A final choice that a trapped cat may make is to simply sit down and wait. In this case, the cat will probably encourage his or her friends to search out some kind of way to open the cage (perhaps to be found wherever the Twolegs are).
If the player seems to be considering this course of action, assure him or her that there is a chance that the other cats will be able to rescue his or her character if they go through the rest of the adventure successfully. He or she should stay in the game and help the others, if only by giving advice.
What Happens Next: If the trapped cat decides to eat the food, continue with 10.
The adventure may continue in several different ways, depending entirely on what the cats as a group decide to do. If the cat in the cage managed to escape, consult the choices below. Likewise, use those choices for the free cats if they want to search for a way to rescue their trapped companion. However, once the cats move along, the trapped cat will be collected by a Twoleg who comes by and carries the cage back to the Twoleg camp. As Narrator, you can tell the player this privately but be sure to also say that the adventure will provide the chance for the other cats to rescue his or her character later on.
If they want to explore some of the remaining cages, continue with 9.
If Burr is still around and they want to talk to him more, continue with 3.
If they want to investigate the sounds of Twoleg activity, this is the end of the chapter. Pass the adventure to the next Narrator and tell him or her to continue with 7.
14. Captured!
Read Aloud: “With a quick snap of a massive paw, the Twoleg grabs you and lifts you into the air!”
Narrator Tips: There are several ways the players’ cats may end up in this scene and it may come up several times over the course of the adventure. Your job as Narrator is to improvise ways to make each one fit the current context.
Once a cat has been captured, the Twoleg will carry him or her away, either to the Medical Tent (where the cat will get a sedative to calm him or her down) or to the Transport Van (where he or she will be placed in a cage to await medical treatment or the trip back to town). Again, the humans are not doing this to be mean. They believe they are doing what’s best for the cats.
As in previous scenes, any captured cat has the possibility of returning later on in the adventure if the remaining cats can figure out how to free him or her. Beyond that, the only question is where the remaining cats go next.
What Happens Next: Not all of these options will be available in each case. The details will depend on where the remaining cats are and what escape routes are possible.
If the cats escape to the outer camp area, continue with 11 but do not refresh the chips again. (That only happens the first time the cats go through scene 11.)
If the cats escape to the Medical Tent, continue with 15.
If the cats decide to explore the Supply Van, continue with 16.
If the cats decide to explore the Transport Van, continue with 17.
If all of the cats have been captured, continue with 23.
15. The Clean Den
Read Aloud: “By staying close to the edge of the soft-skinned den, you can sneak in close enough to stick your nose inside and see what’s going on.”
Narrator Tips: In this scene, the cats get to poke around in the Medical Tent. This is the busiest part of the Twoleg camp, so it is also the place where it is easiest for the cats to be seen and perhaps captured. Encourage the players to come up with clever ways for their cats to avoid detection and, if they seem reasonable, allow them to work.
Of course, you should still have the cats make a few Skill or Attribute Checks that seem appropriate for the situation—Sneak, Ponder, Focus, Listen, and Smell all could be useful depending on what the cats are trying to do.
This scene is called “The Clean Den” because that will be the most striking thing about the tent from the cats’ perspective. The tent has been set up like a little mini veterinarian’s office in the woods. There is a small examination table, bright lights, and a cart filled with medical equipment, bandages, and useful drugs. It will smell strongly of antiseptics and the humans will do everything possible to keep dirt and other contaminants from the forest out of the tent.
While the cats are looking around, the doctors will be examining a cat. If possible, that cat should be a character the players have met before—either one of the captured player cats or Burr—just to give the scene a little more drama. If the cat is awake, it will be yowling angrily whenever the Twolegs poke and prod him or her.
Any cat that has the Herb Lore Knack may attempt a Ponder Check (using that Knack if the player so desires). If the Check total is 5 or higher, the cat notices some vaguely familiar scents mixed in with the antiseptics. If the total is 8 or higher, the cat realizes that some of the things in this den are similar to healing herbs that a medicine cat uses. If the total is 12 or higher, the cat is able to pick out a specific medicine smell and equate it to a specific healing herb.
Allow the cats to poke around for as long as the players remain interested. However, if they try anything particularly outlandish, there is a chance that the Twolegs will notice them.
What Happens Next: If the Narrator thinks the cats make it easy for the Twolegs to notice them, continue with 12.
If the cats decide to attack the Twolegs in hopes of freeing their friend, continue with 18.
If the cats return to the outer camp area, continue with 11 but do not refresh the chips again. (That only happens the first time the cats go through scene 11.)
If the cats decide to explore the Supply Van, continue with 16.
If the cats decide to explore the Transport Van, continue with 17.
16. A Sleeping Monster
Read Aloud: “The monster continues to sleep, despite the fact that the Twolegs keep coming over and trying to wake it up.”
Narrator Tips: In this scene the cats can examine the Supply Van and watch as the humans come and go, taking things from the van and occasionally depositing bags of garbage generated by the work happening in the Medical Tent.
The Twolegs aren’t doing anything special in this part of the camp, which makes it a good place for the players’ cats to hide and catch their breath after being chased. This also may be the first time the cats have ever had the opportunity to examine a Twoleg monster. The fact that it is so soundly asleep should allow them to be bolder than they usually would be around such a beast. If the players decide their cats want to take this opportunity, be creative in your descriptions. Try to describe the various shapes and parts of the van as they would appear to a cat and encourage an air of mystery and wonder.
This examination is interrupted periodically as the Twolegs come back and try to wake up the monster. (As the Narrator, you know they’re really just getting supplies from the van.) Have the cats make Ponder Checks as they watch this. If the Check total is 6 or higher, the cats realize that the Twolegs are performing specific actions in order to get the monster to react in certain ways.