Upon entering the library, Alena led Kazran to the book in question.
Lockedaway as usual, there it was—a book of sign language—one of the many journals and passages that originated from the human realm.
"You want that book?" Kazran emphasized in question. "But why?"
"Shea-Shea, Aunni and Yonna used to study one just like it with me when I was younger. I've missed those times," Alena explained.
"The instructors?" Kazran asked. He wasn't quite sure, but the names were similar.
Alena nodded, "Mmhmm. Aunni and Yonna are like my big sisters... Sheila is as well. Back then, we were always together, but eventually they became busy supplying food for everyone."
Kazran brought his paw to his chin, as his crossed his chest and rested his elbow in the other. Looking over the many dusty books stocked on the secured shelf, he thought about the details he had just learned. Shortly into his thoughts however, something else had caught his eye.
Right there, towards the opposite end of the locked away shelf, was a journal depicting an image of a cat on the spine.
"What's that?" he thought aloud, dropping his paws to his side.
Becoming curious, Alena too looked over what could be seen of the journal inquestion.
"A journal?"
"Why is there a symbol of a cat on it though?" he asked himself curiously.
The two moved over to get a closer look.
"'The Cats Of Our Realm'..." Kazran read off the spine.
The text was small in comparison to the icon, and appeared to be pressed into the leather backing, making it a little difficult to see well from further away.
Alena had moved to the other side of Kazran, repositioning herself to get a peak at the back of the journal.
"'A Deep Dive Into The Evolution Of Feline—'" she had begun to read off.
"The rest is covered," she stated suddenly, "I can't see what it says..."
"A book about cats... Why would something like that be locked away?" Kazran asked rhetorically.
"Maybe it's just old?" Alena theorized.
"Maybe... Still seems a little strange however," Kazran replied.
Alena turned her gaze over to Kazran, blinking at her with a growing interest.
"Maybe we could ask Kenrir for permission to look at it?" she suggested.
"It wouldn't be locked up if there wasn't something really special about it, so while we could ask, I don't believe it would be as simple as asking..." Kazran replied insightfully.
"But what could be so special about it? I can understand the sign book, but why this one?" Alena inquired.
"I don't know, but I must admit, I'd be interested to find out," Kaz replied.
Behind them, Elijah had finally come in from outside, having left the branch he had cowered into at last.
"Meow~!" he mewed in question, curious as to what the two of them were bickering about.
The familiar meow had immediately caught Alena'seyes.
"We're just talking about this book," she explained to him. "It's got an image of a cat on its side, and we're curious about it."
Elijah listened intently, and upon hearing that explanation, he walked over to Alena and leapt up into his harness—perching on her shoulder to get a better look for himself. Alena watched Elijah as he did, and soon was looking back at the journal once again.
"Meoowww..." he mewed, taking his own interest in the journal on display.
Kazran gently nudged Alena's shoulder, pulling her attention back to him.
"Come on, let's go give it a try," he suggested calmly.
Alena agreed, and together the three of them set out from the library to seek out Kenrir.
Meanwhile, in the village...
Isaac could be seen sitting on the roof of Cheiro's hut, just above the back window of the hut.
He was quiet, staring off towards the treetops, deep in thought.
After a moment of sitting in silence, Isaac had lifted his feet, planting them on the roof with his hands gripping the edge. In the next moment, Isaac had taken a deep breath, and jumped off in full force. He soared from the rooftop with ease, catching himself on a large, sturdy branch of the closest tree. Isaac stumbled slightly, his bare foot slipping with crumbled bark. However it took only a moment to correct himself, and in the next moment—he turned up his gaze before leaping up higher into the tree.
Isaac had climbed up towards the top, and holding onto another branch for support, he peered beyond the foliage upon the village. As he had, Isaac scanned over his surroundings, taking a moment to consider what to do next.
Of all that he could see, one thing stood out to Isaac, as he saw a ginger haired with twin tails strolling through the village mainland. She was heading in the direction of the temple grounds, and being the only other person he has seen with such a color, his interest had been peaked.
"Orange hair..." he muttered to himself, watching her passing by.
Our scene shifts to the outside of the treetop—and looking at the tree Isaac was in—we hear a sort of whooshing sound, only a moment before a black cat can be seen leaping from the tree. The cat traveled from treetop to treetop, following along in the same direction as the ginger woman as he closed in. When landing in a tree near her, the cat walked along the firm branch, swishing its tail behind it as it kept watch—walking along from the left, towards the right of our scene.
Tatalia, minding her own, continued making her way up the stone block road. Various single-story buildings were everywhere, and many were covered in vines or moss—some a combination of both. Her feet clacked on the ground with every step, as she had been wearing specially made footwear for her travels.
As the black cat came to the near end of the branch, it leapt across to the right side of the scene, landing in the next tree over. Having a closer look at the woman, the cat was able to notice the color of her eyes, and the quality of her skin. It was all that of the young girl this cat had met in a day prior, all for but a moment.
As Tatalia soon turned off from the main part of the village, Isaac could now tell for certain exactly where the woman was going. He had stopped in his tracks, perched on a branch as Tatalia had turned off to the left. There were no more trees close enough up this trail the woman was taking, that would allow for him to follow the same way he had been.
Tatalia was now heading up the slope that would take her to the temple grounds.
In the next moment, our scene is once again on the outside of the treetop, and in hearing the whooshing sound once more, we then see Isaac dropping from the tree.
This otherwise human boy had risen to his feet, all but landing on all fours as he dropped from the tree. Taking a couple short steps forward, he observed as the ginger haired woman disappeared from view, heading up the slope. His eyes dropped to the ground ahead, the gentle breeze blowing through his black, feather-like hair. The young girl he had met once before—still fresh on his mind.
When Isaac had leapt off the roof of Cheiro's hut, the sound from doing so hadn't gone unnoticed.
Inside, Variann had just entered, and had been carrying Faris within herarms.
Variann's eyes had snapped to the ceiling, towards the back of the hut—but it didn't take her sensitive hearing to notice it though, as Cheiro had heard it as well. Cheiro too turned toward the sound, but Faris had something else entirely, drawing her attention.
"Off again then..." Cheiro muttered to herself.
The hood of Variann's weighted attire shifted slightly, as her oversized, feline ears attempted to perk up at the words under Cheiro's breath.
"Do you have another guest?" Variann casually asked.
Cheiro had turned back around to face Variann, putting aside the boy's departure.
"You could say so. Someone had arrived here pretty well injured not too long ago. He stayed for a few days, but it seems he struggles with waiting in bed for complete recovery," Cheiro explained.
"That sounds like someone else I know," Variann replied.
"Yes, it seems he's taken quite the liking to a girl he arrived with not long ago. He even convinced me to start a dress just for her."
"Oh? Sounds charming," Variann added.
"He's quite a kind young man, and nothing short of a miracle that one."
"'A miracle?'" Variann asked, a bit lost on the description.
Cheiro hadn't explained what she meant by that though, as she had soon noticed Faris goggling at the dress she had put together for Karra's travels, quite intensely. It was the red and black dress, which was on display from the moment they had walked in.
"A good set of eyes you have there dear," Cheiro stated, as she gazed upon Faris, staring at the dress with her doe-eyed glance. "Though it's a bit too large for you I'm afraid... I'm sure you would've fallen into the look beautifully."
Variann was caught a bit surprised by the small girl's seemingly intense interest, and with keeping Faris held in her arms, Variann made the connection between that of the dress.
"Was that for the one who went missing?" Variann asked.
Cheiro nodded, a bit of melancholy threaded in her voice.
"It was... Such a shame it is... The poor dear used to have such a big heart..."
There was a brief pause, as Cheiro had taken a disappointed breath.
"If only I had been able to make it for her sooner..."
Variann's eyes traced repeatedly over the dress, then soon to Faris who hadn't looked away for even a second.
"That's really sad..." Variann said softly, reflecting on Faris's interest with empathy. "Karra... that poor child..."
"Enough of that for now though sweetheart—I believe you wanted to pick something out for the little one here?" Cheiro asked, thoughtfully making a return to their task.
"Ah—yes... Thank you," Variann said softly, giving Cheiro a short bow.
"Right this way dear~" Cheiro spoke kindly, turning away to guide Variann to her display closet.
As Variann followed, Faris's eyes lingered on the red dress, her head turning to keep the dress within her view to the last moment. As the dress went out of view, Faris had immediately turned her large-eyed attention to Variann, as she carried her along. Faris's lips hung parted slightly, still looking upon the world around her in a curious awe as she had from the moment she had awoken.
Cheiro opened up the closet door. Inside, the space was large, and was filled all but to the brim with specially designed clothing of all shapes and sizes. As the village was a civilization consisting solely of nekomata, most of the clothes were dresses with few other attire.
Faris turned her attention over to the closet, and began taking in all that was on display.
The two of them, her and Vari, glanced over everything that was present together.
"Is there anything in here that is befitting of you my dear?" Cheiro asked the two of them kindly.