The Back

"Blue Jade, if you wanted to hide, what would be the best way to do it?"

Purple had once asked Blue Jade that question. Blue Jade thought about it but could not come up with the best answer.

"Wouldn't it be hiding somewhere no one could find?" Blue Jade asked in return.

"How could such a place exist? If a place truly exists, it can be found."

"Then how should one hide?" Blue Jade was now somewhat bewildered.

"On the contrary, you should hide somewhere anyone can find you," Purple explained.

"Why?"

"Because the key to hiding lies in evasion, not concealment."

Purple told Blue Jade about a small creature it often observed.

That creature was not intelligent, nor was it much of a fighter. It occupied the very bottom of the food chain in the Eternal Night, and anyone could bully it.

Yet, it lived quite comfortably in the darkness...

"They have a unique name—they're called Back Cats."

Back Cats possessed an ability that allowed them to cling to the backs of other creatures.

This "clinging" was like an incredibly powerful magnet. It had no effect whatsoever on the creature being clung to; those creatures could not even sense the Back Cats' presence, only feeling an occasional chill down their backs.

Once attached, a Back Cat would remain fixed to that creature's back. It would not harm its host, but followed behind it, eating the scraps the host left behind and using the host's strength to deter other predators.

Therefore, Back Cats generally chose powerful solitary predators to attach themselves to, trailing behind them like little hangers-on.

Other than feeling a chill on their backs, these predators would never notice the Back Cats. Even if they turned around to look, the Back Cats would swiftly move into their blind