The tunic the old woman brought back to him was thick and dark blue, with matching brown leggings and a leather belt that went round the waist. It looked familiar, and took Sif a moment to place; the dancer who had first carried the cat effigy had been wearing it.

That was fine, then. It heartened him to wear clothes associated with himself.

There was a cloak thrown around his shoulders, too, and many little metal and stone rings were put on the loop of his belt; some of the stone ones in strange colors, kinds of rock Sif had never seen before.

He tolerated the small white socks, finding that dividing his toes up made them feel a bit more like walking on his paws, but adamantly refused the woven grass sandals.

He wondered if he should be a bit less tame; this was Helna's body, after all, and should be respected. But he had put up with worse when he was a kitten, being carried around and played with by the strange thing, and in this form he could actually choose to reject the worse offenses- the shoes, the white flowers that smelled vile when they tried to weave them in his hair.

The old woman walked him back out down the dirt street, to the wooden platform, and he took in the sight of the village in daytime. He had never paid it much mind before.

The cats that lounged around seemed to understand that he was not Helna, as they greeted him with blinks and flicks of the tail, much as they would another cat. Some children tried to run up to him, but were gently repelled by the old woman.

When he took his seat on the platform, a tray of food was set before him, and he became aware that many people had come out into the street, and were bowing the same way the man had the day before. It annoyed him in some small way that he lacked words to explain.

Helna's body was weak with hunger, and so he decided to sate it first before dealing with all the bowing people. He had stolen it, so he had to do his best to take care of it; he had been so upset and confused the night prior he hadn't been able to eat. Now he shoved the food in his mouth, trying to finish all of it quickly. When he glanced to the side to see the old woman's reaction, she looked pleased.

When he was done eating, the old woman stepped forward and spoke.

" Lady Hélna is still grieving her Relnsif, and has chosen to wear mourning clothes," she said. " If she becomes tired, we must let her go rest."

Sif found that he was beginning to grow a little fond of the old woman, and tried to stifle the emotion. She was very considerate of his needs, and was helping him deal with the other people. How could he face the grief of losing Helna alone?

Knowing him, he would simply pace around the bog forever, sleeping next to the birch stake.

People carrying baskets came to him, bowing their heads and offering up things such as cloth, vegetables, grain. Some of them had chickens and sheep. The animals were all handed to the man who had bowed the night before; the baskets were set in front of and beside him on the platform.

Each person spoke of their gratitude; they talked of being plucked out of the mud, of their houses being rebuilt in an instant, of their loved ones healing from mortal injuries.

One man came forward trembling, and held out a basket to Sif that caused the air to become silent and still; the old woman looked to him pensively.

Sif leaned forward to look into it.

The basket was full of kittens, a litter of six. They tumbled over each other, mewing, just barely old enough to be away from their mother.

Sif swallowed, his throat dry; he reached forward, and took the basket from the man. Perhaps this man thought Lady Hélna would need a replacement for her dead cat? But all Sif could think of was the first time his little strange thing had picked him up and carried him around in a basket, how he had been terrified, not understanding what had happened to him. He held the basket in his lap, and reached in to stroke them, their fur still baby soft, each of them different colors; two grey tabbies, like his mother, a tortoiseshell, two calicos, and one patched tabby and white.

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