I'm in a bit of a daze as I return home after all the excitement. I'm on my own, as Elzbieta will stay with Wislawa at the temple for the night, and maybe the next few days too. There really shouldn't be any problems, but the priestess want's to keep an eye on the newborn and the fresh mother anyway. I approve, but I still feel a little lonely as I enter the house with no one else around.

Not even Sour Cream is here. She probably is already out on the prowl. She'll probably let me know of her displeasure tomorrow morning. Or maybe not. It's hard to tell with cats. For all I know the feline might be very well aware of the situation.

I guess I'll just have to face the music, or rather the soft meows, in the morning. For now I just want to sleep. There is preciously little left of the night anyway, so I better hop into bed right away so I'll be at least moderately well rested tomorrow.

With a mighty yawn I get changed. Only as I finish up do I realize that I completely forgot about the other project I wanted to discuss with Olgierd and Nawoja at the smithy. Well, that will have to wait until morning too. There is no way around it. The two would probably not appreciate being woken in the middle of the night after all. Not for something that very much is not an emergency.

Well, it'll be alright. The pebbles I gathered won't go bad after all. And the ancient shields have already lasted quite a while, they won't rust away over night either. And it isn't like the local expert crafter couple will go anywhere overnight.

Thus, with my mind at ease, at least mostly, I slip into bed. There is only one thing bothering me, as I make myself comfortable under the blanket. The bed, which really isn't all that big feels too big now that I have to sleep on my own again for a change. Not even that can keep me awake for long though. I just hug my pillow a little closer for comfort.

Thankfully it doesn't take long for my eyes to fall shut so sleep can claim me. It seems the day has taken its toll out of me. Elzbieta and her little Ulryk feature prominently in my dreams that night too, but by the time I wake up again in the morning I can't remember any details anymore. Since I'm pretty well rested I assume that these dreams have to have been good ones.

I don't get up right away through. Instead I remain lying there in my bed for a little while longer as a new question swirls around my mind. How are our sleeping arrangements going to look in the near future? Will the little one sleep with us? Or will we have to get a crib? I really hope Elzbieta has thought on this question, and others like it, because, as I lie there, realization dawns upon me, that I'm pretty much clueless.

I sigh and get up to get ready for the day. I'll have to ask her. Or maybe Urszula or Agnieszka. Even if Elzbieta hasn't spent any thought on these not so little details one of the others should be able to provide some guidance.

Before I can get far the expected soft meowing from the windowsill makes me stop. It is Sour Cream. As expected. Once she has my attention she turns around to simply sit there, giving me the cold shoulder treatment. She really is a little offended.

I'm tempted to chuckle at her silly antics, but I don't. Instead I grab her bowl, pour her some of her namesake treat and head outside with it, where I put it down on the bench out back after sitting down myself.

Eventually she deigns to join me on the bench, lured in by her treat.

I let her eat first, humming only softly while she does so. Without even noticing I come to hum one of the tunes I have picked up from Elzbieta over the days.

The cat doesn't seem to mind. Once she is done eating she comes over to rub up against me.

I pet her in turn and run my hand across her creamy fur. After a moment she starts to purr, thus I keep going as I softly talk with her.

“Sorry about yesterday. Things got a little exciting all of a sudden with Elzbieta's little one deciding that the time was right.”

For a moment I resume humming softly while I keep petting Sour Cream. Then something else occurs to me.

“It's going to get a little more lively around the house with the little one. I hope you'll be alright with it. Do you think you can watch out for little Ulryk as well as you do for me? You'll have to be careful though. I think very young children like him can be a little grabby and they don't really know their own strength.”

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Sour Cream looks at me as if she understands every word. She might just. Finally she jumps up on my lap to stand up and nuzzle my cheek, as if to tell me to stop worrying. Finally she is off through the window to make herself comfortable on the still warm bed, where she immediately begins to groom herself.

Well, I can only hope that this will work out alright. I resume humming one of the tunes about Ksawery the catfolk adventurer I have picked up from Elzbieta and get a change of clothes before heading off to the bath to get properly ready for the new day.

From there, my way leads me back down to the temple to visit with the new mother before anything else. I'm not the only one either. Curiously enough it isn't just Zofia and Czeslaw who visit their comrade either. No, just as I arrive I see Tamara and her group, including Danuta the witch this time around, leave the place. Szmuel seems quite excited about little Ulryk too. Most curious.

Maybe this is a good sign? If the little boy likes the catfolk adventurer, maybe he'll get along well with Sour Cream too? Well, I can hope for that much at least. That shouldn't be asking for too much, right?

Czeslaw is with the two, mother and child, right now, holding the latter. He looks a little awkward, but overall he doesn't do too bad. His son certainly seems to be comfortable enough to keep on napping.

I exchange nods with him, as neither of us wants to wake up the sleeping infant. Then I turn to Elzbieta. She looks much better already. A good night's sleep and some alchemical potions certainly seem to have helped with the exhaustion of the ordeal. We exchange hugs, before I finally speak up softly, to bombard her with half whispered questions.

“How are you? Is everything alright? Want me to get you something to eat from the inn?”

She nods at the first two questions. The last one makes her shake her head though. At last she speaks up in a tone matching mine, to clarify.

“I'm good. Thank you. Zofia is already getting me something.”

I nod. That is good. Then I grin.

“Szmuel seemed quite excited when he left with the others.”

Both mother and father chuckle at the mention of the catfolk adventurer. The infant only stirs a little at the sound before going right back to sleep. This time it is Czeslaw'S turn to speak up.

“Turns out he has quite a few younger siblings and thus a lot of experience with children. Well, with catfolk children anyway. He has shared more than a few tales of his own adventures in that regard already. Ha! I wonder if our son will be just as lively?”

I keep on grinning.

“I wouldn't rule it out. Anyway, I probably shouldn't disturb you too much. Want me to drop back by around noon?”

Elzbieta agrees with an energetic nod. She remembers to keep her voice down though.

“Let's have lunch together.”

After sharing one more hug with her I'm off again. On my way out to have breakfast at the inn I pass Zofia, who comes in with a cloth covered basket. It smells like fresh baked bread. That probably is not all that is in there, but even on its own it smells very promising.

Oh yes, fresh bread with plenty of butter and some jam on top would be really nice right about now. I'd go for fresh bread with thin slices of ham or roasted bacon too though. Either would be fine. I'm really not picky. Overall I would say that the day is off to a good start.