Welcome to Gaia! ::

He closes the door and now that he is alone, he allows himself to cry openly, tears streaming down his cheeks. He walks to the cub's room and looks inside, seeing the filthy bed and the scattered remains of the things Kero chose not to take along. He strips the bed of the dirty sheets and remakes it with the clean ones, throwing the dirty ones on the fire. He can't bear the thought of washing them. Then he cleans up the food he had put on the table, but after that he is at lost for what to do next. He finds himself once again in the cub's room, picking up the scattered toys and putting them on a shelf, then he sees the pipe, lying half under the bed and can no longer go on. He collapses on the bed, sobbing his heart out.

Tam goes through the motions of living, but that is about all he does. He no longer touches his harp, nor goes to the temple or inn, preferring to buy a meager meal in the marketplace and eat it at home. By the end of the week he is no longer even doing that... and had it not been for the kindness of his neighbors, he would not have eaten at all. All he seems to do is sit in his chair by the dead fireplace, holding a small bone flute.

Tam staggers to his feet, running to the door. Flinging open the door he stands there and stares. Dull green eyes staring out into the bright sunshine.

Tam sinks to the ground and holds onto the cat as hard as he can without hurting him. Then he remembers what he has in his hand and pulling away slightly offers it to the cub. "You... you for got... this." he whispers in a choked voice.

"Your.... tail.....?" stammers Tam looking at the cub's hind quarters.

Tam hugs him hard, but then he lifts a finger and wags it at him too. "Hopian didn't kick you out now did he?"

"I miss you, too, Taro. I miss you too." says Tam climbing to his feet. He removes the pack from the cub's tail and carries it inside, stopping halfway to the room. "But if you come back, you must promise me you'll listen, okay."