Note: Still own nothing. Save the story plot. Thank you to my editor Peggy. You rock girl!
Sarah gasped and rushed towards the small cloud of feathers and fur that had appeared on her living room floor. Pushing all self-caution aside, she quickly snatched up the owl somehow managing to avoid getting any major scratches herself.
Forgetting who and what the owl was, she cradled it protectively against her body as Schneider bounced around her, hissing and spitting his annoyance at having his prey taken away from him.
"Damn it, Schneider! You dumb cat! Knock it off," Sarah said sternly to the cat.
Ludo, who had been distracted by the noise, rose and picked up the cat, holding him tightly to keep from being scratched.
"Thank you Ludo," Sarah said giving the huge beast and small smile.
"Ludo luv Sawah's pet," he rumbled, patting Schneider on his head, stunning the cat into remaining still.
Hoggle stood dry-washing his hands, his large eyes flicking nervously between Sarah and the owl in her arms.
"I thinks we should go," he mumbled, twisting his hand together.
There was a murmur of agreement throughout the room. Everyone had stopped doing what they were doing and had gathered around Sarah. Sarah noticed that the goblin guard who had opened the window had a piece of chow mien caught on his helmet.
"We's don't want to be here when his Highness wakes up," Hoggle explained.
Sarah looked down at the owl in her arms and noticed that it was unconscious. Worry over the hurt animal turned to a need for action when she saw blood seeping into the downy white feathers of the wing.
"I understand," she said, already walking towards the kitchen to get a towel for the bird. "Ludo, before you go, could you put Schneider in my bedroom please?" she called over her shoulder.
Ludo gave a grunt and she heard his footsteps heading down the hall. She fished out a large clean towel, with which she usually used to dry her kitchen floor after mopping, and carefully wrapped it around the owl. As she returned to her living room Ludo was walking back down her hallway, his task complete.
"Bye-bye, Sarwah," Ludo said, giving her his version of a grin.
Hoggle, standing beside him was waving, too.
"Bye, guys," she said as they faded away.
Sarah blinked hard and rubbed her eyes. No matter how many times she saw it, seeing them disappear always made her feel like something was wrong with her eyes.
Sarah put the injured owl down on the couch and went to her bathroom to root through the medicine cabinet for medial supplies. She cringed as she discovered that the only supplies she had was a bottle of alcohol, some Neosporin, and a few cotton swabs.
She considered taking the owl, who was really Jareth, to a vet. A little voice in the back of her head reminded her of what he really was, and briefly considered taking him to a real doctor of some sort but quickly decided not to do anything of the sort as visions of mayhem flashed through her mind. With her luck she would take Jareth to a doctor and they would stare at her as if she were insane, bringing an owl into the place. Or if she took him to a vet, he would probably wake up and promptly send both her and the doctor to the bog of stench.
No, she decided, it was much safer to keep him here.
She returned to her living room with her meager medical items and tended to his highness' injured limb as best she could then re-wrapped him in the towel and sat back in her la-z-boy to wait for him to wake.
* * *
Sarah had dozed off, her chin cradled in the palm of her right hand. She had been sitting there for a little over two hours. Since she was sleeping, she didn't notice when the owl's figure melted away to reveal a slender man dressed in grey tight fitting trousers and a flowing white shirt, gathered about his body by a stylish tight black vest.
Jareth sat up and scowled at his ruined shirt. It had been shredded in places by that crazed animal and blood had stained the cloth. He pushed aside the towel that lay over his body and swiveled sideways so that he sat properly upon Sarah's couch.
He saw that Sarah was asleep and sighed. He had been too concerned with impressing her this evening that he hadn't seen the cat till the last moment and then it had been too late. It made his stomach churn when he thought of how his life may have been ended by a common house animal.
A pair of mismatched eyes glared at the sleeping woman sitting across from him. He had shown up to have a little fun and look where he was now. He spun a crystal in his hand and prepared to return to his world when he stopped suddenly. Why should he leave? Couldn't he still have some fun?
A grin spread across his handsome features and he used his crystal to exaggerate the scratches that covered his arm into menacing gashes and rips in his flesh. This act did cause him to cringe a bit but the pain was not too unbearable, especially when it put him in the position to abuse Sarah's hospitality. He was due for a little R & R anyway.
He lay back on the couch and carefully lay the towel back over himself before clearing his throat and letting out a pained groan. It had the effect he desired. Sarah awoke with a start and he smiled inwardly. This would be a wondrously entertaining experience.
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