Kanaya Maryam was not a fast walker. It was not that she couldn`t walk fast,she just preferred to walk with great precision. When one walked fast they tended to miss important aspects: the scenery, interactions and small changes in environment to name a few. In this new world so different from her own, Kanaya wanted to experience as much as she could possibly comprehend. She was suddenly jostled out of the careful cataloguing of her experience by an unexpected noise. The young troll had walked to her place of residence many times (Rose insisted Hive was not a proper word for such a residence), barring slight deviations it had always been the same. There had certainly never been anything like this to experience before.
She abruptly halted and stood still, waiting patiently to see if she would experience the sound again. Suddenly she heard it again, the pathetic keening of a life form in distress. Locating the approximate location, she knelt down carefully and cautiously poked her head under the item that Rose had previously identified as a bush. Sitting, still making the keening sound was a tiny figure; akin to the creature Kanaya had come to understand was a cat. The smaller version of a cat to be more precise, the word for such a being, she believed was a kitten. Kanaya slowly extended her hand toward the kitten. The kitten desisted mewling and nudged it gently, licking her hand. Kanaya slowly grinned and picked up the kitten, cradling it in her arms. She wrapped it up in her sweater and proceeded to carry it back to her place of residence.
"Rose" She called softly, a hint of expectant questioning in her voice.
"Yes darling? "
"Rose I have something we must discuss. "
" I seem to have found this baby kitten, it was alone under a bush in a remote place with minimal traffic therefore it is safe to surmise it was abandoned . If I had left it there it is quite plausible it would not have survived the night. I would like to enquire if we may keep it. Please. " Kanaya blinked innocently, turning her curious gaze on Rose.
"We do not need more animals Sweetie. We already have a cat to take care of, and all of your friends, who are worse than a zoo of animals put together. "Rose stated dryly.
"But Rose, It was lost alone cold and helpless. Rather like me when I first met you. You saved me and helped me learn how to survive in this new world. I was hoping we could do the same for this life form."
Rose sighed, not letting Kanaya know how deeply her words had touched her.
"Very well. We can keep the cat."
Kanaya ducked her head and beamed down at Rose, lifting her head up to give her a quick peck on the mouth.
"Thank you darling. I believe I will name it That One Cat That Has Unilateral Stripes And Is Reminiscent Of The Cat In The Papers With The Pictures That Depict A Story"
Rose`s mouth twitched slightly. "That sounds like a beautiful name Kanaya, let`s never let anyone shorten it, think of what a travesty that would be."
Kanaya nodded, completely missing the sarcasm, and gracefully sauntered off towards her in house office.
Later that night, Rose and Kanaya lay curled up in bed sleeping , wedged in between them were two small forms purring contentedly in the moonlight. Little did Rose know, there would be many more to come.