The Compass

"Guys... I thought we said no pets on the site."

The archeologists stopped what they were doing and looked up at a stray cat. Miles into the desert, in the beating sun, stood a cat on a rock. Just an average, orange, fluffy tabby cat.

In the middle of the desert.

In the beating sun.

Without a drop of water for miles.

Licking her paws.

On a rock.

The crew was puzzled. One of them suggested it was a mirage, but then the cat meowed. Surely they all couldn't imagine the same thing. The captain decided to approach the cat. She poured some water from her cannister into a small bowl.

"Hey beauty," the Captain said, "how did you get out here?"

The cat bowed her head and began drinking. Within minutes the cat had finished and began nuzzling the Captain. The team abandoned their site and crowded around the cat.

"Athena..." the Captain said.

"Captain, that's a cat." Oh why did she have to bring her nephew here? The Captain addressed her team. "The cat's collar says 'Athena' on it, like the cat I had as a kid. Maybe her owner is close."

The captain sent a team in a jeep to see if anyone was close. Meanwhile, members kept the cat entertained with antique mirrors and the sun. Hours had passed and the team didn't return. Tents had been set up, and lanterns had been lit. The desert sun set as the Captain was wondering why her team has not returned yet. She went to speak with her supervisors, but she was dismissed. "They went with our best guides, Claire. They'll be fine. I think our crew could use a bedtime story though."

It doesn't matter how many sexist pricks she worked with. She was chosen to lead the expedition, and she had a team of people out there.

She had to find them.

In the middle of the night, Claire snuck out of her tent and hotwired one of the Jeeps. "Come on," she muttered, trying to remember what her father taught her as a teenager. After several attempts, she succeeded. She looked back at the camp, hoping that someone would join her. Alas, she was on her own with no permission other than her own. She wondered if she was doing the right thing.

Meow.

Claire turned over her shoulder and saw a familiar tuft of fur.

"Athena, what are you doing over here?" The cat, while being... well, a cat, seemed to be up for the adventure. Athena climbed into the passenger seat and kneaded it until she sat down. Claire giggled as she approached the feline in shotgun. "Are you sure?"

Meow.

Claire took that as a yes.

The two motored off into the cool, desert night. Athena didn't provide much conversation, other than an occasional Meow. It was cute once in a while, but then Athena kept going. Meow. Meow. MeowMeowMeowMeow-

Claire slammed on the brakes. "Athena, what are you trying to tell me? Do you need to go to the bathroom? We have a ton of litter around us!" Nothing. "Are you cold?" Nothing. "Hungry?" Nothing. "Tell me what it is! I just need to focus on finding them. I don't even know if we're going in the right direction."

Meow.

No. There was no way... "Athena, are we not going in the right direction?"

Meow.

"I really wish I could speak cat." Claire slammed her hands on the wheel. "It's not just the crew... like the crew is my family, but my sister's kid INSISTED on going in that group. He is SO STUPID, and I promised my sister I would take care of him." She sighed. "I know you're a cat, but I have to find him. I just... I can't live with myself if I don't."

Athena climbed out of her seat climbed into Claire's lap. She let Claire pet her soft fur, which somehow did not stink or get matted. "The one thing I did right today was take care of you. I just... I need help. What are you trying to tell me?"

Suddenly, Athena hopped up on the dashboard and pressed her nose up against the windshield. Claire leaned forward. "Athena, is this the direction we need to go?"

Meow.

Claire buckled her seatbelt and drove off. Athena gripped on tight and off the two went.

Athena gave a light Meow every few feet, telling Claire where to go. Finally, she came across one of the vehicles flipped over. She slammed on the brakes, hopped off the car, and ran to the team. Her nephew ran up to her.

"Aunt Claire! We got lost, and Sam got bit by a snake... I tried to suck the venom out but that kind of did nothing. Then a sandstorm knocked us over and-"

Claire hugged her nephew tight. "I was so worried about you four." Her nephew hugged her back. "That's great, but Sam kind of needs help."

Claire went back to her vehicle and found Athena sitting right on another dose of the antivenom, which was administered shortly after. After loading the four passengers into the Jeep, Claire placed Athena on her lap and drove back. Athena offered some help, nudging her arms every now and then. As Claire grew familiar with her surroundings, Athena jumped in the back, giving emotional support to the group who needed it most. Claire's nephew, sitting shotgun, looked at his aunt. "Aunt Claire," he started, "can we keep this from my mom?"

Claire looked at her nephew. "Not even on her deathbed will she know." She will definitely be telling her sister about this.

Back at the camp, Claire's supervisors approached her. "Claire, that was stupid, reckless, and a danger to yourself and others. But, we are happy you found the crew." You know what? That was a win in Claire's book. That was as close to a "job well done" as one could probably get.

The daybreak began, and the crew decided to start working. Well, except Claire, her nephew, and the formerly lost members. They decided to rest as much as they could on the campsite. Athena curled up with Claire, and Claire drifted off to sleep.

When she awoke, Athena was walking out of the tent. Claire followed her, called out her name, but was ignored. Claire followed Athena a little while more before calling out again. "Athena," she called out, "where are you going?"

"My child, you do not need help anymore."

Claire almost pooped her pants.

"...What?"

Athena turned around and stared into Claire's eyes. "My dear, the Gods could see misfortune in your path. They vowed to not interfere. However, I am not bound by Shai or the others." Athena grew into a shadowy, abstract figure. "I took the appearance of your childhood cat so you would trust me. I am not Athena. I am Amekhania, Spirit of the Helpless." Amekhania returned to her cat form. "I am close with my sisters, so knowing that your nephew was going to need help... it meant a lot to us. We needed to protect you."

Claire bent down to hug Amekhania. "Thank you Amekhe... Ameh... Ahme-"

"The name does not matter, mortal. I know what you mean."

Amekhania nuzzled up to Claire before starting to walk off into the desert wind. "Take care, lead with your heart, and Osiris will look fondly on you." Before Claire knew it, Amekhania disappeared into the horizon. Claire smiled and turned back to her camp.

At the camp, her nephew came up to her. "Aunt Claire, are you okay? We almost had to go looking for you."

Claire wiped her eyes. "I'm good. Just had to make sure the cat had water." Her nephew looked at her. "What cat?"

Claire was shocked. "The tabby cat we found yesterday? The cat that found you and Sam an the others in the desert? Athena, remember?"

Her nephew patted her on the back. "Auntie, we didn't find a cat yesterday. We're in the middle of the desert. Why would we have a tabby cat?" Her nephew returned to the dig site.

Claire looked out into the distance, knowing that while she may be the only person who remembered Amekhania, she will never forget her.

Claire fixed the hat on her head and returned to work.