Scott kicked his uncooperative motorcycle and scowled. He was stuck in the middle of nowhere, miles away from civilization, and his bike was broken. Scott rubbed his face and groaned. This just wasn't his year. He grudgingly pushed a button on his communicator and spoke into it.
"Storm? It's Scott. My bike broke down and I need someone to come pick me up."
He waited for a reply.
"Be right there Scott," Ororo Munroe's voice crackled over the comm.
"Thanks."
Scott clicked off and sat down to wait. A faint sound startled him. It sounded like crying. He looked around confusedly and realized that it was coming from the river he had stopped next to. Scott saw something clinging to a pile of rocks almost too far away for him to see.
"Oh my god," he paled.
There was someone out there. Scott knew he would be unable to reach whoever it was by himself.
"Storm!" he yelled into his communicator. "Hurry up, there's someone stuck in the river! I don't know how much longer they can hold on."
Storm gave the wheel of the Blackbird to Hank and went to help the person Logan was bringing onto the jet. She watched him pull himself up. The person was hidden behind him, and Logan seemed annoyed for some reason.
"Logan?" Storm asked warily.
He turned so she could see what he had saved. Storm's eyes widened.
"No way," she shook her head.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Scott asked as he looked from Logan's annoyed face to Storm's exasperated expression.
Logan held up a little bundle in answer. Scott stared at the tiny, shivering, soaking wet kitten in front of him.
"You've got to be kidding me," he said finally.
Logan put the cat down and stood up.
"You sent us on an urgent mission to save a cat. Way to go One-Eye," he growled. He glanced at the little kitten who had wandered over to Hank. "It's your fault. You get to take care of it."
Scott shook his head frantically.
"No way. I can't. I'm allergic to cats."
He yelped as the kitten suddenly came running at him and started rubbing its head on his leg.
"Get it away!" he shrieked.
Logan started laughing.
"You know, I think I like this cat," he chuckled.
"Logan," Storm said wearily.
"All right, all right," he grumbled.
He stooped and swept the cat up in his arms.
"I'll take care of it."
Storm rolled her eyes.
"You can't keep calling it "it"."
"Well what do you suggest we call it?" Logan frowned.
Storm ran a finger along the stripes that covered the cat's fur.
"How about Tiger?' she suggested.
Logan thought for a minute and held the cat up in front of his face.
"What do you think? Is Tiger your name?" he asked it.
The kitten purred and patted his nose with its paw.
"Tiger it is," Logan grinned.
He put Tiger down. As soon as the cat realized it was free it ran for Scott again.
"Ahhh!" Scott yelled and dived out of the way.
Tiger slipped on the smooth floor and slid into one of the open cabinets. Scott slammed the door closed and flicked the latch shut. There was a moment of silence.
Then, "Mraaawr!!!"
They looked in shock at the quivering door of the cabinet.
"Scott," Storm sighed wearily," let the cat out of the cabinet before it breaks the door down."
Logan was collapsed in a chair laughing. Scott warily unlocked the cabinet and opened the door. He jumped back as tiger bolted out of the cabinet. He gulped as Tiger seemed to glare at him. The cat took a running leap and curled up in Logan's lap.
"Stupid cat," Scott muttered.
Logan started laughing again and mumbled under his breath. Scott vaguely heard "screamed like a little girl", but he wasn't about to go near the cat to find out. They decided that the cat would stay with Logan until Kitty got back from visiting her parents the next morning and they could give the cat to her.
Logan put Tiger on the floor and pulled some clothes out of his dresser to change.
"Don't look," he joked to the kitten.
He started in surprise as Tiger obediently faced the wall and covered its face with its paws. He hurriedly dressed and looked at Tiger. The cat was still facing the wall.
"It's okay now," he said hesitantly.
He shook his head when Tiger turned to face him.
"Weird cat," he muttered. Tiger trotted past him and curled up on his pillow.
"That's mine," Logan told the little kitten.
Tiger looked at him and closed its eyes. Logan picked the cat up and lay down. Tiger hissed, but lay down next to him and fell asleep immediately. Logan stared at the strange little cat for a moment before shaking his head and going to sleep as well.
