cat story, part 2

[falcongrrl]

Step, STEP, step, STEP; my tail swishing to the inaudible beat.



“Halt right there,” a voice said.

I did stop, just as the voice had asked, and looked around.

I didn’t know what I was looking for exactly. I didn’t smell or hear any signs of life nearby. And it pains me to record how quickly I complied with the stated request. It’s not in my nature to respond to orders--merely to give them.

But it’s not often a disembodied voice speaks to me in the middle of an abandoned park, either.

“Who goes there?” I asked. No bonus points for originality, to be sure.

“I’m asking the questions around here,” the voice said.

I couldn’t think of much to say to that. I did wonder, briefly, if something had happened to my mind; though it’s not usual for a feline mind to malfunction in the way that human minds occasionally will.

Human minds take a small bit of information and transform it into a significant amount. Take my front right paw for instance. In human, there are names for each of its parts, the materials they are made from, and the types, textures, and colors of fur.

In contrast, in our feline language we have only the one word: paw. And it is not because we are less intelligent, as humans ordinarily assume. It is because we cats concern ourselves with the information that is relevant to the task or concept at hand, and no more.

So when we are confronted by something new, like, for instance, a voice appearing out of nowhere, a feline will first react by doing whatever seems appropriate. After that, we might think, “Here is a new situation. Interesting.” But a human mind cannot bear the tension between the information it has and the information it was not expecting. This is why we do not speak to our pets in English, ever, if we have any sense. It would drive them mad.

But I have spent enough time around humans, perhaps, to have picked up some of their mannerisms and thought patterns. So when I heard the voice from out of nowhere, it did briefly cross my mind to think that something was misaligned in my brain, that--like the pets of the incompetent--perhaps I had succumbed to something approaching madness.

“Cat got your tongue?” the voice said, laughing at its little joke.

I was not amused.

“I have a cat’s tongue, yes,” I began. “Pray tell me what sort of tongue you yourself have, as I cannot seem to ascertain your scent.”

“I’m a silver-tongued devil,” the voice said, adding, “No, actually it may be more of a bronze alloy.”

The word bronze caught my ear, as it seemed appropriately applied to a rather large statue resting perhaps five metres away.

“Coincidentally, there is a bronze figure resting not far from my location,” I said. “Might that be you?” This last I asked rather tentatively, emitting a rather high pitched reowr at the end of the sentence. I’m not sure why.

“Yes,” the voice confirmed. “And my proper description is ‘cenotaph,’ not ‘figure.’ A figure is ordinary. Cenotaphs are distinguished. We mark the passage of special humans who have died.”

“Are you not what is known as a tombstone or grave marker, then?” I asked. Already I was adapting my mind, my thoughts to fit the situation at hand, for this is how we engage with the world.

Comments

[ladymerri.livejournal.com]

This is NEAT! Keep going! :)

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

*mew*

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

A very prim and proper kitty, our narrator.

[ladyperegrine.livejournal.com]

I know. :-) And it takes him forever to tell a story.

It's just as well, considering that I'm not sure where the story's going.

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

As a rule, an enchanted or otherwise unusual object begins speaking only if it wants something - perhaps there is information that must be said or gotten, perhaps something is out of order and needs to be repaired, perhaps it is lonely and wishes company, or perhaps it just likes the sound of its own voice, but this seems unlikely in this case because otherwise people would have noticed the talking cenotaph!

[ladyperegrine.livejournal.com]

As a rule, an enchanted or otherwise unusual object begins speaking only if it wants something

*giggles*

Couldn't the same be said of *any* speaker, whether unusual or ordinary?

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

No, a lot of people talk because they haven't learned to be quiet. ('gryn)

[ladyperegrine.livejournal.com]

That wouldn't fall under the 'likes the sound of his/her own voice' category?

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

Nope, it falls under the 'they forgot to close their mouths when thinking' category. *ynnocent look*