Blood from Stone [AU]

[GamesMaster]

"I cannot ask that of her. I... A person's God is a very personal thing. To ask her to risk her afterlife for me..." Don rubs his face, sighing.

[NPCs]

"Demand, no. Ask... perhaps. Offer..." Cadmus shrugs. "Bharnerol wishes for His people to thrive as well. He would not mind."

[GamesMaster]

"Worshipping another race's creator..." muses Don softly, swirling his drink. It's not entirely unheard of, but it is rare, so excessively rare Don hasn't heard of anyone who's met anyone who has. Only storybooks and adventure tales. It's rare for city folk to cling to a racial deity anyway, let alone convert to one.

[NPCs]

"It would certainly silence a great many naysayers," Cadmus points out evenly. "Hard to say she does not respect us, respect our ways, when she is pledging to follow us past Mileen."

[GamesMaster]

"Will He... Accept her? Does he condemn me for loving her?" Don has never been the most devout, the most trained in the religion. He has always been interested in more secular power.

[NPCs]

"He has not withdrawn his favor," the Keeper says gently. "You have provided more to the Tribe in the last few years than any other has in generations, Adonis Goldenclaw. You serve well. You hunt well. You are loyal and wise, clever and strong. Why would He turn from you? Bharnerol speaks of placing the Tribe first. He has never said that the Tribe cannot be more than cats."

[GamesMaster]

"If the kits are Merikos... The situation changes. She can claim them and join the Tribe, trying to do right by them, keep them in their own culture..."

[NPCs]

"That would make it simpler," Cadmus allows. "Merikos or catcat would be easier to justify. But even human could work, if it was quietly explained that more children were expected under that very understanding. And there are other possible... hmm... offerings I suppose she could make to... make your relationship with her more palatable."

[GamesMaster]

"Such as? If she were in other heats still, perhaps, or I am sure she is willing to tithe...."

[NPCs]

"Other heats would help, a little, yes." I would if she would be willing to do so with Miki? Poor lad could use the sympathetic help. "Tithing for sure, though she already does that with her clinic. Living here, as you mentioned, would be very good. I... There is, though this is perhaps extreme, the route our ancestor did. The one that gained you your title."

[GamesMaster]

Don tenses, swallowing hard. "No," he says, softly but firmly. "That I cannot allow."

[NPCs]

Cadmus hums softly. "I did not realize you could decide things for her. Interesting."

[GamesMaster]

Don growls -- a sound Cadmus hasn't heard since he was a kit. "You do not understand what you are asking. I cannot allow it."

[NPCs]

Cadmus stiffens slightly, about to rebuke the boy but... He is a grown man now, not a kitten. And we are speaking as equals. It is his right. "Then explain."

[GamesMaster]

"Hope Goldclaw died. It is only by grace of the gods that she lived again, a second life in fur. I will never allow that to happen to Beth."