sjakdljskl I am so tempted to start this from the beginning -- in which case the following scene would almost certainly turn out very differently, so here is this snippet for now.
Kame didn't think he’d ever been so cold in his life. Longingly, he thought of the patch of rug next to the furnace, the sunny tiles under the south window, the fuzzy fleece jacket that always mysteriously found its way to the floor. In contrast, the warehouse floor seemed even colder and grittier. For the first time, he envied the Persian next door: what he wouldn’t have given for a big, fluffy tail like Shige's to wrap around his body and tuck his nose under. Instead, all he could do was whimper softly and tuck himself in an even tighter ball.
Nearby, there was a soft scuffling noise. Kame's ears twitched and he couldn't help tensing. Yamapi had said he'd be safe as long as he stayed in the warehouse and out of anyone else's way – but Kame had seen the rest of the gang, and he wasn't entirely sure he could take Yamapi completely at his word.
The scuffling noise sounded again, closer. Kame lifted his head from his paws and peered into the darkness.
"Hey. Hey, you. New kid."
Something cold touched his side. Kame hissed and and leapt to all four paws, back arching -- and face to face with the apparition saw it was none other than Jin, the second in command with the floppy ears, head cocked inquisitively to one side.
Kame suddenly felt very silly.
"Sorry," he said shortly, pacing in a little circle to settle himself. "There was something cold. It took me by surprise."
"That was my nose," said Jin helpfully. "I couldn’t tell if you were awake."
Kame was ready to change the subject. "Does Yamapi want something?" he tried.
"Huh? Oh – no." Jin sat back on his haunches. "So are you awake?"
Kame stared at him. Jin looked back with wide eyes, ears pricked forward. "Yes," Kame said slowly. I'm awake. That's why we're talking."
Jin meowed happily. "Great," he said, "awesome. Can I ask you some questions?"
Kame hesitated. "About what?"
"Houses," Jin said. He leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "What's it like living with humans? Can you communicate with them? Do they hunt for you? Can you – "
There was an annoyed yowl somewhere off to the side. "Shut up, Akanishi!"
Jin's ears flattened. "Choke on a bone, Nishikido! Sorry about that," he added to Kame. "Akanishi is me. I have two names." He licked a paw nonchalantly.
Kame thought it polite not to tell Jin that the name on his pedigree certificate was Bronze Dragon’s Kamenashi Kazuya of Kanto.
no subject
Kame didn't think he’d ever been so cold in his life. Longingly, he thought of the patch of rug next to the furnace, the sunny tiles under the south window, the fuzzy fleece jacket that always mysteriously found its way to the floor. In contrast, the warehouse floor seemed even colder and grittier. For the first time, he envied the Persian next door: what he wouldn’t have given for a big, fluffy tail like Shige's to wrap around his body and tuck his nose under. Instead, all he could do was whimper softly and tuck himself in an even tighter ball.
Nearby, there was a soft scuffling noise. Kame's ears twitched and he couldn't help tensing. Yamapi had said he'd be safe as long as he stayed in the warehouse and out of anyone else's way – but Kame had seen the rest of the gang, and he wasn't entirely sure he could take Yamapi completely at his word.
The scuffling noise sounded again, closer. Kame lifted his head from his paws and peered into the darkness.
"Hey. Hey, you. New kid."
Something cold touched his side. Kame hissed and and leapt to all four paws, back arching -- and face to face with the apparition saw it was none other than Jin, the second in command with the floppy ears, head cocked inquisitively to one side.
Kame suddenly felt very silly.
"Sorry," he said shortly, pacing in a little circle to settle himself. "There was something cold. It took me by surprise."
"That was my nose," said Jin helpfully. "I couldn’t tell if you were awake."
Kame was ready to change the subject. "Does Yamapi want something?" he tried.
"Huh? Oh – no." Jin sat back on his haunches. "So are you awake?"
Kame stared at him. Jin looked back with wide eyes, ears pricked forward. "Yes," Kame said slowly. I'm awake. That's why we're talking."
Jin meowed happily. "Great," he said, "awesome. Can I ask you some questions?"
Kame hesitated. "About what?"
"Houses," Jin said. He leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "What's it like living with humans? Can you communicate with them? Do they hunt for you? Can you – "
There was an annoyed yowl somewhere off to the side. "Shut up, Akanishi!"
Jin's ears flattened. "Choke on a bone, Nishikido! Sorry about that," he added to Kame. "Akanishi is me. I have two names." He licked a paw nonchalantly.
Kame thought it polite not to tell Jin that the name on his pedigree certificate was Bronze Dragon’s Kamenashi Kazuya of Kanto.