Nathan, Rachel, and Catseye (plus kitten)

[x-catseye.livejournal.com]

Backdated to Tuesday afternoon.
Catseye brings Rachel a replacement for Bella the bird.

Sitting primly on the doorstep of the boathouse, Catseye ignored the
squirming kitten dangling from her mouth and used her tail to knock on
the door. She tried to call out to Nathan, but the fur in her mouth
made it impossible to make herself heard. Instead, she sent out a
mental call to Nathan and Rachel. #Can someone let Catseye come in
please? Catseye has a present!#

Nathan blinked at the images that came along with that mental call,
then moved as quickly as he could - which still didn't class as 'very'
- over to the door, before Rachel could beat him there. He opened it,
and couldn't repress a smile at the sight of Catseye's 'present'.

The purple cat bounded into the boathouse and let the squirming kitten
go before shifting into girlform. "Thank you Mister Nathan!" she
called out, keeping a hawklike eye on the small animal. "Catseye did
not want to shift to girlform with the kitten in her mouth or her
mouth would get full of fur," she explained. Which of course didn't
account for the question of fur in her mouth in cat form, or why she
hadn't just carried the kitten in her arms as a human. Some habits
were hard to break. "Catseye brought a kitten for Rachel!" she added
triumphantly, as if it weren't obvious.

Nathan's mouth opened and closed, his lips twitching into a reluctant
smile as he gazed down at the stubby-legged kitchen. It had
silvery-gray fur, white 'socks' on all four feet, and golden eyes.
"This is a surprise," he murmured under his breath, then braced
himself for the-

#KITTEN!# The telepathic 'squeal' was loud enough that Nathan knew
Charles and Jean, at least, would have heard it up at the mansion.
Rachel's approach was far more restrained than her exclamation,
however; she moved slowly towards the kitten, hands outstretched
carefully. She was, of course, beaming from ear to ear.

Catseye shifted back into catform and rounded up the exploring kitten
by picking it up between the shoulder blades and putting it in her
mouth, spitting it out at Rachel's feet proudly. #Catseye thought
Rachel would like the kitten because Rachel does not have a bird
anymore,# she explained telepathically, tail lashing back and forth as
she surveyed the girl and the small grey cat. #Catseye went to the
animal shelter today to tell them she can only help one weekend a
month not two like she thought because Catseye is busy and does not
like the shelter very much,# she explained to Nathan, thwapping the
kitten on the rump with her paw when it tried to swipe playfully at
Rachel's hand. #When Catseye was leaving she went to the cat room and
Catseye learned that this kitten was veryveryvery afraid and
Catseye wanted it to go live with the very best family so Catseye
thought Rachel and MisterNathan might like it?# She thwapped it again
when it began to eye the couch like it was a scratching post.

Rachel picked up the kitten - very, very gently, Nathan noticed, and
cradled it against her chest, at which point the little scrap of fur
proceeded to start purring and kneading. Oh yes, Nathan thought
wryly. I have a choice in this. He moved over to the nearest
chair and sat down, watching his daughter and the kitten for a moment
longer before he turned back to Catseye.

"I think maybe it's a good match, don't you?"

Since Rachel had the kitten well in hand, Catseye shifted back into
girlform and flopped down in a chair next to Nathan. "Catseye thinks
so too, yesyesyes. Does Rachel want to keep the kitten?" she asked the
girl with a grin, anticipating the answer.

"Yes." Rachel's voice was very soft, and there was a suspicious
brightness in her eyes as she cuddled the kitten. Nathan's smile
didn't fade, but it turned wistful. "Thank you. I'll take really
really good care of her."

"Catseye knows Rachel will take good care of her," she nodded. "And
Catseye can help if Rachel needs help anytime," she promised. "What is
Rachel going to name the kitten?"

Rachel kissed the top of the kitten's head. "Don't know yet," she said
speculatively. "Can I think about it?"

That provoked a soft laugh from Nathan; he couldn't help it. "You
don't need to rush, making up your mind," he told her. "Why don't you
get to know her first?"

"Good idea," Catseye agreed, nodding. "Names are veryvery important
and they should be special so Rachel should do lots of thinking. Can
Catseye take Rachel and the kitten to buy things for the kitten at the
pet store?" she asked Nathan hopefully. "Catseye is a very good
learner driver!"

"I... think that could be workable. So long as you don't mind me
coming along." Although he had to wonder about how the kitten would
like the car.