\t\u201cHe sings that every day,\u201d Luz said, stooping to pick up Mava\u2019s broom. \u201cDo you think-\u201d Today\u2019s snippet, titled \u201cHere, Kitty Kitty\u201d, is a piece I wrote about an NPC in my Pathfinder Campaign (sort of the \u201cKing Maker\u201d adventure path). The intention behind this was to illustrate events occurring in the world, but away from the PCs. They\u2019re supposed to be writing their own pieces about actual… <\/p>\n
\n \t\u201cOh, they\u2019ll be back,\u201d the old woman said, shuffling toward her to retrieve the old, straw sweeper. \u201cThey\u2019ll be back. In time.\u201d
\n \u201cSeen it, have you?\u201d
\n Mava cast a surprisingly severe glance at Luz with those rheumy eyes of hers. \u201cI reckon that big wild-priest will be back, if it takes a day or a year or longer still. I could see it in her eyes – she adores that little boy.\u201d
\n Luz looked over at Gregor, happily chewing on a rabbit leg at the edge of the abri. \u201cShe\u2019s not
\nalone. I shall miss him, quite a lot, when she comes for him.\u201d
\n \t\u201cPfft.\u201d The old woman waved her hand dismissively.
\n \t\u201cWhat do you mean \u2018pfft\u2019? You\u2019ve just said-\u201d
\n \t\u201cAye, aye. I did, and so it will be. The wild-priest will return for Gregor.\u201d
\n \t\u201cBut-\u201d
\n \t\u201cAnd you will go with them, child. You will march off into the great cities of the south – dirty and filthy and crowded, but filled with more wonders than you or I could imagine together – and never come north again.\u201d
\n \tLuz frowned. She had become quite fond of Gregor, it was true, but would she really leave the mountains for good? Somehow, she doubted it. And yet – Mava had made several very astute observations since they met and Luz felt in her heart that if the wood\u2019s witch said so – so it would be.
\n \t\u201cI always wanted to see the Ruby Fortress,\u201d she said, thoughtfully. Glancing at the little boy once more, a half-smile crept across her lips. \u201cHe won\u2019t like the city, I don\u2019t think. He\u2019ll always miss the mountains. He was born here.\u201d
\n \tMava reached up and gripped her chin, forcing Luz to meet her gaze. \u201cI said that you <\/em>will never come north again. Not he. No, he will return to the green when he is grown, and it will know him as one of its own.\u201d
\n \tSwallowing hard, Luz managed a nod. A cold finger touched her heart and she wondered what would prevent her come ever coming north again. Has she already seen my death?<\/em><\/p>\n
\n \t\u201cPretty kitty, great big kitty, purring kitty-love. Happy kitty, cuddly kitty, come back kitty-love.\u201d
\n \tGregor was singing to himself, but he made sure to be loud enough that Luz would not worry he had wandered off and been eaten by bears or goblins or fallen down a hill. Luz worried a lot. For a moment, he remembered a pretty lady with golden eyes and hair like the sun and there was a pang in his chest.
\n \tHe shook his head and the song faded from his lips. One, two, free. Gregor counted the acorns and pebbles he had lined up every single day since Kitty and her mountain lion had left him here with Luz and the old woman.
\n \tGregor only knew enough numbers to name the fingers of one hand, but he lined up his little treasures in three lines of five each. Five and five and five days. That\u2019s a lot of days.
\n \tHe glanced up at the sky, watching the clouds drift by, and wondered how many more it would be until Kitty came back. A strange cloud paused above him and Gregor thought to himself that it was very odd indeed, because the shape almost looked like the feathered headdress Kitty wore.
\n He smiled. Soon, I bet. Real soon.<\/em>
\n– \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 \u2013 –
\n![\"Signed,](\"http:\/\/jeezjosie.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/signature.jpg\")
\nNote: Image is “Cave “Szachownica” ZPK Poland” by datarec from SXC.hu<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"