Chapter Text
“When the cards foretold your visit, it had been the first time I’ve ever doubted them.”, Clauneck’s voice spoke up before Narinder even had a chance to come into full view. The former God’s tail flicking in agitation, already despising the fact he’d come here, “you’re quite vocal of your distain of my methods, and yet desperation brought you here,”, the owl spoke proudly, no doubt enjoying the scowl that decorated the black cat’s features, “regrettably, the cards warned of their inability to truly help you.”
“Terrific. Quite the grand opening.”, Narinder deadpanned, visibly annoyed. He’d stopped barely two steps into the clearing, debating on just turning around and accepting that the idea had been doomed to fail from the start. And that’s not even mentioning being idiotic. “A waste of time, then.”, the cat grumbled quietly under his breath, hand reaching up to grasp the bridge of his nose.
“Hm,”, Clauneck hummed, placing down three cards regardless. “Out of curiosity, what had been your question?”
“I wanted to know where the Lamb is.”, Narinder admitted reluctantly, looking up towards the grand bird.
“Ah yes. The tower yearning for the adventurer’s visit.”, Clauneck spoke cryptically, touching each of the placed cards delicately, as though a touch could cause them to fall apart.
“…what?”, Narinder asked with genuine confusion. Clauneck only waving a dismissive hand.
“Never mind that,”, they assured, “just a reading I’ve done some time ago.”
“Alright?”, the cat’s brows furrowed in further confusion, yet ultimately, the bishop sighed, “but are you able to answer my question?”
“Perhaps,”, the bird hummed some more, gently patting a part of the purple carpet, urging the cat to sit down. Although it took an elongated moment of thought, the former God did as instructed.
The surface had been incredibly soft. Suspiciously soft.
“Rephrasing your question may provide results.”, the owl offered with a gentle shrug, sitting up straighter once all cards were placed perfectly parallel to each other.
“Fine,”, the cat sighed, thinking for a moment before speaking up again, “Is the Lamb safe? When will they return?”
Wordlessly, the large bird nodded. Clauneck turned the first card, revealing the picture side of it. The card showcased a top and a bottom, one bathed in sunlight and the other drowned in moonlight. A figure was stepping out of the light as means of reaching the darkness. Narinder furrowed his brows, all the while Clauneck hummed thoughtfully.
“Travel and exploration. A change of sides, a change of scenery. A forest bathed in morning light may differ in appearance to when bathed in darkness- despite being the one and the same.”, the owl nodded.
Narinder blinked dumbly. He then furrowed his brows in confusion.
“So they’re here?”
“Or someplace else.”, Clauneck nodded enthusiastically, as though his words hadn’t contradicted Narinder’s conclusion. The cat barely stopped himself from groaning.
“How does that help me?”
The owl sighed, in a way that suggested Narinder had been the problem.
“Second card.”, Clauneck ignored the offence that crossed Narinder’s features easily, flipping the other card and raising his other hand, urging the cat to remain quiet.
Narinder growled lowly, the sound threatening, ears pinning back. Still he’d obediently remained silent. His red eyes looked back down to the cards reluctantly.
Perhaps what Clauneck meant had been that the Lamb was somewhere familiar. That they were safe, in a place known well to them. Maybe the Lamb simply strode further than they usually would with the Goat, exploring places they’d longed to visit.
Did the Lamb ever visit their old home? Did they ever wish to return to where their family used to live?
The second card depicted a grand, tall mountain. A long, wavering river meandered from the tip all the way to the valley. At one side of the river, a bird drank contently, at the other, however, a small mouse struggled against the current of water.
“A changing current. Undetermined power flows through it, whether it quenches your thirst or drowns you in its depths is difficult to determine. To move a mountain takes time. As it does to carve it like the meandering streams of a river. Grand tasks require time- but simultaneously, the mountain will remain. It will not move on its own, as such, why should we hurry to relocate it?”, Clauneck ended his reading with the question, humming thoughtfully as though intrigued by it.
Narinder began to feel like a broken record, endlessly tempted to just ask ‘what?’ Over and over. Instead, however, the cat opted to tsk, crossing his sore hands over his broad chest.
“That’s a rather convoluted way of saying that you do not know.”, the black cat challenged, basking in the way Clauneck’s feathers bristled just a fraction in growing annoyance. Even back when he’d still been a God, Narinder rarely passed up an opportunity to get under the owl’s skin.
“Wherever the Lamb may be, they’re doing something important.”, Clauneck answered, causing the cat to raise a brow.
“I thought you were not to interpret my reading.”, the cat challenged once more, the large bird before him opening and closing his beak before sighing.
The owl shook their head, tapping the last card with the tip of his finger.
Narinder looked down at the action, at the silent question, before turning to look back up at the bird, blinking lazily.
“That’s all I came to ask.”, the cat stated simply, deciding now would be an appropriate moment to stand, the owl’s hand rose quickly up in alarm, however, ushering the black feline to stay. Narinder rose a questioning brow, yet despite all logic remained seated, opting to hear Clauneck out on whatever they wanted to say. Despite lingering, Narinder still made sure to give the bird a good glare, as though the former God had been dismayed greatly by the interruption.
Narinder always enjoyed making others squirm and hurry. It made them more prone to mistakes. To being sloppy in their execution.
“Say, Narinder,”, Clauneck hummed thoughtfully towards the annoyed cat, smile quirking their lips, “why not ask something unconventional.”, the bird suggested, eyes glinting in unfamiliar mischief, “If you do not believe in the fortune of cards, what’s the harm in asking that which you wonder most often?”
Narinder furrowed his brows once more, looking up at the bird.
“What do you mean?”, the cat asked cautiously, the owl quick to shrug.
“I shan’t put words in your mouth,”, the bird hummed, “think, my friend. What bothers you most as of late?”
Narinder remained quiet for a moment, thinking. What bothered him most? What were the limitations on what he could ask? Ultimately, what he’d ask would be meaningless, anyhow, as Clauneck was a fraud.
Yet still, a single thought did eventually floated up to the forefront of Narinder’s mind unapologetically.
“Why…”, there was a moment of hesitance. Narinder’s ears flicking backwards in embarrassment. What a stupid question. “Why do I feel like this around them?”, the question was barely above a whisper, as though quietly hoping Clauneck wouldn’t pick it up.
The owl’s expression quirked upwards in a knowing, amused smile. They reached out wordlessly towards the final card, turning it gently. The card was of a centred deer skull, with a dark, looming, hooded figure behind it. A symbolic scythe glinted dangerously behind them. Notably, from within the skull’ eye sockets, bloomed beautiful, red flowers.
“Ah, death,”, Clauneck hummed, looking over the card, “how fitting. Seems death follows you even beyond Godhood. Do not fret, however, as death is not always a bad thing.”
“I’m aware of that,”, Narinder spoke venomously, “assure me not, simply read what you see, bird.”
“Patience, my friend. Have you not been known as ‘the One Who Waits’ in the past?”, Clauneck asked smugly, yet cleared his throat all the same, “no matter. In this context, death means change. One thing wilting so that the grounds become nourished, ensuring another thing may grow and flourish.”, the owl hummed, Narinder’s ears quick to pin back in annoyance.
“Speak plainly, how does this relate to me?”, the black cat asked, annoyed. The large bird tsked, tapping the card under his fingertips.
“Think, Narinder. It is not for me to interpret your reading. Your inability to comprehend is not an issue of my doing.”, Clauneck’s feathers ruffled lightly, yet before Narinder could snap back in annoyance, they continued. “Do you wish to know the reading or not? Are you not curious?”
Narinder bit his tongue, glaring at the bird yet remaining quiet.
“That’s what I thought,”, the bird spoke smugly once more, clearing his throat again, “but yes, death is but natural progression-“
Narinder barely stopped himself from interjecting. Both him and the Lamb would disagree with that conclusion.
“-meaning you shouldn’t fear it. Death can relate to the physical body, but it can also refer to the soul. Feelings. Or, perhaps even more accurately, opinions. Experiences shape us, so letting individual parts of us die and return reborn and unfamiliar may be difficult, but it’s a necessary and good change… Most of the time.”, Clauneck nodded to himself, looking down to find Narinder utterly unamused.
What was the takeaway? That Narinder’s hate shrivelled up pathetically and turned into an even more pathetic adoration?
Narinder stood up to his feet silently, very visibly peeved at the reading. He didn’t need an oversized bird to belittle him. Or to jest at the cat’s expense. Clauneck watched the cat’s movements carefully, tilting his head as though his reading had not been concluded yet.
“I do admit, the cards were right in one regard.”, Narinder spoke up, filling his voice with just a twinge of fake awe, looking up at the owl with an unreadable expression. Clauneck visibly perked at the former God’s words, expression turning distrustful.
“Is that so?”
“Yes,”, the black cat nodded, turning on his feet and taking steps back into the brush of the familiar forest, “they didn’t help me at all.”
At that, Clauneck could only sigh. He should have expected as much. The owl had to commend the Lamb’s saint-like patience when it came to the oblivious cat.
