Aya and the Firecats: The Journey Begins

By Gunhild Jensen

Aya Gatherer is not an ordinary girl. She has only one dream: to become a cat guardian and learn how to ride the magical Firecats in the great cat parade. The Firecats are the protectors of the White Mountains, Aya’s home. Her favorite Firecat is Mika—the giant red cat at the front of the parade—and Mika’s current guardian Master Lazu needs a new apprentice. Aya is not the only one with her eyes set on the open apprenticeship, however. Aya’s worst enemy Balda wants it, too.

With Master Lazu's decision only days away, Aya discovers that a mysterious darkness threatens her wondrous world. It is about to destroy the White Mountains and everything she loves. Aya must set out on a mission, not only to become Mika's guardian but to save her home. She will go far and learn who her friends and enemies really are...

Statement from the author:
“Aya and the Firecats is the story of the young girl Aya and her magical cat Mika, who must go on a journey together to save their world from destruction. The story is a tribute to the wonderful personality of the pet cat. Every cat lover will see the traits of their own cat reflected in Mika and her friends. The story was born when I was a little girl who dreamed about being small enough to ride my favorite barn cat and follow her on her adventures in the fields. It is also the story of the wonder of nature and all its creatures and of the need to protect the environment. I hope you will consider reading it, either yourself or to your children or grandchildren.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gunhild Jensen
• Release date: Aug 30, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005835583

Book preview

Part 1

Firecity

Chapter 1

Hiding Out

Aya sat on the windowsill in the North Tower, looking out at the White Mountains. It was the tallest tower in Firecity. From here, you could see every snow-covered peak and the steep, winding streets of the city below. The room was a small attic that someone had once used for storage. There were still rusty old barrels and dusty crates stacked along the walls. Aya would sometimes imagine that they came from faraway lands and contained mysterious secrets.

The tiny attic was Aya’s favorite hiding place. Not because of the crates and barrels, but because—if you leaned out of the window far enough—you could see a beautiful orange glow in the sky behind the city wall to the north. It came from the Golden Forest in Cat Valley. Aya had never been closer to the valley than the White Slopes, but she had heard all the stories of the shining trees that could not burn. And she knew about the Firecats, who lived deep inside the forest.

The Firecats were the protectors of the White Mountains, and once a year, the Master Guardians led them up from the valley and through Firecity in the great cat parade. Then, the streets were full of laughter and singing, people threw ribbons and firedust from the rooftops, and there was the magnificent feast in Trader Square at night. Every time Aya looked at the shimmering light in the distance, she dreamed of becoming a Master Guardian and about riding one of the giant cats herself someday.

Aya sighed. It was late morning, and she was supposed to be at the school tower by Rock Cave for Master Hori’s Mountain Wisdom class, where they learned about different types of rocks. Aya was not very interested in discussing pebbles and stones. She could think of many things more exciting than that. Besides, Master Hori’s squeaky voice reminded her of screaming blackbeaks. They were the ugly eagles that often circled right above her when she was gathering with her father on the White Slopes. She sighed again. She had a feeling that it would not be long before Master Hori would find her here. If the Master Teacher asked, her younger brother Kali would reveal where she was.

Kali was seven years old and could never keep anything to himself. He was curious too, so when she sneaked out of their bedroom before daybreak, Kali had followed her. Aya had seen him running about ten strides behind her as she climbed the narrow street leading to the doorway of the North Tower. He had tried to hide behind rocks and flutterbushes, but as always, Aya had known he was there. His curly hair was too easy to spot. He had only tracked her as far as the foot of the tower, however. Here, Kali had stopped to wait for her outside. Like many other people in Firecity, Kali was afraid of the dark and could not bring himself to use the dimly lit tower staircase. But darkness had never bothered Aya. If she found herself in a place without any light, she would simply picture in her head the radiant golden trees in the forest and the bright red fur of Mika, her favorite Firecat.

Kali has probably gone to school by now; Aya thought as she continued watching the sky above Cat Valley. For a moment, her gaze drifted from the orange clouds to the gushing water of Firefalls. No matter where you went in Firecity, you could hear the sound of the impressive waterfall splashing down the far side of the eastern mountains. The water sparkled in the first sunlight. Aya craned her neck to see past the thick grapevines wounding their way up the tower walls. She wanted to check if Kali was still lingering at the door, but she could not see him anywhere.

Then, Master Hori will come for me soon, she muttered.

Usually, Aya did not mind going to school. Even if her first class was Mountain Wisdom. She looked forward to the sound of Big Blue calling out from his birdhouse in the schoolyard when classes were about to start, and she had fun walking there with Kali in the morning. They would sing songs together and tell each other imaginary tales about people they knew or met on their way. Aya loved dreaming up stories, and it made her happy to see the expression of wonder on Kali’s face whenever she came up with a great one. But this summer, being at school felt awkward, and today, Aya was not in the mood for studying at all. It was because of Balda and the selection ceremony. So, instead of waiting for Kali, she had sneaked out at the crack of dawn and gone to her favorite hiding place. The ceremony was only a few sunsets away, and Aya wanted to be alone. She needed to think.

If you grew up in Firecity, the day of the selection ceremony was very important. It marked the moment when students in their seventh year left school to become apprenticed to a master. Some struggled to pick their new trade, for there were many options. You could join the masters in Trader Cave and learn how to build carts or bake pies. If you liked the open skies, you could also gather fruit on the White Slopes. You could even become a Master Teacher and work on the school grounds in the mornings. All daily classes ended around noon in Firecity.

Aya herself had just turned 12 and would not be in the ceremony until next year. But Balda would participate this summer, and that worried Aya so much that she had to skip school today and clear her head.

A large number of students decided to take up the same trade as one of their parents. Aya’s friend Minas had done that too. Aya, on the other hand, was different. She did not want to follow in her parents’ footsteps and become a Master Gatherer. Ever since she saw the magnificent Firecats in the parade for the very first time, her only desire had been to join the cat guardians in the Golden Forest. Hopefully, as Master Lazu’s apprentice. She was the Master Guardian responsible for Mika’s care. Whereas most of the other trades in the city had openings every summer, however, a cat apprenticeship only came along once in a while. Master Lazu had not had an apprentice for several years, but now, she needed someone. And to Aya’s immense distress, Balda had her sight set on exactly that apprenticeship too. Not because she cared about the Firecats as Aya did, but simply because she was in a position to ask for it, and Aya was not.

The selection ceremony was always followed by at least a couple of years of training, and every new apprentice had to make promises too. As part of the ceremony, they swore an oath never to reveal the secrets of their master to anyone. Aya had watched the event with her family every summer, and she had heard all the ancient tales of Firecity from Old Misty during her Story Telling lessons at school. Story Telling was one of Aya’s favorite subjects. She found it much more fascinating than Mountain Wisdom and lost track of time as soon as she listened to Misty speak.

There were tales about the White Mountains that described how the mountain range had once stretched as far as you could see until one day, the southernmost peaks had cracked open and revealed the massive firerocks in the center that became Firecity. Some of the largest firerocks were hollow, so the First People named them livingrocks and decided to use them as their homes. Every firerock, small and large, was cold and white as snow. But only up close. From a distance, they glowed and flickered like burning fire and seen from afar; the city resembled a gigantic, lit torch.

Later, some of the First People had crossed the western mountains and found Western Place; The City to the West. Some chose to stay there; others came back. Where the First People had come from was unclear, but one of the stories said it was from within the southern mountains themselves. People from Western Place had traveled to Firecity too—and still did. Aya’s mother had grown up there and had scaled the rocky peaks when she was very young. Luisa had only been three years older than Aya was now when she first walked through the gate of Firecity.

But it was when Misty talked about the Firecats and their long, curly hair that shone even in daylight that Aya paid special attention. She had never touched one of the cats because it was the privilege of the guardians to do that. Still, Old Misty described their coats as the softest thing you could ever imagine. And Aya knew every one of her cat stories by heart.

The class at school Aya enjoyed the most, however, was Master Lamas’s class. Here, she would always learn something new. Master Lamas taught Firetongue, the language of the Firecats. Although they were called language lessons, Firetongue was more about observing and copying movements than it was about talking. The Firecats were treated with great respect, so in his lessons, Master Lamas would tell his students how to act around them during the cat parade. Being mean to a Firecat was the worst thing you could do. If the Firecats were to leave Cat Valley, all trace of life in the White Mountains would disappear, including Firecity. The southern mountains would simply open up again and swallow up the forest, along with anyone living in the surrounding areas. Thankfully, it had only happened once in the city’s history that someone, a young man, had tried to hurt one of the great cats.

His name had been Luka, and Aya remembered his story well. The incident had occurred before Aya was born. She often thought about it when she sat here on the windowsill, however, for this was the spot where it had happened. For some reason, Luka had carried a heavy boulder up the winding staircase. Then, as the parade was underway, he had waited until the cats were passing and pushed the rock out of the window. Aya had no idea how or why he had done it. The story did not say. He had not used a firerock, though, but another type of stone that he must have found elsewhere in the mountains.

Master Hori might even have such a rock in one of his dusty boxes in Rock Cave, Aya thought. She never watched that closely when Hori opened his crates in class, but it was likely that he kept one there. Besides, since Misty’s story did not mention where exactly Luka’s boulder had come from, Aya figured it could not be that important.

Luka had been aiming the rock at Nallie, one of the orange cats at the front. By a stroke of luck, Nallie’s guardian, Master Nora, had seen it in time and moved Nallie out of the way, thereby putting an end to Luka’s evil plan. His rock had smashed into a thousand tiny pieces once it hit the ground, leaving behind only a small cloud of dust. But it had been enough to cause severe panic amongst the Firecats. The Town Crier’s only choice had been to cancel the parade, as the cats had rushed into the Golden Forest again along with their guardians. The Firecats had not left the valley back then, but they had stayed in the woods for two whole years. During that period, many of Aya’s neighbors had feared that their protectors would never return to the city again.

Why would you want to harm a Firecat? Aya mumbled, now completely entranced by the dancing colors in the sky. She doubted if anyone around here understood Luka’s motives. What happened to him afterward was uncertain too. All Misty had ever said on the matter was that he vanished, never to be seen again.

Due to the incident, the masters had decided that all residents of Firecity, not just the students attending school, had to practice Firetongue once a week. Master Lamas’s classroom was the Firetongue stage to the right of the school tower, but the schoolyard was too small to fit everyone. So Lamas had to conduct these weekly lessons in City Square after the town gathering.

Aya was very fond of Master Lamas. He was a skinny man with long limbs and slender fingers. His arms were constantly dangling or swinging from side to side, and Aya often had to laugh when she watched him act out the different cat poses on the platform by the fountain that was the heart of City Square. She found his demonstration of the tiptoeing, playful cat particularly funny. It was because the center of the fountain behind him was a statue of a large, proud Firecat, walking with his nose and tail held high. The head and body of the cat were made of firerock, but the tail was clear, spouting water. So, when Lamas performed with the stone cat in the background, it gave Aya the impression that two live cats were up on stage: a cocky one and a sneaky one. Sometimes, his movements also reminded Aya of the Waving Watertrees that grew on the Greens.

But her main reason for liking Lamas was that he believed she had talent. If she did something right in class, he would throw his arms up in the air and clap with great enthusiasm. Bravo, Aya! Bravo, he would shout. Everyone, look at Aya! SHE can show you how it’s done! Master Lamas was kind in general, though. Not like Master Hori, who had favorites among his students and always scolded her for daydreaming too much. Letting her mind wander cheered Aya up, so no matter how hard Hori tried, he could not convince her that staring into nothing for a few heartbeats was such a bad idea. Especially if you were frustrated and needed to think about something as important as Balda stealing your apprenticeship in the selection ceremony, just because you were not old enough to claim it for yourself.

Aya glanced down at the rooftop of a nearby livingrock. It had a washing line suspended from one end to the other, and fresh, clean linen blew in the wind. One pillowcase had come loose, and she spotted it in the dirt further up the street. Her spirits sank. A familiar figure was dabbing at it with his crooked cane while voicing his disapproval at this irresponsible treatment of fine fabric. Even from afar, Aya only needed a moment to realize who it was: Master Hori, trying to make his way up the street to the tower entrance. He was easy to recognize, hunched over in his long, black cloak and leaning on that silly, old walking stick.

From up here, he looks like a blackbeak too, Aya thought. She did not care much for the cruel birds. When she came across them on the slopes, they were always trying to lure the tiny everbunnies out of their shelter under the everplants so that they could catch them and have themselves a little snack.

It was time for her to go. Quickly, she jumped from the windowsill and ran down the staircase. It made her dizzy when she had to hurry, but she had been in the tower so frequently that she knew the exact number of steps from top to bottom. As Aya reached the ground, she turned her head to check if Hori would be there soon. Out of breath as she was, it was a relief to learn that her teacher was still far away. But someone was strutting along beside him. It was Balda, the person Aya least wanted to see, looking as self-important as ever. Aya winced, for she had not noticed her from the top of the tower. Often when Aya hid there, Master Hori would order Balda to climb the stairs and fetch her. He was not able to do that himself. Or at least, that was what he claimed, but Aya suspected that he was also afraid of the dark and just too proud to admit it. Unfortunately, Balda had no such fears, and if she managed to find Aya in the attic, she would smirk and taunt, Got you again, stupid little daydreamer!

Even though Balda was only one year older, she was much taller than Aya was. She was the daughter of Milla, one of the Master Weavers. Master Milla had a birthmark on her cheek that turned into a flower when she smiled, yet she had always lived alone. So no one knew who Balda’s father was. Balda and Aya had never been friends, but since early spring, their relationship had grown worse. It had begun when Kali had heard Balda brag to the other students that she, Balda, was certain to become Master Lazu’s new apprentice. Now, everyone at school was whispering about it, causing Balda to act as if it were already a fact. Aya could not stand listening to her. She’s so full of herself, she thought, glaring at Balda. How can anyone believe she’d make a good cat guardian? Aya could not imagine that. She had tried to picture Balda as Mika’s new caretaker, but it brought about a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach when she did. With one last, angry look at the two approaching figures, Aya hurried in the opposite direction.

She ran north, toward the city wall. If she got there quickly, she could head down the street alongside it, cut across City Square, and make it home before Balda or Master Hori discovered her. Aya gazed up at the sun. It was higher in the sky than she had thought. School might be out now…, she mumbled to herself. It meant that she had spent more time in the tower than planned and had to rush home. This afternoon, she was supposed to go with her father, Guido Gatherer, to the White Slopes to harvest crops from the everplants. Aya had helped him with his gatherer duties ever since her mother, Luisa, had passed away. According to Guido, Luisa had fallen from the steepest part of the slopes while searching for ripe berries. Aya had been Kali’s age when it happened, so five summers had gone by since then. Yet, she still remembered the day as if it were yesterday. Aya did not travel with Guido to the slopes every afternoon, but today he needed her. Father has probably saddled Sami already and is waiting for me, Aya thought and picked up the pace.

Hey, Aya! Stop!

Aya looked over her shoulder. It was Minas, trying to catch up with her. He was running very fast.

I just saw Balda heading for the North Tower with Master Hori. Were you… hiding up there again? Minas was breathing hard and bent over, holding his knees. He was sweating, so his dark hair stuck to his face. Minas’s family came from Western Place, but his parents had decided to settle in Firecity. Dark hair was common in people from the west side of the mountains. Luisa’s hair had been as dark as the ripest evernuts. And wavy, too. Aya’s hair was the same, so Guido would sometimes watch Aya with a distant expression in his eyes and say that she had her mother’s curls. Afterward, it would be a while before he spoke again.

Mmm, Aya nodded. I needed to be alone.

Do you think Balda will become a cat apprentice this year? asked Minas.

Aya did not answer.

The selection ceremony is only four sunsets away now! Minas continued as they set out down the street together. Minas’s father was one of the Master Saddlers, and Minas became apprenticed to him in the ceremony two summers ago. Aya had thought Minas wanted to join Master Dusty in the Burner Cave, so it was surprising to her when he chose to become a saddle maker.

Yes, I know, Aya finally muttered, staring at her feet.

You haven’t forgotten that Master Lazu wants a new apprentice for Mika, have you? Minas went on.

Aya shook her head. It was all she could think about and the reason for her hiding in the tower in the first place. Minas must have guessed that, so there was no need for him to remind her.

No, of course not, she whispered.

Mika was the largest of the Firecats in the parade, and Aya adored her. She had brown eyes, and her fluffy, red coat was as radiant as firerocks from a distance. Mika led the cat parade every year and was so beautiful when she trotted through the city, lifting her front paws high in the air with every step. Aya’s heart always skipped a beat when she saw her, and her throat tightened with dread at the thought of Balda in Mika’s saddle.

Let’s hope Lazu doesn’t pick her, said Minas. He glanced at Aya, smiling slightly in an attempt to reassure her.

Aya nodded but could not find the right words to say in response. They walked on in silence for a few heartbeats.

Will you still go to the ceremony this year? Minas carefully asked. We could go together?

Aya shrugged her shoulders. I’m not sure, Minas. Maybe.

The masters held the selection ceremony in City Square at the end of the hottest month. Five sunsets before the cat parade. On the evening of the ceremony, everyone in Firecity gathered by the fountain to hear the Town Crier announce the names of the new apprentices and their masters. Then came the swearing of the Apprentice Oath followed by the feast and the summer dance under the Old Hummingtree in Trader Square. Master Lamas would play his fiddle, and the flutterflies would light up the sky. It was usually a very festive night with lots of delicious food. Still, Aya did not feel like going. Even if it was with Minas. She was too afraid of what the Crier might say.

If you watch it with me, Aya, I could distract you, Minas added, smiling again, from seeing Balda up on stage and all that!

Aya sighed. Minas meant well, but it did not help her mood.

Before selection day, the masters and some of their current apprentices gathered for two sunsets at the school tower. Here, they discussed who amongst the students in the ceremony they thought best suited for the openings that year. On the last day of the meeting, the hopeful candidates joined them to express their own wishes. And there was no doubt in Aya’s mind that Balda would stick to the plan she kept boasting about in the schoolyard. Balda wanted to become Lazu’s apprentice if only to spite Aya, and there was absolutely nothing Aya could do to stop her.

It was not completely clear to Aya how the masters made their decisions or what they did if they could not agree. Or in the rare situation where two apprentices wanted the same position. But she knew that a student needed the support of at least two masters to be considered, and in Balda’s case, she already had Master Hori on her side, no matter what apprenticeship she wanted for herself. Everyone at school could tell that Master Hori favored her, so her chances of success were better than good. Aya clenched her fists. If only I were a year older, she thought.

After a while, Aya stopped. They had reached the center of the North Wall, and she had to pause here every time she came this way. It was where the gateway to the North Passage was. It took you through the city wall, down a steep mountain road to Cat Valley, and from there into the Golden Forest. Aya stared at the impressive lock that opened the gate. Unlike everything else made of firerock, it shone bright orange up close. The lock was shaped like the head of a Firecat with its mouth open wide. The keyhole itself was hidden away in the darkness within. The Crier only unlocked the North Gate on parade days, but if you were a Master Guardian, he would give you a key of your own, allowing you to enter the Golden Forest whenever you wanted to.

If I’m chosen to be a guardian, we’d see each other all the time, not just at the fair, Aya said to Minas, her voice becoming dreamy again and her eyes still fixated on the gate. Wouldn’t that be great?

The Master Guardians and the saddle makers worked closely together, sharing each other’s secrets in their efforts to make the saddles for the Firecats comfortable and secure. The Master Saddlers constructed them by manipulating the leaves of the largest everplants growing on the White Slopes. But unlike Sami’s saddle, the ones for Firecats were light as air with no straps around the belly. How Minas and his friends managed that and how the saddles stayed on was a mystery to Aya. Secret of the trade, Minas would say while winking at her. As they went about their daily chores, every master applied methods and skills that only their apprentices were familiar with and could not reveal without breaking the Apprentice Oath. They were called the master secrets, so Minas could not answer her questions, and unless she became a Master Guardian, Aya would never learn more about riding the cats than what was evident from watching the parade.

Listen, Aya…, Minas sounded worried now, isn’t it time you gave up on that dream? If they pick Balda, there won’t be any openings when it’s your turn!

Minas was right, and his comment only added to Aya’s frustration. Completing an apprenticeship in Firecity could take a long time—some people stayed in training for life—and since Master Lazu was the only guardian currently seeking a new student, Aya’s wish might never come true. That was Aya’s sad, undeniable reality, and skipping school to fantasize about a life with Mika and the other cats in the Golden Forest could not do much to change that.

Perhaps Lazu will make her choice next summer instead! Aya said with more anger in her voice than planned. She felt a strong sense of defiance wash over her, tore her eyes away from the gate, and stomped down the street. It could happen, too, for the masters were allowed to hold off on filling an open apprenticeship if they found it necessary to wait until the right person came of age. And since the safety of the Firecats was so crucial to the well-being of everyone in the White Mountains, the choice of a new cat apprentice was especially important. So Aya hoped with all her heart that Master Lazu would wait. Balda simply could not win!

Sure… that’s always possible, Minas grabbed Aya by the arm, pulling her to a halt. "But it’s rare, Aya! So what if Master Lazu does pick Balda? What will you do then?"

Aya glared at him, frowning. You tell me! I guess I’ll have to come up with a way of convincing her! she snapped and pushed away his hand. I can’t talk anymore! Father wants me! We’re going to the slopes!

With that, she turned her back on Minas and ran away from the North Wall toward City Square.

See you tonight, then? At the fair? shouted Minas, still trying to cheer her up.

Aya left his question hanging in the air between them. And as she sped through the fine mist emitting from the cat fountain, she could see her father waiting with an overexcited Sami by the entrance to their livingrock.

Chapter 2

The White Slopes

Where have you been? Guido Gatherer glanced up at his daughter while closing the straps on Sami’s saddlebags. Aya said nothing but paused to watch her father work. He had broad shoulders and weathered hands that could lift the heaviest crates and barrels with ease, so people in Firecity called him Great Guido. Next to Sami, however, he seemed small.

Sami was a pakugoat from the west side of the White Mountains. Luisa had brought him with her when she came to Firecity long before Aya was born. Back then, Sami was only a baby the size of a small evertree, but now that he was fully grown, he was about a head taller than Aya. The spiny horns that sprung out behind his ears were black and as long as his body. They went all the way to his tail, where they curled up into little spirals. Pakugoats were gentle creatures, so Aya had never been afraid of him. She had been riding Sami since she was three years old. Pakugoats were sociable animals too and became quite lonely if they spent too much time on their own.

Where were you? repeated her father. It’s past noon, and you knew you were coming with me to the slopes today.

Aya shrugged her shoulders, I just went to the tower.

The sound of Guido’s roaring, infectious laughter made Sami jump, and Aya immediately felt better.

What did Master Hori think about that? he chuckled.

I’ve no idea. He didn’t catch me, said Aya, smiling. The best thing about her father was that he never scolded her for skipping school. Like Aya herself, Guido was a daydreamer who wanted nothing else than to be alone sometimes. The afternoon of Luisa’s fall, Guido had gone to the slopes on his own and had stayed away for several sunsets. Aya remembered how she had stared at the snowy mountain peaks, wondering if they had taken her father too. But eventually, Guido had come back. He just needed to think. Aya understood that now.

Go get your tools, then! Guido gestured at the doorway. We must leave soon to have plenty of time before the fair!

Aya hurried inside to fetch her small knife and ax from the kitchen table. Their blades were sharp firerock because it was the only stone that could cut through the stems and branches of the everplants. A gatherer ax also had a small, curved tip at the opposite side of the blade, which could be very practical if you had to dig into the rocky wall for some reason.

And remember to change into your boots and gloves! her father shouted from outside.

He always mentioned that, but he did not have to. Aya was fully aware of how important they were. The soles of a gatherer’s boots were fashioned from the thick, hairy tree bark that her father and his gatherer friends cut from the evertrees on the upper slopes. When you had them on, the evernellies could not hurt you if you were to step on one by accident, but most importantly, the rough soles prevented you from falling. Aya’s mother had not been using the right shoes the day of her accident. Guido had shown Aya one of the old, brown walking boots Luisa had worn instead. He had found it lying on a boulder where she had lost her footing. Luisa had been an experienced Master Gatherer, so Aya had never fully understood why she would scale the mountain without first changing shoes. Aya had not asked Guido what might have been Luisa’s reason for doing that. Maybe she would someday.

She secured her shoelaces, found the rest of her equipment, and rushed back to Guido. Her gatherer boots were heavier than her other pair, so it was harder to run now. But Aya did not mind. On the slopes, there was not much cause for haste anyway. I’m ready, she announced, hoping that the ride might distract her from worrying about Balda and the selection ceremony. If only for a little while.

Her father was already holding Sami’s reins. The goat tilted his head, allowing Aya to climb up on his left horn, and from there, into his saddle. To keep her balance, she quickly grabbed the right one too. Sami bleated in anticipation, and once Aya was securely seated, they headed in the direction of the West Gate. Located right by Trader Square, where they had the fair every night, it was the main entrance to Firecity. And when you stepped through the gate, you were on Slope Pathway, the dusty road that wound its way along the western mountainside to the White Slopes. Many strides past Slope Rock, it bent sharply to the left. There, the terrain became rougher as the wide path descended into an even rockier landscape. It was as far away from the city as Aya had been. But should you decide to continue past Left Turn and travel the natural overpass across Cat Valley, Slope Pathway would eventually take you to Western Place. Aya knew that much.

When they approached the gate, Aya noticed that Trader Square was already bustling with activity. It was where the city residents came every night to pick up food and other goods they needed. Food was stored at the Eatery, and you could take as much as you wanted. In addition, you were allowed three items, such as string, fabric, and tools, from each stall per day. Most people found that to be more than sufficient. The innkeeper, Master Jarvis, often had visitors staying with him too, so the square could be a busy place. Aya squinted and was sure she could make out the top of Minas’s head. He must have been on his way there to help his mother, Master Pippa, with her preparations. Pippa was one of the Master Woodcarvers and minded their stall at the evening fair. Aya felt a pang of guilt. I wish I hadn’t been so harsh with Minas before, she thought. After all, it’s not his fault that Lazu might pick Balda. And perhaps I can convince her not to… if I try….

Aya also spotted her brother from afar, sitting on a rock next to Master Suggi’s baker stall by the Old Hummingtree. She was not surprised to see him there. When school was out, and Aya went gathering with Guido, Kali would stay with Master Suggi.

Kali’s favorite snack was the brown nut cakes that the Master Baker made from evernuts. Suggi would break the shells open, dig out the soft nuts with his hand and ground the nutshells into a fine flour. Then, he would mix it all before baking the cakes in a stone pan. He served them fresh every night, and by following his secret recipe, Suggi was able to keep them warm for the duration of the fair. Needless to say, his stall was always crowded. Aya, too, loved the deliciously smelling cakes and felt her mouth water as she imagined the sweet, moist center melting away on her tongue. She had been so distracted worrying about the outcome of the selection ceremony that she had not had anything to eat yet. She would have to see to that once they arrived at Slope Rock.

Aya raised her hand and waved at Kali, but he did not notice. He was too busy watching Suggi work. Kali adored Master Suggi, and the baker was very fond of Kali too. Now and again, he would ruffle Kali’s hair, so her brother came home from the fair covered in nut flour every night. Aya was sure that Kali would become Master Suggi’s apprentice when he turned 13. Guido probably thought so, too, since he left Kali with Suggi in the afternoon. But Aya wondered if Kali would be able to keep Master Suggi’s secrets once the baker chose him as his student. She smiled, thinking how fortunate it was that her brother was only seven and still had many summers to learn.

What are we gathering? she asked her father as he led Sami through the West Gate and onto Slope Pathway. For a moment, they were facing the vast, open horizon above the valley. The wind grew stronger, and where the mountain range continued in the distance, summer clouds hung low around the craggy peaks. Even with the wall of firerocks that the Master Stonemasons had built to make the road safer, you could sense the steep drop from the road to Cat Valley below. There was still the shimmer in the sky, but the Golden Forest itself would not be visible until further down Slope Pathway. As they walked on, Sami stayed close to the rough, bare mountainside on their right, which would become the White Slopes.

You could wait for the song? her father said, smiling up at her.

When traveling here together, Guido liked to sing the gatherer song. It was about the crops they had to find that day and was never the same. Every master in Firecity needed some sort of evercrop to produce their goods, so the song’s length would depend on the number of requests Guido had received. Aya enjoyed listening to the deep, comforting sound of her father’s voice. And so did Sami. The soothing melody caused the goat to tread so lightly that he was almost dancing. After the loss of Luisa, Guido had stopped singing, however, and had allowed many sunsets to pass before picking it up again. So on any other afternoon, Aya would gladly have waited and might even have joined in the singing, but today, she did not feel up to it. Her mood had improved a little since she said goodbye to Minas, but the question of Lazu’s choice still weighed too heavily on her mind.

Just tell me, she said.

Well, Maiko wants leaves for his saddles, Guido explained. Maiko Saddler was Minas’s father.

Good, then I can talk to Minas again when I go to Trader Cave later, Aya thought. I should say sorry for snapping at him. One of Aya’s chores was to deliver the crops to the masters upon her return from the slopes. Most of them worked inside Trader Cave. It was a massive mountain cave close to Trader Square, so for that to be convenient, the Master Stonemasons had divided it into several smaller chambers by erecting walls that separated the masters by trade. Minas’s workplace was among them. It was called the Saddler Cave, and once he was done assisting Pippa, he would be there, crafting riding gear with his father.

Guido continued, Suggi asked for more evernuts, and Master Misa wants us to bring her a couple of roots.

Everroots were used in the manufacturing of clothes and linen. They were strange, rough-looking fruits with a broad base and a pointy tip that could be a little prickly. You cut them from the stems of the everplants, and despite their appearance, the Master Threaders were able to turn them into the most delicate thread and yarn by boiling them in a secret solution. Once Misa and her fellow threaders had done their magic, the sewing material went to the Dyer Cave, where it was transformed yet again. From there, the new, colorful product went to the Master Weavers.

Are we also picking everberries for the dyers? Aya asked.

No, not on this trip, answered Guido.

Aya was relieved. It meant that she would have nothing to drop off for Master Kulla when she did her rounds. Aya liked Kulla, but the Dyer Cave was next to the Weaver Cave, where Balda’s mother busied herself making clothes. And Aya did not want to deal with Balda or her family anymore today.

Slope Pathway began to take them downward, so Aya held on tightly to Sami’s horns. Beside them, the mountain had changed. The wall had grown less ragged, boulders were fewer, and you could see the first signs of vegetation. Ahead, a couple of blackbeaks were circling the air, telling them that they were almost at their destination.

And…, her father hesitated, Master Poppy needs...

Cracklecorn, muttered Aya, finishing the sentence for him. They were the main ingredient in the grains of firedust produced inside the Burner Cave. People threw firedust from their windows during the cat parade, and with the event coming up soon, it was in high demand. When firedust hit the air, it cracked and turned into showers of festive sparkles that would drizzle from the