9 – Cats and Milk

I kept about my business over the next few days and put the incident with Haita out of my mind. Idiots were bound to be stupid, no matter what, and so I tried not to dwell on it. And as the farm continued to grow, so did Smoke.

He had gone from an ankle biter to a shin biter and would doubtless keep growing, but I was a little concerned that meat and water alone were not enough for such a beast. Giant or otherwise a cat was a cat, and milk would probably be in demand.

The door to the general goods store creaked open as I pushed inside, and Mikan glanced up from the scroll in her grasp. She had been behind the counter every time I visited and in truth I had no idea where her father was. She talked about him as if he were alive, but… Well, it was ultimately none of my business.

“Oh, Amon. It’s good to see y-” She noticed Smoke in my arms and took in a sharp breath.

For a wild animal, Smoke was oddly calm. He barely stirred, even being held aloft like this. Maybe he trusted me that much, or maybe the cat just appreciated the unnatural warmth of my body. Whatever the case, he was purring gently.

“That’s.. that’s a hellcat cub!” she said breathlessly. “Wha.. how did you…?”

I shrugged. “He appeared on my farm one day. Guess he took a liking to me,” I said. “I call him Smoke”

Mikan let out a small, anxious laugh while staring wide eyed at him. “They… usually live in mountainous regions. That one must have strayed from Mount Gruai. You’re… you’re very lucky it’s only a cub, grown hellcats can be vicious!”

“Oh. Well, I had a feeling he would grow big and mean. But he’s sweet for now, and I’ll hope he stays that way,” I said. I had had a dog in my younger years, and it was rather different to raising Smoke. For one thing, the cat was much more self-reliant despite his youth.

“Just… keep a watch on him. People might get scared if they see him out and about when he’s bigger.” She made her way over, smiling slightly. “May I pet him?”

“If you’d like. He’s friendly enough for it.”

Her hand reached out, slow and tentative, and soon she was stroking Smoke gingerly behind the ears. The cat leaned into the touch, his purrs slowly growing louder. “Gosh,” Mikan said. “His fur is so soft. Never thought I would get to pet a hellcat… even if he is just a cub.”

“He’s the reason I came here today. I’ve been thinking about getting him some milk, might help him grow big and strong. But…” I scanned the shelves, the corners of my mouth shifting into a frown. “It seems you don’t sell it here.”

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Back home the dairy farmers had been keen to bottle and sell their milk onto passing traders. The richest men I’d seen before my ascension had been the men who made their money selling their dairy on.

“Er… milk? From cows?” she asked incredulously.

“Yes…?” I asked, wondering if I’d said something offensive.

“Why would we sell that?”

I lifted a brow. “Goodness. So you don’t take in milk? Butter? Cheese?”

Mikan stared at me, blinking a few times. “Those… words, the last two. Usually your qi makes it so I can understand you. But those last two mean nothing to me.”

Well, that was interesting. Perhaps I could take advantage of a gap in the market, if I could make my own churn and get my own cattle. Still, the thought that the east hadn’t bothered much with dairy, at least in the ways I was used to… Truly, a strange land.