama?” I waited another moment, and the chonky cat tripped, then mewed again, looking up at me with brilliant green eyes. It was a cat, and yet…it wasn’t.

“What do you have?” Geoff asked.

“I’m not sure. Seems friendly enough, though.” I picked up the baby—a baby that had to weigh a good twenty pounds—and turned around. I carried it over to Geoff’s side. The baby clung to me, its claws gripping my shoulder. “I think it’s a baby, but…”

“It’s a baby Frazzle cat,” he said, sounding delighted. “My group found one of these and it became our group mascot.”

“How big does it get? Is it dangerous?” I sniffed its head, wrinkling my nose. It smelled like wet laundry.

“It can be dangerous, if it doesn’t like you, but the babies generally imprint on the first person they see, or their mother. As to how big it gets, Frazzles grow up to be the size of a large St. Bernard, or a little bigger.” Geoff seemed delighted. “So, do we take her…him…back with us?”

“I’m not leaving her here,” I said, somehow knowing it was a girl. “I couldn’t. She’s helpless right now.”

Geoff snorted. “She’s imprinted on you. When Frazzles imprint, the bond goes both ways. She’s yours, now. If you leave her, she might not make it on her own.”

I stared at the massive bundle in my arms. She stared back at me and I realized that I’d already fallen in love. I loved cats, and I’d lost one not too long before. I hadn’t had the heart to get another. “Oh, man. Little one, what have you done to me?”

We started on the way back to Liesel’s. The Frazzle couldn’t walk very well yet, so I had to carry her. When Geoff offered to take a turn, she hissed at him, though she didn’t sound all that convincing.

“Don’t worry, I can carry her. I’m glad you’re carrying the turkeys, though.” I shouldered her, my left hand across her back with my right hand around her butt. She began to purr, loudly, and within five minutes, she had fallen asleep.

We silently retraced our route, and eventually, saw the house up ahead. Liesel was outside, washing dishes near the well. She looked up and waved, then froze when she was that I was carrying the Frazzle.

“What on earth?” she started over, though cautiously. “You found a Frazzle cat?”

“Apparently so. Geoff thinks she imprinted on me.”

“For you to be carrying her like that, I’d say definitely. Here, bring her inside.” Liesel led the way back to the house, then looked at Geoff. “You got a turkey?”

“Two,” he said, showing her the other. “What should I do with them?”

“We’ll want to scald them in boiling water, then add cold to temper it.

That will cause the feathers to loosen up, and make it easier to pluck.

After that, we’ll gut them, cut them, smoke one and three quarters of the other, and use half a turkey breast to make a big stew.

” Liesel motioned for me to set the Frazzle down on the table, after sweeping the table cloth and flowers off it.

I put the cat on the table, the sat down to watch her. She was still sleepy, but she let out a plaintive yowl and made sucking motions with her mouth.

“She’s a baby,” Liesel said. “Did you see any signs of the mother?”

“If I had, I would have left her there. But no, there wasn’t any sign of the mama whatsoever. What do I do with her?” I had no clue what came next.

“She’s going to depend on you. You’ll need to feed her, to groom her, and to teach her how to hunt.

Frazzles can make good hunting cats, and they’re very protective,” Liesel said.

“They’re considered good luck charms in many areas of Abarria.

In fact, people who find them and bond with them are said to be blessed by the gods. ”

“What does she eat? She’s hungry. I have no clue how to take care of her.”

“Wait here,” Liesel said, heading over to the cookstove. Using a pair of tongs, she picked out several large pieces of meat, then—on a cutting board—diced them into small pieces. She handed me the bowl. “Put a piece next to her nose, then set it in front of her.”

Sure enough, after a moment the Frazzle got the idea and began to eat, making little moophy noises as she did. I emptied the bowl, watching her chow down, and then—within a few minutes, she fell asleep, curled up next to me.

I petted her for a moment, then sighed. I could barely take care of myself?

What was I going to do with this creature?

And, what if we did get out of the game?

What would become of her. Sym or not, I didn’t believe this was all just the result of programming.

No, I sensed the bond there, and the intelligence behind it.

And…beyond that, there was something I didn’t expect to feel: a connection, one that was as close to a family bond as I’d felt in years.

And I couldn’t help it—I felt it to my core, and the very fact that it hit me so hard, scared the hell out of me.