�You must have faith my boy. These skills will serve us well for the task ahead.�
�Yes but the last group was slaughtered...�
�That was their destiny. They knew what was being asked of them before joining. The ancient text says that our purpose is much different than theirs. Just have faith.�
�But preacher��
�Joseph if we are to stop the macro attacks then sacrifices must be made. The last group knew that and so does our group. If you wish to leave no one will stop you. However if you choose to stay you must have faith. The prophecies say we will not need to lay down our lives for the cause but we may need to make sacrifices.�
�Of course preacher. Please forgive me. I would never leave the group.� Joseph replied somewhat enlightened and bowed before his teacher.
The wise old man bent down and helped him up, �That�s alright my son. The great book says that if we are successful there will be no more killing. It is very dangerous but important cause.�
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�Damn it!� Felia growled angrily and stomped down her paw.
That angry gesture was a bad idea because her foot felt like it landed on a thousand sharp needles as it sunk into the soil. At that point she really wished that Chetina had not convinced her to get a job at the restaurant. In between work and the walk to the springs her paws were aching horribly.
However work was not the worst of it. Felia had been searching the springs for an hour and not found a single bug. This was infuriating since that warm popping is just what her paws needed. But now she was just too tired and frustrated to search anymore.
After finding a nice clearing Felia laid down on her stomach. A nap would help a little. She buried her head in her arms and dosed off�
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�Preacher�Preacher� I found her.� Joseph shouted.
�Where?�
�Just over the hill. She is laying in an open field.�
�Quickly my people gather the supplies and follow me. It is time to fulfill our destiny.�
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Felia opened her eyes and found a single bug staring at her. When she looked up the little man fell to his knees.
However that one wasn�t the only bug nearby. She could also feel more of the little creatures on her feet. At first she was going to shake them off and stomp the pests into mulch. Then she noticed their little hands were massaging her paws. It felt good, really good.
As the little hands kneaded her aching pads the happy cat started to purr loudly. It occurred to her that these little pests were either the bravest or dumbest in the springs. But at that moment Felia didn�t care because they were giving her just what she needed, a toe curling massage.
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Joseph rubbed his assigned spot vigorously. As the giant cat purred with delight he smiled. The huge leather pads were surprisingly soft. Not to mention, the effect massing them had on the goddess was just amazing.
However his group had been working for hours. Most of the other followers had already decided to take a quick break and were stretching. So Joseph took opportunity to rest his back and lay down.
The tired man allowed his body to sink into the mammoth foot. A sweet aroma of berries, from the lotion, emanated from the sole. He could even feel the gentle vibration from this cat�s purr. The reality of what he was doing at that moment seemed overwhelming�
Suddenly preacher started to call for everyone to get off of the goddess�s feet. As instructed everyone climbed off of the pads and gathered together to see what was going on.
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Felia was careful not to step on any of the small ones. They did an excellent job and it would be a shame if any of them were trampled by accident.
While her paws were being massaged, the preacher had told her all about his group and their purpose. Of course it wasn�t surprising that these little creatures didn�t like being stepped on. And their cause was definitely noble enough.
So after pledging her alliance, Felia found herself being shown to their hidden city. The path was cleverly hidden but she was committing it to memory. Within an hour they had reached the metro�s boarder. She then placed the old man in her palm on a nearby roof.
�So this is your city?�
�Yes master. All we ask is that you not harm anyone� Wait what are you doing!�
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Joseph yelled as the titan gathered his peers up in a tractor-trailer. He was one of the last to be snatched and dropped in.
The long steel box made a good little prison for those inside. Their captor had jammed the doors shut and ripped of the roof. A couple of his peer received bumps and bruises from being dropped in but thankfully no one was seriously injured.
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�Please� You promised you wouldn�t hurt anyone. You promised to protect the��
Felia flung the little man with her finger. Lucky for him he passed out. She would hate to have to squish him but he was pushing her. Carefully she placed the unconscious body in the trailer with the others.
Once the last of her �followers� were rounded up Felia lifted the trailer up to her face. She grinned at the horror-struck little faces inside. Most of them were pleading for their lives.
�Don�t worry I�m not going to hurt you. I�ve got a better use for you.�
�Please what are you going to do with us?� One of the little bugs asked.
Felia smiled, �I�m going to take you home with me. I could use a good paw rub after a long day�s work and this is just way too far to travel.�
�No please� We can��
�Shut up!� Felia growled, �And don�t even think of trying to escape. If you do I�ll stomp your nest flat.�
To demonstrate her point Felia swung a paw over a crowd of nearby watchers. She lowered it onto part of the group and trapped almost a dozen of them underneath. However instead of crushing the people she just let them scream in terror under the foot.
A look of shock overtook the group of bug. Felia could see the spirit drain away from their faces.
�Please don�t!� One of her caged pets hollered, �We�ll do anything you want.�
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�Ah my aching back!� Joseph moaned.
�It�s you turn Joseph. Besides she�s probably tired from work. I�m sure she�ll fall asleep after a few hours.�
Joseph reluctantly climbed out of the cage and into his master�s hand. Along with a dozen others, he was carried to the bed and dropped on the sheets. After the master got comfortable they climbed up on to her soles and started rubbing.
The past few months had been pure hell for Joseph. Living in a cage and being treated like a pet hamster. Not to mention the total lack of privacy from his 30 or so peers.
However the backbreaking labor was by far the worst part. Every night after the giant cat got home and took a shower; they would pamper her monstrous feet. Not for an hour. Not for two or even three. But they had to rub and rub and RUB until she fell asleep.
If they failed to do a good job the master would be brutal with the punishment. The last man that quit before she fell asleep was tossed in the titan�s mouth. He was swished back and forth for ten minutes. The look on his face when she let him out was not easily forgotten. He was white as a ghost. Honestly everyone thought she was going to eat him!
To make things worse there was no end in site. The master has made it quite clear that they were not going anywhere. The enormous cat rather enjoyed the attention they gave her feet.
In the end the preacher was right. They were never meant to become martyrs for the cause. However in order to satisfy the demands of this creature they had to sacrifice something far worse, their freedom.