The serial
The story the bulletin board runs one chapter at a time, all 80 chapters in order.
The Drifting Ship I
Sometime during the Eclipse Era. Psionic power drained away little by little, like a receding tide. Liv Weather once watched with her own eyes as an island turned from lush green to gray over the course of a single year. The flower fields wilted first, then the tree bark peeled, and finally the seabirds stopped coming back. The roughly three hundred households who once lived there had planned to wait it out—until one morning they found half the boats in the port already gone. That's when they understood: waiting until the end just meant being left behind. So they decided to stop waiting. Liv stands in front of the Weather family's ancestral home, watching the last of her neighbors carry their bags onto the ship. A child looks back at her. She smiles at the child but says nothing.
The Drifting Ship II
The Weathers family name carried weight among the old sailors in her hometown. Rumor had it that three generations back, the family produced a brilliant captain who could "hear the wind and waves from a hundred miles away." By Liv's generation, she couldn't hear that far, but on certain nights, she could still feel the waves speaking to her. Liv's father left her a boat. Wooden, three-masted, older than she was, with worn sails and ropes, but a sturdy hull. Her father never gave it a proper name—he just called it "my boat." The day Liv decided to set sail, she stood at the bow, running her fingers over a groove on the mast worn smooth by time, and carved a new name beside it with her knife: Morning Star. —Even as everyone else fled toward the starlight, she chose to be a star that stayed behind in the sky.
The Drifting Ship III
A few old sailors who couldn't bear to leave the sea behind decided to follow her. One was an old helmsman, who was said to have drifted alone for seven days and nights through the misty waters at the edge of the Spirit Realm in his youth, returning with nothing but a broken oar. Two younger sailors handled the sails and kept watch. And a cook of indeterminate age did a bit of everything, never saying much. They set off one morning, the sea calm as a mirror. The old helmsman murmured an ancient blessing at the bow. Standing at the stern, Liv watched the sailcloth turn from white to gold as the wind blew and sunlight caught it. Through the gaps in the rigging, she could see the port growing smaller, and emptier.
The Drifting Ship IV
When the adventure first began, everything was as ordinary as it is in almost every adventure novel. The wind held steady, the compass stayed true, and there was plenty of water and food. One night, the old helmsman even joked, "If it stays this calm, we'll probably never find what we're looking for." Then the compass started acting up. First the needle began spinning slowly, as if something unseen were tugging at it. It grew looser and looser, until it moved like an erratic clock—pointing toward one direction, only to change its mind the very next second. Liv picked up the compass and stared at it for a long while without saying a word. The old helmsman stepped up behind her, glanced at the fussy needle, and said, "Then just follow the stars. That's what we all did when we were young. Besides, this ship is called Morning Star."
The Drifting Ship V
第一次乱走的第十几天，或者更晚——他们看到了那座岛。 它出现在海平线上，几乎像是画上去那样。低矮的山影，模糊的树影，还有一处微微发光、看起来像是灯塔的建筑。船员们几乎同时靠向船舷。 抱歉，请忽略上面的错误起始，重新输出： On the tenth-something day of drifting, or maybe later—they saw the island. It appeared on the horizon, almost like something painted there. Low hills in shadow, blurred outlines of trees, and a faintly glowing structure that looked like a lighthouse. The crew leaned toward the railing almost all at once. The wind pushed the ship faster, but the island kept fading. As they drew closer, it seemed to be swallowed by the water, vanishing layer by layer. It disappeared so quietly, without even a ripple. That night, Liv checked the Nautical Chart and found nothing. She flipped through her father's sailing diary again, but none of the island names written in faded ink matched. Every sailor should understand this: "being able to see" and "being able to reach" aren't the same thing.
The Drifting Ship VI
Do people at sea dream a lot? Everyone aboard the Morning Star started having the same dream. They stood on an unfamiliar stretch of beach, barefoot, with seawater quietly washing over their feet—no chill to it, no warmth either. No sound around them, no wind. Just quiet, just still, nothing happening at all. But after waking from the dream, some began silently packing up their things. Others kept wiping down the deck over and over. One morning, the cook steamed a whole pot of pastries he'd never made before, ones that tasted wonderful, and never stepped into the kitchen again. Liv couldn't stop them, and she wasn't planning to—she knew that wasn't her call to make.
The Drifting Ship VII
The final night. As dusk fell, the sky started acting strange. Distant clouds looked crumpled, as if someone had wrung them out, and the wind kept switching directions. The sea shifted from deep blue to leaden gray, then finally into a shade of near-black teal Liv had never seen before. The blizzard came on suddenly, and it felt wrong somehow. The wind and snow weren't cold, but the rain hammering the deck sounded like drumbeats—each one landing right on Liv's heart, until she found it harder and harder to breathe. The crew scrambled to secure the sails and ropes. Liv gripped the helm, eyes wide, pouring everything she had into her grip and her breath. Then she heard it—no, she felt it: a particular wave rising right in front of her, speaking. The blizzard raged on. Liv didn't give up her post. She stood firm, holding the whole ship steady beneath her hands. When morning came, the wind and snow slowly faded away. There was nothing on the sea's surface. But Liv turned around and said: "I found it."
The Drifting Ship VIII
The old helmsman never explained clearly to anyone what really happened that day, but once, dead drunk at the tavern, he kept repeating one line: Liv said she'd found a sleeping guardian spirit. Liv had meant to wake it. But whenever the ship tried to draw near, or even just slow down, fierce winds and blizzards would close in around them again, and the spirit would fade away bit by bit, as if washed away by its own dream. "The ship must keep sailing on." No landing. No stopping. No turning back.
The Drifting Ship IX
Liv didn't consult the crew. That afternoon, as the ship reached the edge of the Spirit Realm, she took each crew member's hand one by one, then let go, one by one. The old helmsman recalled that her hands were cold—colder than the wind and snow from the night before. The lifeboat was lowered into the sea. The crew looked back and saw the Morning Star slowly sailing toward an unnamed sea. Liv stood at the stern until she became nothing but an outline in shadow, until she could be seen no more.
The Drifting Ship X
From then on, the Morning Star never docked again—it became what people would later call the "Drifting Boat." Coastal towns caught sight of it now and then. Sometimes just outside a fog-shrouded port, sometimes on the horizon under a blazing afternoon sun, sometimes on the eve of an incoming blizzard. No one could ever confirm it. Like a Grimkin illusion, it exists now only in the stories people pass down.
Taboo of The Drifting Ship
1. On the day you spot it, avoid heading out to sea. Even if the next day is calm, old sailors still recommend waiting one more day. 2. Don't wave at it. Some say it remembers anyone who's waved at it. 3. If it tries to come ashore, let it. But it's said the hull always vanishes the instant it touches land. 4. Don't leave anything of yours on board. Unless you're sure you don't want it to come back.
Catching Shadows I
Today, Princess Stella and First Knight decided to play somewhere sunny. While playing, Princess Stella noticed she had a shadow. She wasn't happy about this dark, tiny thing that looked just like her, and it kept following her everywhere! Princess Stella decided to catch it. She lunged at it, but the shadow darted away; she jumped left, and it jumped left too; she stepped back, and it stepped back too. Princess Stella got really angry that this thing had outsmarted her so many times!
Catching Shadows II
First Knight noticed Princess Stella chasing a shadow. As her guardian knight, he figured he should lend a paw. So he lunged in too! And then there were two shadows. Now it was a team effort. The two of them chased both shadows together, but caught neither. Exhausted and panting, they both flopped onto the ground—and just like that, the shadows vanished. Princess Stella jumped up with delight—the shadow was back!
Catching Shadows III
So they kept pouncing and pouncing, but by sunset their paws were still empty. But once the sun went down, both shadows vanished without a trace. Princess Stella felt very Smug, thinking she'd scared the shadows away all by herself. First Knight felt very Smug too, thinking they'd scared the shadows away together. Princess Stella and First Knight nuzzled noses in the night, then drifted off to sleep, perfectly content.
Writing Stories I
Princess Stella took First Knight along to inspect her territory. She noticed a half-written page on the counter, along with a pen and a small bottle of ink. Nearby lay a thin magazine, its pages flipped open by the wind. Princess Stella and First Knight tiptoed up onto the counter. The ink bottle got knocked over. Ink spilled out, covering the pictures in the magazine and leaving only the black text visible. Princess Stella tilted her head, leaning in to look at the words.
Writing Stories II
Princess Stella settles down, lifts a paw, and presses it into the ink, turning it black. Though it's hard to tell, since she's already black to begin with. First Knight settles down too, lifts a paw, and presses it into the ink, turning his paw black as well—and smearing himself into a little calico mess in the process. Princess Stella drags the half-written paper over with her other paw. Press! A "word" made of a paw print appears on the paper. First Knight leans in too, adding his own paw print. One, two, three, four... soon the paper is covered in paw prints of all sizes, more than the words that were written before.
Writing Stories III
Someone came home. She saw the work by Princess Stella and First Knight, chuckled for a bit, and then tucked it away in the counter drawer. Princess Stella proudly resumed patrolling her territory. She felt she'd written a truly amazing story. First Knight was pleased too—he thought his part was the best in the whole thing. As for what the story's actually about, you'll have to ask the two of them.
The Aloof Swordsman I
Princess Stella tours her territory with First Knight by her side. There's a new neighbor recently settled in a corner of the territory: a blue cat named "Swordman." She always keeps her eyes closed or narrowed, but when they're open, they're sharp and upturned. Ooh, that doesn't look like a friendly temperament. Right now, though, her eyes are closed, and she's lounging lazily by a flower pot. Princess Stella feels she should befriend this new neighbor—every adorable creature in the territory has to be her friend, after all. How does one greet a new friend? Princess Stella struts over with elegant cat steps, very formally. But Swordman just flicks her tail, not even bothering to lift her head.
The Aloof Swordsman II
Feeling ignored, Princess Stella gives a soft "meow" and turns to nuzzle First Knight instead. So First Knight walks over too, very formally, looking fierce—his eyes even a bit like Swordman's. But Swordman couldn't care less about the resemblance. This time, he doesn't even twitch his tail. Princess Stella and First Knight exchange a glance and decide to try something else. How about a gift? After some searching, they gather a small European Robin feather, a tiny round pebble that had rolled off a windowsill, and one strand of fur each from themselves. They line these treasures up neatly in front of Swordman. The Blue Cat glances up briefly, then lazily closes his eyes again.
The Aloof Swordsman III
Princess Stella and First Knight felt discouraged, but their fighting spirit wasn't gone; they decided to come back tomorrow and try again. The next morning, the two kitties visited Swordman again. Swordman was still sprawled in the same spot, as if he hadn't moved at all. But they noticed that the little feather, the small round pebble, and the two strands of black-and-white fur were gone. In their place sat three other things, arranged neatly: a blue strand of fur, a particularly lovely-shaped leaf, and a pebble even rounder than the one they'd given. The blue cat was still lazy, but he opened his eyes a little, squinting off in another direction. Princess Stella was delighted; she mewed twice and went back to nuzzle First Knight.
The Neighbor in the Tree I
This morning, Princess Stella and First Knight are playing with a yarn ball under the tree. Princess Stella's job is to tangle it up completely, while First Knight's job is to roll it back into a ball—though he ends up tangling it up just as much. While they play, a European Robin sings in the tree above: "chirp chirp chirp tweet tweet tweet." It's just an ordinary day, though today has a little twist. A tiny red feather drifts down through the branches and leaves, landing right on the tip of Princess Stella's nose.
The Neighbor in the Tree II
Princess Stella looked up and saw a nest tucked in one of the tree's branches, home to a small, plump robin in an orange coat. They usually couldn't climb the tree—so this was one of the rare chances she got to greet her upstairs neighbor. Princess Stella let out a careful "meow," keeping it as soft as she could. The robin tilted its head, then chirped back just as softly. First Knight leaned in and gave a very serious "meow" too. The robin tilted its head again and chirped once more. A robin and two cats, having the quietest little chat under the tree.
The Neighbor in the Tree III
By noon, the European Robin decided to wrap up the conversation, breaking into "chirp chirp chirp tweet tweet tweet" once again. Princess Stella and First Knight tilted their heads back, watching it sing its way up through the leaves, layer by layer, until it vanished above the treetop. Probably flew off somewhere. Princess Stella reached out a paw and pulled over the yarn ball she'd forgotten about for a while, going back to playing with it. She'd originally planned to head out on an adventure tomorrow, but now she's decided to spend one more day lying under the tree instead.
First Time Meeting the Sea I
Princess Stella and First Knight set out on an adventure - this was their first time heading south. The two kitties slipped out of the house, trotting along light-footed, hopping over one, two, three little hills until they reached the Fishing Village. A beam of light swept in from the left, then over to the right, so Princess Stella and First Knight chased after it, running to the right. They ran all the way to Amethyst Beach, where a huge stretch of moving water lay before them. The water rushed in with a "swoosh," then pulled back with another "swoosh." Princess Stella twitched her ears and narrowed her eyes.
First Time Meeting the Sea II
This thing was totally taunting her! Princess Stella decided it was time to teach this water a lesson. She stuck out a paw and swatted at the water—"smack!"—and the water rushed back with a "splash!" She swatted again, "smack! smack! smack!"—and the water retreated again. Princess Stella took a step forward, and "splash!"—a wave surged right at her! "Meow meow meow!" Princess Stella leapt up with soaked paws, bounding a big step backward. First Knight wasn't pleased. He marched over with great seriousness and gave the water a "smack!" In response, an even bigger wave showed no mercy, drenching him into a soggy cat—"meowww!"
First Time Meeting the Sea III
The cat with wet paws and the thoroughly soaked cat were still on the beach, but they'd retreated to where the water couldn't reach. Princess Stella bent down and licked her paws. This water tasted a little salty—completely different from the water at home. "Pfft, pfft!" Princess Stella didn't care much for the taste, and there was sand in it too. First Knight wanted to shake himself dry, but that would have been far too dog-like, so he chose to put up with it for now. The two kitties rested for a while and decided today's adventure would end here. On the way home, Princess Stella still glanced back now and then, but she didn't stop walking.
Sea Otter Observation Notes I
Princess Stella and First Knight headed back to the Fishing Village again. Lessons learned from last time taught them not to get too close to the water. So this time, they decided to check out the other side of the village instead. The two kitties hopped over one, two, three slightly taller hills, then climbed over a rocky patch, and spotted a pointy boat bow - along with a basin of fish. A basin full of fish! Princess Stella and First Knight exchanged a look, and each could see the shock in the other's eyes. Could this be treasure they'd found?! Princess Stella glanced around warily, then pounced straight at the basin of fish - and collided with some strange creature. "Meow!" First Knight rushed over to nuzzle her, then glared fiercely at the strange creature - he even hissed at it! But the creature paid them no mind. It snatched a fish from the basin, turned around, and slipped back into the water. Princess Stella and First Knight looked out and noticed several more round blobs floating on the water's surface, just like that strange creature. Those blobs looked totally lazy, occasionally rolling over - not all that different from Princess Stella on a normal day.
Sea Otter Observation Notes II
The two cats crouch on the rocks, watching the floating little bundles intently. Suddenly, one of the bundles scoops a seashell out of the water, sets it on its belly, then pulls out a small stone from who-knows-where and cracks the shell open with it. Princess Stella is utterly shocked. She pats herself all over with her paw, then turns to look at First Knight and pats him all over too. But aside from a tuft of fur she yanks off, there's nothing to find.
Sea Otter Observation Notes III
The sky started to darken, and those little blobs gathered into a small circle, drifting in the water, then all closed their eyes. Princess Stella could tell they were getting ready to sleep. She thought about it and figured sleeping in a circle would probably feel pretty nice. Once home, she reached out a paw and carefully took hold of First Knight's paw. Then the two cats copied the blobs on the water, curling up in a circle on the Sofa and falling asleep. Sure, the Sofa doesn't float, but that's fine.
The Windmill I
It was a breezy, cool night, so Princess Stella and First Knight decided to take a walk to the west. She remembered seeing tons of flowers in that direction before, along with a huge white pinwheel that never stopped spinning. Nothing at home was ever that big, so maybe it wasn't a pinwheel at all—maybe it was some kind of monster shaped like one. Or perhaps... the lord of that area?
The Windmill II
Anyway, let's go say hi to it first. Princess Stella strutted over to the base of the pinwheel with elegant cat steps and let out a "meow" while looking up. The fur on her face and body got blown back by the wind, but other than that, the pinwheel didn't respond. She meowed again—"Meow-Meow!"—but the pinwheel just kept spinning, no faster, no slower. Princess Stella wanted to get a closer look. But she'd barely taken a few steps forward when the wind suddenly picked up and sent her tumbling. First Knight rushed over to cushion her fall. He tried to approach too, but before he'd taken two steps, the wind spun him halfway around on the spot as well.
The Windmill III
The two cats, faces smudged with dust, crouch by the Flower Field fence. This landlord sure is something—guess they'll have to come back another day, once it stops moving, to say hi. Princess Stella and First Knight head home under the moonlight. Unlike usual, Princess Stella occasionally speeds up for a couple steps, then circles around First Knight. First Knight knows she's practicing—she thinks she can spin faster than that big Pinwheel.
Wishing Tree I
It was another cool evening, but there was hardly any wind today. Still, Princess Stella decided to head over to that big pinwheel with First Knight. After countless rounds of practice, she could finally spin really fast! But when they got to the flower field, the pinwheel wasn't spinning fast like before—it was moving slowly. Princess Stella lost interest. What's the point of competing against a rival so far beneath her? No matter, she quickly found something else fun. Looking north, there was a huge fish! Princess Stella and First Knight ran toward the fish, only to find a small hill—oh, it was shaped like a whale, and the water it exhaled even glowed!
Wishing Tree II
Princess Stella and First Knight dashed toward the glowing water, and once they got closer, they realized it was actually a glowing Fluorite Tree. Hanging from its branches were lots of shiny, tiny, round little things - maybe bits of starlight that had fallen off the fluorite, or maybe... "Little rooms where stars sleep." Princess Stella stared at it for a long while, and First Knight nodded along very seriously. Just then, a passing islander happened to walk by, hung a fresh piece of fluorite on the tree with both hands, then closed their eyes and whispered something softly. Princess Stella suddenly understood - you could whisper secrets to these little rooms.
Wishing Tree III
Princess Stella leaned in close to the branches of the Wishing Tree, closed her eyes too, and let out a few soft "meows." First Knight came over as well, closed his eyes, and gave a single quiet "meow." He didn't have as much to say as Princess Stella—one was enough for him. The two cats, quite satisfied, wanted to catch some breeze under the tree. Sadly there wasn't much wind that night, so before long they headed down the path lit by the Wishing Tree's glow, ready to head home. Princess Stella felt like her words had been heard, unlike with the big Pinwheel south of the Flower Field. After all, right as she spoke, the little room closest to her seemed to flicker with light for a moment. As for what exactly they said to each other—well, I already told you, it's a secret between them.
Hot Air Balloon I
Tonight, a gentle breeze was blowing, and Princess Stella and First Knight headed out again. They'd originally planned to visit the Wishing Tree, but as soon as they climbed up Whale Mountain, they noticed what looked like a long line of people nearby for some reason. They went closer to take a look and saw something huge, round, and glowing too. It hovered a little above the ground, swaying gently. Whoa! Could this be a giant star that fell from the sky?
Hot Air Balloon II
The kitties carefully continue approaching and notice a boxy, square-shaped thing hanging beneath that big round ball, with two people standing inside it. Further down is a rope, held by the islander who's always watching the sea from that spot, though he seems about ready to let go. What could this mean? Is the "Star" getting ready to fly back to the sky? Princess Stella feels awestruck. She wants to follow, but no matter how high she jumps, her four paws can only stay in the air for a moment—she just can't leave the ground for long. Just then, the "Star" slowly rises, and the two people inside wave to everyone below. Princess Stella lifts a paw too, just for show, and First Knight follows suit, lifting his right front paw as well.
Hot Air Balloon III
As the hot air balloon rose higher and higher, it eventually reached a certain height and started drifting toward somewhere else. Princess Stella tilted her head up and watched for a long while, then ran along the ground with First Knight, following its path—until she couldn't keep up anymore. The two cats rested there for a bit, watching the "star" drift farther away, shrinking until it looked just like all the other stars. Princess Stella rolled herself into a pile of bushes and decided not to go out and play tomorrow. Because if the "star" comes back to pick her up, she'll need to train her paws to leave the ground first—or at least train them enough to catch up with it down here.
Hot Springs, Hot Spring Eggs, and Hot Spring Fish I
Princess Stella and First Knight knocked over a pile of bricks this morning, and the bricks fell toward the north, so today they decided to head north to check out Onsen Mountain. There are several hot springs up on Onsen Mountain. To Princess Stella, they seemed strange—refusing to sit still in the pools and constantly puffing out steam. Princess Stella and First Knight cautiously backed away to a safe distance. They hadn't planned on getting close to water that looked so dangerous, but then she saw someone walk over and drop an egg into it. Princess Stella changed her mind.
Hot Springs, Hot Spring Eggs, and Hot Spring Fish II
Before long, that person fishes the egg out of the pot. It's steaming now, and its shell looks different too. "Mmm, perfect!" the person says with a grin, cracking it open and taking a bite. Oh, so the water here is for cooking. But why isn't there any fire in sight? Princess Stella and First Knight exchange glances. Either way, water used for cooking seems dangerous too. The two cats flick their tails, losing interest, and decide to move somewhere else.
Hot Springs, Hot Spring Eggs, and Hot Spring Fish III
Princess Stella and First Knight moved to another spot, but here there was a pool much bigger than the one that person had used to boil the egg. This pool was steaming too, and yet a few fish were actually swimming inside. Princess Stella looked at First Knight in shock, and he was just as shocked; the two kitties took a frightened step back. Could these fish be getting boiled alive? One fish happened to swim to the edge and poked its head out of the water. Probably figuring that these two cats wouldn't dare come close, it greeted them very leisurely. Princess Stella mewed cautiously, "Meow meow?", then lay down and blinked her big eyes. Aren't you hot? The fish slowly swayed its tail. "I've always lived here. If you lived here all the time, you wouldn't feel hot either." Princess Stella nodded seriously at First Knight—so it was a local fish. If the fish in the cooking pot at home had also lived in the pot from the very beginning, maybe they wouldn't feel hot either?
The Guy with Stars on His Head I
Sometimes Princess Stella and First Knight don't come home at night. Maybe they found a particularly pretty bird, a bug with an especially unique look, or ran into someone unusual. Up on Onsen Mountain lives a mysterious man who only speaks late at night. Princess Stella finds chatting with him quite fun, mostly because she can barely understand a word he says. And that's saying something, since she and First Knight can usually understand everyone else just fine! Still, today they made some progress—they managed to catch one line: Someone interesting lives in the middle of the stone circle in the Ruins area.
The Guy with Stars on His Head II
Though she has no idea why that mysterious man suddenly brought this up, Princess Stella figures a fun character like that is definitely worth getting to know. The two cats tiptoe into the stone circle, where they find a short, round, pudgy little creature with a heart-shaped nose. It's a bit bigger than a mouse, with a glowing blue stone perched on its head. Wait, no—that's not a stone. It's a star room, just like the one on the Wishing Tree at Whale Mountain! Wow, this is the first time Princess Stella has ever seen an animal with a star on its head. What an interesting little guy. Princess Stella tilts her head to look at First Knight, suddenly feeling a bit envious—why doesn't he have anything on his head?
The Guy with Stars on His Head III
Just as Princess Stella was about to say hello to that interesting fellow and see if she could borrow the star room on his head for First Knight to wear for a bit, someone came skipping cheerfully into the stone circle. She pulled a little hatchet out of her toolbox—thunk! thunk! thunk!—and before Princess Stella could even react, the stranger had already knocked the "star" right off the fellow's head, tucked it into her bag, and skipped off again, even more cheerfully than before. The fellow, now just as empty-headed as First Knight, snapped out of his daze and pulled out a small, square little thing. Click-click-click! He snapped away furiously in the direction the "star thief" had gone. Hmm, looks like someone beat them to it. Princess Stella sighed helplessly, and First Knight nuzzled up against her with a soft "meow."
The Swordsman Sleeping on the Roof I
On their way down from Onsen Mountain, Princess Stella and First Knight pass by a small house at the foot of the mountain. They hadn't planned to stop, but for some reason, Princess Stella suddenly turns to look back— Huh, there seems to be a cat she recognizes lying on the roof. She stops First Knight, and the two cats stare wide-eyed before backing away to get a closer look. Oh, it's not just "seems." This blue-furred resident, who spends every day lounging by the flower pot in Princess Stella's territory and never bothers with anyone—cat or human—is now lying on the roof of this little house at Onsen Mountain, looking utterly relaxed.
The Swordsman Sleeping on the Roof II
Princess Stella found it very strange. When she'd left home today, Swordman had clearly still been lying by the flowerpot—so when did he come all the way here? And how had he gotten here, anyway? She'd seen no sign of him the whole way. Princess Stella and First Knight whispered to each other and finally reached a conclusion: Swordman can probably fly! Princess Stella realized she still knew far too little about the subjects of her territory—that wouldn't do at all. Princess Stella meowed "Mee-ow" at Swordman, trying to say hello, but Swordman paid them no attention whatsoever. He didn't even open his eyes; he just gave an idle flick of his tail and went back to sleep.
The Swordsman Sleeping on the Roof III
Princess Stella wants to jump up onto the roof too, but after circling around with First Knight, they can't find a good spot to launch from. Swordman can actually fly, it seems! Princess Stella lets out another "meow," and this time Swordman finally opens one eye halfway—just a quick glance downward before closing it again. Well, Princess Stella knows that's about as warm a response as she's going to get from him. The two cats, one black and one white, spend a while longer studying the roof from below but still can't figure out how to get up there, so they give up. On the way home, though, Princess Stella secretly resolves to work on her jumping—next time, she'll be able to sleep on the roof with Swordman. First Knight doesn't respond to her right away this time, because he's suddenly remembered something: it looked like you could jump from the edge of that steaming pool nearby onto the lamppost, then up onto the roof.
The Roof Where You Can See the Moon I
Ever since spotting Swordman napping on the office roof at the foot of Onsen Mountain, Princess Stella had been wanting to find her own roof—preferably something a bit more special, with an even better view. First Knight is better at observing than she is. He thinks it over carefully, then leads her to a spot he'd remembered from a previous pass-through but never stopped at: a place called "Moon Pavilion," near Stone Cliff on Onsen Mountain. It doesn't quite look like the house at the foot of the mountain: the roof is higher and steeper, and there's no onsen pool or lamppost nearby, but there's a handy big rock and tree to help. First Knight nuzzles Princess Stella, gesturing for her to go first. Princess Stella climbs onto the big rock beside it, and the rest is simple—just a jump away. Yay! She made it.
The Roof Where You Can See the Moon II
First Knight also hopped easily from the stone up onto the roof of Moon Pavilion—no big challenge for cats like them. There was no swordman up on the roof, but the view was pretty great. Princess Stella looked up at the sky, where the moon hung especially big, round, and bright, and not the least bit hot. It felt nice just looking at it. First Knight glanced up at the moon too, then nudged his head against Princess Stella. She pushed him back a bit, but noticed his head was even whiter, rounder, and softer than the moon, all fluffy—and that felt pretty nice to look at too.
The Roof Where You Can See the Moon III
On the roof of Moon Pavilion, the two cats curl up together, occasionally grooming each other, occasionally looking up at the moon. After watching for a while, Princess Stella can't help but let out a soft "meow." The moon doesn't flash like the star room on the Wishing Tree does, but Princess Stella figures that's just because it's up in the sky, too far away to hear her. That's fine though—Princess Stella is generous and doesn't mind. She's planning to call Swordman over next time, so all three cats can "meow" together. Maybe then the moon will hear them? Whether Swordman actually wants to come along, well, that's his own business.
Deer Tower I
Today, Princess Stella and First Knight decided to head somewhere cooler—somewhere with shady trees and flowing water. The forest seemed perfect. She'd heard there was a "Deer Tower" in the forest. She wasn't sure if the tower was meant for deer, or if the tower itself was somehow a deer—but either idea sounded fun. The two kitties set off from the Central Area, crossed a little bridge in the Suburbs, sneaked into someone's lovely home for a quick look around, then slipped back out and arrived at the edge of the forest. The air suddenly turned cooler, and greener too. They walked on a bit further and spotted a tall wooden tower—and sure enough, a few tiny deer stood beside it. Princess Stella won her bet with First Knight, because a tower was just a tower, and deer were just deer. Even though First Knight had bet on the very same thing.
Deer Tower II
The deer spotted the two kitties and curiously wandered over. Aside from the two-legged creatures, it was rare to see neighbors this big in Central Area—their legs alone were longer than her entire body. Princess Stella felt a bit nervous, but she did her best to keep up her princess-like composure. One deer lowered its head and sniffed her very gently, then let out a "whoosh"—that sound of air blowing through the nose. Princess Stella figured this must be how deer say hello, so she gave a solemn "meow" in return and nodded at it. She felt that counted as a proper chat. First Knight wanted to join in too, so he tried a "whoosh" of his own, but the deer just tilted its head in confusion, looking like it had no idea what he meant.
Deer Tower III
Princess Stella spots a winding wooden staircase beside Deer Tower. Climbing it doesn't look too hard. Just as she's about to take a step, she's suddenly lifted off the ground—Forest Ranger Patti has scooped her up from behind! "This tower's too tall for you two. Getting up is easy enough, but falling down would be a real problem." Princess Stella feels a pang of disappointment. She turns to look at First Knight, who seems just as let down. Patti crouches down, thinks for a moment, and makes them an offer: "How about I go take some photos of the view from the tower and show them to you instead?" Princess Stella considers this and decides it's an acceptable plan. She reaches out a paw to shake on it with Patti, then settles down at the bottom of the stairs, deciding this is a fine spot to watch the deer from. First Knight lies down beside her. Patti soon returns with the photos she took. Princess Stella and First Knight review them carefully and agree the view really is lovely. So they start "meowing" and "purring," hoping to share the sight with their new deer friends too.
Jump Puzzle I
Word was there's a Jump Puzzle south of the forest, a place made just for practicing jumps. If it's good for people to practice jumping, it's surely good for cats too. The two kitties made their way through the forest and arrived amid a cluster of wooden platforms stacked at all sorts of heights. Huh, aside from the two of them, there seemed to be a few black-and-white creatures nearby too... never mind, that's for another day. Today's goal was the Jump Puzzle. The platforms varied in height, with gaps in between, and bubbles filled with gifts placed at certain spots. Princess Stella wasn't interested in what was inside the bubbles, but when it came to popping them, she figured she was quite the professional today.
Jump Puzzle II
Before they could get started, though, a forest ranger with twin tails hopped down from the platform. Spotting Princess Stella and First Knight, she lights up with excitement. "Whoa, new challengers! Want to give it a try?" A two-legger actually inviting them on an adventure! Princess Stella and First Knight happily agree. The ranger introduces herself—her name is Cassie, and she just happens to be leading some neighbors through jump training today. Princess Stella thinks Cassie is nothing like Patti. Patti would carry her away, but Cassie carries her up. Sure enough, with a single scoop, Cassie lifts Princess Stella onto the first platform, then picks up First Knight and sets him up there too. The two cats stand at the edge of one platform, eyeing the next one over. The gap isn't even that wide, but somehow, they both feel a little nervous.
Jump Puzzle III
Princess Stella backs up a couple steps, takes a running start, and—she makes the jump! Bursting with pride, she lets out a "meow!" First Knight follows smoothly right after, landing even a bit farther than she did. Cassie claps and laughs, giving them both a thumbs up. Riding the momentum, the two cats clear another platform, then leap up to the very top one, popping a bubble sitting there. An earring drops out. "Oh, well, you two can't really use this one..." Cassie feels a little bad—this wasn't meant to be a prize for cats. No worries, though—Princess Stella swishes her tail to show she doesn't mind. Still, next time they come back, they're hoping to jump all the way to the rooftop—and wouldn't it be great if the bubble up there had some fish jerky inside!
The Oak That Wants to Slip Away I
Princess Stella and First Knight decided to switch up their adventure today, like hopping on a random bus. So they boarded a random bus and got off at some random stop. Where could this be? The Spirit-Oak Pine Forest! This is part of the forest too, with the ground covered in blue and purple flowers, but the trees here look different from the ones they've seen in the forest before. These trees have thick trunks, hands, and an acorn on their backs. Both kitties are convinced this tree is special—just as special as they are.
The Oak That Wants to Slip Away II
This tree really was special—because it was moving. Not from the wind, but on its own. Princess Stella watched it try to lift one foot—it didn't budge. Then it tried lifting the other foot—that didn't work either. Oh, it wanted to walk, but its roots below were all tangled up. The two kitties circled around to the front to say hello to the tree, since its face was on that side. The tree greeted the two cats very politely too, though it seemed unable to speak—it just smiled.
The Oak That Wants to Slip Away III
Oak-Oak explained to the two cats: it wanted to go see the world beyond, but every time it wandered too far, new roots would sprout up from the ground and tangle around its feet. It had been standing in Spirit-Oak Pine Forest for years now. Strange thing is, it can't even talk—so how did those two kitties understand it? Anyway, that's not the point. After hearing this, Princess Stella walked over to the root that had Oak-Oak trapped and gave it a good scratch with her paw. The root didn't budge an inch. First Knight tried too, scratching hard with his paw, but the root still wouldn't move. Princess Stella and First Knight thought it over seriously for a moment, then decided to go find Patti for help, since she might have better paws for the job. Oak-Oak smiled happily and watched them go—not like it could go anywhere else right now anyway.
The Backyard Tenant
An old man found a hedgehog in the flower bed behind his house. He grabbed a broom to shoo it away, but the hedgehog curled up into a ball. He couldn't bring himself to do it, so he decided to just look the other way for now. Luckily, it didn't stay long. But the next day, the hedgehog came back, leaving behind a bright red wild strawberry under the flowers. After thinking it over, the old man cleared out a corner of the backyard, laid down a bit of dry grass, and set out a handful of fresh berries. The hedgehog moved in. He also got himself a new broom.
Sword Master
Long ago, there was a sword master who, as the story goes, had never lost a single battle since the day he first picked up a sword. After retiring to the mountains, he took on an apprentice. The apprentice learned incredibly fast. By adulthood, he could already fight the master to a draw. A few years later, he finally became the first person to beat the master in swordsmanship. The master burst out laughing. "I've been waiting thirty years for this day." The apprentice couldn't understand why he seemed so happy despite losing. The master said, "If I couldn't train an apprentice who could beat me, that would mean I've failed miserably as a swordsmanship teacher."
Anonymous Share
Once there was a fish named May, who loved snowflakes and longed for them to land on her. But whenever a snowflake saw her, it would dart far away. May was heartbroken and asked the snowflake if it didn't like her. The snowflake denied it—because May was a fish living in the lake on Onsen Mountain.
Anonymous Share
Two Common Bleaks met head-on at the suburban lake, and in the end, both ended up with bumps bigger than their own heads.
Anonymous Share
A snail forgot its key at home before heading out. It decided to go back and get it. By the time it got home, the key had already rusted.
Anonymous Share
Someone asked a parrot, "Can you say hello?" The parrot said, "Hello." The person then asked, "What's so good about it?"
Anonymous Share
Two clouds meet in the sky. One says, "My cloud is huge." The other says, "Mine's even bigger." Neither wants to back down, so a passing breeze suggests they try merging together—that way, they'd definitely be the biggest. The clouds agree, and sure enough, they merge into one super huge cloud. But then they realize they can't separate again.
Anonymous Share
One day, someone decided to start bragging. After boasting for a while, the ox ran off.
Anonymous Share
A salted fish decided to turn things around. After flipping over, it was still just a salted fish.
Anonymous Share
A fish managed to slip free from the net. It proudly declared itself "the one that got away" and decided that next time, it would take on a hook with no bait at all—just for the challenge.
Anonymous Share
In the southern Suburban Lake, a fish wanted to move to a new home. After a long, hard effort, it made its way to the eastern Suburban Lake—only to find nothing had changed. Well, of course not, the two lakes are connected. How else would it have moved in the first place?
Anonymous Share
A fish was complimented on its swimming. It replied modestly, "Thanks, but I can't walk anyway."
Anonymous Share
A goldfish decided to start keeping a diary today. It finished writing today's entry. Then it forgot that it had ever decided to keep a diary.
Anonymous Share
This is a can that holds 5 fish. It's already packed with 5 Sardines, but there are 5 more with nowhere to go. So they had a little chat, and in the end, the can squeezed in 10 Sardines.
Anonymous Share
An octopus was about to buy itself a watch. After much deliberation, it decided to just get one. Buying eight would be way too pricey.
Anonymous Share
A particularly outgoing stonefish decides to stop hiding. It leaves the pile of rocks and swims out into the open sea, hoping to make some fish friends. But not a single fish notices it—everyone just thinks it's a rock.
Anonymous Share
A Catfish wanted to measure just how long its whiskers were. But that turned out to be trickier than expected, since its whiskers just wouldn't stay still.
Anonymous Share
Do you know what pigeons say most often? "On my way!"
Anonymous Share
Once, there was a toothpick walking along a road. After a while, it grew tired and was about to stop for a rest. Just then, a hedgehog passed by, and the toothpick quickly shouted, "Driver, wait up—I'm hopping on!"
Anonymous Share
Huamei didn't want to go to work today, so she decided to take the day off. Her reason: "My whole body just feels so sore."
Anonymous Share
A deep-sea fish was swimming, diving deeper and deeper, when it suddenly burst into tears. A nearby fish asked why it was crying, and it said, "Because I'm under so much pressure."