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Date Posted: 13:12:52 01/23/02 Wed
Author: Laurel Goldleaf
Subject: The man in the mirror
In reply to: Isobel and Barry 's message, "Of birds and berks..." on 10:51:43 01/23/02 Wed

Laurel raised one eyebrow when Erlic cautioned her about her new ring. As if the Jann cat would have given her an artifact of evil! She almost laughed and reprimanded him for his foolishness, but bit her tongue instead, when he went on to finish speaking.

He proceeded to give her a short lesson on something he called a Kami. She decided to let it slip this time, especially since it was actually rather interesting. Naturally, she couldn’t possibly subscribe to the belief that some of her many animal friends back home had been in actuality human spirits encased in furry or feathery bodies.

She was not about to mock or refute anyone’s personal religious convictions, however. And it was a somewhat romantic notion, as well, one which she did admit carried with it quite a bit of charm. Imagine that you favorite dog was actually your wise old grandmother in disguise!

She was very pleased when the cat let Erlic pick her up without making any fuss whatsoever. In all the animal kingdom, the feline disposition was the most difficult to fully comprehend, and the creatures themselves tended to be very selective about whom they tolerated, let alone whom they befriended.

The cat twitched its tail and turned to look at her with its slitted golden eyes, as if it had been following her thoughts. I like him, whispered an alien voice unlike any animal she’d ever spoken to. A second later, she shrugged the notion away, deciding that it had only been her imagination.

Laurel smiled as Erlic placed the cat in her lap, deciding that she liked the name he’d given it very much. “The cat did bring you a gift, did it not?” he asked. He was wearing that scholarly look again. “Do you not find any of this unusual? Think on it. You might have a Kami with you, and not even know it.”

“Oh yes, Master Erlic,” she answered with a light laugh, “It would be most unusual to anyone but one such as myself, I suppose. But all creatures are a druid’s natural friends, you see.”

She hugged the cat close to her, and it began to purr even more loudly than usual, its body almost vibrating against her chest. “I think Mikoshi is a wonderful name,” she added in a quieter voice, kissing the top of the cat’s head while her green eyes remained focused on Erlic. “And if she is truly what her namesake entails, then I should think myself very lucky indeed.”

She could tell that Erlic was pleased by her acceptance of the name. But before either one of them could say anything further, Barry suddenly flew over their heads, shouting out something about a man being trapped in a mirror. Laurel exchanged a glance with Erlic before getting quickly to her feet and hurrying after the floating skull, still holding Mikoshi in her arms.

When she got to the place Barry indicated, she set the cat down, walking the last few steps to stare curiously at the man in the mirror. From behind, she heard Erlic arrive as well, and she exchanged another baffled look with him. “Detege,” she murmured, waving her hand over the partially exposed mirror. The sand responded to the minor spell, falling quickly away until the entire surface could be seen.

She tried to call out to the man within, but he did not even respond. It was as if he couldn’t even hear her. “I don’t understand,” she confessed, turning both hands up. “Perhaps if we crack the glass…” But for some reason, that didn’t sound like a very good idea.

A low meow made her turn and stare at Mikoshi, who was still only several feet away. The grey cat was sitting on its haunches, staring up into the sky at Barry. Occasionally, it would raise one paw into the air as if to try and bat the skull down, but seemed to realize this was pointless. After a few seconds, it got up and walked leisurely over toward the mirror, where it began pawing at the sand just beneath the frame.

“Meow,” it said again, looking back at Erlic and Laurel before returning to digging at the underside of the mirror.

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