Assassin's Creed Valhalla is as rich in animal life as it is in wealth, and players are able to interact with these animals frequently. This can take many forms, like hunting deer for leather, petting dogs, summoning a wolf pet to aid Eivor in battle, or even recruiting a viking cat to join their longship crew.
The longship is a very important part of player's experience in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, as it will allow for much faster travel through the channels of England. What's more, the crew will help Eivor raid monasteries in search of supplies to build the settlement, but it wouldn't be complete without a cat.
It isn't a widely known fact about vikings, but historically they raised domesticated cats and took them with on their voyages. These pets served a number of purposes, but their main function was to kill any rodents that somehow got aboard the ship and provide companionship. For this reason, players that manage to find this secret quest in Assassin's Creed Valhalla can recruit a viking cat of their own.
In order to recruit the cat in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, players first need to head to Northwic in East Anglia, where a mystery will lead them to a white cat on the road. Players having trouble finding this cat should stick to the main road when entering the city and keep an eye out for a pair of red dragon-shaped pillars marking a road that leads to a hut. The cat is usually found right next to these pillars, but it can move around a bit.
Talking to the cat will start a world event called Freyja's Friend in which a young Norse child chases the cat off while trying to catch it. Players can then assist the child in catching Nali the cat, as well as learn a little more about its backstory. As it happens, Nali served on a longship under Kottr, presumably a seafaring viking. The child reveals that Nali hasn't let anyone touch her since Kottr's passing, and decides it best that she goes with Eivor since the cat's clearly taken a liking to them.
After this point, players can head back to their longship and find Nali the cat as part of the crew. The adorable cat doesn't seem to provide any in game bonuses, but it's companionship should be more than enough to make hunting this quest down worth the effort. It's also considered one of the mysteries in this region, so players wanting to 100% Assassin's Creed Valhalla will need to do it at some point.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.