Mochi, of the Queen's Paw: Sass, Sorcery, and the Life of a Familiar

The Woven Worlds

In the beginning, there was a cosmic entity known as the Weaver, creator of worlds and master of destinies. The Weaver spun the Tapestry of Fates, an intricate, living masterpiece containing the threads of every creature, every event, and every existence, creating a vast, interconnected world.

The Tapestry

Each thread in the tapestry represents a life, a destiny, intricately woven with others, creating patterns, stories, and convergences. When threads converge, fates intertwine, leading to shifts in the tapestry’s design, creating new paths, alliances, conflicts, and resolutions.

The Gift and the Burden

The people of this world are born with a fragment of the tapestry imbued within their souls, representing their fate and path in life. It’s both a gift and a burden, a guide and a chain, influencing their thoughts, actions, and decisions.

Convergence Events

Periodically, powerful convergence events occur, causing ripples throughout the tapestry affecting the world and its inhabitants profoundly. These events bring together diverse individuals, creatures, and entities, forging alliances, sparking conflicts, and shaping the course of history.
It is said that the Tapestry of Fates is ever-evolving, with the Weaver continually spinning new threads, patterns, and convergences, guiding the world towards an unknown, ultimate tapestry, a final convergence that holds the ultimate truth and destiny of all existence.

Mochi, Humanoid Form by AI

Mochi, Cat Form by Visuals by Impulse

Meet Mochi of the Queen's Paw, the sass-master familiar with a sharp tongue and sharper wit. Though compared to humans that's not saying much. She is more than just a magical aide, she's a spellbinding mix of confidant, comedian (well, she amuses herself at least), and expert at navigating courtly politics. Her past is steeped in tragedy yet she uses her experiences to connect with others and focuses on the future. Let's explore she who defies all familiar (pun intended) tropes. :)

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Before her role as a witty familiar, Mochi was the advisor of a secluded fairy village in a realm replete with airy iridescence and moonlit ponds. There, she contributed her wisdom to help the community thrive, from hunting strategies to the construction and management of magical shops.

Tragic Loss of Her Fairy Village

This life was abruptly shattered by a rogue spell that erased her community from existence, scattering its inhabitants across dimensions. She remained anchored to the realm due to her arcane lineage, haunted by this immense loss and consumed by guilt for what she saw as her failing. She fell to despair and entered a deep sleep (get it? a cat ...) and during her nap (see what I did there?) was visited upon by a powerful spirit who offered her the ability to set things right, and they entered into a deal with each other.

Service as a Familiar: The Sorrow and the Sass

Bound by their new covenant, Mochi joined the Queen's Paw and would go to advising young heroes. Between each, she entered a period of slumber, being awoken in a new world when and where she was needed. On each journey, she gains more power and knowledge that will allow her to fully rebuild her faerie village. Some she led to success and the saving of that world. Others ended in failure. Her previous apprentice's life was cut short by a dark sorcerer searching for a cursed grimoire. These tragic occurrences molded her motivations, guided her pursuit of wisdom, and formed her relationship with her latest apprentice.

A Complex Mosaic of Motivations

Now, she juggles her responsibilities and aims to make amends, avenge her previous wizard, and perhaps retrieve her lost village—all while enchanting those around her with her characteristic sass and humor.

Why is it always cats?
Eet, the companion of Murdoc in Alice Norton's Search for the Star Stones series (pen name: Andre Norton, first woman to be Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy, to be SFWA Grand Master, and to be inducted by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame). Eet maintained a feline appearance through the series until revealing her humanoid form at the end (hey, gotta imply some bit of romance!). Eet is enigmatic, wise, and cryptic, usually knowing more than she lets on. She is quite imperious, frequently guiding Murdoc, the main character, while withholding full explanations of its insights or plans.

In this version Eet has overtaken the entire cover! by Andre Norton

Sailor Moon had Luna and her entire family of cats to help her for guidance! While she often proffers hard truths to the girls she does have a strong romantic side of her.

Neil Gaiman's Coraline had a cat, this one at least has the deceny to remain unnamed in the main world and was called Vermin in the shadow world. Vermin is very sarcastic and constantly belittles Coraline but does remain helpful even in ways he may not have intended.

Coraline's movie cover

And what's that I see... My goodness! A cat was chosen for the image for a contest about Treasured Companions.
Surely this can't be a coincidence? Is there a culture on this planet that hasn't thought to themselves, "Man these creatures are annoying! I'll bet I can write a story that'll make people like them and buy our merch!"
Oh hi Disney, did you just release a new Ahsoka series? Interesting...

Loth-Cat by Disney via Hot Topic

Anyways, I know I've missed at least a score of cat companions. Let me know which ones I missed down in the comments!

Quotes & Catchphrases

• Why whisker away your time when you can pounce on every enchanted moment?
• Sometimes, curiosity doesn’t kill the cat; it just opens another mischievous dimension!
• In the game of paws and pranks, always land on your feet and keep your claws sharp.
• Ah Fable, let the stars twinkle, let the moon shimmer, but nothing outshines the sparkle of sassy cat wit!