Stars Of Memory

Chapter 20

Jīvitaya spends every day that week in the forest, just exploring and testing her newfound abilities. She is sitting in the forest, perched on a boulder, after a taxing bit of work. She hears a sound, and her senses reach out. The familiar lights appear, and she sees a new one. Curiously, it is a soft blue instead of yellow-green like most of the others or pulsing black like the sickly ones. Of course, those are plants, but the animals are a red-orange color, with sickly ones also pulsing black. Nutrients are varying shades of yellow, so what does blue mean?

The light flares and turns to a brighter, paler blue, and she slides off of the boulder to approach it, slipping around the tree it is stationed behind. She doesn't see anything at first, but then she finally sees a little flash of white and red fur low to the ground. She crouches down and parts the grass to reveal the face of a fluffy kitten, resembling an earthen Norwegian forest cat. It meows, and she extends a hand out to it. It nuzzles her hand and rubs against her.

Jīvitaya talks to it, puzzled. "What are you doing out here? And why is your life-light so different from all the rest?" It meows again before turning and darting back off into the forest. Jīvitaya calls after it, "Wait! Where are you going?"

Of course, it doesn't answer, and she turns away to return to her work. She finds another dark spot and immerses herself in returning the balance, forgetting all about the little cat. As the sun begins to set, she leaves the forest behind once more, not noticing the little shadow that follows her all the way back to the city. Once she reaches her room, Kysanden hands her a plate of food, as has become their routine, and she eats quickly before falling asleep.

When she opens her eyes, she is standing in one of the palace hallways. How did she get there? She shrugs and starts walking, trying to figure out how to get back to her room. She turns at the end of the corridor and almost runs into Grania.

"Lady Jīvitaya?!" Grania's face is pale, and her eyes are wide. Is she afraid of something?

Jīvitaya waves sheepishly. "Hi. Do you have any idea how I got over here or how I get back to my room? I don't remember how I got here, wherever here is."

Grania nods, her face still pale. "Yes . . ."

"Lady Grania, are you alright? You look very pale."
Grania hesitates. "Yes, I'm fine, let me lead you back to your room."

Grania strides down the hallway, stopping every so often to turn around and make sure that Jīvitaya was still behind her. Finally, they reach the room and stop. Jīvitaya closes her eyes for a moment, suddenly exhausted.

Jīvitaya opens her eyes again to find herself being shaken, and she looks up at the person with confusion, realizing that she is in her bed once more.

"Lady Grania? Wasn't I just standing outside with you?" She says it again. "Grania, what is going on?"

"It's an abomination!"

"Grania, what in the world are you talking about?"

Grania practically hisses at her. "You've done something beyond the laws of this world! You don't belong!"

The only thing Jīvitaya can think of that could have even possibly set Grania off like this is the cat. Maybe it was sacred?

"What did I do?!"

Grania takes a step back. "You don't know?"

Jīvitaya shakes her head frantically. "No!"

"You truly don't?"

"I don't know, I promise! I have no idea what happened, but you're scaring me!" Grania relaxes, and Jīvitaya sits up against the wall, still trembling. "Will you tell me what is going on now?"

"No, go to sleep, and we can talk about it in the morning."

Jīvitaya waits until Grania leaves the room before settling back down in the bed, her thoughts whirling in confusion and lingering fear. What could have startled and scared Grania so much?
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Yeah, let's echo Jīvitaya's thought. What do you think scared Grania so much? Why do you think the cat had a blue light instead of an orange one? Do you think it was the cat that scared Grania? Tell me your thoughts!

Here is your chapterly image of Jīvitaya! Hopefully they don't decide to be weird and flag this one, too, because it's my favorite of them all. Which is why I saved it for last.

~Goddess of Fate, signing out.