The Hidden Mountain Pass

You waited a bit, but realized that they were not coming back. A short walk brought you to a rather small pool of water. You take a drink and savor its pure perfection...however that reflection of you had something to be desired....

The feline whorling popped through the surface. "That's my water your drinking!" Considering how small the pool was, basically a very deep puddle, you apologize for taking what little was there. She laughed. "Don't worry. There's much more where that came from. See, underneath, it connects to a much larger lake."

"Scaring the thirsty traveller's again Aerel?" a male whorling asked. "Hope she hasn't been too much of a bother, that water is free for all to drink. She just likes taking people along on guilt trips. My name is Bernat."

"And I am Glamour!" a brightly coloured female announced. Aerel dived with the warning, "I'd make myself scarce if I were you."

You wondered why, Glamour looked harmless. But you were quick to learn that it wasn't her claws that were going to get you, but her incessantly vain chatter. She believed herself truly beautiful and wanted to be sure the rest of the world knew it inside and out. And she wasn't easy to shake either. Walking away only caused her to follow you.

Suddenly she stopped, "Ewww, it's old three-eyes. How gross."

Sure enough, there was a three eyed feline standing on the path. "Hello Glamour," he said, winking the eye in the middle. Glamour hacked, you feared a hairball, but instead she flapped her wings and flew off.

The male then addressed you, "It looked like you needed a little help. Nothing sends her scurrying faster than a seductive look from a third eye. Should try and get one someday, they come in handy." He laughed. "My name is Huren, glad to be of assistance."

There was a slithering sound and from the bushes came another feline whorling with three eyes, this time a blue female. "Need any help?" she inquired grinning. "Thought I heard Glamour pestering someone again." You explain that Huren had already come to the rescue.

"Drat. Sometimes I which I had hind legs, then I could move faster. I always enjoy the look on Glamour's face when she sees me."

"Hi everyone!" the last was a young energetic male.

Huren grinned, "Hello Quiver," and to you he said, "And this is Orissan." The female lowered her three eyelids, "Sorry, forgot to introduce myself."

Quiver was ignoring the others, much more interested in you. "Hey, I think you're in need of a guide. To help you avoid felines like Glamour, or like Nerven, who will want to eat you." You think but were pretty certain you hadn't met Nerven yet. "Of course not, you wouldn't be still alive if you did." Here Quiver even whispers, "They say that he sometimes eats other whorlings, even other feline whorlings...that's like...cannibalism." The small cat shuddered.

"Those are just stories," Orissan replied.

But Quiver returned, "Bet you never put it to the test!"

Huren shivered. "I don't know about Nerven, but I do know that Faustus is to be avoided. He is not a feline whorling, I've heard people say he's part ele...elephan...elephantom, or something. Anyway, I saw him once from a distance and I have no desire to see him closer. Indeed he will kill virtually any living creature he comes across."

Virtually?

Quiver nods, "He only tortures the rest."