I knocked lightly on the door of the towering Russian Palace. I must admit that just the door itself psyched me out a little bit. It was easily two and a half times my height.

It was so cold outside, I realized, that for the first time in a long time I feared for my life without actually provoking anything. The cats that usually surrounded my ankles in their carefree patterns were, Instead, huddled together leaning on the door in an attempt to steal warmth from each other as well as the interior of the palace, with the exception of the two Russian raised cats, aptly named Soviet and Siberia who looked unconcerned with the wind and snow. In fact, they looked like they were thoroughly enjoying themselves. It was times like this I really would have preferred to be a cat. They couldn't care less what the world was doing; they lived solely for themselves and each other.

I knocked on the door again, harder this time. I assumed that no one on the inside had heard me the first time. Within moments, the door opened a crack to reveal Toris staring back at me. The cats took the opportunity to dash inside to where the warmth was. Toris let out a little squeak before he realized that it was just my family of Cats passing by his feet.

'Hello?' He said, poking his head out the door, 'Oh! Heracles, come in come in before you freeze to death.' I shivered and followed him, slipping through the door into the entrance. Toris Quickly shut the door behind me and shivered himself.

'Ya sas~, Toris' I said, 'It's good to see you again' I shook the snow off me and removed what little of a coat I had. 'I really do need a better coat if I'm going to ever come back here' I muttered to myself. It's far too warm in my country all year to have use for a large winter coat, so I never figured I'd need one.

'Likewise' He replied to me, 'Make yourself at home'

The huge Sign in the Façade said 'Welcome, My friends to Russia' In a number of different scripts, but as large as it was it was still daunted by the high, arched ceilings, the columns that reached them and every small little detail in between. I hadn't seen anything like it. There hadn't been anything a fraction this magnificent in my country for hundreds of years. In addition, what was left of it remains as my mother's Ruins.

'Ah! Heracles' Said a Voice, Breaking my fascination. It was Ivan walking in with little Soviet (Looking less vicious then I'd ever seen him before) in his arms. 'Glad you could come, comrade. You're the first to arrive. I should give you an award or something, Da?' He put the cat down who bolted in a flash of white fur, 'Perhaps I won't make you sleep outside tonight' He laughed.

'Well' I said, trying to return the laugh, 'I suppose that's a relief. It's unbelievably cold out there, even just for a few minutes, I can't Imagine Being forced to spend the whole night out there'

'Cold?' Ivan said bluntly, 'Niet, this is wonderful weather. I only have to wear one coat in weather like this'

'As opposed to?'

'Four'

'Oh.' I said flatly. One of my smaller cats came and leaned on my foot. I picked him up and wiggled my finger at him. He was still cold from being outside. 'Hello Ailuros' I said to him as he playfully bit my finger

'You brought many cats, da?' Ivan said as another came and rubbed against his heel. He pushed it away with his foot.

'They followed me here' I said shrugging my shoulders, 'you might recognize a couple of them, you did give them to me after training them to be vicious and bitter.' I was referring, of course to Soviet and Siberia, who at that moment were jumping on the tables, 'I'm so sorry, If I'd known you'd be less' Ivan pushed another cat away from him 'tolerant of them, I'd have tried harder to get them to stay at home' I watched as He pushed the persistent cat away again.

'It's alright, Comrade' He said to me, giggling a bit 'As long as they don't break any-'