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You joined a mission to save your country. Putting it like that, kind of sounds like a hyperbole. But it's not, and, in the time you have been near Mirabelle, you got reminded of that multiple times before it sank in that no you do not regret quitting to join her.
It became a little easier after Madame Odile also joined. A Ka Buan researcher whose explanation was that "leaving the country's salvation to a pair of youngsters would give me an ulcer". Classy.
It was the three of you for a good while. It even depends of viewpoint if you became four or five. Regardless, the fourth heartbeat joined while you were fighting a strong sadness. The gooey creature got hit as hard as such a small being could without craft, and the distraction they provided again and again, despite coming across as coincidence at the moment, was very useful.
A cat. A mixed lightness and darkless cat. Not small nor big, you can hold in one arm. Madame Odile had told you that you shouldn't feed it. Feeding a stray cat is asking for it to not leave you alone.
But, what to do? You consider yourself someone willing to do the right thing, and leaving the critter that had helped you just like that felt wrong. They were so skinny. You could tell even with the fur. When was the last time they had a real meal?
So, you went against the recomendation and gave the little being some lunch leftovers. The cat eyed and sniffed the food before starting to like and nibble, as if trying to let it last. You knew it wasn't because the cat wasn't enjoying the food. They were purring while doing so. Without thinking, you tried to pet they head. The poor cat jumped in such way that the piece of meat they had in tooth flew off. It took a little time for them to go back to their tiny meal.
So, you concluded, no touching the cat.
Madame, of course, was one hundred percent right. The cat started following the group around. But, it was never a bother. The cat mostly hung back, or walked close enough to be clear they were following your group but with a distance so no accidental contact or tripping on them would happen. The drawback of having to feed them wasn't as big as Madame had anticipated - they hunted and ate what they got, so your role in that was mostly making sure they ate more than once a day.
At a point, the cat darted towards some woods. You and Mira tried to chase them, but lost the little blur. Untill they came out and kept meowing, as if trying to attract attention. After looking in your direction, they meowed again and went back to between the tree, this time slower, easier to follow.
And this was how a kid became part of your group.
Actually, Bonnie's welcoming was a story of it's own, but, you can say that this was the time that it started to become clear that this "stray" was rather smart.
Bonnie was warned that the cat got scared with touch, but still kept close to them. The cat would hang near them, purr and knead near the bonfires your group would light up to prepare food after Bonnie took over cooking. Sometimes, they would cry for their sister at night, and, even with a closed tent stopping you from seeing, you could hear the cat meowing outside, and Bonnie would respond like the meows were an actual talk.
The cat showed more and more that they were smarter than they looked. The four of you is making sure they don't go hungry, and, as they body and fur become fuller, the small animals - doves, squirrels, sometimes even rabits - that they would hunt to eat, they started to bring to camp pretty much in one piece if not for the broken necks, even the areas where the cat would hold them with their teeth wouldn't break, like they knew that biting and breaking skin meant that the meat would be dirty. They would become hysterical and even hiss if one of you tried to pick berried that would later be revealed poisonous. More than once, while looking for an orb, they would activate a trap ahead of the rest of you and jump out of the way before getting caught on it.
You felt a bit bad calling them just "the cat" after a while. But, you also knew how hard it is to change a cat's name, and they had been just called "Kitty" for quite a while. So, that stayed, even as the months passed.
What little doubt could possible exist would be gone when they jumped between Bonnie and a sadness, and lost their eye as a result. In this moment, not even Madame Odile could hide her concern.
The poor critter had to stay in a House to recover, and you're sure you never heard or said "thank Change" as much as that day, when your group found out that they had a housemaiden that knew how to look after animals. They were so well behaved under care, too. Never growling or hissing even when what was being done clearly hurt, flinching but not putting on any resistence when getting shots. Eating the little pills like they were treats. If you weren't so sure it would make them more uncomfortable, you would have smothered them with affection.
You half expected the little guy to withdraw a little, if only to not get hurt again. They don't. They stay near you all. They keep curling at the edge of your tent to sleep, watching over Bonnie in a somewhat protective way, taking small animals they'd pounce to camp even if it was harder for some time with just one eye.
And so, the five of you stuck together. All the way to the House. All the way to the King.
Whatever blessing the tiny predator has, it seemed to have come tenfold at the House.
It started in what Mira called "Death Corridor". The four of you split to look for a trap, and the cat marched between the pillars before meowing loudly and repeatedly while pawning at one in particular. After some more through investigation, a switch was found, and a huge boulder feel from the ceiling.
It didn't stop there. They also squeezed through cracks and showed you hidden passages (meowing to get your attention). Like this you found sadnesses that gave crests, letting the tears vanish harmlessly, or, after that, indicate the right way to go using it. A book was found that allowed Mira to learn a particular craft shield. A key inside a book that they knocked off a desk. Even in your fight against the King, Mira seemed to know in her gut that the best moment to put up her shield was when the cat let out one that sounded more like a wail than a meow.
Upon victory, the House changes in such way that it's like night and day. The cat walks in the spaces between everyone, meowing. You're not sure, but it almost feels like they're anxious.
You all head for the rooftop, and it's time to talk to the Head Housemaiden. Or so it was the plan.
The cat kept meowing and getting on your way, like they don't want you to do so. They look distressed. You worry that they might flop down the stairs.
"Kitty, kitty, calm down! What's wrong, kitty?" You hear Bonnie ask. The cat marches to them and curls near their feet, their lightless little eye still peeking up.
That's when you realise something was never discussed.
"Who's going to stay with the cat?"
"I'm not sure if I can have a pet." Madame Odile answers first "I intent to continue to travel, at least for some time. Sure, it has been fine for now, but it might still have some stray mentality."
The cat meows again, uncurling and walking to Odile. They murp and knead on the ground near Madame. You look around, and the others look as confused as you.
"Oh, kitty, you want to stay with Madame?" Mira asks, and they meow once. She clasps her hand and smiles, half playful "I guess they don't mind that much, then."
Madame eyes the cat and Mira, and rises her hand to the bridge of her nose "Gems, an I getting adopted by a cat? I thought this was a myth."
"Haha, the myth gets proven true. If you find a crafted mirror, please send us pictures sometimes."
Another meow, and they hop to the step Mira is on.
"Hm? What's wrong?" Mira's hands are still clasped. They keep meowing, and knead near Mira's feet "Oh! Me too?"
The two women share glances. You half expect this to turn awkward, but Madame stops it.
"That's not how this works, cat. I mean, I would like a traveling companion, but..."
"Actually, I've been thinking about taking a pilgrimage for some time now." Mira looks nervous now, but she's smiling "We could, uhn, combine goals."
Madame is not the warmest woman, but her face and tone have some warmth, no debate.
"I, would like that, Mirabelle."
So, the cat would stay with the women for some time? Heartbreaking. You were sharing your bedroll with them for so many nights. But, the cat distribution system chose them. All you can do is accept.
"Alright, that's out of the way now, right? Guess you'll take the cat traveling and I'll take Bonnie home."
"I'll be without the kitty either?"
They sound so sad.
You want to reassure them, but the cat beats you to it. They all but trot to Bonnie, and, to your shock, bonks against their leg. All while meowing. You're still not quite done processing when the fur baby goes to you, but, instead of kneading or bonking, they throw their upper body up your leg, and keeps meowing.
"Kitty?" They meow again "Me too?"
They murp, and knead on your leg.
Your little debate continues for some time, the thoughts about the Head Housemaiden on the roof momentarily forgotten. From one, to another, to another, to another. After what feels like a long time, you decide to use a half joking tone to test the waters.
"Well, you know what that means. Joint custody!"
"What the crab is that?" Bonnie asks, poking the cat's pawns when they decide to knead on their leg too.
"It means we share the time with them. They spend some with one, then another, them another, in a circle."
"Hum, as nice as that sounds." Mira again. Of course she agrees it sounds nice "How would that work when everyone is moving?"
"Hey! You can't just drop me, you know? If moving is trouble, then come to Bambouche with me first!" A single, short meow seens to be the agreement they needed "See? The kitty agrees! If Nille wants we can even join!"
You're kind of mortified, to be honest. But, Change bless Bonnie and the boldness that only young age can excuse, because it means you can say it.
"I mean, if it's not a bother..."
...
Amazing, isn't it? Everyone wanted the same thing, but it took a cat to admit to it. Not that it's total nonsense. It's crazy to expect someone to put their life on hold for people you haven't known for that long.
But, you match each other's crazy, it seens.
And, if the kitty purring loudly and kneading in the middle indicates, they agree.
"Of course, we can still visit. I'm still not sure if I'll go back to Ka Bue, but regardless, it's possible to have an arrangement that allows "joint custody" to our little friend."
Another meow. They look happy.
Maybe it's the fact the did it first, maybe it's the heat of the moment, but, you knee near your furry friend-
"You hear that? You don't have to choose."
-and plant a kiss on the top of their head.
A flash of light blinds you all for a second.
Where once stood a little two shaded cat now layed a person. A person with lightless and darkless hair and clothes. Missing an eye.
They look... cute......
"W-what?" Is the colective reaction.
You pull back. That person looks as shocked as you. Their pale face turns a shade darker.
"Uhn, hi?" They change pose to sitting instead of on all fours "I... didn't know this could happen..."
Mira lets out a squeak. You notice that the person... they kept...... the ears and tail.........
"You were the cat all along?" Madame Odile asks. The person flinches and their ears curl down into their hair.
"I-I didn't want to be disrespectful, but... You're all great people." They seen to be trying to shrink into themself, face shoving into the collar of their cloak "I, know you liked me as a cat. I just... I thought I would always be a cat, and I wanted to stay with you all, I just..."
They go from speaking to stuttering, and another flash of light comes. When it's gone, the cat is back. And curling on their own body.
"Wait! Come back! I want to talk to you!" Bonnie.
"Oh Change! A shapeshifter? I didn't know this was possible!" Mira.
"You heard Boniface. Come back so I can ask questions. Don't think being fluffy will stop me." Odile. She looks amused so you don't feel the need to interfere.
"I want to know the person, too. Uhn, if you can turn back, of course."
They seen to relax a little. They open their mouth...
... And meow.
With a frustated noise, the flash happens again, and the person with cat parts returns.
"There you go." You're thankful you're already on your knees "So, if we're going to spend time with you as a person, I don't think we can keep calling you "cat" and "kitty". Do you have an actual name?"
You watch them breath in, and out, and stand up. The way their tail moves indicates nerves, but you hope that was enough to not feel too cornered.
"I'm Siffrin."