Heba couldn't help, but giggle as he walked back to the game shop, the kitten was nuzzling him, his soft, wet fur tickling his chest where he his shirt lay open slightly, the kitten's small form shivering against him and soft mews being uttered every now and again, worrying the boy. He had been out in this weather in the first place to buy food, but the thought of their meal for the evening fled the moment he saw the pitiful, shivering creature that currently lay nestled against his chest.

It wasn't long before he reached the game shop, the commute from the small shop to town not being a long one, a fact he was thankful for, but he didn't stop in the doorway, instead he ran to his room and shut the door behind him, he ignored the confused calls of his grandfather, who he didn't want knowing of his tiny friend just yet.

Once he got to his bed, he gently pulled the kitten out from under his jacket, and placed him on the bed just as gently before he left his room, going into the bathroom to get a towel as quietly as he could, but recalled while there, that the kitten had been shivering as well as sopping wet. He sighed as he hung the towel he'd selected over a metal rail beside the bathtub and ran bath water.

"He's not going to like this, but I have to get him warmed up, the poor thing could freeze to death.."

The poor thing would probably panic the minute he seen the water, Heba hadn't heard of a cat that liked getting wet yet and he was sure that this one was no exception, however it was that or let the tiny creature get sick, or worse freeze and he wasn't letting that happen. He sighed softly, hoping the poor thing wouldn't be afraid of him for this as he poured egyptian lotus scented bubble bath into the water, hoping the scent would calm the animal before he left the bathroom, returning to his room, where the kitten sat seemingly waiting for him, his eyes trained on the door.

"Sorry little guy, you may hate me for this, but I can't have you getting sick or dying," Heba told him softly, giggling when the kitten cocked his head as if he understood.

After picking up the small kitten who gave another soft mew when he was picked up, Heba's heart gave a painful pull when he could feel what was clearly the kitten's bones, showing the poor thing was malnourished on top of whatever else could be ailing him and Heba made a mental note to feed him as soon as they were done with the bath. That in mind, Heba placed the kitten on the floor as he undressed himself and slid into the bathtub, picking the feline up after and lowering him slowly into the water with him, holding him against his chest so the poor thing wouldn't drown.

He was surprised to the say the least when the kitten didn't fight him or panic when he came into contact with the water, even more confusing was the little guy seemed to relax into the water with him, making Heba arch a brow in confusion.

Weren't cats deathly afraid of water?

Well maybe not afraid, but he was sure they loathed it.

Maybe it was because he knew instinctively that Heba only wanted to help him.

Or maybe it was the scent of the bubble bath like he'd been hoping for, either way he was glad the little guy wasn't trying to kill him.

He smiled warmly and softly at the small feline who blinked up at him and slowly ran water over the kitten's body that he was pleased to find was no longer shivering. As he lathered up the fur of the kitten, he giggled as it shook its head and flicked its ears free of water droplets and when he washed the suds away he was stunned to find that underneath all that grime and dirt, the kitten had tri-colored fur much like his own hair.

"Hey, we have the same 'hair.'"

He giggled when the kitten meowed up at him, before gently lifting the tiny feline from the bathtub and setting him onto the rug in front of the tub gently.

"Wait right there, I have to get clean now."


After having his own bath and drying himself off, something he turned around to do, the kitten's eyes on him somehow making him feel self conscious and embarrassed, he went to his room, the still wet kitten following him and got dressed as hastily as he could after dropping the towel he'd put around his waist. He turned to the small animal with a smile, watching as he came to a stop before him and began licking his paw before he picked the towel up off the floor and the kitten, before walking to his bed where he began to gently dry it.

"You know, you're far too nice to be a stray, you haven't scratched me even once, even after I put you in the bathtub with me.. Are you someone's pet little guy?"

The teen's face fell at the thought. He didn't want to give up the small cat, he had already grown attached to him and as selfish as it was to have such thoughts, he liked him and he knew he wouldn't give the little guy up without a fight.

He finally had a friend, and just because it was a cat made no difference, a friend was a friend, be it human, or animal and animals..well they loved unconditionally, something humans often times didn't even understand the meaning of.

The soft brushing of fur and the vibrations of purring against his forearm pulled him from his thoughts, making him blink down at the kitten in his arms who seemed to look at him in worry, something which made Heba smile down at him.

"I'm alright, just lost in thought."

The kitten cocked its head again as if asking Heba to tell him what was on his mind, making the teen blink at him again. This was clearly no ordinary kitten.

He may be a stray, but he wasn't skittish with him or vicious.

He had the opposite reactions to water than most cats.

He seemed to somehow understand what Heba was saying and responded to it.

He shook his head free of the thoughts and giggled as he picked the kitten up once again, and placed him gently beside him instead before he laid down beside him, his arm tucked beneath his head.

"You know, I need to give you a name."

There was a sudden pressure in his head, that he didn't think much of as he stared directly into the scarlet eyes of his little friend who was laying his tail tucked around his small form as he stared back, but he shot up and looked around when he clearly heard the word 'Atem' which in turn made the kitten raise up again.

I'm going nuts..I'm hearing things now.

You're not going crazy ahku..I told you my name is Atem. Look at me.

There it was again, that voice!

And it knew Egyptian, he definitely was going nuts.

Young one, look at me.

The kitten from beside him gently pawed his hand, making Heba's thoughts come to an abrupt end as he turned his wide amethyst eyes to the cat who stared back at him. Heba couldn't help himself, he knew he was probably just proving he was more insane by doing this, but he pointed at the cat who cocked his head again.

"A...Atem?"

He was prepared for the kitten to blink at him, maybe its head against his finger, but nothing could have prepared him for what he got.

Correct, ahku.

The kitten nodded.

And Heba screamed.


TBC.

ED: -Smiles and pops fingers again.- Chapter 2 complete.

Heba: Wow, my brother is right, you ARE evil.

Atem: Diabolically.

ED: -Glares at them.- Hey, I'm not evil!

Atem and Heba: Are so.

ED: Are not! I just leave it open so the imagination can wonder and mull it over.

Heba: That's called evil.

ED: Is not! I just want to see them say 'I didn't see that coming'

Atem: Evil.

ED: Clearly, I'm not going to win. -Sighs before smiling at the readers.- You know what to do, please review, reviews make the updates come quicker. -Winks.-


Disclaimer: They're not mine, not even the story is completely mine as it was inspired by an RP between myself and the very talented InuVampireChan. :3