Sunday, September 20, 2015

The Secrets of Cats tARE c6s8c

Tryggtass tends to her forefathers and sacrifices to them, Svansglidaren gets a mouse for some magic and Grå steals a small baking towel that Tryggtass brings to the child to warm it during the night. Svansglidaren lays down and tunes himself to the mother and once more enters her dreams. This time he tries to weave a dream where she rolls next to the child but only close to the child. He there tries to inject a feeling of closeness and warmth rather than panic for crushing her baby. The first attempt is only half a success and Svansglidaren is almost shoved out of tune when she moves rapidly and jostles him. Apparently she has a great fear of crushing her baby if sleeping to close.

He starts to build a new dream environment where she stretches out and and hugs her child instead of crushing. As she turns around in the dream the panic storms froward again and suddenly the panic hits Svansglidaren and instead of him controlling the dream he suddenly finds himself being rolled over by the mother and getting crushed himself. He throws himself out of the dream with fur standing right out all over his body and his heart pounding. Svansglidaren leaves and his fear after a while turns into frustration and his tail flaps back and forth and cats passing by gets angry glares just for being there.

As the frustration dwindles Svansglidaren seeks out his new Seeker friend again to discuss the weird humans. They discuss the matter and during the discussion Svansglidaren realises that he must build and try to control the dream environment more. They also talk about magic in general like that there's a connection between the breath and the soul. Svansglidaren's new friend also seems honestly interested in how everything goes for Svansglidaren as he tries to cure the mother of her fear of lying next to her child. He also invites Svansglidaren to come back some time so they can discuss whether a cat's magic i located in the tail or not. Svansglidaren leaves with new ideas how to handle the mother's fear.

Grå scouts around and ask cats about Klunsan (Clumsy, Skarpöra's human name) and her territory to find out if she's lost her territory (which would be something of a atrocity but you never know with cats like those). Everything seems sort of OK though but Skarpöra has become a much more withdrawn cat now. He also talks to some cats about Skarpöra's two friends and find out that they're not form this part of the region. The rest of the night he walks around and sniffs for those two and also talks to a cat or two about them and finds out where one of them, Ärrnos (Scarnose), has his territory - a big three-sides-of-an-insula-territory. He also get the tip that Ärrnos isn't to fond of foreigners.

Much of the following day's is spent by resting, sleeping and some thinking about new information and knowledge. When evening appears they go scouting from Skarpöra's territory to Ärrnos' territory to see if they can find the territory of the third cat in the triumvirate and also get a grip on if they've been doing this capture-the-streets-thing all over the region. Just as they're about to jump from the street roof down to the street they notice a ferret on the street roof. He peers at them in a ferrety shrewd playful way at them, in that particular you-never-know-where-you-have-them-ferret-way. "That albino rat that lurks around here? Isn't it a typical cat job to keep those at bay, eh?" he says, waves his tail in a teasing way and runs off. "Does it give you trouble?" Tryggtass shouts after it. It stops shortly and calls "It's big, fat, in the way of everyone and sinister as a lemures" and runs along again. "We could bring it down for you" Svansglidaren calls "What's in it for us?". "How about your pride as hunters?" the ferret answers. "You're slinky and annoying" Grå mutters. "Or can't you handle it?" the ferret says and runs away. "It should die" Grå states. There's no sport in getting you" Svansglidaren calls to it. "Come on and try it" the ferret answers and runs off at surprising speed and almost seems to neglect the corner of the insula as it takes a jump down to the street around the corner and disappears.

With Grå still muttering over the ferret they walk off on their scouting tour. After a good part of the night they find the third cat's territory. He's named Tofsöra (Crested ear) and it doesn't seem like they have been taking over the streets like Skarpöra did. Their names are very well-known along the routes between the three territories though. Both of them have territories taking up three sides of an insula.

Tryggtass uses the rest of the night to warm the child and also trying to familiarise the father with the thought of lying beside someone small by pushing the child's doll close to him.

During the day's naps and slumbers they wonder what they were and are up to.Skarpöra didn't seem to act like the others and why did she go out on a conquer-street-territory-mission in a line that doesn't connect to the other territories? Were the other two supposed to do that while she was doing what she was up to or did she want to have their street territory specifically? If she was going in a specific direction, what's in that direction except Forum romanum - the humans main centre of their main city? Were she or they after nice spots in the sun with many options of grades of shade? In that case, how were they going to patrol them and when were they thinking of having time to use them themselves? The street roofs are not many compared to streets without roofs and they are good resting spots but they're not that good?!? Why are they doing this? Do they know something that other cat's don't know? Are they just bullies and want street cred?

Towards the evening they again notice the albino rat. It definitely seems to be looking at Tryggtass. "What do you want?" Grå says pointlessly since rats aren't sentient. "Come and play." Svansglidaren says trying to look harmless. It climbs up to the window where it disappeared last time and then turns around and look at them again. "Let's hunt" Svansglidaren calls and sets off after the rat who tries to run away from the cat. Grå and Tryggtass quickly follows.

Grå runs after it and hunts it through the apartment, under the door and down the stairs where the other two are waiting and jumps it. It's massive and it takes three paws and two cats to from two directions to  hold it down. As expected it doesn't answer any questions but try to bite them so they kill it. Svansglidaren use the rat as a sacrifice to crate a ward against lemures for Grå's territory. When he returns home he hunts down a mouse and does the same for his burden's domus.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

The Secrets of Cats tARE c6s8b

While they walk home they discuss what the cat triumvirate were up to. It's confusing. They seemed to be after getting control of the streets. It makes some sense since it's probably easier to snatch the uttermost part of a territory, the street or sidewalk than to snatch a part of an insula or a domus. On the other hand it doesn't make sense because the streets are free to walk upon and it's considered free to walk into the inner courtyard of an insula (but not into apartments or domuses). On the third hand, it's considered free out of tradition so it could be possible for at cat to start to say otherwise about a street part of their territory. It would be weird and they would be frowned upon but maybe it wouldn't be definitely wrong. At least not until there's a verdict regarding it. Maybe someone thought that no one would go to court over it and no one has yet either. The Tryggtass court case was about her streetpart of her territory and foul play during duel and not regarding what privileges comes with a territory and different parts of it. Hopefully cats have been inspired by the Tryggtass case to stand up for their rights and go to court if needed.

They discuss the matter back and forth but they can't really find anything especially interesting in their part of the region either, nothing that differs from other parts of the region. It's made up of a lot of insulas with well off craftsmen and their families and upwards in the insulas poorer and poorer people working for the craftsmen or at the dock, warehouses and similar (the higher up the harder to get the, no water, mor work to transport water, waste and food and so on). In these insula areas there's a big mix of different businesses; bakers, baths, taverns, fast food and so on. At one border of the region there are a bunch of small domuses (e g Svansglidaren's burden's domus). They decide to spend the rest of the day as cats do; sun bathing, resting in the shade, sleeping, sunbathing, sleeping, resting in the shade...

Suddenly a scent catches their attention. A rat. An albino rat sits close to the wall of Grå's insula's wall peering at them. They assess the target. It's a rat, an unusual big rat, and so a prey that could be slightly troublesome. They would catch it but someone could actually be hurt. Tryggtass looks at the rat who could be dumb as a stone or slightly sentient and says "It's lucky for you that it's nice weather and that I have a good spot here. I don't fancy quick movements and hunting right now.". "What do you want?" Grå asks it. "Be eaten" Tryggtass answers for it "but we don't provide that service at the moment". "True, true" Grå says. "Come back tomorrow" Tryggtass calls to it. If it understands them or not is unclear but suddenly it climbs up the timeworn wall beneath the windows and sneaks into a window. Usually the the shutters are slightly open to block out as much sun as possible but still let in some air, very convenient for cats - and rats. "Hmmmm, rat for dinner tomorrow" says Tryggtass lazily. Svansglidaren contemplate if he should hunt an albino rat as sacrifice for his warden of his burden's domus. Such an unusual sacrifice should gain some extra attention from Pluto and thereby more power for Svansglidaren's magics. "In that case you should have been gone doing that a while ago" Tryggtass says. "Yes, I know" he answers "but it's so hot and the spot is so nice. Maybe it comes back" "I told it to come back tomorrow" Tryggtass says.

Grå jumps up to the window and peeks into the apartment. As expected it's a well off family's apartment on top of their business located on the street level. It has some furniture and an actual bench for the embers where the food is cooked and water. The door to the apartment is closed although it should be possible even for a big rat to slip under the door. Grå jumps into the apartment to find out where the rat went. The apartment is empty of both humans and rats but there's a distinct rat scent trail between the window and the door. It's not the first time a rat passed by here. Grå wants to follow it but fret at the need to run the whole way down on the outside, around the corner, into the yard and up the stairs to get to the other side of the closed door. At the view of all that trouble he decides to jump into the apartment and try to slip under the door instead. He is after all known for being able to slip through the smallest holes (stunt). On the other hand, should someone arrive home to the apartment he would be caught snooping around in the apartment or sneaking under the door. Humans tend to act weird on foreign animals in their homes since they don't understand what's going on around them. He sighs and goes the long way around it all.

On the outside of the door he starts to sniff where the rat went. He follows it down the stairs, along the wall under and behind some waste on the inner yard and to a hole in the wall that seems to have slowly appeared as the plaster has crumbled somewhat and then been widened by the rats and maybe mice as well. It would be possible for him to get into the hole but it's very, very dark in there, even a cat wouldn't see much in there. More important though; he can hear water running down there. He returns to his spot and realise he has to move a little to get the same amount of sun and shade. They rest until the evening comes. During the time Grå tells them about the hole. Svansglidaren has decided to go for another try on dream walking and convince the mother of the half sick baby at the top floor in Tryggtass's insula to sleep close to her baby. They're still confused over the humans weird behaviour of not sleeping close to their offspring. Grå decides to get a worn baking towel from his burden's bakery that Tryggtass could use as a blanket for the child until Svansglidaren manages to convince the mother to take real care of her offspring.



Monday, September 14, 2015

The Secrets of Cats tARE c6s8a


Some of the day passes in the most catlike sunbathing way on the street roof.

Closer to midday they go to meet Stortass. After asking around for him they find him in the same, strangely empty, apartment as last time talking to another cat they don't recognise. Stortass and Grå talks a little about the trial, Skarpöra, territories and what the trial might mean for Skarpöra and cats interacting with her. Grå who is a experienced fighter volunteers to be Stortass second anytime if the duel is with Skarpöra regarding 

They then cross the street to the domus where Trubbklo's burden live. Tryggtass calls for her and opposite what happened last time she appears and doesn't play busy. They talk a little about Skarpöra and the trial. Trubbklo admits that she's not used to all the territory fighting the cats do here in Rome as opposed to in Alexandrias where she comes from and therefore has really gotten the same amount of training which is part of her problem with Skarpöra.

As they walk home and pass the supermarket house they hear a wild cat fight from somewhere inside it. They run into it searching for the cats. They don't find anyone though but hear aggressive cats again. They run out again and run along the supermarket house and realise that the sound came from some sort of small entrance into a cellar or something. They run over there and see the back part of a cat blocking the opening. As they come closer it turns around quickly with claws out and growling at them as if they were about to fight for real. They stop suddenly and back off a few steps. The cat growls at them again. They recognises one of the two cats that has earlier accompanied Skarpöra to the senate and that the corvids told Svansglidaren about.

They hear a whimper from inside what seems to some sort of maintenance opening for humans. Tryggtass asks what they are doing and are told to not bother "...since that would be best for all involved". Grå almost explodes and can't decide whether he should ask if that was a threat or if he should ask if the cat are so stupidly stupid that he just threatened them. The other of Skarpöra's two former companions walks out of the tunnel. His shag is still standing somewhat, like he moments ago was threatening someone or trying to look as dangerous as possible when facing a threat. They all guess it's the first alternative. He also somewhat dirty.

Grå aggressively asks if they will find a lonesome cat that they have beaten up if the walk into the hole. One of the two fighter cats answers that he won't be passing them right now anyway and say that he has no idea what might be found in there. Tryggtass calls into the hole but doesn't get any answer. She asks if they have killed the poor cat and they get very offended that they in any way suggest something like that. They are well aware about the legal foundations for the senate and all cat senates - to never kill or maim a member of the cat senate unless it's self defence. As the two cats pass by Svansglidaren feels even more sure that it's the two former companions to Skarpöra since their smell match what the corvids described.

Grå and Tryggtass runs into the space under the supermarket house and calls again for the cat they can hear inside while Svansglidaren keeps an eye on the two disappearing cats. The cat inside doesn't answer and doesn't leave the deepest darkest most foul-smelling corner. Still the smell is very familiar and it's definitely a cat they have met several times. Even if it is Skarpöra Tryggtass feels that it's not OK to overpower a cat like that and beat it up. They try to convince the cat to come out and call her by her name. They get more and more sure that it's Skarpöra. They even offer to help her clean her wounds.Tryggtass tries to convince Skarpöra that she holds no grudge with her, Skarpöra, as a person. Tryggtass just loathe Skarpöra's behaviour when she tried to grab a piece of her territory. They give up and leave Skarpöra and walk home. Svansglidaren isn't as prone to forgiving Skarpöra though.

Sunday, September 13, 2015

The Secrets of Cats tARE c6s7b

The four cats walk to the senate meeting (Kattmyntetunga is a little jumpy and speedy). When they arrive to the insula where the meeting's gonna be held cats have already gathered. As they mingle Kattmyntetunga speeds up even a little more. They pay respect to the cats they know, acknowledge relationships and salute some important cats that recognises them. The princeps and the consuls arrive and everybody lowers their voices and start the informal negotiation over where they should sit according to territory, age and fame. Tryggtass notice Skarpöra and a suspicious foreign cat that they guess will speak for Skarpöra.

Princeps call for attention and opens the meeting. She points out the jury and the consul in charge and thereby judge for the trial and then asks the jury to step forward and take their places at the front. When asked by the judge Kattmyntetunga steps forward and eagerly states the accusation against Skarpöra. The judge then asks for a statement regarding this from Skarpöra's representative, a foreign cat called Eggtunga (Sharp Tongue). Luckily for Skarpöra she thought of getting her representative acknowledged before the trial when choosing a cat from another region. Eggtunga looks very nonchalant and strools up to the speaking area, strikes a pose and says that the accusation is incorrect.

As the accusing party Kattmyntetunga and Tryggtass gets the opening expression. Kattmyntetunga starts by reminding the jury and the senate how these simple things as duels have been possible to handle in a juste way based on firmly laid out tradition. Never before has this have ot come to a court case. Cats nod in agreement and readies themselves for some prime entertainment.

As first witness Kattmyntetunga calls Tryggtass who shortly and without frills describes how it happened this thing that Skarpöra calls a duel and how another cat, Högertass, was involved and how a third cat probably readied himself to join in. A murmur travels through the cats at this flagrant crime against traditions. Eggtunga steps up and says that it's with sorrow he has to go to court to counter such a foul distortion of the truth. He calls Skarpöra as witness and Skarpöra ruffle up her, stretches herself and confidently walks up to the speaking area. She tells about the fight without any direct lying and without mentioning any of the two other cats on her side.

The jury is hard to read but seems to lean towards Tryggtass telling the truth.

Kattmyntetunga then calls Grå to testify regarding how the fight happened and was carried out. He tells about Skarpöra's airy attitude and that there never was any formal challenge, that Skarpöra just behaved like it was her area and backed that up with threats of violence and with right paw that later engaged himself in the fight together with Skarpöra. Kattmyntetunga asks if Grå knows who this cat is. When Högertass is pointed out his facial expression goes from interesting-happenings-this to -eh-hey-don't-look-at-me-I-was-almost-not-there. Eggtunga has nothing to add and has no questions for Grey (to everybody's surprise).

Kattmyntetunga follows up by calling Högertass to testify about the fight and the more experienced cats in the senate raise their expectance for entertainment even more and whisper about that clever new rethor (speaker) Kattmyntetunga. Högertass looks perplexed and asks "Who?!? Me?!?" "You!" answer the judge. Kattmyntetunga asks Högertass if he was present when the fight occurred. He starts by trying to equivocate "I was at the same street roof, that's correct", trying to not say that he was in the fight or even really near it. Kattmyntetunga pushes him a little by asking if he participated in the fight or if he means that Grå is lying. Högertass says that he of course isnät trying to accuse grå of lying and then has to acknowledge that he was participating in the fight or "the challenge" as Högertass calls it. He's very nervous and Kattmyntetunga is clearly having the upper paw in the situation. He states it as if it could be another fight than the one Kattmyntetunga has been talking about but when Kattmyntetunga asks if there was more than one fight that day he falls spinning into the trap and answers that there was only one. So apparently he was participating in the fight and that fight also obviously wasn't going by tradition. Eggtunga tries to save the situation by asking Högertass if it is correct that he was there to act as Skarpöra's second in case that would be needed. To this Högertass of course answers yes and thereby implies that maybe the first tradition breaker wasn't Skarpöra but rather Tryggtass.

The fumbling testimony from Högertass is giving advantage to Kattmyntetunga and Tryggtass though and Tryggtass can feel the presence of her forefathers, guiding her and distracting the opponents forefathers when they try to help. The representative for the jury asks for a short break to discuss the matter at hand and the judge decides for a nap long break. Tryggtass, Grå and Svansglidaren slightly worries that the jury won't be fully neutral since they have recognised several cats in the jury that participated in the hunt for their catnip last night. Since they didn't get anything and Kattmyntetunga et al got a lot they might hold a grudge.

Kattmyntetunga continues after the break with a rethorical question wether this event is only about breaking the traditions regarding challenges and calls Svansglidaren to testify. Kattmyntetunga asks if it's true that Skarpöra repeatedly provoked Tryggtass to get her to start an unjust fight or maybe scared give up the area anyway. Grå answers with a simple "Yes". Following that kattmyntetunga asks in what form the provocations were "...surely no cat would mark territory inside another cat's territory without a proper challenge?" Grå's simple answer to this is that at least one cat would do that, Skarpöra, and she did that several times. He states where and how Skarpöra consciously marked Tryggtass' favourite spot as hers. Kattmyntetunga calls Tryggtass and Grå and asks them one by one if Svansglidaren's statement is correct. Eggtunga seems totally off and has nothing to add and totally fail to grab any opportunity to cross-examine the witnesses.

Eggtunga calls Skarpöra to testify and asks if she thought that everything was already done and finished and that she had won the challange. Skarpöra answers "yes" and then angrily goes of the rails and questions why they are here at all over this trifle. It should be obvious that she won the fight and that it's her area now. Eggtunga interrupts her, thanks her and sends her down from the witness area.

Kattmyntetunga calls Skarpöra to testify and asks her to describe how a correct and juste durel should be carried out. Skarpöra is very flippant basically says that two cats fight and the last cat standing gets the territory. Kattmyntetunga then calls Tryggtass and asks the same thing. Tryggtass gives a, if not fully correct so much more traditional, view on duels and also states that it by no means has to be about the whole territory. It's rather most common that it's about a small part of the territory depending on the terrain. In Tryggtass's case, a quarter of an insula as territory, it's obvious that it's divided in many parts. Eggtunga still isn't back on track and has no further questions. Everyone is surprised when Kattmynetunga calls princeps, oldest cat, most revered cat in the region, leader of the senate to testify. Kattmyntetunga asks princeps to explain how a challenge should be carried out to be correct and just, how seconds should behave, how parts of territories are decided and many other things. It's obvious that both Skarpöra and Tryggtass have made mistakes but also embarrassingly obvious that Skarpöra did the biggest ones and probably just didn't give a shit about the rules.

Kattmyntetunga declares that she's done and won't call any more witnesses unless any further testimonies calls for that. Eggtunga doesn't manage to come up with anything further so the jury leave to counsel and decide upon who's guilty. In the meantime the area explodes in talk and betting and some cats seem worried that humans will wake up and interfere in the procedures (Kattmyntetunga is nervously walking in circles) but everything is kept silent enough and the jury returns.

The judge ask the jury if they are finished and since they are finished he asks for their decision and wether they have reached that conclusion with a qualified majority. So they have and they have found that the accusation stands and is correct. The judge then decides the outcome. Skarpöra has no right to any part of Tryggtass territory and no privileges besides regular traditional rights to pass through territories and similar. He also states that if Skarpöra wants to challenge Tryggtass in the future over any part of Tryggtass's territory a neutral third party from the senate has to oversee the duel. The same goes for Tryggtass. Skarpöra and Eggtunga snort and leave. Tryggtass, Svansglidaren and Grå notice that the other two cats that earlier seemed to have a lot of dealings with Skarpöra doesn't follow them.

After some courtesy mingle they return home.

Sunday, September 6, 2015

The Secrets of Cats tARE c6s7a

So there they were, in Kattmyntetunga's burden's garden. Kattmyntetunga was paid and there were some catnip left but on the other side of the garden wall were tens of cats just waiting for an opportunity to get a piece of that catnip. How would they ever get from here to home without losing their catnip? They sit there and in catnip-induced  haze try to find a plan that's not onnly desperate but also will fail. After a while the haze fades though and their thoughts start to fly in straighter lines and one of them even remember that if you expose yourself for catnip enough you will get high but then come down and actually be sort of immune for catnip for a while. They all decide to eat some catnip and fly for a while to be able to come down with all four paws on the ground and do this thing - whatever the plan's gonna be. Anyway they're not giving up their catnip branches.

In the end they decide to call on the cats' attention and throw out some catnip to them to get them to fight amongst each other and gather up at one end of the garden while Svansglidaren, Tryggtass and Grå runs off in another direction and hopefully get all the way home. They decide for a slight detour to optimise the direction away from the main cat host and also get out of sight as quick as possible. As they prepare Kattmyntetunga meows and a couple of corveids appear on the roof.

They jump up on the garden wall, shouts and provoke the cats and throw some small amounts of catnip as far as they can away out over the cats. Quickly they jump down, fetch the rests of their branches, jumps up on the wall at the other side of the garden and leaves at full speed. As they do this they see Kattmyntetunga grab her pouch of catnip and jump up on the wall and up to the roof and the birds.

As they run away three cats that happened to be ont he other side of the domus catches sight of them and quickly takes up pursuit. Behind their backs they hear a roar worthy not only Pluto's cat but Pluto's lion as the rest of the cats realise that they've been played and also takes up pursuit but quite behind our catnip thieves and their three close pursuer. Grå, Svansglidaren and Tryggtass runs like they actually had Pluto's lion behind them and keeps the distance. Suddenly Svansglidaren jumps up on his burden's garden wall and thereby distracts the cats a little before he disappears and they continue to hunt Grå and Tryggtass.

As they close in on the street roof they prepare themselves, slow down slightly and make the jump up on the roof and they can hear the three cats pass by under the roof without being able to react and stop or jump up. Tryggtass and Grå quickly greets each other and runs into their burden's apartments to disappear in case any of the cats would come up to the street roof.

The rest of the day all three of them mostly spend making out with their catnip. In some moment of clarity Svansglidaren worries that members of the jury were here tonight and will hold a grudge against them. Svansglidaren has a very nice stash spot in the kitchen where the firewood is stored. A place that's practically never stuffed. Tryggtass and Grå has a little harder time hiding their catnip but both have corners in the insulas where the rest of the cats in their territory knows that they put their stuff and that bad things will happen if they steal it. Grå and Tryggtass worries slightly though that other cats might take risk of sneaking by and just nibble a little on the catnip.

As they in the evening leave for the trial a certain weird junkie-like shifty cat that suggested a joint operation at the heist appears and behaves like they were all best friends and Grå even has to give him a light slap on the nose to get to go somewhere else. As they walk to Kattmyntetunga they wonder wether there will be any inter-region politics aftermath of this. On the other hand they didn't risk any other cats and they grabbed something that wasn't really available for the cats in the region anyway. Probably it's rather something that's gonna be the talk of the region in several regions.

As they meet up with Kattmyntetunga they're slightly worried as Kattmyntetunga seems a little off and more a little jumpy or overly energetic. They fear she's high on catnip.