章 7: The Village’s Reaction
By the time Lennox and the cat returned to Eldenwood, the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows over the village. Lennox's legs ached, his boots were caked in mud, and the strange key he'd retrieved from the Grove of Echoes hummed faintly in his pocket.
The cat, perched comfortably on his shoulder, looked as pristine and unbothered as ever. Lennox had given up trying to make sense of it.
As they walked through the village square, a few of the locals turned to stare. Lennox couldn't tell if they were impressed, amused, or just baffled. After all, it wasn't every day you saw a boy tromping through town with a black cat sitting regally on his shoulder, like some sort of budget adventurer.
"Lennox!" called a familiar voice.
He turned to see Elara weaving through the market stalls toward him, her sea serpent gliding gracefully behind her, its shimmering scales catching the last light of the day. Elara looked every bit the hero-in-training, her long braid swinging behind her as she jogged up.
"Where have you been?" she asked, her voice full of curiosity. "You disappeared after the ceremony."
"I, uh…" Lennox scratched the back of his neck, glancing at the cat, who was busy cleaning its paw like it hadn't just taken down a shadow wolf. "I had to deal with something."
Elara raised an eyebrow. "Deal with what? You look like you wrestled a pig."
"Close," Lennox muttered. "Let's just say the Grove of Echoes is… not as scenic as advertised."
"The Grove of Echoes?" Elara's eyes widened. "You went there? Alone?"
"Well, not alone," Lennox said, jerking his thumb toward the cat. "I had this with me."
Elara blinked at the cat, then back at Lennox. "Your cat led you into the Grove of Echoes?"
"Pretty much." Lennox sighed. "And guess what? There was a giant shadow wolf that nearly turned me into lunch. Fun times."
Elara looked skeptical. "And you… survived?"
"Barely," Lennox admitted. "Actually, the cat did most of the work."
At this, Elara burst out laughing. "Your cat? Lennox, come on. I've seen it nap through most of the day. What did it do, purr the wolf into submission?"
Lennox glared at her. "No, it fought the wolf. With glowing claws and everything. It was—look, I know it sounds crazy, but it happened!"
The cat flicked its tail, looking vaguely offended by Elara's laughter. It leapt gracefully from Lennox's shoulder to the ground, sitting down with an air of supreme dignity.
Elara wiped a tear from her eye. "Alright, alright. If you say so. But seriously, why did you even go to the grove?"
Lennox hesitated, pulling the silver key from his pocket. "This. It was in the grove, and... it's important. Don't ask me why or how, because I don't know yet."
Elara tilted her head, studying the key. "It's beautiful. Magical, for sure. But… what does it do?"
"No idea," Lennox admitted. "But the scroll that sent me there said it was called the Key of Whispers. So, I guess it… whispers?"
"Very helpful," Elara said, smirking. "What are you going to do with it?"
"Figure out what it unlocks, I guess," Lennox said, slipping the key back into his pocket. "And hope it doesn't open some cursed vault full of undead spiders or something."
Elara shook her head, her smile softening. "You're full of surprises, Lennox. I didn't think you'd actually go to a place like the Grove of Echoes."
Lennox shrugged. "Trust me, neither did I."
As they made their way through the square, Borin, the baker's son, appeared out of nowhere, as he so often did, grinning like he'd just won the village lottery.
"Well, if it isn't the Beast Whisperer!" he called, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "What's the matter, Lennox? Lose your way in the forest and need your little kitty to guide you home?"
"Not now, Borin," Lennox muttered, too tired to deal with him.
But Borin wasn't one to let an opportunity for mockery slip by. "You know, I heard you went to the Grove of Echoes. Brave of you—especially with that thing as your only protection."
The cat, who had been sitting quietly at Lennox's feet, suddenly stretched, its claws glinting faintly in the fading light. It let out a low, guttural sound that wasn't quite a hiss, but enough to make Borin flinch.
Lennox smirked. "Careful, Borin. This 'little kitty' has a mean streak."
Borin frowned, his bravado faltering. "Yeah, well… just don't let it near my family's stall. We don't need your flea-bitten beast scaring away customers."
With that, he stomped off, muttering under his breath.
Elara chuckled. "You know, if the cat keeps that up, I might start believing your story about the shadow wolf."
"Glad to see my life-threatening adventure is so entertaining for you," Lennox said, rolling his eyes.
By the time Lennox reached home, the stars were out, and the cat had reclaimed its usual spot on his shoulder. His mother was waiting by the door, her arms crossed.
"Do you know how worried I was?" she scolded the moment he stepped inside. "You were gone all day! What were you thinking, wandering off like that?"
"I'm sorry, Mum," Lennox said, genuinely apologetic. "Something came up. Something… important."
His mother's eyes softened as she noticed the exhaustion on his face. "Important enough to risk your neck?"
Lennox pulled out the Key of Whispers and held it up. "Yeah. Important enough."
His mother's gaze lingered on the key, her expression unreadable. After a moment, she sighed and ushered him inside. "Alright, but you're not leaving this house again until you've had a proper meal and some rest."
"Yes, Mum," Lennox said, grateful for the reprieve.
As he sat down to eat, the cat hopped onto the table, watching him intently. Lennox ignored it for a moment, then finally leaned in close, whispering, "You're going to tell me what's going on eventually. I know you understand me."
The cat blinked slowly, then reached out and knocked his cup of water onto the floor.
Lennox groaned. "Of course you do."
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