Novalunian Frontier: The DovePort Journals

Chapter 9: Familiar

Ever since Toast had been captured by Winfrey she had always had an innate sense of curiosity. She was always moving around and smelling things and staring at them. When she became Romina's familiar she learned a new outlook on this world. Everywhere Romina went Toast would follow. When Romina didn't need her Toast would wander. Not too far though, she always made sure her master was in view.

Today was unlike any other, Romina had told her they were visiting her mother at the town hall. What was a town hall? Maybe she would learn what that was when they got there. There were these big long steps and a huge door to the building. When they entered there were security people. Her master spoke to them as if she knew them well. One of them was familiar to Toast, the man with wings on his arms.

Toast wondered how he flew with such tiny wings.

She wandered over to the security people and gave them both a good sniff. The winged man smelled of grass and stuffy wood. He sounded kind and gave her a few pets before he returned to his job. The other security guard smelled like the stone outside and of the cars that roamed the town. She smelled of grass and flowers.

This security guard simply stared at Toast as she sniffed around. The ground here smelled old and musty, it was mostly what her master called carpet. Toast was learning all sorts of new things with Romina around. Toast's master whistled for her and she ran over. The pair entered a smaller room with a desk in the middle. There was another security guard at the door. This one had a long lizard tail and smelled weirdly like a forest and a bakery.

Toast followed her master into the smaller room and the door was closed behind them. She wandered up to the desk and sniffed all around. The carpet here smelled nicer, cleaner even. The desk smelled like the wood from the forest but it smelled sad. Romina's mother sat in the chair behind the desk and Toast approached. Romina's mother smelled like their house, and a bit like grass. Everyone here smelled like grass. Toast liked the smell of grass. It smelled like her home, which she did not miss one bit.

Romina's parent pet Toast before returning to whatever conversation they were having. Toast explored the room a little more. Behind Romina's parent was these long curtains. Toast wanted to know what was behind them and began nosing at them. They smelled old and were a little dusty. Romina giggled at Toast as she nosed her way through the curtain. Beyond the curtain was a painting, Toast wondered why it was covered.

She couldn't see what it was and gave up. She wandered the room a bit more and smelled food. Romina must have come to share lunch with her parent! Toast examined the bookshelves along the walls before returning to her master. Toast laid her head in Romina's lap, Toast did not require food. As a familiar, she wouldn't need food to be sustained. Unless her master wished it to be she wouldn't desire to eat either.

Toast lay on the floor and closed her eyes. She listened for any indication that food was over and simply listened to her master as she spoke with her parent.

After a while Romina and Toast left the building, Toast had learned nothing new. But that never bothered her. The pair met up with some of Romina's friends, including Boris. Toast liked Boris, he was good to study. It helped to understand how dogs work. She liked to play with him, he was good fun. His master was small and cute, Toast liked him too. He was sweet and always smelled like other animals.

The two dogs ran around the park playing as best they could with no toys around. Toast and Boris returned to their respective masters when Boris was called over by his master. The park smelled of wood and grass. Toast happily lay in the grass taking in the sounds of the outside world. Toast preferred indoors, it was always less noisy. The outside world here was so pretty. All the oranges and reds in the sky full of trees and the crunchy leaves laying in the grass were a delight.

When Romina and Toast returned home they headed into the library. Toast assumed her position on her bed and watched her master pace around reading and writing things. Once in a while a stray fairy or two would enter from the open window, stay for a bit and leave. Familiars and fairies are so alike but so very different. Fairies enjoy mischievous activities and also helping those who give them offerings.

Familiars often also enjoy mischief and offerings. Toast usually never took offerings from people after having seen many of her kind be captured for sale by the humans. All of the humans in this town seemed so nice. She was only taken by Winfrey because she heard her intentions deep inside and decided it was right.