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Dea had lost track of the days. Lost track of the shows and the ribbons and the cups. There were less of them, this path month. It was a busy one for her human. Birthdays. Deathdays. In particular the deathday. Perhaps it should even be surprising that the Show cat knew of it, much less was aware of its arrival.

Her behavior had been something of an enigma to the others that lived in the house with her. From his perch in the window beneath the beta tank to the left of the door Perun looked at the crimson pillow beneath the other window and its occupants in mute wonder, shaking his head very slightly in disbelief at the sight. The purple and gold perfectly groomed cat not so much a surprise on her own. That was if she was on her own.

She was not. A little pure white bundle of usually kitten trouble was curled into the Show's side. Dea did not snuggle or groom the hunter's young son... but that she was permitting his closeness was a marvel in itself. Her golden tail delicately circled them, making something of a light blanket for the sleeping Perkunas.

And somehow all without mussing her perfect fur.

Shaking his head the playful hunter hopped from the windowsill to grab a quick closer look on the way to the door outside. He did not understand at all this sudden change in Dea. It was nice in a way, to be sure. Certainly preferable to that snobby show mentality. Perun huffed lightly as he stepped from the house, leaving his son to sleep with the resting Show femme. The hunter knew Dea was not asleep, no matter how oddly relaxed her breathing was. Confused with his thoughts, Perun sat on the right side of the porch over looking the plot of garden filled with those strange purple Egyptian lilies with their gold centers; that small pond filled to overflowing with them as somehow they climbed over the little house in the center. There. Something had happened there. Dea had been spending a lot of time there before she changed. The scent of the desert cat -the one who had guarded Perun's mate and daughter here another day- his scent lingered around the area the day Dea finally returned inside for more than food & grooming or because it was raining. The cat Morgana's scent had been there, but barely and fading as if she had not been there long.

Why then was Ramses there so long? With Dea? The hunter's brow furrowed. It made no sense.

muuuurrr... He wished Azure was there. Maybe she could make sense of this.

sniff! sniff!! [Azure! Angel!!] Happily Perun stood and trotted towards his mate, bounding to nuzzle her deeply. A quick nuzzle and playful bat at Angel, another nuzzle to Azure, and then he shot a look at the desert cat. [Come on. Maybe you can make sense of our puzzle.] Perun nudged his mate and kitten inside but his deep blue eyes settled on Ramses before following them inside, as if to say his words were for the Familiar as well.

The door was opened by a softly smiling Rune Anthrobreedable, a sleepy strawberry blonde haired baby in the curve of her arm. Seeing the Feather tailed Naruto she smiled and let go of the door to put her finger to her lips. Behind her towards the television her Seifer could be seen rocking their little girl while softly talking with the feather tailed Seifer & Rune. "Relm's in her room, Naruto." A warm smile. "It's good to see you again."

The door opening caused Dea to open one eye in mild curiosity. Members of Moochi's house? That's where Ramses lived...

Perkunas still slept though so she did not move, other than to tilt her ears for news as she shut her eye again.

Perun flicked his ears an added measure for his little girl and grinned wolfishly, continuing the game on the way inside. [That puzzle.] He said, inclining his head to the right side of the door where Dea's crimson pillow lay looking out over the porch and the garden. At the image of Dea curled in a gentle resting position with Perkunas tucked against her side fast asleep as the two leggers quietly greeted the orange clad one above them and all the young but Angel in the main room slept or dozed. The hunter barely gave the two leggers a glance though her understood the anthro Seifer's proud fatherly smirk of greeting over the blonde head resting in the crook of his arm. Perhaps less so the glance & nod the cat anthro version of the bahamut gave Naruto at the same time. It really did not matter much to Perun.

Especially as the image and the scent of what he was showing Azure started to falter. The hunter growled low in his throat. What was this?

*I'm sorry, Perun. They fell asleep outside, Perkunas sneaking out while you were napping. I didn't want you to worry...* Though he 'spoke' to the hunter, Peter's mind-speak was open to Azure and Angel as well. Perun was growling softly at being tricked and the apology continued. *I moved the scent and image of them indoors... you know Dea would not have stayed still if you came barging over looking for him & he needed his rest...* The rabbit's mental voice faded and Perun huffed in frustration. Stupid telepathic rabbit. Huffing again Perun let his shoulders sag to put his head on a level with Azure's. [Even if the rabbit played with our senses you still saw. Dea... letting Perkunas near. When she has always detested kittens and any other young. And this is not the first time.] At no further comment from the telepath to the contrary Perun snorted. [I don't know how this can be. Except... I suspect somehow Ramses is involved though I don't understand why or how.]

Outside the real Dea & Perkunas rested cuddled lightly atop a golden pillow within the scented flower-covered house on the pond.

Eyes close Dea lightly sniffed the air as the sounds and scents entered the house. One scent lingered... one she had not been certain stood alone or merely clung to his housemates' fur & -in Naruto's case- clothing. The scent neared and expanded. Masculine. Sandy. Regal & comforting. A soft smile started to form on her face. Then very slowly, ice blue eyes opened to look at the approaching cat with a soft smile of their own. Dea shifted the tiniest bit to rest her chin on her paws so she was not looking at the male sideways. [Ramses.]

Her voice to those that knew her was unusually soft even beyond the quietness needed to not wake the sleeping kitten by her side. It was soft and surprisingly warm as well, a truly welcoming greeting. She did not have to say she was glad to see him or how pleased she was that he had come to visit: it was all there in the way she meowed his name.

Perun blinked dumbfoundedly at his mate's reaction. What? Didn't this worry her even the slightest? Dea, Miss 'I hate all who don't pamper me & especially kittens', suddenly & inexplicably not minding having a kitten near her? Wasn't Azure at all curious at what had happened or what was going on? Had Ramses really cast a spell on the Show? Perun suspected it was possible. The desert cat was a familiar. He huffed, falling into a trot behind Azure while at the same time batting his tail in a dual purpose shepherding Angel along with them & enticing the kitten to come along with them. [Not fussing. Perkunas can take care of himself most of the time. Just like knowing where he is & what's going on.] He huffed softly. Perun did not like not knowing what was going on. [Didn't say it wasn't good for them. I like this change in her. Just don't get how it happened.]

Very softly Dea's chuckle joined the desert cat's and lightly her ice blue eyes passed over the sleeping kitten's. [Perkunas is ... well he is not so bad when he is asleep.] A sheepish expression started to touch her face. Her blue eyes shifted back to Ramses, taking him in. [You're looking well, Ramses. The smile suits you.]

Perun frowned. He actually frowned. Was this something to laugh at... or was he being laughed at. With a huff he jumped onto the seat of the couch and feigned interest that would usually be real at the blonde haired moth-dragon-anthro girl in her daddy bahamut's arms. [Fine... don't tell me then.] Perun huffed in irritation, Tail flicking behind him. Seifer pierced him with a look and the hunter backed down from little Nahnia knowing the irritation he showed for being left in the dark was coming across as a threat to the baby. huff.

Dea listened with gentle attentiveness to every word. Not hanging on exactly, merely soaking in the sound of Ramses' deep voice while actually taking heed to what was said. The slightest nod of her head with a thoughtful expression indicated she would trust Ramses' conclusion on the behavior of kittens for she clearly knew little enough about them.

His smile made her feel so warm. So warm something was oddly fluttering inside her. She had not eaten anything different today. Dea tried not to think on it. As it was his smile was enough to keep her smile soft and warm & there at all. She was just so happy to be in his company. She could not explain it. [If I'm not prying... how have you been since last we met, Ramses?]

Glancing at the black & white cat beside her, Rune smiled lightly before reaching down a hand to comply with the pettings. Her soft green eyes however shifted between the mates with a soft worry, watching how Perun's huffs shifted as he became more hurt and confused with Azure's ignoring. The White SeeD waited, seeing if it would fix itself first before stepping in.

Ignored? Perun tried not to show exactly how much that hurt him and leapt to the top of the couch to play with his daughter. More than ever, the hunter did not understand. All he was trying to do was understand what had brought the change in Dea! Usually he did not care one whoop for the haughty snow cat so that was a push for him anyway. Perun did not know how Ramses was at his chosen home so only was trying to get some sort of reference point to see if it really was the desert male's influence or presence that had caused, started, or even instigated this change. What did Azure want him to do? Go spy on them to see what they were up to? If they were together? He could... but that seemed a waste of time Perun would rather be spending with Azure & Angel.

Except it hurt harder than he would admit to have his mate ignore him like that.


Ice blue eyes started to close with pleasure while listening to the deep sound of Ramses' voice. She could just keep him talking, and Dea would be happy just to listen. Though they lidded they did not close and remained as if locked upon the desert cat's face. A cringe lightly touched her eyes in their contentment at the thought of getting wet in others' water warfare. [Cats that aren't aquatic aren't meant to be wet. Though I think something changes about that when they become two leggers.]

Yes... that was a conundrum. One that Dea really was not all that interested however. She smiled lightly to Ramses, an expression of being glad he was well floating in her half lidded ice blue eyes. [Are you any closer to finding something of worth?] The show asked, both softly and gently. There was true concern and interest in her eyes. It was clear she intentionally asked a yes/no question to not pry any further than she was doing. There was also a certain hopefulness to her tone, pitched to not wake the sleeping Perkunas.

Rune noted both the purr and the sad mew that followed some time later yet said nothing. For despite playing with his daughter and pretending not to let his mate's ignoring of him show how it was getting to him, Perun's lightning tipped hunter's ears swiveled at the sound of Azure's sadness. With kittens... he could not simply run to her as he wanted and might once have been able. Even with just one of them near... oooo! Idea!

Playfully Perun swatted so that his daughter's reaction would have her tumbling from the back of the couch and onto her mother. There was little chance of her falling the wrong way for the hunter was already making concessions for that by getting his own body in the way. Once Angel was down her father would follow with his own 'tumble' and they would be a happy cat pile.


Her gentle smile spread softly to see Ramses relax. Dea was not thinking of possible implications or even that she might play some part in the male's being able to relax so in front of her. Simply enough, she was pleased just that he relaxed. This was not even a thought so much as a feeling.

Ice blue eyes watched violet softly in the silence. It was an easy silence, and Dea was in no hurry to end it. There was something in those eyes that drew her, and at the same time made Dea wonder what the desert male could be thinking.

Then the answer came and though her smile grew only a fraction a light glimmered in the once always cold ice blue eyes. [I am glad.]

Dea felt no need to ask what it was that the male had found worth in. It was enough that he had found it, and for that alone she was happy for him though she was not sure why. No matter. This was a good feeling and Dea had no intention of spoiling it.

It might seem like something of a miracle really that Rune did not react to the sudden tumbling of cats.... but the White SeeD was accustomed to being something of the calm in a storm. All three of them were. Even if it never got quite as wild around here as it probably did at Moochi's. Then of course, here there was not an over abundance of Narutos.

Chuckling softly Perun helped his daughter from under him with a nuzzle and then tenderly nuzzled Azure below her ear. The barest brrt of a purr attempted to accompany it but he was still feeling too hurt at being left out & ignored for more. From anyone but his family it would not have hurt so... and with Azure it hurt the most. Yet it almost hurt more to think she was hurting even a little bit. Blue eyes flashed with fatherly pride at his daughter's queen of the mountain stance and Perun put his mouth on the rim of his mate's ear as he sprawled -carefully- on her petite form. Tugging with gentle affection the hunter meowed softly into his mate's ear. [...silly beautiful one...]


Dea watched those violet eyes closed, an odd -for her- look of concern touching her own. Was he so tired? He looked... at ease. Come to think of it, Dea could not recall ever seeing the regal desert male being so relaxed. It was quite difficult to piece together her thoughts & memories on the matter for those times they had shared Ramses always managed to turn her world asunder. With careful thought though Dea was fairly certain that though he had let her cuddle like a lost kitten while her tears fell Ramses himself had not relaxed. Then though he seemed to want her near when she leaned on him... they were both very upright no matter how nice it had been. It was her first truly happy memory that had no strings -and certainly no ribbons- attached. Yet ... yes: Ramses had been regally proper the whole time.

Now he looked actually relaxed; a wonder itself Dea noticed. She smiled softly, laying her head back upon her ear as icy blue eyes continued to gently watch him. Lazily like a stretch her lower front paw reached out towards him in a casual manner as part of her cheek rested on her shoulder. Not needy; simply liking the idea of getting a little closer. Not that it would make much sense to her even if she stopped to think about it to try and make sense of it. None of this would have happened without Ramses, and with him near even without touching any doubts she had that feeling might be wrong were swept away by the happiness his presence affected her with. That he seemed happy too...

Eyes lidding but not closing for being focused on the relaxed regal male Dea began to purr lightly.

Startled by the unexpected rumbling of his super-large (to him) and warm pillow, Perkunas stirred slightly. purr, his sleepy kitten mind registered & there was the equivalent to internal nodding that this was good and well even as a tiny white ear caught & registered another purr nearby. Hmmm... odd. His parents' purrs were not usually so far away from each other. And they were louder. oh right. He was not with his parents. Scents were off. No worry. The main scent was that newly safe one. Safe for sleeping anyway. Satisfied, the kitten went back to sleep. His father had worn him out with play fighting and hunting earlier. His own purr brrrted for a while, fading out as he drifted back into deep sleep once more.