#memory's letter

the sixth of spring, year one

the sun flitting though my curtains was the thing to wake me, gentle beams gracing my face as i twist my body amongst the ratty old quilts. i heave my body upwards, using the momentum to swing my legs over the edge of the mattress and place them gently on the rug i'd used to cover the floorboards. my ears twitch and my tail flicks, taking in the new sensations of the morning. my whole body aches, but that wasn't unusual for how exciting the past few days had been.

two days ago i made my first contact with these.. things. they were cute little buggers; small and round and colorful, hiding away in the filth that had accumulated in the abandoned community center. the place looked like it used to be really nice! maybe it was there home before everyone abandoned it? but when i brought them up to mayor lewis he told me the sounds were just rats. i live on a farm, i know rats. those things were NOT rats. and then when i came back to investigate yesterday, they were everywhere! not only were they everywhere, but i found this weird inscribed golden scroll. it looked ancient, old and dusty, and i couldn't even read it. it almost reminded me of runes, but i don't know how to read those either!

my train of thought is interrupted as my foot bumps against something warm and furry on the ground, and i can't help but smile as i look down at the culprit. bear, the stray that had made himself at home on my farm, was now getting used to being a house pet. sleeping at the foot of my bed, following me around during the day, begging for scraps and pets and play. the rottweiler was becoming a normal dog, and i'm really proud of him. i know it's difficult to learn a whole new way of life.

bear looks up at me as i bump him gently, and both of our tails start wagging slightly as we register each other. i smile down at him, and then reach a hand forward to brush through his fur and smooth it down where it had been ruffled by the rug. he leans into the pressure and i smile wider, before finally standing up to stretch out all my joints. i do a quick set of morning stretches, letting my bones crack and crunch under the pressure of a moving body. it hurts a little, sure, but it needed to be done. staying limber is important.

after stretches i have a quick breakfast, throwing back a handful of berries and some scraps of meat from a previous meal before getting dressed. the spring air is chilly in the morning but by noon it starts to feel like early summer, so i end up in jeans with extra pockets, a tank top and a hoodie thrown on top. it's always good to have layers, especially when you're working in several different environments! i feel prepared; better than i did when i woke up, even if i was still trying to wipe the sleep from my eyes. bear had been following me diligently, borderline in my way as i try to work with him through my morning routine.

i'm tying my boots on over my paws when i hear the mail arrive, the familiar screech of rusted metal hinges as they open my mailbox. i give lewis a little time to leave before i come out, trying desperately to avoid any awkward moments between myself and the mayor actively doing his job. the footsteps fade and i'm quick to jerk the front door open, scanning through the screen to assure their disappearance before stepping outdoors.

it was nice outside. sunny, even though it was early, with light cloud coverage and a bit of wind. perfect for the plants, and even better for me. it means i have a busy day ahead of me. i start by gathering my tools; an axe, a pickaxe, and a hoe, handles each tucked through different beltloops, and a watering can held tight in my fist. it's time to take on my little garden! it's mostly parsnips at the moment, but along with some basic spring crops i already have a small crop of cannabis plants growing on the other side of my house. everything was looking bright and bushy, and after a little bit of weeding and watering my garden was back to its perfectly beautiful state.

next step is actually checking the mail i received, considering i heard it arrive this morning. bear was enjoying himself rolling around in the grass next to the shipping container, but he perked up quick when he heard me pulling open the ancient mailbox. sometimes he'd get a treat from marnie, but that's definitely not what arrived this time. no, what had arrived was this beautiful purple envelope with silver embossing. designs that twisted up the sides like vines, curling at the top and bottom to frame the letters address.

farmer anthem palewood bearpaw farm pelican town, ferngill republic

it was written in this crisp white ink, in beautiful swirling calligraphy that was almost difficult to read. whoever wrote the letter had amazing penmanship, the envelope felt like art within itself. that's exactly why my fingers were careful as i peel it open, using the tip of my claw to gently slice the top of the envelope so i can split the opening and pull out the letter inside. the paper was this aged looking parchment, and i wonder if paper could be bought like this or if the owner did tea staining for aesthetics. it was folded crisply into thirds, and when i unfolded it the air smelled faintly of an herb that i just couldn't remember the name of. the writing was written by that same twisting hand, and the words were incredibly simple;

my sources have told me you've been poking around in the old community center. why don't you pay me a visit? my chambers are west of the forest lake, in the stone tower. i may have some information concerning your... rat problem. m. rasmodia, witch

the damn rats! they're not rats! hah! but she wants me to go all the way out to the tower? i'd been through cindersnap forest a few times in the past few weeks, to meet marnie's family and leah, and just walking back the scenic route to the farm. i noticed the tower looming over the rest of the forest, far to the west on a bit of a natural cliff. it's like it was hiding amongst the trees, trying to blend in so it could watch over everything else. and that name. rasmodia. it was elegant, and rubbed my fur just the right way. it sounded so familiar...

welp, everything else is now on hold. once i'm given a inkling of something, especially something so mysterious, it's hard to get me to drop it. like bear chasing wild squirrels, i too had a piece of prey to track down and rip into. my curiosity had been peaked, and now this.. rasmodia was going to deal with the repercussions of inciting such a thing. the letter gets tucked safely into my notebook, and i roll up my hoodie sleeves to prepare for the walk to the stone tower.

i've always loved a walk into the forest, it makes me think of when i was a kid. spending summers here with my grandparents and stopping in for holidays. it also gave me some time to think, and there was plenty of space for bear and i to train on the trail. so what could this rasmodia person want from me? she seemed pretty determined to keep herself as mysterious as possible. "why don't you pay me a visit?" i mean sure, but it felt unusual to just invite a stranger over to your home, right?

maybe she has some decent information on the freaky little creatures! that would be lovely. she might know more about the community center, something that could help me figure out how to help repair it. the little creatures seem involved somehow, like they're a part of the spirit of the place. if the creatures or that message had anything to do with that run down place, "rasmodia" would know. maybe she could help me fix it? it seemed like a lot of work for one person, even it only needed some basic repairs and refinishing. i thought bout asking robin but her commissions are out for at least six months and i don't have the money to ask her if i wanted to. i can only hope for the best.

the path was finally ending, rough gravel and dirt from being trodden thousands of times by different feet tapering off into the tall grasses of the rest of the forest. i begin to weave my way through it, taking out little logs and stones as i go to collect more resources. it doesn't hurt to pick up what you can while you're out, right? that's exactly the kind of mentality that lead me into spending half the morning foraging, mindlessly wandering in the general direction of the tower. by the time i arrived at the stairs that lead up to the structure, it was well past noon. bear and i had already stopped for lunch at the pond and went through half the woods just for fun. being minorly distracted with him was always the best, but now was the time that i had to focus on the task at hand.

bear and i climbed the stairs in tandem, up to the cute little cobblestone path to the place's front door. it was a triangular shape, with a round window right in the middle. i couldn't help but snoop a little bit, i'm far too nervous to go into this blind. i look past the panes into the floor level of the place, and i'm absolutely astounded by the sight of the inside.

there were herbs hanging in bundles from the ceiling, and shelves upon shelves of different jars, books, and boxes. to the right of the door was a table and chairs littered with scrolls and a mortar and pestle, and just past it was a place where the floorboards had been peeled back to expose the stone underneath, and a sort of circular design had been painted down, then surrounded with lit candles. there was a fireplace against the back wall, burning strong and bright up into the chimney. and then she rises into view, peeling herself from the floor next to the circle.

the woman was.. beautiful. one of the most magnificent creatures i think i've ever seen. flowing purple waves of hair that pooled around her shoulders and down her back, matching makeup that just brightened up her pale features, and a thick black choker for contrast. she was wearing a fancy black dress with a high collar and a low neckline, with a slit all the way up the left side of the flowing fabric of her skirt. she had momentarily taken off her classic pointed hat which was that same elegant black, holding it against her chest while she used her other hand to wipe the sweat from her brow.

was this rasmodia..? this absolute stunner was the person sending mysterious letters to my home? why would such a exquisite looking woman want anything to do with me? even if it was to help in some way with the community center and its stupid imaginary rats. she seems like the kind of woman who could get things done. she definitely was the kind of woman to get things done, considering she was making some sort of symbol in the air as the door swings open in front of me.

"ah... come in," she directs, gently waving my companion and i through the doorway as she puts her hat back on. her voice hits my ears and they immediately perk, tail twitching as i resist the urge to start wagging. it was smooth and breathy like a breeze, and hit something right in my gut that i didn't know how to handle. but i know i can't disobey, not when she sounds like that, so i take a few steps into her home and hope that bear follows. he seems to get the memo, trotting ahead of me with significantly less hesitation. he walks right up to rasmodia, stick his snout into her palm as a demand for affection.

yoba, i wish i could do that.