The Faery Cat Meows For Help

Dindi (Spring Equinox Dawn)

“Help me! Please help!”

Dindi woke with a start. She heard it clearly—a small but desperate voice. It was high-pitched and cute.

A neko flew into the loft where Dindi slept with her two clan sisters. The little purple faery was bigger than a pixie, but smaller than a sprite. Her skin was pale lavender. She had dark purple cat ears and a long cat tail. Her legs were just like a cat’s.

She was terribly cute. Neko faeries were not good fliers. Usually, they rode on real cats and helped them hunt mice.

But this one flew like a fat, silly bee. She meowed in fear as she made wavy circles in the air.

When the neko saw Dindi staring back, she cried, “I know you can see me! You’re the only one who can help!”

Faeries were usually invisible. But they could let people see them, if they wanted.

I don’t know why they always bother me, thought Dindi.

Her two clan-sisters, Jensi and Tibi, kept snoring. They didn’t hear the neko’s cries. But Dindi couldn’t ignore the voice.

She climbed out of the loft to follow her.

Maybe this is why they always come to me, she thought with a sigh. I always fall for it!

Dindi climbed down a cut log. Goats below bleated maaa-maaaa! on the ground floor. She sneaked past the squash patch and the bean poles.

The neko flew around her in circles, squeaking and waving for her to hurry.

She escaped just in time.

The aunties of the Lost Swan Clan were waking up. Great Aunt Sullana, the clan grandmother—and the scariest woman in the clan—stomped toward the goat shed. She shouted out the chores.

“Jensi! You’ll skin the fish and make the spice sauce! Tibi, you’ll milk the goats and help your mother grind corn! Dindi, gather berries and juice them—we need more soap too—take the lard from the kitchen! You may go as far as the berry patch and the stream, but DO NOT PASS THE CLAN MARKERS! Finish your chores or you MAY NOT go to Barter’s Hill today!”

Jensi and Tibi rushed out of the goat shed. They washed their faces and arms with water from the big clay vase. They helped each other brush and braid their hair. They wrapped their chest bands—long cloth strips to hold their breasts—and tied on their buckskin legwals.

“Good, girls… you’re awake,” said Great Aunt Sullana. “It’s an important day… WHERE IS DINDI?”

Sorry, Great Aunt Sullana! I’ll do my chores later, Dindi giggled to herself. I just have something more important to do first… I just wish I knew what it was!

She skipped after the faery. The neko led her past the maize terraces and far up the path into the hills.

Morning fog covered the mountains. A flock of Blue sylphs flew past her. Their long, see-through shawls trailed cold, shining mist behind them. They chilled the air as they passed.

They were probably heading to their secret homes underground to sleep through the day. After they left, the fog would lift.

Dindi had forgotten to wash her face. Her hair was a mess. She wore two small braids in front and a ponytail at the back. Her brown hair was already tangled when she woke up and now it was worse.

She still wore yesterday’s chest band. She hadn’t even put on her legwals. She only wore a hip belt, a loincloth, and her usual arm-bands and leg-bands.

But there was no time to stop. The neko kept squeaking, “Please hurry! We may be too late!”

Lost Swan Clanhold had eleven white adobe huts. There were some bigger buildings with kilns, and small huts for sleeping or keeping animals. Each house was painted with colorful patterns. The roofs were thatched. The lower floors were underground. The door was on the second floor, reached by a ladder log, with a flap of aurochs cow-hide for a door.

Some men were up now, striking flint to sharpen spear tips. Others got ready to fish, with carved bone hooks and dead beetles for bait. There would be a big feast at middle meal.

But if anyone had told Dindi why, she didn’t remember. She didn’t really care either.

“Dindi, please hurry!” groaned the neko.

I’m not supposed to talk to the fae, even if they show themselves. I’m not supposed to follow them. Everyone told Dindi that. But how can I say no to someone who needs help… even if she is a faery?