flamekthunder | { songerein: inbox }

Hm?

[Before she can see much of it, the little paw dashes away again, but it's moved close enough to the edge of the shadows now that she can see its interest in the feather, as well as...]

Wings?

[As soon as she voices the discovery, it leaps out from behind the boxes in an attempt to catch the feather, but Tifa pulls it away just in time that it misses and it rolls around on the floor instead.]

What... is this? Some kind of fairy... cat?

[Eustace also stares...and is a little more wary than before, but also curious.]

Given the nature of this world, I more or less suspected it would be.

[Not many "normal" animals around here, that's for sure.]

However that means we need to treat it with more caution as we don't know what kind of magic it could use, if at all.

Seems pretty harmless right now.

[It rights itself and rolls back onto all fours and stares at the two of them just as warily as Eustace eyes it, but its mewl when its eyes land back on the feather is so small that it squeezes gently at Tifa's heart.

... Not taking in anymore cats. Not taking in anymore cats. Not taking... in anymore... cats...

And then it leaps up to catch the feather that Tifa is waving around. It doesn't catch it, but Tifa looks back over her shoulder at Eustace with pleading eyes—]

[OH NO HE SEES THAT LOOK AND WHAT IT MEANS.]

Do you even have enough time to take care of another animal?

[...

.....

.......

She chews on her lip as they exchange glances with each other, and she sees that look and knows what it means.]

Well...

[Tifa begins slowly. Does she have enough time to take care of another animal, with the corgis and Clover? But if she's going to be spending a lot more time here, along with them...]

Maybe... And if this is supposed to be a place to home strays...

[He doesn't mean to seem so harsh, really. He can understand how she wants to take care of it, just like how he is with dogs. But he really is thinking of the practical issues, the current one being—]

Maybe so, but we're not even set up. You haven't even decided how you want the interior of the main floor to look like.

[A soft mew from the kitten makes him glance over, and yes, he has to admit it is fairly cute.]

...I'm not saying we have to kick it out. But I don't know if we'll be able to keep it in our home—we barely have enough space as it is.

[It flaps its small, pink wings when Tifa looks back at it and wiggles the feather some more, and the way that its bright green eyes stare up at it in wonder like it's a bird only makes her heart ache even more. Eustace does make several good points—they are so far from being set up downstairs and even upstairs, and the house is so crowded with the dogs, Eria, Clover, and now Lyria, another animal would just mean more chaos.]

Yeah... maybe not at home, but...

[It tries to jump and use its wings, but they must not be fully developed just yet so it only leaves an inch or so off the ground before it falls again.]

If it can stay here, I can still make sure that it gets food and water. Who knows how long it's been since it's had a proper meal...

[A sigh as he runs a hand through his hair and down the back of his neck.]

In fairness, it may already consider this building its home if it was here to begin with. Let's see if it's made some kind of den here.

[Well, with the kitten out, she doesn't need the quill anymore, but as she hands it back to him, its eyes follow and it looks like it's about ready to pounce after it, its wings flitting again on its back as it lowers near the floor... but the slightly stern look that Tifa shoots over her shoulder has it straightening again.]

Yeah...

[But she can tell he's getting a bit frustrated, so she lets her hand rest quietly on his arm, giving it a light, reassuring squeeze before she briefly scans the room first.]

... I wonder if there might be more of them around here?

[He knows he's a bit more harsh than he should...and as he takes the quill, he looks at it before looking at Tifa and letting it disappear, much to the kitten's disappointment. ]

If there were, they would have come out by now.

[That...does make him frown a little as he looks at the kitten with some concern.

...It is fairly small...]

But let's take a look.

Mm... yeah. Must have left...

[Her voice fades, but her disappointment rings clear. It's at least old enough that it wouldn't need its mother anymore, but the kitten is still a kitten. Young and vulnerable and probably scared when two people came wandering into the only place that it thought was safe. It seems a bit skittish still—the feather as nice, but when Tifa leans down to reach a hand out for sniffing and checking, it backs up a little and stares at it.]

Still a bit spooked, but that's fine... We're going to make sure you're comfortable, alright?

[With that, Tifa starts to lift those boxes away one by one to check the back corner where the kitten hid, but there's nothing but dust back there.

After some searching, what they will find is a spot behind a shelf with a small bed of old, tattered dish towels that are covered in fur and... sprinkles... and the kitten mewls loudly and leaps into the spot and starts to pat its paws on the blanket.]

[Given how it's reacting to them, it's very likely it hasn't had much human contact... Yet even as young as it is...]

It doesn't look too malnourished, so it must have been able to feed itself somehow. Granted since it's a fairy, its diet may be different than a normal cat.

[Which they'll have to figure out... But Eustace is studying it, noting its health before helping Tifa in looking around. And when they find the dish towels that were clearly placed there—]

Looks like there really has been someone looking after in some way.

[...But what's with the sprinkles...]

Yeah. Or it's a really smart cat.

[Clover sometimes likes to make up her own beds, but these dish towels are arranged in such a way that they were clearly set up to lie down on, and then folded and crumpled to make it more padded. Not even Clover thinks to do that, and she's got a whole year on this one.

The sprinkles are what hold Tifa's attention, however, and she stretches a hand out to pick one up between her fingers... just to be sure. And they are sprinkles, alright.]

They're everywhere... There's no way whoever's looking after it left these behind?

[As if to answer the question, the kitten shakes itself and rainbow sprinkles spray every which way from its wings—]

...Looks like we have our answer.

[He stares at the sprinkles that come off the kitten with some interest.]

I know there are some other fairy creatures that are capable of producing seasoning... I wonder if this kitten is similar.

Maybe...

[She knows about the garnish noodles that like to hang around the communal firepit sometimes, or anywhere with open food, so as strange as the thought of taking seasoning from a creature like this is, it's... oddly normal for this world, apparently.

Still, Tifa looks down to the kitten with worry.]

Well...? What should we do with it? Doesn't look like it's too inclined to leave, and... I don't know that I wanna chase it away.

[A low sigh.]

For now we can leave it be. It doesn't seem to be in need of urgent care and if we stay around long enough, maybe whatever or whoever was looking after it will appear.

Which would be better because they most likely know its diet. Because it's a fairy, it's likely different from a normal cat, similar to the Flowers.

And....

[He looks at the kitten and then at Tifa.]

If it's not causing any trouble then it should be fine for it staying here.

[As if he had any other answer.]

Really!?

[She tries to rein in her excitement, but she's brimming with glee when he gives the go ahead. She's not sure what she would have done if he hadn't agreed, but it would be the best and safest thing for the cat for now, and the least stressful.]

We can still put it out there that it's looking for a new home... if anyone wants to take it. That's the whole point of this place, isn't it? For animals like that who don't have one...

[Whether it's a cat or a dog or something else, she wants to make sure that they are all fed and kept warm.]

[He just gives her a wry smile that has some warmth in it.]

Of course.

[He then looks at the kitten who watches the curiously.]

For now, let's look around further. Make sure there aren't any loose windows or holes it could have entered from.

[Her hands fall to her hips, and her lips pout out thoughtfully as her eyes move about the room.]

We should move all this stuff out of here anyway, shouldn't we? I don't think I want any of it...

[What she does want is a storage room organized her way which—if anyone knows her—would be impeccable and immaculate. Not dusty and dark like this place is... and covered in sprinkles... And there are way too many boxes and shelves.

But she'll start searching anyway, moving boxes around to make sure there are no small holes big enough for it to come and go through within the room, and as she moves, the kitten seems to grow increasingly more curious of them.

So curious that it wanders up and sniffs at Eustace's shoes and pants before it rubs its side up against him, and Tifa giggles.]

Looks like it's taking a shine to you already.

[Eustace follows suit, going to the other side of the room to lift the heavier boxes from the shelves to take a look inside, see if there was anything salvageable, if not for here then somewhere else. If not, possibly could sell or trade for something more to their use.

Just as he's pulling out an old, antique looking plate tray, he feels something small and warm rub against him and blinks before looking down. It's around the same time Tifa notices, and he can only watch a little helpless as it spreads sprinkles all over his boots.]

I'm surprised, I thought it was scared of me before.

[Shifting the tray to one hand, he reaches down to slowly let it sniff his hand before lightly rubbing the back of his knuckles against the top of its head and giving it a soft scratch behind the ears, the kitten purring and seeming to...shimmer a little before more sprinkles in the form of crystal dust spreads all over.]

...And it seems to have a rather unique ability with these sprinkles...

Cats are funny like that.

[Not that she has a ton of experience with different ones, but Clover and Maru were both the same. They're flighty and sometimes skittish like this one is, but curious. While the kitten is still a bit cautious, Tifa is only a little surprised that she can hear it purring from across the room. On the plus side, it's not territorial and doesn't mind them being in their space...

But she does have to wonder if it's been lonely stuck up in this room with whatever small amount of company it seems to have gotten.

The splash of dusty sprinkles that spreads across Eustace's boots and pants breaks her out of the thought, however, and she sets down the box she's holding and rushes over to see... and help brush some of it away.]

Yeah... this one's gonna be a bit messy, aren't you?

[She's feeling a bit daring and, when the kitten looks up at her curiously, she scoops her up into her arms... not minding the same dust that gets all over her shirt.]

Almost feel like we should name... [A pause, and Tifa lifts it up a little more to check—] ... her Sprinkles.

[It does indeed seem that despite being wary, the kitten seems more trusting than before. Maybe it could sense their intentions through their dreamotion or some other means, but Eustace watches the kitten stiffen before slowly starting to relax in Tifa's arms, looking up at her with big eyes.]

Sprinkles... It seems fitting. [A light grin.] It will probably be able to learn how to control it as it gets older... But we could probably find a decent use for it in the meantime. I'm sure the dogs won't mind helping the clean-up.

[She tips her head as she absently begins to scratch behind the kitten's ears, and its wings flap gently as it slowly begins to relax in her arms.]

A use for it? What do you mean?

[It's getting all over the place...! Not that she cares or minds it at all, but she is curious to know where his mind is going with it.]

[A half shrug.]

Use the sprinkles on desserts.

Like... on cupcakes and cookies...?

[She looks down at the cat and picks away some of the sprinkles that are clinging to her fur.]

That... might be cute, actually. Maybe some cat-shaped sugar cookies? Oh, and maybe some cupcakes with little cat-shaped candies on top...

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