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Among the Felidae (Yurina and Alan23)

A

Alan23

Star
Joined
Feb 24, 2011
Location
Australia
Among the Felidae (Yurina and Alan23)

Sometimes, where you ran to didn't matter. Sometimes, you just had to keep running.

In retrospect, Hari Polalrd couldn't help feeling that taking the commission to investigate the drug cartel in the darkest part of the city was a big mistake. Or, at least, when the back up promised by the regular police had been delayed, to go forward with the attempted bust anyway. He was no coward, and a crack shot, but against the drug lord's six highly-trained bodyguards, he had always been on a hiding to nothing.

He'd been lucky, he realized, to get away at all. In the shootout, he'd managed to drop two of the bodyguards, but at the cost of taking a nasty wound in his left arm. It was only his ability to run, and twist, and his expert knowledge of the sewers and abandoned warehouses and cellars of the oldest part of the city that had enabled him to shake off the pursuit.

So now, here he was. Blood streaming from his left arm, his body wracked with pain, and - by the feel of it - he was running a fever. If he could have counted on getting back to the occupied part of the area, these things might not have been too bad. He could have flagged down a passing car, or a pedestrian with a cellphone. Within minutes, he could have had an ambulance whisking him off to get the medical attention he needed.

But, alas, this was not the case. Instead, in his panic, he'd run so far, made so many twists and turns, that even he was lost. He did have a vague idea that he was in the part of the city that was near the docks, a formerly thriving area that had long been abandoned when cargo had ceased to be carried by river, and switched to air transport. Now, all that lived in this maze of derelict buildings, narrow staircases, old warehouses and bricked up cellars were rats, cats and the occasional homeless person.

He was lost, and about to faint. And now, he'd come upon a steep row of crumbling stone steps, slippery with moss and with the handle long vanished. His plan had been to retrace his direction, but his weakness would not allow him. Suddenly, he felt his feet slide form under him, the world shift, and he was falling...

Starr exploded in his head as, after three flights, going down into what must have been the very bowels of the earth, he hit the stone floor with an almighty thump.

*****

He had no idea how long he had been out... but when he woke, his head was thumping with pain, his clothes were soaked in sweat and his arm felt stiff.
 
It was raining heavily that night. It always had been for the past few nights actually. The air was wet and Eve was carefully darting from one dry spot to another to less not get wet. She had to get back to her container of her home in the back part of the colony. She came from the centre to retrieve her daily meal but she only managed to get a couple of bread and soup. Fish was not offered to mangy, isolated and the less contributed to the colony. Eve was at least thankful at the soup since it was still hot and that she knew it would be a cold night tonight. Not only that, she had managed to escape from the eyes of the alpha female thus not getting any beating tonight.

Finally managing to slip through the last warehouse where the home was nearby, Eve suddenly tensed up when she heard something hard falling down at the steep staircases that she knew it would be dangerous to go down there. She at first wanted to dismiss it to being a rat or something but then the tangy smell of blood reached her nose and it was just any rat's blood. It smelled like a human's. Silently she crept towards where the sound was and her eyes grew wide at the sight of a human male that had fell flat to the ground and what was worst his arm was bleeding!

Her ears lowered as she looked down to the her food and without another word, she placed her food down and quickly went down, having no problem with slippery places like this thankful for her feet. With some difficulties, she managed to bring him up the stairs and through the rain, she braced with him to bring him to the container, thankful that it was close. Throughout the night, after she had brought her meal back home and returning to the center for some quick request for some bandages and ointment, thankful that they took her excuse that she herself was in pain. Taking care of the human's wound was alright as she was glad that the wound wasn't so deep that he needed some stictching or something so she washed him up and gave him to wear her biggest shirt which thankfully just fit him in a snug.

With bandages around his left arm that had stopped bleeding and now slowly healing with the help of the ointment, Eve even put a damp small hand towel over the human's forehead after she found out that he had indeed gotten a fever. The black-haired neko looked down to the human's face and wondered how he ended up here. She just hoped that he isn't a bad person once he would wake up.

---

When the man did wake up, Eve's ears twitched as she had returned from the center with the same amount of food as the previous night two nights he had been here. Once he did wake up full though, he could see that he was in a large cargo container unit with a single light buld as the only light source in the dark besides the large doors being replaced with a thin cloth with some holes in it. Makeshift shelves with clothes and other things around one side of the container while a poorly done sink at one other corner, "You're.. awake..?" came her rather raspy voice before she cleared her throat, realizing that she hadn't spoke in human tongue in a while so she needed to get used to it again, "Are you.. feeling alright?" she asked, a frown etched on her slightly dirt covered face as she placed the food down and reached her hand to his forehead to check his temperature.
 
Yurina said:
It was raining heavily that night. It always had been for the past few nights actually. The air was wet and Eve was carefully darting from one dry spot to another to less not get wet. She had to get back to her container of her home in the back part of the colony. She came from the centre to retrieve her daily meal but she only managed to get a couple of bread and soup. Fish was not offered to mangy, isolated and the less contributed to the colony. Eve was at least thankful at the soup since it was still hot and that she knew it would be a cold night tonight. Not only that, she had managed to escape from the eyes of the alpha female thus not getting any beating tonight.

Finally managing to slip through the last warehouse where the home was nearby, Eve suddenly tensed up when she heard something hard falling down at the steep staircases that she knew it would be dangerous to go down there. She at first wanted to dismiss it to being a rat or something but then the tangy smell of blood reached her nose and it was just any rat's blood. It smelled like a human's. Silently she crept towards where the sound was and her eyes grew wide at the sight of a human male that had fell flat to the ground and what was worst his arm was bleeding!

Her ears lowered as she looked down to the her food and without another word, she placed her food down and quickly went down, having no problem with slippery places like this thankful for her feet. With some difficulties, she managed to bring him up the stairs and through the rain, she braced with him to bring him to the container, thankful that it was close. Throughout the night, after she had brought her meal back home and returning to the center for some quick request for some bandages and ointment, thankful that they took her excuse that she herself was in pain. Taking care of the human's wound was alright as she was glad that the wound wasn't so deep that he needed some stictching or something so she washed him up and gave him to wear her biggest shirt which thankfully just fit him in a snug.

With bandages around his left arm that had stopped bleeding and now slowly healing with the help of the ointment, Eve even put a damp small hand towel over the human's forehead after she found out that he had indeed gotten a fever. The black-haired neko looked down to the human's face and wondered how he ended up here. She just hoped that he isn't a bad person once he would wake up.

---

When the man did wake up, Eve's ears twitched as she had returned from the center with the same amount of food as the previous night two nights he had been here. Once he did wake up full though, he could see that he was in a large cargo container unit with a single light buld as the only light source in the dark besides the large doors being replaced with a thin cloth with some holes in it. Makeshift shelves with clothes and other things around one side of the container while a poorly done sink at one other corner, "You're.. awake..?" came her rather raspy voice before she cleared her throat, realizing that she hadn't spoke in human tongue in a while so she needed to get used to it again, "Are you.. feeling alright?" she asked, a frown etched on her slightly dirt covered face as she placed the food down and reached her hand to his forehead to check his temperature.
Click to expand...

He had had better awakenings in his life. The best way to wake up was in a soft bed, with gentle music playing, and whoever he had slept with the night before bringing him coffee. This was an awakening that was well down the scale of desirability. He was burning all over, drenched in sweat, his arm tied with what he saw, once his eyes focused properly, was a bandage. All over his body various aches and pains fought for prominence, like a group of excited school children wishing the teacher would call upon them to answer the question. He was lying on a hard floor, in an enclosed area with fittings far from the luxurious furnishing he was used to. Clothing piled on the floor, a battered, cracked sink, a faint musty smell. The last combined with the appetizing odor of some kind of stew or soup. He suddenly remembered he was hungry.

Are you... feeling alright?

A soft voice, slightly rasping, as if spoken by vocal chords that preferred another language altogether. A softer hand, touching his forehead. Had he had some nightmare, and woken to some girlfriend or other gently ministering to him. But he had no girls who would live in such a place.

He turned his head, various organs (head, shoulder, neck) screaming in pain to protest against his action.

His eyebrows shot up.

His first thought was that she was pretty. Too pretty to be in such surroundings, like a precious jewel presented in a completely unworthy setting. Large blue eyes, a shock of dark hair, a frail body, and a slightly hesitant manner, as if terrified violence might be done to her. A lovely woman, indeed, though he felt too bashed around to really respond to the fact.

And then - he saw the tail - and whatever smart flirtatious remark he had been about to make died in his throat!

"You're a... a... "

Hari had heard, of course, various legends of things that scurried and fought and bred down in the lowest reaches of the old city. Of rats with human intelligence, their leaders groups of animals locked together at the tail. Of insects the size of mice, mutant worms with vestigial hands, blind men and woman, the descendants of unwanted children thrown down sewers at birth who had survived to live and breed, their descendants gradually losing the sue of their eyes. He had never placed much stock in such legends. No-one who spoke of them ever claimed to have actually seen them. It was always third hand, they had it from a friend of a friend.

And humans with the tails of cats... they'd been among the legends. What were they called? Whatever the Japanese word was for "cat?" Yes... Neko!

Well, he could hardly say he didn't believe in them now, could he? Unless, of course, she were some kind of hallucination brought upon by the fever he knew he was suffering.

But what hallucination could actually touch? And she looked real enough... which meant that, helpless as he was, right now, he was at her mercy, and pointing out that she was a figure from mythology was hardly diplomatic or sensible.

"...you're beautiful," he finished, which was also true enough, though he hadn't meant to say it.
 
The ears on Eve's ears twitched at the words the human spoke, "Eh? B-But.. I'm not.." she trailed away, her cheeks seemed to have heated up eventhough with her head hanging down blocking the only source of light to be on her head, the man would not be able to see this neko blush. Almost in a shy manner, she pulled away her hand and tried to remember that this man had a fever but right now it had gone down tremendously but there was still some lingering. She was still blushing, she was definitely shy but she knew better. She had to keep herself composed and just help the human but most importantly not to be easily deceived, "Your fever.. has gone down." she murmured with her back now turned towards him as she scooted over to a small low table a little away from the bed. Fetching the bowl containing the now warm soup, she moved back by his side and presented him the soup.

"Can you.. sit up? At least.. by the wall?" Eve asked, waiting for him to response so that if he didn't have the energy then she would definitely help him in which she knew she would. Which in the end, she decided on her own and carefully moved the man to have him sit up and have his back to the wall of the container. Without another word, she ended up feeding him as well, knowing that a human's tongue would be able to withstand the heat of the soup unlike herself. Eve was careful on feeding him, all the while with her tail swaying slowly behind her.
 
It wasn't until the first splash of soup hit his tongue that Hari realized how hungry he was. Sure the cat lady - "neko" he reminded himself - was a mystery, but things of the mind could always wait, hunger couldn't. After a few seconds, he felt strong enough to take the bowl from her, and he was not entirely sure if the way their hands touched as he took it was prolonged longer than he'd intended or not. Though he hadn't deliberately set out to perform an experiment, as such, at some deep subconscious level he realized he must have been testing the nature of this strange new being... the way she's blushed, and the way her tail was twitching reminded him of a shy female human. But, he reminded himself, maybe he was jumping to conclusions. In a cat, a twitching tail meant indecision, but species do not correspond exactly. Perhaps, in a neko, it meant anger, or contempt, or amusement. Perhaps a blush in one of her kind meant something similar.

Her "but... I'm not" could also have meant many things. A bland, unemotive statement, along the lines of "No, I'm not from Delaware." A playful denial of the compliment he'd paid her, fishing for more (which he'd seen often enough in human females,) or... and somehow, this seemed to be likely - a genuine belief that his statement was wrong, that she was worried his perceptions had been scrambled by the fall.

All he could do was experiment further.

"Well, I think you're beautiful, anyway," he persisted. "You have... erm, a really nice tail." He racked his brains. Just what was, and was not, etiquette when speaking to another sentient species. Had he just committed some horrible faux pas, like telling a woman he'd just met she had great tits? "And... er... your ears are really nice, too," he added.
 
At one point when the human male took the bowl of soup from her their fingers held close as she grew worried for a bit if he indeed have the strength for that but he managed to. It was then she realized how their fingers had brushed against each other. Quickly she turned and made her way back to the low table. Okay, at least she was able to distract herself by taking a few pieces of bread to calm herself down before turning back to the human male, "Here." she urged him to take the soup with pieces of bread which she proceeded to shred them into bite sized pieces since she knew it would be fuller of a meal for him.

As Eve stayed by his side, her teal orbs watched him curiously before glancing at the bandage she did. It was a pretty neat wrap she had to say so herself since over time from getting beatings from the alpha female, she had managed to developed a skill for this. At the words the male spoke, Eve found herself blushing gently again as she tried not to but she couldn't help herself in the end. She couldn't find the words to retaliate before he ended up complimenting about her tail which in turn made her tail stood up a little and her ears twitched too in response, "O-Oh.. t-thank you.." she murmured in a shy manner, her fingers twiddling a little at the rim of her long sleeves.

"What's.. your name?" asked the black-haired neko after a moment of silence, "Mine is Eve." she said softly, sitting down on her rump and pulled her two legs together, slipping them underneath her big shirt for a moment.
 
"Eve. A pretty name," Hari replied. "Well, you'd have to have a pretty name, wouldn't you? Someone as lovely as you." He chewed the last piece of bread, then finished the soup by tipping up the bowl. "I'm Hari. Hari Pollard, though you needn't bother with the second bit." He noticed the way she was sitting, in a human rather than a feline way, though she still somehow seemed to demonstrate the grace of the latter. Her obvious shyness made him feel guilty for a moment - if there was one thing actual cats weren't it was shy. They just didn't do modesty. Though it seemed logical enough when he considered it... after all, since nekos wore clothing, they obviously had some concept of shame. The garment she wore had slipped upwards, showing more of her slim legs, though some instinct told him this wasn't deliberate.

"And I thank you for saving me. You truly are a wonderful creature. Forgive my ignorance, Eve, but... I have never met your kind before. It's obvious you are truly an alpha female among your kind."
 
Again with the sweet words. She had never had such words spoken to hear like this before. Usually it was just harsh words. She could only lower down her head at his compliments, still in a why manner. As the human finished up the bowl with the bread she had given him, she was glad to see that he had an appetite. She lifted up her head when he spoke about his name. Hari Pollard? She tilted her head at his name, especially his surname. Now where had she heard that before she pondered to herself before she shrugged it off.

She reached out and took his empty bowl to be placed in sink and gave him a glass of water before heading back to the poor sink to wash up when she tensed up once more at his words. Oh, this human had never one of her kind? She thought they'd be every where, especially those house pets of dogs mostly who sneered at the stray cats every other day. Although what really caught her off guard was that Hari thought that she was the alpha female.

Eve's ears lowered in response, her shoulders and tail too apparently before she picked herself up, "Oh, you're mistaken.." she murmured, "I'm not.. the alpha." the black-haired neko replied, "Well you need your rest Hari," she urged, "Rest a bit more and I can give your arm a new dressing in a bit."
 
Hari flexed his arm. "No need, I think," he replied. "It was only a scratch, and I shrug off infections quickly." Having slept and eaten, he genuinely felt in no distress, though he might have welcomed more sleep. For some reason, the thought of taking that sleep with Eve curled beside him, as his pet cats had done during his childhood, flashed into his mind, and he dismissed it. She was, he reminded himself, a sentient being, if not "human" at least on the same level, not some animal.

Her reaction when he'd asked if she were the alpha in her group had told him much. Firstly, that the nekomini did have a concept of "status" much like humans or other primates. And secondly, that Eve was obviously somewhat low in the pecking order ("clawing order?") as her reaction, that had bordered on humiliation, and her subsequent quick change of subject had been that of a person who prefers not to discuss their position in a colony. He'd seen the same fearful, defeated look on the poor, the weak, the persecuted, everywhere. It made him long to hold her, protect her.

With a shock, he realized that the feelings were, in a very real sense, bordering on the erotic. There was nothing in his libido, he knew, that leaned towards bestiality - having such feelings about a cat or dog were completely alien to him - and yet, when he thought about it, were the feelings at all strange? Sure, she had the ears and tail of a cat, a voice that was suggestive of a miaow or a purr, a lithe, feline way of moving. Yet her body, her limbs, her face, were unmistakeably humanoid. The garment she wore had somehow rucked itself up at the back, showing the rear of her attractive, very-human legs.

And yet... another chilling thought struck him. Human-like she might have been, yet resembling more a child than a woman. With all the disgust of a reasonable person for a pedophile, he felt himself ashamed of his thoughts.

"Thank you, Eve," he said, making his tone obviously one of respect. "So - what happens now? You won't get into trouble for sheltering me, I hope?"
 
Eve focused on cleaning the bowl and the glass he had used, her mind wondering about the colony she stumbled herself in for the past year. Yes, she had been here for a year, it surprised herself at how time sure flies, eventhough she used to think that the days spent here were longer than usual. For the past year, Eve had established her place. Being the only outcast of this colony, at the very least one of the elders in the colony, the great grandfather of the alpha male had given her old container for her to live in. Her bushy tail swished from side to side, clearly dusty and her hair a bit tangled here and there since she could not stand cold water on her. She would have loved to have a warm bath running but that thought was impossible as she doesn't even have a kettle or a stove, let alone a small bonfire that she was scolded once not to have any open fire except for the center of the colony.

At Hari's words, Eve's ears twitched as she looked back at the human and she couldn't help but smile a little at his thanks. Although his question made her pause her cleaning as she pondered. So far no one had ever mentioned about bringing humans over or has there been any humans making any contact with them as well. So Hari would be alright right? Wait, no no no no, they shouldn't find out. The alpha's female's voice rang into her mind as she shook her head. A sudden fear that she might get beaten or worse, exiled from the colony with no where to go. Possibly they would chase Hari away too and god knows who were his enemies were. Hari was such a nice man so far so she felt that he would not hurt her.

So Eve decided not to worry him so she continued cleaning, "I don't think so.." she murmured, "But just to be safe, don't wander too far ok?" urged the black-haired neko as she finished up cleaning. Turning back to Hari, she finally sat down beside him, her legs folded back flat out on each of her sides as she placed both of her hands in between the space of her tights, looking up at Hari's arms almost closely. She leaned over and took a sniff, "No.. infection smell.. that's good.." Eve spoke softly, unaware of the thoughts that Hari was going through.
 
Hari was somewhat amused by the phrase "no infection smell." It brought home to him the fact that, after all, Eve was not human, humanoid though she may have been. No human nurse would use the olfactory system in reaching her diagnosis! The way she was sitting, he felt, was neither exactly human, nor exactly feline. A human girl would have regarded sitting that way as immodest, and a cat would have sat upright, or simply sprawled.

He watched as she twitched her tail, and tried not to notice the dust that billowed up from it. Now that he was fully aware if his surroundings and his head had cleared, he could tell that far from being the alpha-female among her clan that he'd pretended to assume, it was obvious she was very near the bottom. Cat colonies, he knew, were not dog packs with their elaborate hierarchy and division of labor in the hunt. Nevertheless, it was an established fact that cats always liked to know where the other cats were at any given time, in case they needed them. And Eve's obviously frail body, her unkempt appearance, her nervous manner, all these things made it obvious that she was by no means confident. In fact, this lack of security was the least feline, most human, thing about her.

To remove any tempting thoughts from his own mind, he reached out and twitched her garment down, to hide her thighs. Adjusting a human girl's attire for her would have been somewhat impolite at such close acquaintance, but after all cats regularly groomed each other, so, he reasoned, surely a neko had a similar social custom. He was actually tempted to stroke her, as he would a fully animal cat, run his hands along her beautiful tail. Yet, also, to push her jet black hair back from her forehead, a thing that one could do to a human girl and not a cat.

And then, something else she'd said also struck home.

"Don't go too far?" he asked. "The way you said that... I could almost think you wanted me to stay?"
 
Here was Eve, trying to see if Hari's arm was alright but since it didn't cut deeply enough to have him needing stitches so he was alright. She blinked when he reached out and pulled her big shirt to cover her thighs, something that made her tilt her head in confusion as to why he did that. Eve wanted to say something but then his words caught her off guard. She wanted him to stay here?

Somehow that thought made her realize that Hari was the first living being she had ever spoke to in a long time. Eventhough she only had the elder to thank and had been providing for her, she rarely gets to meet him due to his poor health and no one in the colony wanted her near him. Realizing that, Eve looked up at Hari, staring for a moment with her brilliant teal eyes beneath her long, rowdy bangs, it was then she found herself caught staring. Hari indeed was actually definitely good-looking for a human. Her cheeks rose up to a little blush as she hung her head. She knew it would be selfish of her to ask him to stay so she had to make up an excuse for him to stay right?

"A-At least until you're healed fully." Eve said, not wanting to admit her thoughts that it would be wonderful if he would stay longer than that but she knew it was impossible. She was just a mangy stray and she was sure Hari had to go off and continue his life somehow, "Well.. get some rest, its getting late." the black-haired one spoke softly as she got down on all four and stretched out like any other cats would do, letting out an adorable yawn as well.
 
The last thing Hari wished to do at that point was sleep. He'd only just woken up. At least, he corrected himself, "sleep" in its literal meaning. "Sleeping with..." Eve, on the other hand, that was... another idea he pushed to the back of his mind. Apart from being of another species, she was a mere child. Since she seemed to wish him to sleep, however, and had stretched out herself (and in sleep, he noticed, she was more cat than human) he lay quiet for a while, breathing deeply, and when he was sure she was no longer conscious, got up and began to explore the container, treading softly, under the assumption that a neko would sleep as shallowly as a cat.

Truly there was not much to see. Eve seemed to live a spartan life indeed, if her home was any guide. It was devoid of ornamentation of any kind, no fripperies, or any evidence of relaxation. This, too, was cat more than human. He wondered if the food she'd fed him had been typical - or did she normally eat mice or rats, or birds if she could get them? He moved silently past her curled up body, her black hair splayed out, and made for the door. By human standards he could tread very softly when he had to, though he guessed by feline standards he was a noisy juggernaut.

The area outside the container was deserted, though seeing how far he had come from the area where he had been shot, he found his admiration for the cat-girl rising. She had somehow, despite her obvious half-starved frailty, managed to drag him here. Had she had help? Somehow, he doubted it. Had she taken risks to do so? Had she violated some law of secrecy, that the rest of her colony might punish her for?

And now, how might he repay her?

He spent some hours scouting around, and slipped back into the container at around the time he expected she would wake up. On his travels he had slipped up to the surface, found an all night store, and bought back fish, vegetables, and soup, not knowing what she ate or liked. Was this, he wondered, the right thing? And what instinct told him to slip back into the small flight of steps that led back to what he was already referring to himself as "Neko Territory" so that none of his own kind might discover what lie just below the surface of their everyday lives.
 
Luckily for Hari, Eve was quite tired. If only he knew how she stayed up late to make sure his fever cools down and that his bandages changed a few times. Even managing to wipe him down too despite having some trouble while doing so. Eve of course being a cat was very flexible as she managed to curl herself up underneath the low table covered with a blanket around with a built in heater underneath that was half functional. The Japanese called this table a kotatsu. Although the blanket looked old and had holes eaten by mice, it still managed to serve its purpose.

This warmth not to mention her tiredness, Eve ended up in a deep sleep, only her ears twitching a few times when she felt the light wind Hari made whenever he tiptoed pass her and she remained as she was till he had apparently returned. Within her sleep, she remembered how the days that she was a kitten without a care in the world, chasing after a butterfly till one second later, she in her grownup self now all surrounded in darkness before she squinted her eyes and spotted the light. Eve followed the light, reaching out for it when her eyes shot open. She groaned a bit and got up feeling a bit cold and she slowly nestled herself even more underneath the kotatsu with only her fluffy tail poking out. She stayed as she was for a few minutes more before she picked up some new scents. Something smelled fresh. Stretching out from underneath the table, she slowly moved out of the kotatsu and looked at Hari who had a plastic bag full of the new scents. With one of them something that she knew she would like, "Ha.. ri?" she called out sleepily, stretching out once more and letting out a yawn, "What's that?" she crawled up to him sleepily and poked at the plastic bag curiously.
 
Although his sympathy - one might even have said pity - for the way Eve was living did not fully vanish, his seeing the kokatsu did manage to take some of the sting out of it. He had worried that she might have given him what little blankets and other bedclothes she owned, and shivered all night. When he'd left, it had been too dark to see, and he had avoided showing any kind of light, for fear anyone might see. He didn't know, after all, just how secret she wanted to keep this place. Another thing he'd have to talk about with his new - what? Friend? protector? Nursemaid?

Lover?

Smiling, he laid out the things he'd bought. Tins of meat, soup, vegetables. A battery lamp, for light. Best of all, wrapped carefully in white paper, fresh salmon and cod from an all night fish supplier he'd found in a tiny little back street. He'd wished the meat had been fresh too - he still had no idea, given her feline ways, whether Eve liked her meat cooked or raw - but he'd done the best he could.

Despite the fact she'd been able to pass the night in some warmth (Night? Wouldn't sleeping all day and roaming at night have been more logical for a cat girl. He still, he realized, had much to learn) she looked looked amazingly vulnerable and helpless. Like a child, with ears and a tail, frightened and skittish.

He began to brew coffee, which he'd secured mainly for himself (could a neko even digest caffeine. It was poison, after all, to a cat!) and divested himself of his uter garments. It was cold outside...

"OK, pretty one," he said. "Now tell me about how you live your life."
 
As Eve was looking over the items he had laid out, the neko's teal's eyes widened in surprise at what he had brought. These items looked real good, not to mention expensive too! Well to her of course, having fish was a delicacy only the ones living in the top would be able to afford. Eve really couldn't believe he got all these stuff. She pawed at the fish wrapped in the white paper curiously to see if it was still alive or not before her ears twitched at the question.

Eve sat down before him, sitting down with her legs to the side, "Well..." she murmured, "I normally just go around exploring~ chase rats but they taste nasty." she said, sticking out her tongue, "But I like to sleep and sometimes I go to the center to watch what the rest of them were doing.." she trailed away, not realizing that she had let slip the fact that there were a colony in the center of it and she was far away from them, "I like to play with water~ only if the water's warm though." she stated, something that normal cats would not clearly enjoy.

It was at that point, her stomach growled.
 
Hari could tell that Eve was hungry. Somehow, he'd always assumed that cats never went short. But, of course, as he had to keep reminding himself, she was a neko, not a cat. And (as was becoming more and more obvious) one very much at the bottom of the pecking order (?Clawing order) of her colony. The phrase "watch what the rest of them were doing" was a very strong giveaway.

"Let's eat first, talk later," he suggested, and sat back. He was not especially hungry himself, but intrigued to see what she might make of the fish he'd brought. Would she eat it raw or cook it? Certainly, she understood cooking, as the hot soup she'd served him the previous night had shown. But presumably, the "nasty" rats were eaten raw.

"I guess if I'm going to stay around, you'll have to teach me how to get along around here," he said, taking a small amount of the chocolate he'd bought. In fact, he sincerely doubted there was much he needed to depend on her for. He was used to living in feral colonies (albeit human ones) and fending for himself. An ability he doubted Eve possessed to any great extent. But he wanted to make her feel better. He owed her that, at least. "And I suppose you have some... erm, Tom, that courts you?" he essayed, tentatively.
 
Her ears and tail perked up at the mention of the eating. She would love to it! Although whenever she had to though she had to make her way up to the center since food were given only at certain times. Thankfully the weather was fine now so she could make a small bonfire to cook it since Hari was here. Although for seasoning though, she had to go back up there to request for it. She looked up at the other male and pondered for a moment about that.

"Tom?" Eve looked up at him, clearly confused before she realized that he was referring to a male, "T-There's no males.. who would want to be close to me." she said softly, turning towards the door, "I'm just a mangy common stray.." Eve said with a hint of sadness in her tone before she shook her head to clear her thoughts, "Hari," she called out, "There's a space outside where we can do a small bonfire and I've hung out a pot and pan on the outside of the home to can be used. I'll teach the rest.. later." once again she diverted the topic once more as she really didn't want anyone from the colony to know that she was keeping a human male in her home.

Without a word, Eve dashed off towards the center, taking some difficult paths for a human to reach as she was afraid that Hari might attempt to follow her. Thankfully he wasn't a dog that could easily track her down with her scent.
 
The neko called Lachat had been both blessed and cursed by her genetic make up.

Blessed since, more than many of the colony, there was nothing at all of the stray about her. Her "humanesque" genes had given her long, slender legs, large, succulent breasts and milky white skin, while her perfectly symmetrical ears and long, sleek white tail were the envy of all the other females in the colony. But this beauty was both a joy and a handicap, for the very jealousy it brought from those other females had made her disliked. Had Lachat been a fierce, strong fighter, this might not have mattered, but she was a pampered, frail creature, and (with one exception) any other female in the colony could beat her in a fight without breaking sweat, so that in any dispute she was forced to humiliatingly back down, and slink away with her tail low, enduring the mockery of whatever other neko chose to bully her.

But there was one exception to this rule. And that one exception Lachat took the opportunity to bully whenever she could, just to restore her self esteem. Every time another neko made fun of her or insulted her, she would seek out the one creature lower in the pecking order than herself. And, having just endured a claw-swipe by Topaz, a new and very strong young female, a swipe that had sent her tumbling and totally destroying her dignity, she needed to make herself feel better as soon as possible.

And luck was with her. For, as she sat and licked the mild would, she saw the small, shy, self-effacing form of Eve, the scungy little thing who lived in the container down by the borders of the territory, padding along in the distance.

Lachat gathered herself and sprang out, extending her hair on end to make herself look as fierce as possible, and narrowing her blue eyes. As she did so, with the subtle way of reading scent that her kind shared with cats, she sensed a new odor coming from Eve. One that she would have read, in any other female, as coming into heat, though that could not possibly be the case, for no male ever showed any interest in Eve.

"So, where go you, mangy little thing?" she howled, feeling her confidence come flooding back. "What's that you have, you skinny, ugly little thing?"
 
Okay, now what she needed was just some salt and spices for the food they would cook. Climbing over a thick hedge in her own graceful manner, Eve looked around at the run down slums area which was already a luxurious area for the colony and was glad that no one was around that could bother her. Slipping through and moving over towards the only building that would help her. She was a greeted by a grumpy looking old cat by the side who hissed at her, "Oh you mangy black one, always coming around... just get whatever you need and get out of it." she grumbled. Eve lowered her head and quickly head to the shelves. The building was set up like a general store but it was also a place for the lower class who are unable to fend themselves or go hunting to get something to eat. You could say it was like a normal regular drug store with the charity service inside. Although this old cat wasn't too fond of Eve just like everyone else.

Without a word, Eve grabbed she needed and knew not to touch any of the expensive things on the other selves since those can only be bought. Since she didn't have any cash, she was thankful that there were some other things that thought to be useful and stuffed them into her small pockets. As she exited, she said a soft thank you before dashing off. At the thought of having a meal with someone was something pleasant for once. She smiled a little to herself before she froze at the particular scent that she feared the most. At the sight of Lachat right before her, Eve couldn't help but lowered her ears and turned away her head, not wanting the other female be near her. Especially someone as mean as her.

"N-Nothing.." she murmured, trying to move around her so that she could escape. She really didn't want to get caught by her for now as she wanted to head back to Hari.
 
"Nothing, hey, you mange-ridden little thing," hissed LaChat. It was the type of impolite thing no neko ever said to another - it was fighting talk, and few of the race would let such an insult go unavenged. Even Lachat herself would launch herself at any other neko who dared to insult her that way. The males had been known to fight to the death over far milder insults.

But she knew that Eve - weak, scared little Eve - would never dare. Eve couldn't fight, she was too weak and frail to stand up for herself. Any of the others could mock her as much as they liked, and the ridiculous, mangy little creature could do nothing about it. Most of the other nekos of course, didn't say such things to her - what would be the point, there was nothing to prove - but for Lachat, being able to intimidate at least one other female this way made up for the humiliation of being weaker than everyone else. All Eve ever did when you picked a fight with her was tremble and lower her head and tail, shut her eyes in shame, sometimes even wet herself.

"Fisheads and catnip, what have you got there, then?" Lachat continued. "Spices? Herbs?" she giggled. "Anyone would think you were cooking for a male... but of course, what male would be interested in a mangy, dirty little thing like you, eh? Even the males who have only just grown wouldn't be interested." As she spoke, she rummaged among Eve's gleanings from the "drug store," picking out the choicest things for herself. This, too, was not considered good behavior, and no other neko would stand for it. But this was Eve.

*****

Hari had not been content just to sit and wait for Eve. For one thing, being waited on and protected was not a thing that made him feel good. In any case, he had already worked out that Eve was not the fiercest or strongest even among her own kind, and there was the nagging thought his presence in the colony might get her into trouble. He had, therefore, been following her as best he might, and though he was only a human and his tracking skills were no-where as good as even the least skilled neko, by sheer persistence and constantly retracing his steps he had managed to keep her in sight most of the time.

Thus it was, he was hiding just out of sight behind the corner, watching as Lachat accosted her.
 
"W-Wait.. L-Lachat.." Eve whimpered as the blonde neko moved close and inspected her pockets of her belongings. Oh it was always like this. Just as she thought she would escape from her, she managed to do this now. Of course if she was alone, she would always try to endure it but she knew that Hari was waiting for her and she didn't want to mention anything about how right she was when the other mentioned about cooking for a male. Hari was waiting for her so she knew she had to get back, "I-I'm j-just.. cooking for myself Lachat.." she mewled, her eyes tearing up at how frightened she got.

At this situation, she didn't even realize how Hari was just around the corner. If she was calm and by herself she would have picked up his scent. Her frail hands due to not having enough nutrition in her body was not enough to fend herself off. Her bushy tail in between her legs as shook her head, praying hard that Lachat would not harm her as she didn't want to have Hari worried about her.
 
Had it been a stand off between two full humans, Hari would have experienced no difficulty at all dealing with the situation he was witnessing. Someone who had given his aid and succor, when she had nothing to gain from it (in fact, was taking a great risk to do so) was being threatened by a stranger, and a stranger who was obviously much stronger than her at that. All his instincts cried out to him to leap into the open, to her defense. His problem was that to do so might create more problems than it solved. To be seen to have to rely upon another creature, one not even of her own race, to protect her could not possibly do Eve's standing in the colony any good, and might even make the other neko even more determined to persecute her. Plus, Eve would be subject to the humiliating knowledge he had seen her menaced and unable to defend herself.

But when Lachat began stealing from Eve's supplies, he knew there was no way out. Without speaking, he broke his cover and walked over to stand behind Eve, fixing Lachat with a glance that was simply neutral, rather than aggressive.

****

At first, Lachat was so busy enjoying her dominance of Eve, she did not even register the stranger's presence. Normally, the unfamiliar scent would have been enough, but the fear-smell from Eve was great enough to mask everything but itself. When she did look up, however, her ind and body underwent an immediate sea-change. Instantly, her nipples stiffened, her tail twitched, and her eyes widened... the signs of a neko on heat. She felt her face suffuse with heat, the well known phenomenon of the blush that her species shared with humans.

"Oh, hello, there," she purred, adopting a stance that put her weight on one hip, the time-honoured invitational posture of all humanoids. Normally, one female neko would not have thought to make eyes at a male in the company of another female - but Eve was too scared, she thought, to react and defend "her" man. She locked eyes with the smaller neko, challenging her to say something.
 
Eve knew that when Lachat would have her fill and be satisfied with the weak her having no more resistance to her, she knew she would leave her but the question was when? She didn't want to stay here any longer since Hari was waiting. Although what was she to do when she was beginning to take her things. Maybe she had to head back to the store? Yeah, maybe that was the best thing to do if Lachat would just stop paying attention to her. As she closed her eyes while Lachat continued to take her things, she didn't realize how Hari was now standing behind her. Eve was too busy cowering by the ground to even sense him.

The only time she did though was when the stronger female suddenly stopped talking and Eve opened one eye to see the changes in Lachat. It was plain obvious she looked in heat but to who? Was it the alpha male? The moment she turned around, she gasped at the sight of Hari behind her, "H-Hari.." she murmured, the feeling of lost coming over her. She really didn't want anyone to see him, especially Lachat that might just ramble about him to the alpha. Without a word, she got up and stood before him, "N-No Lachat.." she spoke, a little determination in her voice, "Don't even think about.. it." Eve almost hissed at her own words, ears laid flat against her head as she clearly was wasn't happy now that Lachat saw him and she seemed to be attracted to him?

Somehow that made her heart boil.
 
Lachat was shocked to see Eve attempt to stand up for herself. This was Eve... weak, scared, frightened little Eve... who would run away with her tail dragging on the ground rather than fight anyone. Lachat knew she could beat her easily... after all, who couldn't? And to back down in front of this attractive human male would be humiliating indeed.

She tensed to hurl herself on her rival, and then, suddenly... stopped.

She had seen the look on the human's face. Sensed that if they did fight, he would be far from impressed. He had the look a Tom had for its kittens... a need to protect, to cherish, to look after. And if Eve were to be beaten and humiliated, that might only make this urge stronger and destroy any chance she, Lachat, had for future dalliance with him.

"Honestly, Eve, you are sensitive, aren't you," she giggled, forcing herself to sound lighthearted. She turned to Hari and added a flirtatious tone to her voice, so that it came out almost like a purr. "She's always been like this. Takes everything so seriously. She's..." she lowered her voice to a whisper, as if only intending Hari to hear, though of course she made sure Eve heard too "She's not too bright, if you know what I mean. Not the sharpest-clawed mind. We have to be careful joking with her, she's too stupid to realize it's not meant seriously."

She turned away. "I'll see you later," she said, he baleful eyes leaving Eve in no doubt that their reckoning had only been postponed.
 
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