CHAPTER THIRTY:

Curiosity Killed the Cat…..but Satisfaction Brought it Back

AN:

TO little JTS: Thank you for the constructive criticism. However, I meant no disrespect in writing Rogues dialogue the way I have. Just because someone has an accent doesn't mean they're an absolute doofus. Respectfully, however, this is the way I believe Rogue would talk and so I will continue to write her dialogue this way. (gets out the rosehip tea to make with the flame)

TO Risika Kiisu Seto: Girl (gosh, I hope you're a girl) you are FAST becoming one of my favorite reviewers. Makes me wish I knew you in real life. Thank you for your continuing support and absolutely WONDERFUL reviews.

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Rogue led her through the many halls of the Westchester School with confidence, a good thing considering Cassie figured she would have been lost with the first few turns…but then again she had the innate ability to get lost anywhere.

"There's a phone anyone can use to call family or whatevah." Rogue said, leading Cassie past a very high-tech game room where a few mutant children were playing some kind of racing game on a huge screen TV.

"It doesn't take quarters, does it?" Cassie asked, reaching out to finger the wood paneling. "Because I have NO money on me."

"Nah, it's free. Just dial the area code before the actual number." Rogue looked at the young woman out of the corner of her eye. "Out of curiosity, who're you gonna call?"

"Well, I already called Uncle Steve." Cassie answered. "So I figured I'd call in the rest of the cavalry; Bunny." She couldn't stop the mischievous smile that came to her lips.

Rogue was a little unsettled. "Why're you smile'n like that?"

"Oh, just thinking of what Bunny's gonna do to Victor. She's got a temper."

"So does Sabretooth." Rogue said cautiously.

"Yeah, but Bunny knows martial arts."

"And so, I reckon, does Sabretooth." Rogue continued. "He an Logan are really, really old. Somethin' about their mutation makes'em age really slowly, so they've been around a long time, plenty of time to pick up some fancy footwork."

"I'd still feel better with her around." Cassie said off-hand, when Rogue suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her to a stop.

"Well, it looks like Logan and Sabretooth certainly caught somethin'." She sounded amused and a little stunned, causing Cassie to peer out the window herself.

Down on one of the greens lay ten deer carcasses, lined up in a row while Logan, with one adamantium blade extended was carefully cutting one up, the blade going through skin and bone like a knife through hot butter.

A crowd of curious onlookers had gathered to look at what was going on. A few seemed to be turning green and nauseous, others looked interested. Rogue gave a soft smile when a six year old mutant boy named Calvin stepped forward, apparently asking what was going on, and Logan, in a very paternal manner, ran a hand through the boys white hair and apparently began to explain what he was doing.

The look on Rogues face was so soft and warm and loving that Cassie almost felt as though she was intruding on a private moment. She cleared her throat, wondering if maybe she should slink of somewhere.

Rogue jerked and blushed crimson. "Ah'm sorry. It's just Logan's so good with the kids, it's sweet to see."

Cassie smiled in understanding. "From what I've seen, so is Victor. It's one of the good qualities I've seen in him."

"It's somethin' ta do with feral mutants." Rogue explained, stepping away from the endearing scene happening below the window and motioning for Cassie to continue to follow her. "Once they pick a 'pack' or somethin' like that, they take care of em."

"I suppose that includes the super over-protectiveness." Cassie commented, kicking at the plush carpet and managing to trip herself. She caught herself on the wall and straightened while Rogue looked at her with concern laced with amusement.

"You okay sugah?"

"Yep, peachy." Cassie smiled sheepishly. "I'm a klutz. Don't worry about it, I rarely actually hurt myself, I just run into things. Makes me think of this cool quote I read; 'Don't follow me, I tend to walk into doors, walls, and off the occasional cliff.' "

Rogue giggled. "Well, ah'll be sure ah'm the one doin' the leading, then."

"That's probably for the best. Hey, what's in here?" Cassie suddenly took a detour, going to a closed door and opening it.

"Ah thought we were head'n for a phone." Rogue said with amusement as the 'new girl' opened an oaken door and poked her head inside to find a classy lounge with two fridges, a sink, a vending machine, a few comfy chairs and small dining tables. "Don' they also have this say'n that curiosity killed the cat?"

"Yeah, but satisfaction brought it back." Cassie countered, prowling into the room seeing as no-one was currently in there. "And, anyways, that's why cats have nine lives."

Rogue leaned up against the door-frame, arms crossed, watching in amusement as Cassie opened the two fridges one by one and poked around the contents before examining the choices on the vending machine then taking turns sitting in each chair-"Not very comfy" she commented.

Rogue shrugged, a smile tugging on her lips. This new girl reminded her of a curious ten-year old, or Goldilocks from the three bears.

The sound of the period-change bell screeched through the air and Rogue watched in alarm as the new girl jumped about fifty feet in the air, clapped her hands over her ears and winced in pain.

When the ringing finally stopped, Cassie cautiously took her hands away from her ears and shook her head like a cat shaking off water, a look of pain of her face.

"Gosh that hurt."

Rogue winced sympathetically. "Sensitive ears, sugah?"

Cassie nodded. "Yeah."

"Logan doesn't like it either." Rogue leaned out the door of the lounge to look into the hall where kids were filing out from their classes. "Should we get to that phone now?"

"Oh yeah!" Cassie said and you could almost see the invisible light-bulb going off over her head.

"Come on, sugah."

Cassie winced and shook her head. "Can we wait till the crowd-flow stops?"

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AN: HELP ME: I need information on native American hunting rituals, like how they respect what they kill for the next chapter. Can anyone point me towards a good website or book? Please PM me with info. Thanks tons for your help!