Planning A New Life

by Mr. David R. Dorrycott

the usual suspects copyright Mr. Simon Barber and Mr. Freddy Andersson

Priestess Oharu Wei was carving again. This time it was a replacement for a section of broken column. Though in all truth her skills were not fully up to the task of rebuilding a temple from the ancient days, there was no other fur available for the task. Thus she had thrown herself into such work these last three days, after having been informed by the Great Mother as to Molly Cabot ne Procyk’s fate. It had burned the mouse’s heart, to know that the doe she loved so greatly was no more. Not simply dead, for then she could pray to the departed soul. Still hope to serve her for some time upon her own death. But gone, as the Spring breeze is when the snows came. A memory, nothing more.

Great Mother Saimmi had brought the doe now called Miss Cabot to Oharu’s little Glen. Brought her because of all of Spontoon’s daughters, the mouse’s skills, knowledge and training were unmatched. It had taken the Priestess only minutes to confirm the horrible truth. Of Molly Procyk, there was nothing. Her memories appeared to remain untouched, at least from questions later given the new Miss Cabot such seemed to be the truth. That though which was Molly. Her personality. Her soul. It was gone. It had burned the mouses heart to know this. And know that nothing she could have done would have changed the doe’s fate. Though this horrid warning would allow her to protect her daughter in law.

So they had taken the doe away. Taken her back to Songmark, where her final fate remained. Oharu though had thrown herself into her carving, leaving all other things behind. In doing so she had now completed almost a months normal work. And yet there was so much more to do. Perhaps a lifetimes work for one small mouse. A mouse who’s soul cried out for her loss, and her foolish belief that leaving Molly to her own devices had been the correct choice.

“I should have pursued her” Oharu whispered, not meaning for any other to hear. “I should have ignored her threats. Should have proven to her that I would never force her into anything. She deserved so much more.” She paused, looking up into the skies above her. “What great evil did she ever do to deserve such a fate. Tell me, please.”

“You would truly wish to know my daughter” a well known felines voice asked from behind Oharu. Oharu turned, seeing who was there and bowed, her forehead striking rock chips laying upon the ground.

“Great Mother” she responded, her plump lips just a fingers width from that stone dust. “How may I serve you.”

“Answer the question my daughter” High Priestess Saimmi answered, noting that both of her priestess’s apprentices were hurrying for fresh water, and to clean the visiting area. “Knowing the cost of such an answer.”

Oharu did not raise her head when she answered, her furred tail remained flat behind her, draped over the partially carved stone that she had been working on. “It is not my place” she answered. “To know the why of a destiny. Only to accept it.”

“This is Spontoon my child” the younger feline corrected. “Not Cipangu. You may know the why, but do you truly wish too?”

“No Great Mother” the mouse answered after a period of thought. “It would change nothing.”

“That is a good answer. Now stand my daughter and brush yourself off. I must need delve deeply into that knowledge youhave brought with you. Ah, Nuimba brings fresh water, which we both need. Do we not my child?”

It came to the mouse that she truly was thirsty. Had probably been thirsty for some time. “Yes Great Mother” she admitted. Standing in a fluid move that made her seem boneless she brushed herself off, stone particles cascading to the ground in a soft rattle, while dust drifted away in the light breeze. She hardly reacted as Saimmi stepped closer, brushing her face and braided hair clear of particles as well.

It was when they were alone again that Saimmi unleashed her great bombshell. “You could return Molly, as she was before she left” the feline stated. It was not a question they both knew, but a statement.

“Yes Great Mother. I could“ Oharu agreed. “Were I one to murder. I cannot, no matter the cost.”

“I believe that I know the why, but I would hear it from your own lips my dearest daughter.” Leaning back against a soft barked tree Saimmi smiled behind her flat expression. “I will listen. Perhaps learn.”

Nodding in agreement, Oharu finished her fifth cup of water. She had truly not realized how thirsty she was, or how hard she had been pushing her own body. “Molly has been cast away. She can not be returned. Not by less than a God, if then. A new person has grown since then, Miss Cabot. She is as much a living person as I am, or you, or anyone. To return Molly to her body would require casting out Miss Cabot. That would be murder, as much as though I placed my blade into Nuimba’s heart. This I cannot do, no matter the cost. I cannot kill.”

Saimmi sipped her own drink, her tail flicking only slightly at these words. For they were the words that she had expected. “Tell me daughter. As your Molly is gone, how could you return her to her body. Were it empty. You admit that you are not a Goddess, which pleases me to know.”

“Great Mother” Oharu whispered softly. “I.. In the time of the Marsh Typhus.”

“I am well versed in that time. Being as I was there” the feline reminded her Priestess needlessly. “You will go to the meat of this matter?”

A smile touched the mouse’s eyes before she continued. “When the time came. When I was certain that Molly would die. I caused us to become one. I placed am image of myself into her soul, that I would forever be with her. And an image of her into my soul, that she would always be with me. It was selfish, I claim fevered exhaustion for making that choice. I wished to be certain that we would be together in the next life. Thus I bonded us as one, for a short time.”

“Your claim, and you will stick to it no matter the evidence” Saimmi continued, a smile dancing in her eyes. “Your bonding. It ended when you were certain that she would live?”

Oharu nodded yes. “In the hospital, when they thought I was sleeping. I withdrew my own self from Molly’s mind. Had I not, she would have woken so deeply in desire for me that nothing I could have done would have released her. I would have had her, but at such a cost that I could not accept.”

“Yet you did not release her fully, did you.”

Oharu looked directly into her superiors eyes. “No more than any woman could release the love of their life” she answered. “I broke no law, I harmed her not at all. She is within me, a part of my life now. Great Mother, I have stepped beyond the mindless need of her love. I still love her yes, I will always love her. For she is my first love. Belle now hold my heart, and my name. She is my wife, and I will bear her pups. As many as she wishes. Proudly. But I will always visit Molly, and upon my death she will be free again. As free as such a dark soul may be.”

Saimmi stepped away from the tree, looking down at the older mouse who still held her eyes upon her. “I would have done the same” she finally admitted. “You are right, and you broke no laws. No customs. But Molly’s friends will need her. Not today, but they will need her. Tell me my most powerful daughter. Given a body empty of mind. Could you place this image of Molly’s mind within it?”

“With help from Priestess Urako yes. It would be a waste of effort Great Mother. For without her memories, she will be nothing but a baby. She would have to grow up again. Though the soul would be Molly, the adult would be nothing like the original.”

Walking a few feet away Saimmi waited as Ote’he replaced their empty water bowl, leaving behind a small bowl of cut fruit with the fresh water. Oharu had done her duty well with these two. She wondered briefly how Tehepoa was doing with the Wild Priest who had taken him for advanced training. He would never be a Wild Priest, for they forsook all things female, and Tehepoa was madly in love with Ote’he. This was, she reminded herself, an odd grouping. “Were this new Molly be willing. Could you copy the memories within her mind to another body?”

“I have never done so” Oharu admitted. “It has been done, I would have to study. I would need aid. Urako certainly. Perhaps even Miss Devinski, as she knew Molly and is your equal. Great Mother, why these questions?”

Hiding a smile the younger feline turned to face she who served her most loyally, and continued to surprise her. “There is a mindless body on Main Island. A Chinese Snow Leopard. I have looked into her future most deeply. If she is permitted to continue her life as it is, she will be dead in two years. There are no paths out of that fate for this one. Yet, by placing within her fate Molly’s mind, she will live a long and fruitful life.”

“She will still hate me” the mouse reminded her superior.

“That is unknown daughter” Saimmi corrected her older servant. “No one may know what changes have occurred to her while within your own soul. She may have changed, she may not. Only the Gods know this truth. I must know, if Miss Cabot will allow the ritual you must do to copy her memories into another body. Will you surrender your greatest treasure?”

Oharu stood, yet another cup of water in her paws. “Great Mother. Yes. I will be honored to return my first love to this world. I will surrender my greatest treasure for such a thing.”

Saimmi nodded, stepping toward her servant. “I will speak with my daughter Amelia before she leaves. Perhaps this may be done, but she is leaving very soon. Talking Miss Cabot with her. You will have time to prepare. My daughter, this is a test. Not of you, her or any involved. But to see if this can be done. There are so many shattered children for various reasons. To have the hope of bringing them back, or giving them a new mind...”

“Such as the American Crystal?’

Saimmi laughed sharply. “She is what the Gods wished her to be. She will be a slave all her life, and most happy being so. Her next life as well. No my daughter. I refer to those like Molly. They are rare, but they are. This is a test I would never wish to have available, but would be failing my people if I did not grasp.”

“I will prepare” the mouse promised. “May I ask one thing in payment?”

Saimmi nodded yes. “Certainly. What is your payment Oharu.”

“This is personal, I will speak of it to no one. Ever. Who attracts you Great Mother. Males, or females.”

Saimmi, High Priestess of Spontoon, looked upon her servant in stunned surprise. “Why you little...” She sighed, stepping close enough to place her lips against the mouses delicate ears. Then, so softly none but the mouse could hear, she answered that question. Finished she stepped back. “Should you fail in this task” she warned.

“You will have a mouse coat to wear when it is cold” Oharu finished. “I accept.”

“Until the time comes, and we shall see if Molly can accept her new body. Sleep well my daughter.”

“Yes Great mother, I shall.” Oharu watched as Spontoon’s high priestess departed the Great Stone Glen, amused at the answer she had been given. It was information that she would go to her grave with. Still, it was awfully fun to know.