Y'Ghatan (rat)

Y'Ghatan was the name given by Bottle to a female rat he found under the city of Y'Ghatan.The Bonehunters, Chapter 7, UK MMPB p.446 Biting people is what she liked to do most.The Bonehunters, Chapter 23, US SFBC p.922
==In The Bonehunters==
thumb|200x200px|Y'Ghatan by [https://www.instagram.com/shadaan_studios/ Shadaan]
Bottle and a number of others were trapped within tunnels under the city of Y'Ghatan after a firestorm during the Last Siege of Y'Ghatan. Using his ability to seek out and control the minds of animals, Bottle found a rat and used it to scout out an escape route. Once they made it out, the rat was nearly squashed by Captain Faradan Sort but Bottle prevented it and told her that the rat had saved them and he had named her Y'Ghatan.The Bonehunters, Chapter 7, UK MMPB p.397-418,425-447
Later, all those rescued stroked the rat's head only to be bitten by her in turn in what was almost a ritual. Bottle put the biting down to the rat being hungry and pregnant.The Bonehunters, Chapter 8, UK MMPB p.465
Koryk suggested that the rat might have been the tool of a god given that she had stayed with Bottle even when he had fallen asleep.The Bonehunters, Chapter 8, UK MMPB p.467
Y'Ghatan gave birth to ten or more pups, using an old martin's nest as nursery. Smiles told Bottle to discard the pups but he would not, saying Y'Ghatan would never forgive him.The Bonehunters, Chapter 10, UK MMPB p.522/523 Tarr averred that he would have eaten the sweet and delicious pups one by one given the chance.The Bonehunters, Chapter 18, US SFBC p.724
While assigned to the ship "Silanda", Bottle used Y'Ghatan and her brood as his eyes and ears, mainly spying upon Fiddler and the other sergeants and corporals aboard. Bottle named Y'Ghatan's offspring after the members of his Fourth Squad, i.e., Baby (or Little) Koryk, Baby Smiles, Baby Tarr, etc.The Bonehunters, Chapter 18, US HC p.577-582The Bonehunters, Chapter 19, US HC p.613-614 Only the mage's control kept the ship's magic from forcing the rats to fling themselves into the sea.The Bonehunters, Chapter 18, US SFBC p.716
Bottle sometimes carried Y'Ghatan under his shirt when on the move. The rat came with him when Tavore sent Bottle into Malaz City looking for Foreigner.The Bonehunters, Chapter 23, UK MMPB p.1126 The mage credited Y'Ghatan with guiding him to safety afterwards with Cartheron Crust and his ship, the Drowned Rat, during the mob violence.The Bonehunters, Chapter 23, US SFBC p.952
==In Reaper's Gale==
Bottle told his squad mate, Corabb Bhilan Thenu'alas, as they were lurking around the Letherii countryside, that some time before, he had transferred Y'Ghatan and her pups unto the Adjunct Tavore Paran's flagship, the "Froth Wolf", where he was sure they would be safe and where (not so coincidentally) they could spy on the Adjunct.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 14, US TPB p.399 
Fiddler, in answer to Cuttle's questions about the Adjunct's motivations in regard to the invasion of the Letherii Empire, received the dry reply that Cuttle should try asking Bottle instead, as he had perhaps hidden one of his rats in her hair.Reaper's Gale, Chapter 24, US TPB p.745
==In Dust of Dreams==
Bottle still used rats as spies who were probably Y'Ghatan's descendants.Dust of Dreams, Chapter 11, UK HB p.369 Little Koryk was found out by Quick Ben and sent back to Bottle (unharmed) in a sack as a warning. He agreed that Bottle should continue spying on Tavore.Dust of Dreams, Chapter 11, UK HB p.374-377
==Trivia==
Author Steven Erikson says he has "a fondness for rats. I had pet rats when I was growing up. Smart little creatures. They were great."Deadhouse Gates: A Chat with Steven Erikson, Part 4 - Claudia Iovanovici - See 1:15
==Notes and references==
Category:Animals