#in times of trouble i remember that liam has dandy and dandy is in the business of being the best boy

[arachnidiots-a]

DANDELION S.L. KAZ

[elsewhereuniversity]

Advice Needed

Hey, so I was hoping I could get your advice-

I’ve been enrolled at Elsewhere for almost two years, and recently things have begun changing.  See, there’s this cat, a gorgeous black cat, with big green eyes.  It’s been around and about for my whole time here.  I never knew who’s cat it was, so I’d stop to pet it, gave it some food if I had the time, and just in case I always let the cat know it was freely given.  (Just a habit I’ve picked up.  Favors are nice, not being trapped in a deal is better.  Even with cats.)

This had been fine and dandy for a while, until something came came in looking like my roommate.  Ally was her name, she had gone to a party while I had stayed home.  When she finally did get home, she was acting strange.  She rummaged around in our cupboard for a while, picking at almost anything sweet.  I didn’t think much of it, she’s come home like this before, figured it was a weird case of the munchies.  I asked her if she would toss me the chips.

She gave me this weird grin, and before she threw me the chips, she was screaming.  It was the cat.  I don’t know where it came from, I never let it into the room, but it was clawing at her face, and she couldn’t get it off!  In her hurry she grabbed the doorknob trying to get out.  I could hear the skin on her hand sizzle.  Me and Ally had changed the old copper knob for iron a while back, and it while apparently it hadn’t stopped not-Ally from getting in, it was getting results.  The cat jumped off of the changelings face and darted away.  After I came to my senses I opened the door, and not-Ally went screeching down the hallway.  I looked for hours after the whole thing happened, and there was no trace of the cat, but Ally showed up outside our window, where I left it cream.

Since the very next morning however, the cat hasn’t left me alone.  It walks me to and from my classes, and it sits on the edge of my bed when I work.  I feed it, I mean, I don’t know what else to do.  I always tell the cat it’s freely given, and I leave the window open at night in case it wants to leave.  It never does.

Liam, (He’s a friend of mine.  We met when we were both visiting the university, and I bought him lunch.  As luck would have it, we are both Theatre majors, and we share almost all of our classes!)  thinks that it would be a good idea to take the cat in.  I told him I wasn’t sure about it, that I didn’t want to run the risk of stealing some Fae’s cat.  He got kinda funny then, wouldn’t look me in the eye, and told me that it seemed to him the cat was already mine.  I didn’t want to fight about it, (He has really pretty green eyes, I can’t stand it when those eyes look sad.) so I told him maybe.

That night I asked the cat if it wanted to stay.  I said if it wanted to leave the window would always be open, but if it wanted to stay, it could.  I don’t know if it understood anything I said, but that night it cuddled up to my side while I slept, and I dreamt of green eyes, looking out at me, but unable to speak.

Since then the cat has not only accompanied me while I walk to and from classes, but it sits in my lap during classes as well.  (Honestly, I’m surprised none of my professors have kicked it out.)  The cat follows me like a shadow, which would be disturbing, but since it started, I haven’t run into a single member of the gentry.  It seems like they flee wherever I go.

What does worry me is since that night Liam hasn’t shown up to any classes.  I can’t help but wonder if, despite being so careful, I haven’t made some kind of deal.  Or if Liam had, though I can’t ever remember him having troubles with the Gentry.

I’ve already got an emergency kit, me and Ally are very careful, and I’m wondering if I shouldn’t use it.  It’s spring, which means a lot of the Gentry are in a better mood.  I’m thinking of going on a Quest.  Liam is one of my best friends, and if he’s in trouble I need to help him.  I’ve talked to the cat about it, as stupid as it sounds.

That’s why I need your advice.  Despite the fact that I know it doesn’t make any sense, I worry the cat won’t let me go.

Please, what do you think I should do?

x

I’d say it really depends on what the cat did when you told it about the Quest. It might be a curse that needs breaking; it might just be that Liam is just so deep in the hole of this subterfuge he’s got no idea how to come clean.