Komina

The bamboo vendors claim the Gold Meow Cap was a diplomatic prize, that Komina speaks the secret language of the Mystic Cats. They see the carved cane as a symbol of authority, the confident smile a sign of political mastery. The truth is, they only ever knew one of them—a young map-maker who got lost in the freezing mountain winds. The cane was a tool they shared for poking at loose stones in tunnel drafts. The cap was a farewell gift, left on a rock by the river when their friend knew they wouldn't make it back. The city built a legend around them, but every negotiation Komina undertakes is just a quiet, desperate attempt to keep one cat's memory from fading.