Mithadan shook the sleep from his head and repeated Airefalas' words to ensure he had heard them correctly. "You encountered a man, who turned into a cat that spoke to you, so you locked it into the armoire?" Airefalas nodded unhappily, believing fully that his captain would think him a fool. To his surprise, Mithadan began to laugh quietly, before approaching the closet and knocking gently on its door.
"Sir cat," he said, "Are you awake?" He was answered by a plaintive meow. "If I let you out," he continued. "Will you excuse my friend's rudeness and not run off?" After some hesitation, the occupant of the armoire meowed again. Mithadan laughed again. "Before I let you out, I'd like to hear your real voice. Whatever you might think of my companion, you are among friends." Airefalas stared at Mithadan incredulously, then spun around as a voice came from behind the door. "Let me out," came the growl.
Mithadan nodded and opened the door. The cat stood, stretched, and stepped out, acting for all the world as if nothing had happened that it had not planned. Mithadan crouched next to it. "You may maintain that shape if you insist," he said. "But would it not be more polite to assume you usual form?"
Golden eyes looked up at the man. "Thanks to your friend here," it replied miserably. "I seem to be stuck in this form." Mithadan's eyebrows shot upward. Then he stroked the cat gently, eliciting a quiet purr. "Be calm," he continued. "A friend of mine spoke of this once. Just focus on your mannish form and recall that you are not really a cat. Remember your true form."
The animal seemed to waver and melt, causing Airefalas to step back with a muttered curse. In a moment it had shifted and in its place stood a slightly built young man. "Very good," said Mithadan as he stood. Then he squinted a bit and an odd look came over his face. "Rama?"
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