Chapter 133: Caturday
Jett stirred awake sometime in the afternoon, warm and comfortably embraced by thick blankets. Her personal schedule wouldn’t be dictated by minor details like the sunrise; rest was much too important. She was surrounded by her attendant’s pillows, embedded in the center of the mattress. A big stretch almost lured her back to sleep, but she was disciplined enough to only fall into that temptation once or twice a day. If she slept any longer on this particular afternoon, she might miss her first meal. Food was certainly not an insignificant thing.
The horror of missing a meal had her fully roused and laser focused, ready to start her rounds. She delicately hopped off the mattress to the wooden floor, with a gentle pitter patter of each paw, and squeezed into the darkness beneath the bed. In the crook of the wall, underneath the headboard, she stepped into the darkest of the shadows. For a fleeting moment, she was embraced by a perfect void of complete darkness and absolute silence. With a second step, she reappeared beneath the bar of the Clumsy Shark, in a corner specifically reserved for her Shadow Gate. It was the first portal that she installed upon receiving the skill, more than a month prior.
When she emerged from the cabinet, a bowl was already laid out for her on a padded tray at the end of the bar top. Some of the new attendants were significantly more diligent than #1, but she recognized that he always did his best. Jett was generous enough to appreciate the effort. She only needed to be pampered most of the time and his labors had been satisfactory up to this point.
She noted the tiny blonde human, doing her best to remain undetected within the camouflage of decorative curtains along the wall adjacent to the bar, but Jett instantly identified her steady breathing with her triangulating ears. Otherwise, Jett pretended not to notice, rewarding the child’s genuine efforts. She really was a generous cat.
Instead, she silently hopped up to the bar and enjoyed her breakfast while she planned her visits for the day. There were so many that needed her attention within her territory, but she had to leave enough time for her patrols afterwards. Those that she skipped would need to be patient until their turn arrived.
The little human crept along the floor. She was on her hands and knees, carefully selecting where to place her limbs to avoid alerting the cat by inadvertently pressing on a creaky floorboard. She wanted to sneakily touch Jett’s tail while the cat lapped at the meal, but in the instant before her fingers reached her black fur, Jett’s tail swung out of the way.
“Aww..” The blonde human pouted, realizing she hadn’t had a chance from the start. The game was over and the human consoled herself by petting Jett’s coat for a moment. “Nice kitty,” She cooed, before she recovered her morale and chose her next target. She went to try stealthily ambushing the demon waitress, sliding between booths to await an ambush opportunity. Even Jett had no hope of accomplishing such an ambitious task, but the child was earnestly practicing. Jett approved.
She continued her meal while subtly observing the residents. The bowl of food gave Jett several buffs, improving her resource recovery bonuses temporarily while also extending her rested buffs from a high-quality sleep. While she ate, the handsome bartender came out and took his turn stroking her fur, adding yet another boost to her stacked well-groomed bonus.
Her first attendant had begun his day earlier than normal, so she knew something was in the works, but she had her own responsibilities to tend to. He was a busy human, but he left the nightly patrols to her, and she had to prepare for keeping her territory secure. She supposed it was their territory now, not just hers. Not that it made any practical difference.
After she finished eating, she took another Shadow Gate. This one was hidden beneath a decorative shelf that held a thick hanging fabric away from the corner of the tavern. The gap between the wall and the hanging rug was only wide enough for a cat to slip into. The rest of the visitors to the tavern would never notice the narrow empty space.
Jett reappeared inside an unused cauldron that was tipped over, nestled on its side, and filled with folded blankets to create a small cathouse. She left the comfortable space dedicated specifically to her and entered a room filled with a slightly bitter chemical haze from bubbling kettles sitting upon open flames. Her whiskers tingled pleasantly, but the sensation made her want to wash her face.
She meowed to announce her presence, but only once as befitting her standing. An amorphous blob solidified from bits spread across the room, forming a transparent humanoid that revealed a toothless smile directed toward Jett.