Cat and Man

I am Cat.
Favored of Bast,
Destroyer of rodents
Which infest your granaries.
I thank you for the granaries you build,
And for the vermin they attract.
I still think my own thoughts
As I walk alone.

I am Cat.
Self-contained,
Ruler of the darkness,
And I walk apart from you.
Why do you fear the blackness so,
And creatures that seek it?
It is good hunting time
For those who see.

I am Cat.
I deign to live
With you for food
And fingers massaging me
In the warmth of the fire in winter.
Although I walk alone,
I begin to know
What Love is.

Tika Berries (Homecoming Glossary)

TIKA BERRIES: Thumb-sized Riyan berries, almost black with a purple sheen when ripe, with a strong but pleasant flavor. The bushes are thorny, with star-shaped leaves, and come up readily from seed.