GS Note: It's back! Yea!

I just realised my review count went from something like 23 to 33 without me noticing. You guys really do care! It's enough to make me cry! Seriously! Ok, I'm going to force myself to write; tattered, kitten-tortured fingers and all, just for you!

Thank you, Sailor Triforce (If you really do want to beta for me, I'd be glad! I'm not too well-versed in how one sends a story to be betaed but if you're still interested, send me a message! I think that's, what, two people telling off my flamers ^_^), Hex (tehe, sorry if it's late!), goldflbryn (man, you guys are too good to me! Here's more!), Kyra (Don't worry, Treize and Fei'll get their screen time ^_~), Shinigami195 (lol, that would be funny… hmmm….), Ivy (Won't take much longer for the next part, promise ^_^), x2Angelofdeath (I feel your pain. I love horses but I'm evilly allergic to hay. So I hang out with the kitties ^_^), Hakumei (Kitties good, I agree!), Nightwings (Yea, that would be cute…**hint, hint**), Jordan (Don't worry, the breeds are gonna come out sometime or another. I hope) for reviewing!

Neko

Chapter 5

Duo swiftly became lost. She milled around for half an hour before she finally saw something recognisable. She pushed open the door with her nose and sniffed casually.

"Heero?" she whispered into the dark room. "Are you here?"

There was no answer. Dejected, Duo turned to leave. Her nose planted firmly into chocolate brown fur.

She jumped back and ran into the door behind her. She fell head over heads into the room as her weight tumbled back. Heero just chuckled as she growled and struggled to her feet. She glared heatily at him as he struggled to control his quiet chuckling.

"Fine!" she snapped. " I was looking for you but since you seem so busy—"

"No, no," Heero quickly forced himself to sober. "I'm not busy. What did you want?"

"A way out of here," she said confidently. "Now. I know you have your own way around this place and I want part of it!"

Heero sighed in annoyance. "I have told you, I'm not going to help you escape. It's safer in here then out there."

"Well I've been living out there since I was a kitten; I think I'll be fine. Please?" Duo begged. She was getting desperate. She needed to get outside, now. She couldn't take another day with those whiny, pampered cats. Heero frowned and slowly shook his head. Duo felt like she was going to cry. Instead, she growled at him. "Fine! See if I need your help! I can get out of here all by myself!"

With that, she turned and shot a glare at the tomcat. Running down the hall, she didn't look back. Heero frowned as she left, more then a little worried. What if she did get herself out? He didn't want that. His eyes narrowed. And Heero Yuy always got what he wanted.

He turned in the opposite direction Duo had taken, a mission in planning gleaming in his blue eyes.

***

Bravo was a great thing to have when you are bluffing. Duo quickly learned it wasn't so great to have when you are utterly lost. She growled as she found herself in front of a painting that looked exactly like the one she passed ten minutes ago. She was ready to give up and grovel to Heero or go back to her wing. If she could find it that is…

"Are you lost?" the deep, voice seemed to come out of nowhere. Duo spun around, claws out and tail puffed. She couldn't see anyone.

"Who's there?" she demanded, her eyes flashing.

"My, my," the voice gave a chuckle. "You have the same fire I see in my beloved."

The cat slunk out of a dark corner, only his golden eyes visible against his frosty grey coat. The slanted eyes raked over her and he gave a toothy grin. Duo didn't lose her pose as Treize came closer before sitting down a distance from her, just watching. Her eyes flicked up to the painting as he turned his attention to it.

"That's my old mistress," he started, an odd tone in his voice. "Her name was… Lady Une. She was—" he paused, thinking carefully about his words. "Slightly crazy, I suppose. She was always kind to us though. I was her favourite." He got a sad smile. "When she passed away she left this house and her cats to Her. She never told me why she liked us but… I miss her."

Duo didn't say anything. From her first impression of the cat, she had hated him on the spot for his attitude towards Wufei. Now… she didn't know what to think, he just looked so pathetically lonely right now.

"I heard you wanted to leave," he broke the uncomfortable silence, looking back over his shoulder. "I can show you the way out."

***

Heero's tail lashed violently behind him as he saw Duo talking to the Russian Blue. He couldn't hear what they were saying but he was willing to bet it wasn't good. He growled impatiently, waiting for the help he had asked for. It wasn't long before the long-haired Persian stole silently around the corner and sat unconcerned behind him.

"You wanted to see me?"

"I need you to block the exits," Heero said tensely. "I don't care what Trieze does but make sure that queen doesn't leave."

The white cat slunk closer to the edge of the dark corner, light blue eyes appraising the room.

"Yes, I've heard quite a bit about her from Trowa. She's the one that She chose to—"

"Yes," Heero hissed out, frustrated at the innocent question. "Yes, she's the one that She chose for my mate. Can you get on with it?"

"I still can't believe they found a pure one on the street! It's hard to find your breed as it is but why would someone throw one away?"

"I'm not that rare," Heero growled and took his eyes off his target to glare at the other cat. "Are you going, Quatre?"

"Havana Browns aren't common," Quatre started to sneak away as to not alert the two in the room. "Especially with her eyes."

Heero whirled to spit at the other tom but he was gone. Flexing his front claws, Heero cursed under his breath as she watched Duo slowly nod then follow Trieze out of the room. He stood to follow them.

***

The grey and brown cats streaked from shadow to shadow, slinking around the house like only two felines can. They leapt with grace down stairs and sprung neatly onto tables and chairs. As they glided over the floors, Trieze kept open a monologue.

"Lady used to let me out all the time. I never went far of course, before I came to Lady my last owner took out my claws and I didn't want to get into a fight. Lady watched me just to be sure I didn't stray onto the streets. I never did and it annoyed me that she didn't trust me. I used to sneak out at night just to defy her and sit on the grass. It seems pointless now, I realise she was only worried about me.

"I always wondered how cats survived out there, what, with dogs and rats and people out to kill you. How do kitten even survive? Lady and She have used huge amounts of resources just on the kittens born here, how can you feed them and keep then warm?"

"It's hard," Duo reluctantly replied. "Usually only one or two kittens live to be adults. The rest die in the first month or when they start to wander around. Sometimes they get away and a car or dog comes along."

"You have experience?"

The question was met with stony silence. Trieze kept silent after that. He slowed down his pace as they heard voices in the next hall. Duo fell in step behind him as they ducked under a cloth covered table. The white lace almost touched the floor but the table was tiny and they had to squish against the wall as the footsteps approached. Duo felt her breathing hitch and Treize's heart beat speed up.

"Yes, I was hoping to breed her with Heero next week when those blood results come back." It was the owner, Noin.

"I thought they had already showed a 90 on the DNA match, what else are you waiting for?" that voice could only belong to one person, Hilde. Duo squirmed closer to the grey tom behind her.

"Yes, but I asked them to check for any diseases. You have to send two different samples to get two different results, they just can't use the same one." Obviously, Hilde was confused because they stopped right beside the table for Noin to explain. "I sent one in when she first got her and she was unconscious. I sent that one for a culture analysis, that tests for blood type and I can get her breed matched up too with that machine the university has. They have to taint that sample to get the culture results, test it to see how it reacted. Now I sent a fresh one a few days ago, when we drugged that water and pulled her into the lab for a few hours. They're going to test it for diseases."

"Why didn't we quarantine her before we mixed her with the group, then?"

"I had did a quick analysis for any contagious illnesses but I want to make sure she doesn't have cancer or AIDS or any genetic defects that can't be detected by conventional means. Plus, having other cats around might have calmed her down. I guess it didn't. I don't know how we are going to deal with her when she has a litter. We could get a nurse queen, I suppose. Well, we'll deal with that bridge when we get to it. Now, have you sent the entry fees to the Oakbridge show…"

The voices grew quieter as they moved off in the distance. Duo glared as Treize moved out from under the table, grinning.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay?" he asked wickedly, mischief gleaming in his golden eyes. "I've seen the way you look at him—"

"I already have a mate," Duo hissed at him. "And I would like to get back to him now. Can we go?"

***

Heero's eyes practically glowed in the darkness. She what? His tail lashed violently, almost giving himself away as the only moving object in an otherwise still spot. The ghost grey cat slid down the next hallway, his chocolate companion on his heels. Heero growled and followed.

GS: Well? It's shorter then I wanted but it's something at least. Sorry it's late, I've been having computer problems, a busy summer and topped with writer's block. So please be satisfised with this for a while ^_^ happy reading, mes amis!