Nekozato Village

I started my hike up Mount Aozora today. The air is crisp and the sky is painfully blue. It’s peaceful. Weirdly enough, I keep seeing black cats watching me from the tree lines. They don't look like strays... their fur is too shiny. 🌲😺

I decided to go off-trail towards the Whispering Bamboo Grove. I love the thrill of exploring untouched nature. A strange fog has started to roll in, heavy and damp. It smells like rain and old magic. 🌫️🎋

The cats are following me. It's rare to see so many this deep in the wild. They aren't aggressive, but they won't let me pet them either. I shared some of my dried fish with them. They ate it with... manners? It felt like they were judging my cooking. 🐟👀

Disaster. The storm hit out of nowhere. I slipped on a mossy ridge trying to find shelter. My leg is in bad shape—blood everywhere. I can't walk. The fog is so thick I can't see my own hands. I think... I see glowing eyes in the dark. 🌧️🩸

I thought I was a goner. But someone came. I couldn't focus... were they people? They had ears. I felt myself being carried. Soft voices whispering in a language I don't know. When I woke up, I was in a warm futon. The pain is gone, replaced by the smell of grilled fish. 🤕💤

I looked out the window. This isn't a hospital. It's not even a human city.
Lanterns, wooden houses, rain... and everyone has tails.
I am in a Village of Cats.