In honor of National Cat Day I wanted to share one of my favorite bits in The World Ablaze.
Lieutenant Thomas Sims is based off my friend Thom DeSimone who was there for me in a time when I really needed support. Our friendship has grown over the past few years and I have even been on the podcast he runs. The way that Thom supports people, even strangers, inspired me. I hope he knows what a beautiful human he is and that he makes the world a better place.
I hope you enjoy this hommage to Thom and his cat, Luna.
Just outside the tent, Major Isadora Harmon was standing toe to toe with General Silas Hall. They looked to be having one of those whispered shouting matches that tended to be fraught with more tension than the ones where every word could be heard from a mile off.
Harmon was accusing Hall of holding her company back to keep her out of danger and Hall was accusing the major of being a damned fool.
Dandilion, Vectors, and Gregory skirted the couple—for there was no doubting that was what the older gentleman and the daughter of High Lord Harry Harmon were: a couple.
As Captains Morgan Dandilion, Cynthia Vectors, and Natalie Gregory approached, Thom heard Vectors say to her friends, “I wouldn’t want to be the general for all the gold in Caeldenon.”
Just as Harmon balled up her fists, looking for all the world like she planned to deck the general, a very large, very fluffy, very gray cat darted between the pair, dragging a fish that was almost as large as he was.
A beat later, one of the lads from the cook camp came chasing after the cat.
“Luna, get back here! You ‘ave to wait fer me ta skin it afore you get your due!”
Everyone in the immediate area paused what they were doing to watch as Luna ignored the boy and made his way to the far side of the camp, where he would most likely enjoy his treat in the thickets. The boy trotted after, cursing, and once both he and the feline were out of sight, all eyes turned to Thom.
He felt his color come up, and was sure he was scarlet when he looked at Dandilion. “If you haven’t need of me, I think I ought to go catch some fish for the cooks.”
The captain snorted. “If you don’t, you will be lucky to get cold gruel for your supper.”
For everyone knew that Luna—as Thom had decided to call the cat—had adopted him as his human the week before; shown up in the lieutenant’s tent, settled in on his camp cot, and set about licking its paws and purring. And that had been that.
“Bloody cat eats better than I do,” Thom grumbled as he went back to his tent to get his fishing line.
An hour or so at the nearby creek would be a welcome break from the crowded camp.
-From The World Ablaze