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When the cat arrived at the ruins, he was disappointed to find that the water was rising here as well. As solid as they looked, they would not be the haven they all hoped for.
However, as they rounded a bend, they saw a man. Both the man, and the ship’s occupants started at the unexpected sight of each other. Then the man began waving and energetically moving, trying to get as close to the ship as possible.
The cat looked at the bird, trying to deduce what it was thinking. It’s face was unreadable. Still deciding. Thought the cat.
The dog however had an opinion, it woofed happily and ran over to one side, tipping the boat that direction, causing the cat to have to counterbalance, and waking the capybara.
The capybara looked over the ship’s bulwark. Then it also looked to the bird. The bird had made up its mind. It began to steer over towards the pillars that bordered the hooting and hollering man.
As they approached the cat could see details about the man. He was different looking to humans the cat had known before - his long hair had trinkets in it that tinkled and jangled as he moved. His feet were bare, and his clothes looked worn, like he too had undergone a long journey. But there was one thing the man did not look like. He did not look scared. He looked happy, excited, surprised - yes, but not unsure. This alone made the cat want to investigate further.
As the sergeant bird dexterously brought the boat along side, the lemur was the first to jump off to investigate some baubles the man had around him. The dog was quick to follow, and jumped on the man giving him licks. The cat cautiously sat on the bulwark, merely observing. The capybara reached his nose up, over the bulwark, sniffing. And the sergeant bird, having done his task, folded his wings and waited.
The man waved his hand in a motion towards him. “Come on,” he said, but the cat did not know his tongue. “Hurry!” He said, motioning around him. “The waters are going to rise again soon. This is a very great flood, but I know where it will stay dry. Come with me.”
The cat, capybara, and bird remained unmoved. The man’s brow furrowed for just a moment, then it melted away almost immediately, and his eyes lit up. He bent down to a basket which the lemur jumped over to immediately inspect. The man handed the lid to the lemur to investigate.
The cat’s eyes widened and his heart skipped a beat. He smelled fish!
“Come here, I have some fish for you! The flood had been great and terrible, but it has brought me more fish than I need for myself. I think I was meant to find you and feed you. This can all be yours. Come on then.”
The capybara, persuaded not by fish, but by the kindly tone, jumped off the side rocking the boat, which was the last persuasion the cat needed. It jumped off in the same motion and landed on the stone walkway. The man placed the fish he had been waving down and the cat inhaled it in practically one breath.
Now the man turned his attention to the bird. He noticed the wrongly-positioned wing. “You poor thing. Do you know I especially like birds? I have been observing an albatross, and listening to pigeons. You are fascinating conversationalists. I would like to get to know you more and help your wing, if you would let me. I have some fish leather that I can use to make you a sling.” He extended a fish towards the bird. The bird eyed him out of the side of the eye. The cat took a break from his meal to turn towards the sergeant bird.
The cat didn’t want to leave the bird. The cat jumped back on the boat, and up to the tiller. Then it rubbed agains the bird’s legs and purred, and bonked it and looked up at it. I think this is a good move. I think we can trust him. The cat tried to convey. Please don’t leave us and keep sailing on your own. I want you with us.
The cat almost despaired, as the bird looked far out over the open, free waters. Away from the uncertain ruins and out into uncertain, but unfettered chaos. But then the bird looked back and down at the cat. The cat’s ears flicked forward.
The sergeant bird stepped out of the boat, and for the first time in days, they all were on solid ground together.
But not for long. The waves already lapped at the stones.
“Come with me!” the man said in that foreign tongue, and turned towards the interior of the looming stone landscape. The dog trotted behind him, the lemur pounced beside, the capybara took his slow sure steps in the wake, the bird strided forwarded, and the cat padded along circling the group.
Only one person in the group knew where they were going, but they could all feel it. The promise of good things and good company ahead.