Miles set down his stack of papers to see Mistoffelees pad into the room. In the cat's mouth was a young, live, brown rabbit. Mistoffelees set the rabbit down and proceeded to help him clean himself. Once both animals agreed that the rabbit was clean enough, Mist patted him once on the head and trotted to Miles.
"Hello there," Miles greeted, as Mist hopped onto his desk. "You realize that the vermin you have been caring for is in fact a rabbit, not a kitten, right?" Mistoffelees bit his hand. "Don't shoot the messenger. I'm just being honest." Mistoffelees bit him again. "You're getting really bitchy for a male cat."
This time Miles managed to move his hand before Mistoffelees could bite him again. "Once more and I skin you," Miles snapped. The cat yowled in response. "Look, what do you want?" Mistoffelees looked at the rabbit. "You want me to feed it?" The cat nodded. "You're lucky I managed to get a hold of some lettuce." He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a lettuce leaf. "Go feed the vermin."
Mist showed off his claws before delicately taking the leaf into his mouth and taking it to the rabbit. He made sure the rabbit was eating before going to his own food dish. As the animals munched away, the door was opened once more. "You busy?" Bass called.
"I can vigorously pretend not to be. Come in. And watch your step."
Bass eased around the door. "Hello, Mist," he greeted. "And John too apparently." He looked at Miles. "I take it Mist is still caring for the rabbit."
Miles held up his hand. "I tried to explain that he's not a kitten. I got bit for my troubles." Mistoffelees gave them both a smug smile. "You're a brat," Miles informed him.
"Which means the two of you are well matched," Bass said. Both of them glared at him. "Do you realize how much you look alike when you do that?"
"Do you want something or are you just going to annoy me? Because I've got two animals who do that just fine."
"I do actually have things to talk to you about," Bass admitted. "But it's fun to watch you two."
Miles rolled his eyes. "Take a seat," he gestured.
They talked for two hours about battle plans and the Republic in general before Bass had to leave again. "Have a good one, Mist," he said, scratching the cat behind the ears. "You too, John." The rabbit seemed to lean in to the hand that stroked his ears.
Miles watched his familiar jump back onto the desk. "You look very proud of yourself." Mistoffelees purred in agreement. "I still don't believe the vermin is Bass' familiar." Now the cat barred his teeth. "I am sticking with my statement. And the rat with the long ears looks like he needs to go to the bathroom so please take him outside."
Mistoffelees whipped around so his tail hit Miles in the face. Then he gracefully jumped off the desk and picked John up in his mouth very delicately. Head and tail held high, Mist took the rabbit outside so they could both go to the bathroom. Miles hated cleaning a litter box.
"There is no way Bass Monroe is represented by a rabbit," Miles muttered as he watched the two leave.