With a screech the motorbike came to an abrupt stop. Seconds later the sound of heavy but quick steps could be heard running up the stairs to the Remnants' latest hideout. Loz could move like lightning when he wanted to, and Kadaj and Yazoo barely had time to exchange a questioning glance before their oldest brother barged through the door to stand panting in front of them, cradling something gently against his chest, his face lit with pure joy and fragile hope.
"Look! Look what I found!" Beaming, he held out his prize.
A very wet and bedraggled creature, barely big enough to cover Loz' large palm, mewed miserably and gave the Remnants a pathetic look.
"What…?" Yazoo started, but was interrupted as Loz carefully dumped the little kitten onto his lap.
"Here, hold her. I have to get a towel to dry her off."
"Get that thing away from me! It's sopping wet!" Yazoo protested as the grey kitten shook itself, spraying him with water.
Slightly drier, the kitten snuggled up against the warmth of the lap and purred. Yazoo blinked, but visibly melted, and snatched the towel from Loz as his brother came back.
"There, there," he mumbled as he wiped the little cat dry.
"Someone had put her in a sack and thrown her into the river." Loz crouched by Yazoo to help dry the now playful kitten that kept attacking the towel.
"Aw, you poor little thing!" Yazoo caressed the silky-smooth ears of the cat. "How can people be so cruel to a helpless animal?"
Kadaj rolled his eyes at the scene.
"You and your pets and strays, Loz. They bring nothing but trouble. Remember that red-head? He brought half of Shinra's Soldiers down on us!"
"That was a toy. This is a pet. Please, Kadaj? Can't I keep her?"
"Look," Yazoo held up the purring kitten at his brother. "She even has your eyes."
"How droll. No. No pets. No toys. No distractions." Kadaj said stubbornly. "Not until we find Mother."
Yazoo pouted, but Loz got the look on his face he usually had when he thought he'd figured out something extremely clever; a very rare look, and one that usually ended in disaster. It passed by neither Kadaj nor Yazoo .
"I'll trade you for her."
"Trade me what, Loz?" Kadaj said a bit tired.
"Trade you the guy who did this to her."
That made Kadaj sit up straight and Yazoo gave Loz a quick, hungry glance at the mention of a hapless victim.
"You got him? He's here?" Kadaj tried to hide the eagerness in his voice and the glint of evil in his eyes, but didn't succeed very well.
"Hanging over my bike. Should come around any minute now. I just busted him up a bit."
"Is he…" Kadaj licked his lips and shifted restlessly. "Is he…intact?"
"I think so. I *might* have broken a few of his fingers, but nothing more." Loz smiled smugly. "So can I keep her? And I'll let you have him all to yourself."
Kadaj hesitated, but by the fire burning in his eyes, his brothers knew he'd already given in. Trying to win some time, Kadaj got up and poured milk on a plate, absentmindedly petting the kitten's head as she affectionately rubbed against him in gratitude for the milk.
"Alright." Kadaj finally gave in. "Just make sure she's house broke. Now, if you'll excuse me…"
He all but ran out the door and down the stairs as the kitten finished of the last milk and started to play with a piece of string that Yazoo had found in his pocked, chasing and pouncing after it. Very soon, screams and pleas started to echo all the way up to the room, but neither Remnants nor kitten paid them any attention.
"I think," Loz said thoughtfully between a howl of pain and a shriek for mercy, "I'll call her Kitty."
"That's a very good name, Loz."