Episode 6 - The Furless

The Furless and I just sit and stare at each other, a familiar feeling pounding in my heart and confusion spreading through my mind. I feel as if I should know her.

There is a knock on the window again, but we continue to stare, only Trolling moving to the window. 

Her eyes shimmer with abnormality; her soul is different from that which I understand. It almost smiles at my soul. Why did this fantasy creature appear now… and how, from where? Had it fallen into the light?

The stench of the elixir disperses through the room, seeping through the dusty window as Trolling opens it. 

In jumps a cat-cat, falling onto all the dead animals I have in bowls. It tips the small cage that stands on the table, and almost flies right towards the Furless. The Cat-cat now sits on her shoulder smiling at me. Trolling is almost dying from laughter. 

However, neither of us make any indication of speech or action. We continue to stare as my head races with wonder, between her and the cat-cat - what do they think of me? 

Trolling, nearby, lets his eyes dart between us all, back and forth as we each stare at the other. Suddenly the Cat-cat vanished into a small flying soul and right into this girl. Her eyes became a different colour. She still looks deeper into me. Can she see my soul as well? Was it a cat-cat soul I just saw? Is the story for real? Trolling’s focus switches faster. Did my shield younger her to a kitty? Unable to hold it back, Trolling erupts in bigger laughter, amused as ever by our shared soul searching. The Furless’ eyes break from my own to follow the source of the laughter, a smile spreading across her face as she spots him. Has she perhaps seen a Trollfairy before? I wonder if the questions shooting through my head will be answered in the future. Words coming from her to Trolling, 

"Du er en god hjælper" 

Trolling stops the laughter and responds, 

"Yes, I am a little good helper" 

So the language Trolling spoke the first time I heard him was the language of the Furless, as he can understand her. 

She raises her paws, drawing my attention to their strange shape. Her claws are flat; short. I note that there is little fur as she forms her long paws into a bowl-like shape... I am reminded of the ‘hands’ of the Monkeymen who live in town. My eyes are drawn from her hands to her lips as foreign words fall from them. 

"Blå skriftrulle". 

I wonder, she speaks a language of the old - perhaps that which 'Skjold' has written in the books.

Blue lightning sparks between her hands, magic like that which summons my staff… only her’s hands glow blue. From nothing, a scroll appears. A scroll as blue as the lightning from which it flickered into existence. Never before have I seen blue magic. It only existed in fairytales up until this moment… unless those tales held truth? What is this magic capable of? Could it be taught to me? The Furless smiles again with the cat-eyes, attempting to pass me the scroll.

"Lær den blå magi, og bliv den du er født til at være.” 

But still, I cannot understand her language. I take the scroll, unsure whether she would understand me if I spoke. I look down at the scroll.

“Thank you… ?” I trail off, giving her a chance to make any understanding clear. She smiles, attempting to speak in my language. 

"mWhmen mtmimes mcmommes, mmmemet mmme mmin mthme Mmilkbmar"

Our Mijow language is not easy… it is like saying a mijaw. Clearly confused, she has added more than just the ‘m’ in front of her vowels. She has replaced the first letter in the words with an ‘m’ as well. We Catmen speak differently to this, the first letter of a word not being replaced.

She gestures to the scroll resting in my paw, the same size as my own scroll, but unique in its own right. It’s ends spike like lightning where the blue middle fades - wildly different to the glass globes on my white scroll. I attempt to open the scroll, quickly realising that the world magic binding the scroll will not release. I am not ready to open it. 

Looking back at the Furless, I notice that she has gained Trolling’s attention, petting him gently and seeming pleased by the satisfied look on his face. I raise my eyebrow at Trolling questioningly, searching for something. What that something is I’m not perfectly sure - an answer to all of my confusion... or perhaps just the comfort of mutual uncertainty. What I get, however, is more than I would’ve thought. His little voice tinkles out even as he flutters across the room, landing by a blue elixir with yellow stripes. My Secret Elixir. 

“I am a good helper!”

I gaze upon the elixir for a moment, becoming more unsure by the minute. 

“Trolling, I don’t think this will work. Understanding me just can’t be her heart’s desire…” 

I set it down on the table sullenly, ignoring Trolling’s face pulling even as he mimics evil, dark voices, as he guards the elixir. The Furless, on the other hand, laughs at Trolling’s display. A sense of foreboding seizes my heart despite the carefree nature of the situation. I glance upwards.

Suddenly… Thump! 

My breath becomes sharp. Shaken, the house creaks. I clutch my claws around my staff. In my shock, it didn’t even need the incantation to appear. But I don’t have time to be curious, slipping the blue scroll into my pocket to investigate. One floorboard after another creaks as I’m reaching the door. I push it open with my staff, careful to keep a distance. I am unbelievably thankful for my Sorceress Reflexes for being able to keep me safe. I glance back at the Furless, watching as she whispers to Trolling. Suddenly, deafeningly, Trolling begins to shriek with that piercing sound. I squeeze tighter around the staff, pushing through the noise to continue my walk outside. It’s up to her to tell him it’s not funny. She’ll have to handle him. 

I step out onto the grass, feeling the soft crunch under my paws. I take a deep, calming breath of relief as I look beyond the shield, spotting another Catmen. He acts as reassuring proof that the world outside is not gone, and that there are more than just weird creatures left. Resembling an eagle, a strange yellow bird is beside him. Glancing up the tree, I note that Blue Bird is still here. 

Taking a longer look at the Male, I observe his intricate, strange armour, like some kind of warrior, yet he has a red cape that marks him as a Sorcerer. The cape is not unlike my own white Sorceress Cape…But is he a warrior or a sorcerer? I can view no weapon upon his person, though his helmet appears to be designed with the shape of the Yellow-Bird, though it only covers half of his head. Feathers sprout from the back of the helmet, as well as the gauntlets and shoulders of the protective metal armour. 

“White Sorceress of the woods… I have awaited this meeting.” He greets gently, bowing his head lightly in his good nature. 

Why would he wait for as long as he has… how long was that? Questions race through my head as I wait for my Sorceress Reflex to take over; to give me a sense of how trustworthy he would be. A deep breath brings me no signs at all. Though not perfectly sure, I deem it safe enough to continue. I nod back.

“What can I help you with?” I ask, unsure what should be said when the world is anything but normal; burnt beyond the shield. Perhaps, he will buy one of my potions? I glance at the house, holding strange creatures and boards of mess… I should probably keep those hidden, I muse, deciding not to invite him in. 

“I’m rather busy at the moment, if you’re here to buy an Elixir it might be best to travel into town?”

“I’m not here to buy anything. I was told that you would appear here, from The World of Fairies, at this time… and be carrying a Furless with you?” He pauses to glance over the shield once again, 

“I’ve never seen such a large White Shield.”

“Fairy World? I haven’t seen any fairies.” 

He chuckles, “I think I might know how you survived last time…” he trails off, staring intently behind me. 

Curious, I turn my head to follow his gaze, catching his questioning glances towards me from the corner of my eye. I jump as I catch sight of a small green monstrous looking dog leap from my house. Deep growling emanates from its muscular body, accompanied by a vicious snarl. It sprints up the tree, narrowly missing Blue-Bird at first, but quickly recovering and jumping higher. It catches Blue-Bird’s feet in its claws, dangling from them in midair as it attempts to halt its escape. The only creatures I should have in my home are the Furless and Trollfairy… has one of them transformed? Clearing my throat in an attempt to diffuse the situation, I speak to the other Catmen once more. 

“As you can see I have a lot of creatures by my home.” 

As I talk, I raise my staff at the two flying animals and firmly make a command to the magic flowing through it, 

“Quiet Catch.” 

Shooting from my staff and making a bubble around the two of them, a White Ball stops them from moving beyond the shield. Frozen; silent they no longer fight. I turn back to the warrior. 

“You think I also hold this creature you speak of?” 

“I have waited for the Furless and you for ten years. I am quite sure.” He proclaims, head bouncing off the White Shield as he tries to walk through it.

“I’ve many creatures… but I can assure you, if I had one from a fantasy world… I’d have found it by now. I apologise but I don’t understand why you’d search for something that doesn’t exist; let alone by my home.” 

I laugh, giving myself time to think while I play off her existence.  Should I keep her? In fact, why does he even want her? I am still unaware of his identity as a warrior or a sorcerer. Ignoring him, I tread back into the house and see her standing by the mirror. She appears to be talking to herself but I am still unable to understand her language. I glance around, noting that I cannot see Trolling anywhere. Perhaps Trolling is the Monster-dog? I glance back to the Furless and find her pointing to the floor, where she has drawn herself and a Catmen. She appears to be running away from the Catmen, who chases. My eyes shift to hers. 

“Him, outside. Is that him?” 

As she nods to me, a sudden change begins. Her body starts to age as if outside of the shield. Sucking in a deep breath I run to the door. 

“What!”

She speaks even as she grows. 

“Smay thme wmord Blmume tmo thme scrmoll"

I understand her? She wants me to say ‘Blue’ to the scroll? Nodding to her, I jump into action, running out of the house to where the Male Catmen walks towards the house. Clutched in his paw is a staff with a Red globe… he has Fight Magic… the Red Sorcerer!