Chương 14: Squirrel Gods and Sacred Bonds

The cabin buzzed with the chaos of renovation. Workers hammered away as they muttered about a raccoon accessibility program, or RAP as they called it. However, all of that faded into background noise compared to the bombshell Tala had just dropped.

"And he's my husband." Her words hung in the air like a joke I didn't get the punchline to. The entire room had gone silent except for the distant hammering. Everyone was staring at Tala with expressions ranging from shock to confusion. Kathy and Alder stood frozen. Their jaws were wide-open. Pierre scratched his head, probably still processing the fact that there was a talking squirrel. As for Shelly, she gripped her broom tighter and shot me a look that clearly said, Explain this, now.

I choked on a popcorn kernel. Through my watery eyes, I could see Tala perched on the table, casually tossing that cucumber piece from paw to paw. Waiting for someone to break the silence, I tried to play it cool despite still coughing. Kathy's eyes narrowed. Her silver-streaked bun practically radiated suspicion.

"And who are you?" she asked Tala. Tala puffed up her chest proudly, "I'm Trigitala, descendant of Ratatoskr." Kathy's eyes narrowed. Then, as if the words were being pulled from her like teeth, she added, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Great Spirit." Her entire demeanor had changed. The skeptical evaluator was gone. Instead, it was replaced by someone who recognized genuine divine lineage when she saw it. That's my girl, I thought, thoroughly pleased to see Kathy having to bow her head a little.

That was before I heard Kathy tell Tala it was a pleasure to meet her. Then I was annoyed again. Kathy turned to look at me.

"You're not surprised by Ratatoskr's lineage?" Her voice was sharp, like she'd caught me pocketing cosmic secrets. Alder leaned forward. His usual calm druid vibe cracked with intrigue.

"Most would be in awe," he said quietly.

"The fact that you're not..." I blinked. My tail twitched nervously. Should I be? Am I missing something important here?

"Uh, yeah, cool squirrel heritage. Good for her," I said. I popped another kernel and tried to look nonchalant. Tala's mental voice exploded in my head like an indignant firecracker. Cool? I'm tied to the World Tree, you idiot! Show some respect! But it was Kathy's reaction that really caught my attention. Her gaze hardened. She studied me like I was a puzzle she was determined to solve.

"That nonchalance," she said slowly.

"It's almost... divine. You're holding back, aren't you?" Pierre snorted. Muttered under his breath, "Trickster vibes." I groaned internally. I'm not hiding anything! I just don't know what's going on!

"Look," I said. I raised my paws in what I hoped was a calming gesture.

"I honestly don't know what you're all expecting from me. Yesterday I was a dead prepper, today I'm a talking raccoon with a Norse squirrel sidekick. I'm just trying to keep up." Kathy stepped closer. Her boots clicked on the hardwood like a countdown timer.

"Ratatoskr is no mere squirrel," she said. Her voice dropped to that tone teachers use when they're about to unveil something they think will blow your mind.

"Ratatoskr is the messenger of Yggdrasil, the World Tree. In Norse mythology, he runs messages between the eagle at the crown and the serpent at the roots. He sows discord with every word. He's a chaos-stirrer, a divine instigator. Tala's bloodline carries that legacy." My brain clicked, half-remembering some information from that mythology podcast. Oh, I'd forgotten that part. The tree-climbing gossip. I can see why she likes tricksters.

"And…," I said. I tried to sound like I'd known all along and wasn't impressed. Tala chittered with indignation. Her mental voice was sharp as a blade. Gossip? I'm a divine conduit, trash panda! To emphasize her point, she lobbed the cucumber chunk at my head. I ducked. It sailed past me to splat against the wall behind my recliner. The workers glanced over at the vegetable projectile but otherwise seemed completely unfazed. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

Alder's eyes glinted with something that looked like impressed recognition.

"Her mana aura is exceptional," he said. He studied Tala with newfound respect.

"Few descendants carry such potency." Kathy nodded. I swear she almost bowed to Tala before turning to me.

"A Child of Ratatoskr is a rare ally. You're very fortunate." Her tone made it clear she thought I was some kind of trickster god playing dumb. Maybe she thought I was carefully collecting divine allies like Pokemon cards. You hear that, furball? Tala sent me a message. I could tell she was eating up the compliment like a sweet.

"You're lucky." I scratched behind my ear. I felt increasingly exasperated.

"Fortunate? She's been throwing produce at me since we met. If this is fortune, I'd hate to see what bad luck looks like." Tala's mental laugh was sharp and smug. You deserve it, kit. Maybe if you showed proper respect. Pierre chuckled, clearly enjoying the show. But Shelly's frown deepened. Her grip on the broom tightened. I could practically see the gears turning in her head. Great. Now they all think I'm some mythic mastermind orchestrating trickster spirit alliances.

"Can we maybe focus on the part where she can actually talk?" Shelly said. Her voice cut through the mythology lesson.

"Because that seems like a pretty big deal."

"It is," Kathy said. Her attention shifted back to Tala.

"Most descendants of divine messengers retain the ability to communicate, but few choose to reveal it to mortals. The fact that she's speaking openly suggests..." She trailed off. Her eyes flicked to me meaningfully.

"Suggests what?" I asked, though I wasn't sure I wanted to know.

"That she recognizes you as someone worth revealing herself to," Alder said quietly.

"Divine messengers don't waste their words on the unworthy." Tala preened. Her tail fluffed with pride. Finally, someone who understands my value.

"Or," Pierre added with a grin, "she's just protective of her husband." The cucumber chunk that hit him in the face was launched with supernatural accuracy. He yelped as he stumbled backward. Tala chittered with satisfaction. Shelly cleared her throat.

"Going back to the 'husband' thing. What exactly does that mean?" Tala's tail flicked with satisfaction.

"Where I come from, companion bonds last until death, so a husband would be the closest comparison."

'We're not married!" I protested. Tell that to the bond, kit. Her mental voice was smug. You accepted me as your companion. That's a sacred vow in my culture. I was still thinking about this when one of the workers, Derek, approached Alder.

"Sir, we've got the basic accessibility modifications mapped out. The reinforced doors will take another day, but we can have the bathroom safety features and kitchen aids installed by tonight. The rest we can finish the next day."

"Good," Alder said. Then he turned to me.

"Anything specific you need for the full moon gathering?" I blinked.

"Besides not embarrassing myself?"

"Transportation," Kathy said practically.

"You'll need to travel to the meeting site. We can provide a carrier, or..." Is she talking about a car or an animal carrier?

"I can handle my own transportation," I said. Then I paused.

"Actually, where is this meeting?"

"The old stone circle on Whitmore Ridge," Kathy said.

"About twenty miles north. Its sacred ground and considered neutral territory for all supernatural communities." Twenty miles in my current form might as well be twenty thousand.

"Okay, maybe I do need that ride," I admitted. Shelly stepped forward.

"I'll drive him. If he's going to this meeting, he shouldn't go alone." There's my girl, I thought. My tail did a happy twitch. Tala glared at me though so I quickly grabbed my tail and physically stopped it from moving. Pierre's expression darkened slightly.

"The gathering can be... intense. Maybe someone with more experience…"

"I'm going," Shelly said firmly, cutting him off.

"Abe's my neighbor, and I'm not letting him face this alone." Tala's mental voice carried an edge of approval. I like her spirit. She's not backing down from the wolf. Still, I could tell that her approval was grudging. I also knew she wasn't about to let me go without her. Kathy looked between Shelly and Pierre. Clearly sensing the undercurrent of tension.

"Very well. But you'll both need to understand, this isn't just a social gathering. There will be beings there who remember when humans worshipped them. Show proper respect."

"Noted," I said. I grabbed another popcorn kernel.

"Don't offend the ancient powers. Got it." The hammering resumed. It was louder now as more workers joined the effort. Through the window, I could see others setting up equipment around the cabin's perimeter. I watched my quiet prepper sanctuary being transformed into some kind of supernatural command center. This is weird. Tala hopped closer. Her mental voice was softer than usual. You're handling it better than most would, kit. Maybe there's hope for you yet. I looked around the room.

Kathy had a calculating look. Alder gave me a respectful nod. Pierre wasn't even paying attention to me. He was too busy looking at Shelly. As for the workers, they were turning my cabin into a fortress. That was probably good though. At least I wasn't facing the end of the world alone. Even if my backup included a sarcastic Norse squirrel with a throwing arm that could shame a major league pitcher.

'Words shape fate,' Azeban had said. I just hoped I'd have the right words when the time came to use them. And maybe a helmet, in case Tala decided to upgrade from cucumbers to something with more aerodynamic properties. She'd already knocked me out once already. Also, where the hell is my old body and how did I end up married?