The Dungeon Inn - English

B02C12 - Finally Pottys appearance

Aron had brought me the potatoes for spring. So that they would last a long time, I had them brought to the second level. Or at least that was the plan.

One of the transport skeletons had received the potatoes and had to pass through Hilda's level on the way. But apparently an unknown danger was lurking there. Potty, the gardener's cat, attacked the skeleton and then ran to me with a potato in her mouth.

"Potty, these aren't for you."

She dropped the potato in front of me and made movements around it with her paws.

"As I said, this isn't for playing with."

"Hiss!"

Frustrated by my inability to understand her intention, she spoke out loudly.

"What are you trying to tell me?"

Plop.

She fell to the ground, overwhelmed by my - from her point of view - stupidity. But a little later she shot up, took the potato in her mouth again and headed towards the labyrinth entrance. She looked back at me expectantly.

"I should follow you?"

I went up to her and she led me to the second level. When we got there, she waited impatiently until I was standing in front of her. She dropped the potato again, this time in the snow. Again she made the movements with her paws, but this time I understood what she wanted. She buried the potato in the snow.

"You want to plant the potatoes?"

"Meow!"

She jumped up from joy.

"But it's autumn, isn't it too early for that?"

Potty shook her head.

"Master Marco, it seems we've found Potty's plant. If she says we should plant it, then that must be right."

"But Sarah, won't the frost damage the potatoes?"

"Gardening cats have a deep understanding of their favorite plants. She'll have something in mind."

I agreed with Sarah that potatoes were almost certainly Potty's plant, but something inside me thought it was wrong. Only if she knew what she was doing, it had to be right. But then I couldn't tell Albert how to proceed. So somehow Potty had to go outside. I had forbidden her to go upstairs, so she had never come into contact with the potatoes that the guild provided us with for building the house. They were used up so quickly that I hadn't even put them in the cold storage room.

"How unusual are cats here?"

"I can't tell you, Master Marco. You should ask Bruno, he's outside more often and should know."

We waited patiently until Bruno had time for us in the evening. Or rather Sarah and I, Potty ran impatiently back and forth in the cave. I also had to warn her several times not to go upstairs with the potato. Occasionally she sat down and looked dreamily into space. She stroked the potato as if it were the most valuable thing in the world.

"Hmm, I haven't seen a cat here yet, but I don't think you have to worry too much about it."

"But isn't it suspicious if I suddenly bring a cat upstairs and it helps in the fields?"

"You also have Karl under supervision here. What's the problem with you having a cat too?"

"That's true too. Sarah, how do you rate the risk of her being discovered?"

"Gardener cats are rare creatures that are often shy of others. I don't think many people will know about their kind. But you should probably hide it a little if you can."

"Master, if I may. We Demis have a special connection to the creatures that are close to us. We can sometimes understand what they want quite well. So I think you should give Potty to Mia. Then she'll automatically be at the field and Mia will also understand more easily what she's up to."

"Sounds like a good idea, but won't at least Mia then suspect that she's not a normal cat?"

"Young master, you should have some trust in Potty. She knows that she has to be careful. I've also lived with her for a long time and most of the time she behaves like a normal cat. I think the risk is rather low."

"Did you see her petting the potato, Hilda? I'm a little worried that she'll throw caution overboard because of her treasure."

"That was pretty sweet, wasn't it? She'll pull herself together."

"I'm not entirely convinced, but I think a cat shouldn't give us away too much. We'll try. And Potty, if this goes wrong, that's it for potatoes. So please be extremely careful so that Mia doesn't find out who you really are."

"Meow."

The next day I informed Mia that she should come to me before she went to the field.

"You wanted me to come and see you before we started working in the fields?"

"Ah Mia, just a minute, I'll be right back."

I got Potty and some potatoes from the storage room.

"Oh, what a lovely cat."

"Wow, be careful."

I had been holding Potty in my arms, but when we were close enough to Mia, she jumped over to her. Fortunately, Mia reacted quickly and caught her. Potty snuggled up to her contentedly and purred lightly.

"Hehe, what a lively little fellow we are. I didn't know you had a cat, Marco."

"Yes, Potty usually only romps around downstairs. She likes to play with the potatoes at the moment and often wants to go upstairs. But the craftsmen won't approve of that, which is why Karl is always downstairs with us. So could you do me a favor and take her with you to the field? If you take the potatoes with you, she'll keep herself busy. You can plant some if you want."

"I'll gladly take them with me. Then I'll have a little relative with me. I'll tell Albert to plant the potatoes."

She took the potatoes and went outside with Potty.

I would later learn that Potty was of course not playing the lazy, inconspicuous cat. Someone else was also unhappy with the events.