42. Felicity.

The Spirit Rat Felicity had been in the great hall chewing on some chicken when she had seen Theodore quickly dart under the table and out the room.

She had not thought much else about it until the yelling started. That was when she had decided that being around angry Gods was not a tenable position for one of her size.

So she had left, Quickly.

Eva had started to ask around if anyone had seen anything when she found out about Felicity.

She found her in her favourite spot.

The sewers of the city of Marrosh.

They were the largest ever created and home to the largest population of Felicity’s kind.

Eva went there to find the Spirit Rat.

She walked through the sewers on the little ledge that was created for workers to walk on when in here.

Unfortunately it had been built by gnomes, since it was just barely wide enough for one man to walk along.

Several times her foot slipped and she nearly fell into the slop that ran through the sewers.

Her extra sensitive nose was protesting every step of the way, and the supper she had eaten with (name) was threatening to exit her body in a manner that was not the usual way food exits the body.

The fourth time her foot slipped of the walkway it actually entered the muck and waste.

This was the last straw.

Eva let out a long frustrated yell.

One that combined her voice and the voice of her wolf self.

It echoed down the sewers long after she had finished.

"Did that help?" said a small voice from above Eva’s head.

Eva looked in the direction of the voice and nearly lost her balance again.

She growled out her frustration.

"For someone reputed to be as good and nimble as you are." said the voice "You certainly seem to be having troubles walking."

Eva could see that Felicity was poking her head out of a hole further up the wall.

"I don’t think anyone could be graceful walking across this poor excuse for a walkway." said Eva. "It is slick and half as wide as it should be. I have greater respect now for the workers who maintain this place."

"To be fair, they are much smaller and shorter than you." said Felicity.

"They would have to be." said Eva.

"So what brings you here to my humble home?" asked Felicity.

"I am looking for Theodore and I was wondering if you could help me." said Eva.

"I did see him in the great hall." said Felicity. "But only quickly as he seemed to be in a hurry."

"I’ll bet he was." mumbled Eva.

"Did he have anything in his mouth?" she asked the Rat.

Felicity thought back to the time.

"He may have." she answered. "I was in the middle of eating and he was moving very fast. Why?"

"Because he may have gotten himself into trouble." said Eva.

"Again?" said Felicity. "He seems to attract trouble. But I don’t think I have much information for you. I have not seen him since."

"But you may still be able to help me." said Eva.

"How?" asked the Rat.

Eva nearly slipped again.

"Can we discuss this somewhere where I won’t be in danger of smelling like a dead r... body." she said, hoping Felicity had not noticed her near faux pas.

"If you can make it around the next corner, you will see a Ladder. It will take you back to the surface. I will meet you there and we can continue our conversation. And I can get a little snack."

"Very well." said Eva.

Felicity’s head disappeared into the hole and Eva slowly walked to where she had been told and found the ladder.

She climbed out into the sun, in an alley between two shops. One end of the alley opened onto the street, while the other end contained a container into which garbage was placed.

Eva could see Felicity moving in and out of the contents.

She walked over to the containers and Felicity poked her head out.

Eva suppressed her laughter at the sight of Felicity with a banana peel draped over her head as she munched on what looked like the stale end of a bread.

She reached over and removed the peel from the animal’s head.

Felicity looked at the peel and said through a mouth of food.

"Thank you."

"Your welcome." said Eva. "Now down to why I came to see you."

"I didn’t see much." said Felicity. "I don’t know what else I can do for you."

"You can use your particular ability to help me find him." she told her.

Every Spirit Animal had some abilities in common. For example they could all jump to anywhere in the lands through the portals they could create.

But each would have one or two particular abilities unique to themselves.

Felicity’s ability was that she could communicate with any or all of her fellow rats. She could talk to and/or control them no matter how far or near they were.

And they were absolutely loyal to her.

If she had any ambition at all she could use the power of sheer numbers to overwhelm any enemy she chose.

Because her people were rarely seen, no one knew their numbers. If they did they would be more afraid then they were.

But Felicity was not human and not prone to the corrupting influence of the lure of power and wealth.

She was content to eat and sleep in her little world.

"You want me to talked to my people and see if they can see or have seen Theodore." said Felicity.

"You can cover more ground in less time then I could." said Eva. "He could be hiding anywhere. But there are few places your people cannot go."

Felicity stood on her hind legs on the edge of the container, and held out her front paws.

Eva picked her up.

The Rat climbed up to Eva’s shoulders.

"I will do it, if you promise to do me a little favour." she said.

"What favour?" asked Eva.

"There is a family of big cats who patrols the grounds of the local Magistrate’s manor. The magistrate’s larder is full of wonderful exotic foods."

Eva could hear the dreamy tone in Felicity’s voice.

"But we cannot get there with that fool Tom and his family always watching out for us."

"I will not hurt them." said Eva.

"Not hurt." said Felicity. "Just scare them the way they scare us. Give us enough time to go and feast a little."

"So long as no one is hurt, I can promise to help." said Eva.

"But only after I have taken care of this other problem."

"Done." said Felicity and held out her right paw.

Eva reached up and shook it.

Felicity settled down on Eva’s shoulder and closed her eyes.

Eva sat down and waited.

The sun was nearly set when Felicity stirred and opened her eyes.

"Got him!"