When John finally reached the kitchen once more, he was glad to put the large pot on the stove. He looked around. "Hey Nepeta, do you happen to have a towel handy?" Nepeta laughed and reached into a basket in the corner of the room. "Of course, it is very helpful to have fresh towels around." She handed him the towel and untied the crabs. John tried hastily to dry himself. "Those falls sure are quick! I got soaked in only a matter of seconds!" John was no longer dripping, so he declared himself good enough and went over to help with dinner.
After dinner Nepeta had started cleaning up when she noticed John was yawning. "You will need a ned outfit for sleep won't you?" John looked down at his still damp prospit wear, and looked up, nodding. "Hm..." Nepeta bounded to her wardrobe, 90% of it filled with her usual get-up consisting of her black shirt and jeans, not to mention a few spare olive jackets. Then she spied them, and pair of olive pajamas. She snatched them up and returned to John. "I prefer to sleep in my regular clothes, but I always keep a back-up pair of pajamas." she extended her arm. John looked at them, and grasped them with a smile. "Thanks Nepeta." She smiled back, turning around to finish up her cleaning. She heard John scamper off down the corridor. She continued scooping up the spiky crab shells and she heard the pattering of John's feet returning. "I'm back, they fit fine, thank you. Where should I hang these to dry?" She looked around briefly. "Just put them anywhere you find fit, I'll let Pounce know no to play with them." "Can I put them on this shelf? You do seem to like things clean." Nepeta suddenly noticed how quickly she was cleaning. "I usually don't care about keeping my hive so puurestine, but seeing as I have a guest..." she finished cleaning up the last bit of crab shell and watched John hang his clothes on a shelf. "I feel obligated to keep it looking okay." John gave a small laugh. "It really doesn't matter to me, I'm not really one to be judging."
John walked over to Nepeta and hugged her. "Thank you for taking me in Nepeta." Nepeta hugged him back, even if she was a bit hesitant. "About that John..." She looked down. "What is it Nepeta, is something wrong?" Nepeta walked over her pile of cushions and sat on it with a soft plop. "Come over here John." John suddenly felt a squick of a scare. What was wrong? He walked over to the pile and sat carefully next to Nepeta. "Tell me, it's ok." "Well... it's my morail." John stared back, racking his brain for what that word meant. He turned up nothing. "I'm sorry Nepeta, I seem to forgotten what that is." "Well... It's sort of like your best friend or better half, you two like to cheer the other up when they're down." John began to understand. "Ok, so what is wrong with yours?" "Well... nothing yet, it's just that he is rather protective of me, and he would not approve of you being here with me." She looked up at him, sorrow overcoming her face. "Well... he hasn't met me yet, and besides, you don't have to do what he says!" "Well... I find that I can't say no to him, he is only looking out for the best for me, he isn't mean. He's my morail"
John just didn't understand! Nepeta searched for the right way to put this. John brightened up "Let's just wait until tomorrow to tell him, and then we'll go from there." John smiled at her. "I was thinking that too." "Well then, let's do that!" John stood up and extended a hand to Nepeta. Nepeta held his hand and stood up. "Thanks for taking the news so well John." "Sure!" Nepeta grinned at John. He was a good friend. "Last one to bed is a runt!: She cried, pouncing down the corridor. "Hey! Wait up!" John grinned as he stumbled after her. Nepeta pounced into the Respiteblock. "Hehehe! Me first!" She laughed as John entered the room. "Oh no! I lost!" John laughed. "Guess I really do need those hunting lessons huh?" "Sure do! But for now lets get some sleep. You can sleep in the Recuperacoon, I'll just sleep on one of these lovely furs!" John stared at the smile bed. "Um... What is that exactly?" "It's my Recuperacoon! Its fine, these furs really are just as comfy. "I... I think I'll sleep on the furs." "No no I insist!" John stared uncomfortably at the bed. Nepeta guessed he didn't have one back at his hive for some reason, and wasn't used to it. "ok, but only if you feel comfortable!" John sat on a large fur and felt the hair. "It's perfectly fine to sleep on, thanks Nepeta." "Ok! I'll just turn off the lights and we'll get some rest!" Nepeta turned off the lights and climbed into the Recuperacoon.
John was very confused, he was sure he had never slept or even seen a Recuperacoon before. He laid on the fur and stared at the dark ceiling. "Sleep well Nepeta!" "You too John!" John smiled. He liked it here, whatever the circumstances were. John wondered about his past. Who was he? Even though he had lost many of his memories he still thought this land was alien to him. Everything was strange here, especially Nepeta. He did have a vague remembrance of her though before he came back from Prospit. He remembered her strange orange eyes. He was not whatever she was, that was for sure. But just what was he? He just couldn't remember. She was very helpful to him that was for sure. She was a very nice girl, even if she was especially naïve.
Nepeta climbed in the Recuperacoon and snuggled into the Sopor Slime and closed her eyes. She couldn't sleep just yet, her mind was racing. Would Equius let John stay? She couldn't let him leave now, after everything she went through... after she welcomed him in. John could be a bit empty-headed at times, but his intentions were good. He was nice to her, and that's all she cared about. Nepeta heard John's breathing slow. He's asleep already. Nepeta curled up tighter, and with a long sigh she drifted off to derse.
