Old Friends

Jinge couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t move his arms or legs. Right, he remembered that he’d been impaled. It was a shame to wake up after that; dying slowly is such a drag. A misplaced, rhythmic vibration greeted his ears. It was a familiar sound, humming in and out. He thought he would feel lighter before he died, maybe even feel his soul start to drift away from his body. Instead he felt like he was getting crushed, and he felt surprisingly warm. This was because a large cat was sitting on his chest, purring.

“Sol?” he tried to say. Barely any sound came out. Sol blinked her gold-green eyes. The cat had her face an inch from his, staring at him for who knows how long with her paws tucked under her chin. Jinge tried to speak again, but Sol only meowed and stuck her paw in his eye.

“Stupid cat!” Jinge’s limbs finally moved, and he lifted his hand to rub his eye. Sol jumped off of his chest. Finally able to breathe a little, Jinge looked around and saw that they were in some sort of cave, but it was open to the air. The red and orange hues of a sunset covered the sky in the horizon.

“So you are alive after all, eh?” Jinge turned his head to see a goblin sitting some feet away, sharpening a knife. The goblin put it down and walked over to check the bandage wrapped around Jinge’s chest. “Alive and healing nicely. Good.”

“Did you save my life?” Jinge asked, frowning.

“So what if I did? What is it to you?”

“Weren’t you supposed to roast my flesh on a spit and eat it the next time you saw me?”

“I’m not hungry today.” he shrugged.

Jinge tried to sit up, which was a bad idea. “How did you even know I was hurt?”

The goblin jerked his head in Sol’s direction. “She insisted I follow her. For some reason she didn’t want to attract attention by carrying you herself.”

Jinge narrowed his eyes while Sol shoved her head into the palm of his hand. “How would she possibly carry me on her own?”

“I’m not stupid, brother.” the goblin felt the knife edge with his thumb. “But I understand why you feel the need to keep her a secret.”

“She’s not--”

“What? Not a monster in disguise like you?”

“I’m too tired to argue with such a bonehead.” Jinge sighed.

His brother (in goblin terms, anyone with the same blood is called a brother. He and Jinge didn't share the same parents) laughed. “You and your sire both have strange taste when it comes to pets.”

“Don’t compare me to him.” Jinge put an arm over his eyes.

“Didn’t the faeries jail you because of what she did? There was such an uproar, even we heard about it.”

“No one knows what really happened.” he said through gritted teeth.

“Except you and her, of course. Here's to a loyal pair of outcasts.”

“Why are you still here?”

The goblin sheathed the knife and tucked it into his belt. “I don’t care for the white-maned faery. Killing you is my job, not his. But the balance of the two worlds is important to me. I know of your influence over the new king, and that you’ll see to it that he keeps the balance right where it is. Think of this as your debt to me.”

“Then I’ll skip my thanks, and say that I hope we never meet again.”

“The feeling’s mutual.” the goblin stood up and gestured towards Sol. “I wouldn’t like to be on her bad side, anyhow.” He climbed out of the cave, and faded into the shadows.

The sunset slowly changed into dusk. Jinge looked down at Sol, and scratched around her ears. The beast looked anxious.

I’m sorry. she said, quietly as a thought in his head.

You don’t have to apologize. Jinge replied.

But I never did, even after you found out what I was. I thought I was protecting you. And I failed, in the end.

Jinge ran his thumb up the orange stripe on her nose. I’m still alive, aren’t I?

Sol purred again and curled up beside him, half sitting on his arm.

How are the kittens? Jinge asked.

They’re four years old now, silly. Most of them are living with humans and getting fat.

And they’re just normal cats, right?

So far.  

Where are we?

In the mountains. I used to live here, before I met you. She was silent for a moment. Are you going to go kill him back?

I might have to.

Do you want me to help?

No! I told you, don’t kill anyone again.

Her claws dug into his arm for an instant, but let go. You’re almost healed, but you’re not well enough to fight. Don’t be stupid.

Jinge sighed. She was right about that. And there would be nothing to stop Brand from just killing him again if Sol didn’t come along.

It’s almost night. I’ll go catch us some dinner. She got up and stretched.

Nothing too big, okay?

What, not hungry enough for a whole cow this time? she flicked her tail and hopped onto the rocky edge of the cave.

           “Sol,” he said out loud. She paused and looked at him. “I have to go anyway. If I can’t fight, I at least have to be the distraction. Besides,” he found himself grinning. “I’d like to see the look on Brand’s face when I suddenly come back from the dead.”