Kitty: Wheet whoo! I like this one. I added a bunch of people not in original script, but like it. I embellished it a lot, too. Yes! I used a new word! YEE HAW! Yee haw? Okay, don't ask.

Chapter Four

Green Eyes and Fur

Raven walked with her elder brother and sister, holding little Aaron's hand. She heard a sad, mewling cry, as did her siblings. They rushed to the fence and peeked through the cracks in the worn wood. She gasped. The old man Hobbs had a little kitten in his large hands and strangling it!

"STOP IT! You monster!" Raven screamed through the fence. Hobbs was so surprised, he did.

Raven dropped Aaron's hand and scrambled over the boards, hands getting splinters. She ran up to Hobbs and held out slightly bleeding hands. He stared at her.

"Give it to me." She ordered him, big navy blues eyes serious.

"No can do, young 'un. This one here is a runt and a demon. Lookit!" He thrust the kitten in her face.

Big green eyes stared into hers. It had black stripes down its back and tail and all the way up its head stopped at the bridge of its nose. It was pink and quivered. Its tiny chest and stomach moved rapidly, scared to the bursting. Besides its black stripes, however, it was green.

"Is it a boy or girl?" she asked simply unimpressed, though inside she was shocked.

"Huh?" Hobbs grunted.

"Male or female. Does it have penis or vagina? Get it now? Boy or girl?" Raven asked impatiently. Her siblings giggled or made different noises depended on their maturity level.

"Don't get disrespectful! Can't you see its green?"

"Boy or girl, Mr. Hobbs?" Raven repeated, her foot tapping.

"Boy."

"Good, I'll take him." Her hand lifted again.

"What? No! This one is meant for death. Its mama protected it for a while, but even she knocked it away. It won't survive without a mother anyway."

"I am now his mother. Give him to me."

"No-OOOWWW!" he howled.

He dropped the kitten, clutching his shin. Raven grabbed the kitten before it hit the ground and ran for all her worth to the fence. A grinning River was leaning over the top. She put the kitten in her large cargo pants pocket and jumped up to grab River's wrists. He pulled her over and she lifted the kitten out of her pocket and ran towards home.

"Raven, I am very disappointed in you. You were disrespectful and kicked an elder. You realize what you did was wrong, right?"

"Yes, sir." Raven replied simply, not giving an excuse. The man smiled at his fifth child.

"Raven Thelma Slider, you will clean dishes for a two weeks and..." Raven held her breath, "Raise the kitten by yourself. Including potty training. By the way, daughter?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Where did you learn...penis and vagina?"

"I heard it on t.v. I thought a grown-up would know what it meant. I just know a girl has a-"

"That is enough. Go feed our kitten." Howard Slider waved his hand and she ran away. "So much like her mother, and only seven. Beatrice, you would have adored her."

"Okay, cat, you must have a name." Raven stated.

"What about Tiny Tim?" River suggested grinning, leaning over the edge of his bunk bed.

"No."

"Pickle! Because he is green like a pickle!" Christa scratched under its little chin.

"No, he is not food, Chris." Raven retorted irritated. Christa pouted.

"How about Tiger? He's got the stripes! He's so cute!" Trista stroked the little kitten.

"Spot!" Little Steve cried.

"He hasn't got spots!" Trista shouted at her little half-brother.

"So?"

"Beast."

"What?"

"His name is Beast. And he will live up to his name, won't you, Beast?" Raven asked him sternly, raising him to her face. The green kitten named Beast licked her nose and purred loudly.

All her seven siblings laughed, even the baby Geoffrey. She growled at the happily purring Beast.

"Now, if you're going to be my cat, Beast, you have to be clean." Raven was dressed in a yellow on-piece bathing suit. She blushed at his tilted head look. "I know I look stupid, so shut up and stop looking at me or I'll drown you."

"Mew." came the small reply. She blushed at the cute sound and then shook her head.

"Bath, you little heathen!" She gently wet him down and scrubbed with her finger down his tiny body. "You poor thing. You have fleas and are so dirty. Huh?" She stopped seeing a long scratched down his side beneath his fur. "Oh, your mama did this, huh?" she washed it gently as Beast cried. She rinsed him off.

"Meow!"

"Shh, shh little Beast. Don't cry." Raven murmured soothingly, wrapping him in an enormous towel. Beast cried softly as Raven dried off his shivering body. "There, now let's put on some bacitracin ointment. Then, we'll feed you!"

"Mew." Beast whined softly.

"Don't worry, it'll be warm milk and all for you. What do you think?" Raven asked with a smile.

"Purrrr!"

"Tee hee." Raven blushed snuggling with her still damp kitten, pulling a small tube out of the medicine cabinet.

Raven curled on her side on her futon. Little Beast was curled in front of her nose. Her little brother, Aaron, was sprawled beneath Beast, one hand clutching Raven's shirt and a thumb in his mouth. Their black hair shined mutely, blue highlights gleaming in the streetlight from outside. Pale skin seemed almost transparent, the only thing they did not share in looks were their eyes. Little Aaron's were black and hers navy blue.

Christa and Trista, fraternal twin sisters, sprawled over their shared bottom bunk bed. Trista's short blonde hair fell over her face and Christa's long red hair was all over the pillow. Both had tan skin from their sports, Christa's swimming and Trista's baseball. Christa had grass green eyes and Trista had bright blue eyes. Both had long legs for twelve year olds and lanky forms.

River was the oldest boy and had his own bed, the top bunk. He had spiky unmanageable black hair. His blue eyes were barely open in his sleep, a trait his other siblings were slightly scared of. He snored loudly, one leg and arm over the side of his bunk. He was a regular computer wiz and had made their large bulky computer from scratch only two years before. He was the whooping age of fourteen and his voice still cracked.

Jenna was the eldest kid at the age of fifteen. River, Jenna, Christa, and Trista all had the same mom and all had their mom's nose and full-lipped mouth. Jenna shared River and Trista's blue eyes, but one was black, nobody knew why. She was into fashion and was popular in her high school. She had dyed her hair pink and often wore it in pigtails braided with black strings braided into her braids and tied with the same strings. She had striped purple and pink stockings she always wore and had her own room.

Steve was four and had his mother's dark skin, though considerably lighter, seeing how their dad had white skin. He had his mother's black eyes and loved to smile. He often followed his tomboy sister Trista around and playing little league. Trista often yelled at him and acted annoyed when he followed her around, but was fiercely protective of her little half brother. He slept in the futon next to Raven's on the floor the six siblings, Steve, River, Christa, Trista, Aaron, and Raven shared.

Geoffrey, only two, was the baby, slept in a crib in their parents' room. They figured when he was three he'd share their room, too. He had the same light chocolate skin as Steve, his older brother, and black eyes. He didn't really speak but often played with River who spoke to him like he was fourteen instead of two and was learning how to use tools like River. They figured they'd have two bigheaded, technical geniuses soon.

Raven and Aaron had the same mom. Beatrice Frantin-Slider had died during childbirth to Aaron and Howard Slider, not one to stay lonely, had married a year later and had Steve. That didn't mean he didn't love his second wife, he just couldn't stand to be alone and loved very easily.

His kids didn't mind too much. They never lacked in the friend department. Jenna was the only one with a major problem. With so many kids she didn't get much of an allowance and couldn't buy all the coolest fashions and cosmetics. But she was pretty cool about it after her occasional fuss. She was a teenage girl.

Their new mom, and third wife, was Montica Hartford, now Slider. She was mixed and very friendly. She was a killer cook, too, and taught anybody who wanted to know how to cook. She was an assistant chef at a local diner that did pretty well. Howard Slider owned a bookstore and coffee shop. He did okay, too. His children, every one, loved him dearly, even if he couldn't be without a partner for long.

Raven petted Beast who was kicking fitfully in his sleep. A nightmare... Raven thought to herself. She remembered the little song her mother would sing to her when she had nightmares and in turn Raven sang to Aaron when he had nightmares.

"What the world needs now...is love...sweet love...it's the only thing...the world...has too little of..." Raven sang, still stroking Beast softly. He quieted and she sang it again, relaxing herself as Beast purred in his sleep.

"Byo, little siblings!" Jenna waved running out the door with her bookbag over her shoulder.

"I'm only one year younger than you!" River yelled after her. "Stop girl! See ya guys!" He shoved a piece of toast in his mouth and ran after her to middle school.

"Is everybody ready for the school of elementary?" Christa asked.

"No, I have to finish this." Raven replied, rolling her eyes. Christa's teachers must beat themselves in frustration for her way of speaking.

"What are you doing, freakazoid?" Trista asked eating Pop-tarts to her step-mother's horror.

"Do not call your sister that, Trista!" Montica scolded angrily. She continued feeding Geoffrey real food.

"What? She is. Even kids at school call her that." Trista retorted nonchalantly.

"But you will not." said a voice from the hallway.

"Urk. Sorry, dad." Trista jumped up and kicked her skateboard into her hands. "See ya at school."

"Wait up, Trista!" Steve cried jumping from his chair. Howard scooped up his son.

"No, you're too young for even Pre-K, you stay here and wait for Mrs. Justin." Howard laughed.

"What are you doing, Hon? You and Chris will be late for school." Montica asked wiping oatmeal from Geoffrey's face.

"It's a list for Mrs. Justin. It's all the times she needs to feed Beast. Where he usually hides and my school's number to call me if anything goes wrong." Raven answered absent-mindedly stroking her kitten's head as he purred.

Black eyes met green eyes as Howard and Montica smiled at each other over her head. She had Beast all of two days, having saved him on the way home from school on Friday. Raven had gone into full mom mode and Beast was already spoiled.

"Bye, Montica, bye dad!" Raven hopped from her chair. She kissed Beast head and grabbed her backapck and little brother.

The three remaining school-attending siblings ran for all their worth to Jefferson Elementary School. Beast meowed confused and lonely without his savior. Howard petted him abstractedly. He quieted, purring.

"Sorry, no." Raven answered. She walked away adjusting her backpack.

"You really are a freak." Trista said shaking her head.

"Why?" Raven inquired dryly knowing the answer.

"You just turned down a senior asking you out. You're only a freshman! You'd be popular throughout the school!"

"Until he humiliates me when he tells me it was a bet and I'm the school's new laughingstock." Raven retorted simply. Trista still got on her nerves and she was fifteen now!

"But you never had a boyfriend before. Trista is right some of the time. You are a... hermit. You must get out!" Christa exclaimed throwing her arms in the air.

"I am out. Noticed the sunshine much, Chris?" Raven pointed out.

"You must party! It is fun!" Christa amended earnestly.

"Yeah, it totally rocks. You dance for hours and get sweaty and exhausted! You eat a bunch of snacks and laugh at people when they throw up the punch!" Trista continued where Christa left off.

"What a fabulous way to waste my time." Raven said rolling her eyes.

"Oh, come on, try it once." Trista pleaded.

"Why?" Raven asked with an eyebrow raised.

"I'm tired of people asking me if the freaky goth chick is my sister." Trista answered simply.

"How kind of you to ask, but no." Raven pulled out her book.

"Oh, god, not another book!" Trista exclaimed.

"What's wrong with books? My sister is just fine with or without a boyfriend, Trista. Back off." Aaron said joining them from the middle school, Steve just behind him.

"Thank you, Aaron." Raven smiled at him. He beamed. He adored his older sister.

"Isn't Beast's birthday today?" Aaron asked. Raven paled.

"Oh my god! I'm late! He's going to be worried! Bye!" She shoved her book back in her backpack, zipped it, and ran for it.

"Why can't she run like that for softball?" Trista asked annoyed.

"Beast isn't at the home plate." Steve answered simply dribbling his basketball.

Raven threw open the door and ran to the backyard, the front door slamming behind her. She slid open the glass doors.

"Beast! Beast!" She cried out. She ducked back into the house, throwing her bag on the floor and kicking off her shoes.

She walked to the hall closet and pulled out an armful of presents and putting them on the kitchen table and she went to the fridge to grab the large cake in the plastic cover. She then grabbed the can of expensive cat chow. She turned to see a large green blur hurtling over the top of the fence to land in backyard. Her smile lit up her entire face.

Beast stretched, his long graceful body rippling lean muscles. One ear was nicked and from his ear to his chin a scar enhanced his rogue look. After just a month he had started growing until he was barely one and had gotten officially huge. He had dominated the entire neighborhood's cat kingdom and got into a fight at least once a week. He was the bane of Raven's existence and she loved him dearly, even more than her father and little brother.

He trotted up to the house, yawning largely. He jumped onto the table.

"Ahem, Beast." Raven said sternly.

He looked up at her innocently. She stared back. He jumped down and stretched then scratched behind his ear acting like he didn't even care. She giggled.

"Happy Birthday, Beast." She said, hugging him after dropping to her knees.

"Mrrow! Meow!" He replied expectantly. She smiled. She lifted him up and held him to her chest.

"Maybe later, okay?" She snuggled into his head and turned hearing the door. The others entered.

"Hey! Aren't supposed to wait for Montica and Dad?" Trista demanded.

"Montica and dad are right here!" Howard announced.

"We had to pick up Geoffrey, remember?" Montica said.

"Yeah! Cake!" exclaimed Geoffrey happily.

"Yes! Cake! YUMMY!" Christa agreed enthusiastically.

"We have to sing happily birthday first!" Raven admonished angrily.

"It's just a cat." Steve grumbled. Both Trista and Raven glared at him.

"He is NOT just and cat!" Both yelled at the same time. They glared at each other.

The only thing they both agreed on was Beast. They loved him and doted on him, spoiling him shamelessly, but both were very possessive. Raven loved him because she saved him, raised him and, well, he was her cat. Trista liked because he was cute, made her laugh, and fought as much as her. She thought he was awesome.

"Yes, so let's sing!" Christa interrupted their staring contest.

The whole family sang and then lit candles. Raven blew them out for Beast who meowed at the candles when he was supposed to wish which made everybody laugh. Each person opened their presents for him.

Christa gave him a large package of catnip.

Geoffrey gave him a squeaky mouse.

Steve gave him a feather.

Howard gave him flea collar.

Montica gave him a wrapped piece of meat that they saved for later.

"What the hell is that?" Raven snapped angrily at Trista.

"It's his present."

"He's a cat! Not a DOG!" Raven shouted.

"Mrrow?" Beast looked at the gigantic bone curiously, one head to the side. He smacked it.

Everybody but Trista and Raven laughed.

"See he doesn't like it!"

"He just never had one before! He'll like it later." Trista shot back.

Beast looked at harder, tilting his head the other way. He sniffed it and then lay down on it. They all laughed again.

"HA! He likes it."

"Whatever. Here's my present." Raven said blowing off her eighteen-year-old sister.

She opened up a box to show him a dark blue collar that matched her eyes. It had a gold plaque on it that had his name inscribed on it.

"Your tag can go on your flea collar. This is just for your name." She put it around his neck and smiled at him. "Don't you look so handsome, Beast."

"Mrrow!" He agreed loudly, and licked her nose. She giggled.

"Okay, time for cake!" Geoffrey proclaimed.

"YAY!" Christa yelped jumping up. They all looked at her.

That night, Beast curled up, his nose against hers as she curled towards him. The boys had taken over Jenna's old room and Christa got River's old bed.

Raven stroked down Beast's side and he meowed questioningly. She smiled.

"What the world...needs now...is love...sweet love, " She sang softly. He purred loudly.

Trista stared up at the bunk bed, her arms behind her head. Her eyes drifted shut, the smell of lavender returning to her memory. A figure with soft arms and navy blue eyes and blue-black hair rose in her mind's eye, Raven's voice echoing in her ears changing into this long forgotten woman's soft voice.

"It's the only thing...that the world...has too little of." Raven hummed the verse, words forgotten. She fell asleep with Beast's purr in her head.

"Raven!" Raven turned to see him again chasing her.

"Hello, Chad." She smiled. It was kind of nice to be liked even if she didn't like him back.

"Are you coming to that party on Friday?" He asked blue eyes gazing ather. She shook her head.

"I have plans. I am never free on Friday." She answered returning to her book walking home.

"But...Friday is like date night." He whined cutely. She rolled her eyes.

"So? I don't date."

"Well, can't you change your Friday plans just this once? I want you to come really bad. It won't be a party without you."

"Because I'm oh so much fun to be around, right?" Raven raised her eyebrow.

"Yes. I like you." He blushed.

"Well...I guess...just this once though." She mumbled blushing, too.

"Yes! I pick you up at eight." He jogged away and she 'read' her book, never flipping the page.

"I'm sorry, Beast, but he likes me. I have to go. How about this one?" She asked Beast. He stuck his nose in the air. "Come on, it's just once. I promise he won't ever mess up our Fridays again." She wheedled. He looked at her wide blue eyes and sighed.

He walked over to a pair of low ride black jeans with a wide brown belt and a black long sleeved shirt that fell low on her shoulders with a silver studded dragonfly on its side.

"Mrow." he said exasperated.

"Thank you!" She hugged him and kissed his cheek. She changed quickly and frowned. "My bra straps show...is that bad?" She asked turning one way then the other. He tilted his head one way than the other way.

"Are you asking Beast for dressing tips agai-Whoo! You look great, freak!" Trista whistled.

"Is it okay for my bra straps to show?" she asked panicky.

"Well, it's a black bra..." she trailed off and looked and Beast, they nodded. "Yes."

"Mrow!" He meowed at the same time.

"Okay..." she trailed off. Beast jumped off the bed and ran off. "He's mad at me." Raven said tearfully.

"You're an emotional wreck, and no, he's not, well, maybe a little. He went to get you something for your neck." Trista told her. Raven's hand flew to her neck.

"What?" Beast appeared with a ribbon dangling from his mouth.

It was a black choker with a red gem in the middle, a black dragonfly embedded in the gem. Howard was chasing him.

"You damn cat, get back here!" Howard cursed.

"Dad, it's for me. Where'd he get it from?" Raven asked, crouching down to get it. His forepaws bracing on her knee and she gazed at it. "It's Mum's." She whispered.

"Yes, your mother loved dragonflies, just like you. She wore that a lot. She would've given it to you, but...she died." He trailed off.

"Thank you, Beast." Raven murmured. He reached up and licked her nose. She giggled and quickly put it on, standing as Beast jumped away.

"It's perfect." Trista said with a nod.

"I thought you were a tomboy?"

"I am, with a eye for what looks good. That looks good." Trista said with a nod at her outfit.

"And so do you." Christa said walking in behind her father.

"Mrrow!" Beast affirmed.

Ding Dong!

"That's him."

"Let's go!" Trista cried her fist in the air.

Her arm went over Raven's shoulder and Christa did the same on the other side. They trooped to the front door where Chad waited.

Beast ran to the window faced the front yard in the living room. He placed his paws to the window and pressed his nose against the glass. Raven didn't look back. He cried mournfully.

"Whew! I'm back!" Raven cried. She and Chad had been going out since that Friday three weeks ago. "Beast? Beast!" She searched the room and then ran all around the house. "Beast!"

"I haven't seen him for two days." Steve noted as she frantically searched the kitchen. She looked up from under the sink.

"What if he's hurt?" she wrung her hands. "I shouldn't have gone to the movies! I promised him only one Friday! It's been three plus Saturday! And last Sunday!"

"Get a grip! You have a human boyfriend. You need to let that cat go! He's just a cat." Steve rolled his eyes.

Navy blues eyes flamed.

"You little jerk! HE IS NOT JUST A CAT! HE'S MY BEST FRIEND! I WOULD DIE FOR HIM! HE WAS THE ONLY FRIEND I HAD FOR EIGHT YEARS!" she ran to the front door and grabbed her jacket.

Steve blinked surprised.

Raven panted a flashlight in her hand.

"Beast! Beast! Please, come back! I'm so sorry! Please come back!" She fell to her knees in the middle of the park. Tears threatened to fall. "Beast, come back to me..." She sobbed.

"Mrrow!" A green blur launched at her.

"Beast!"

"Mrow! Purrr." He rubbed against her chin. He braced his forepaws on her chest and looked at her. "Mrrow?" He smacked at her face where tears were falling.

"I'm so sorry. Don't leave me again." She begged. He licked at her cheeks and then licked her nose. She hiccuped and in a watery breath began to sing their song. He purred and curled into her arms as she rose walking back home.

"Sorry, Chad, no Fridays." Raven shook her head.

"We're boyfriend and girlfriend now, why not?" He demanded. She looked away and then took a deep breath.

"When I was seven, I saved a kitten on a Friday. He just turned eight. I love him dearly. I promised when I was seven I would save my Friday for him only. I broke that promise three times and he ran away. I managed to find him...or him me, and I won't let him be sad again. I'd miss him too much."

"A cat? You won't goon a date with me for a cat?" he said.

"Correct. I'm sorry, I promised him first."

"It's just a cat." Her eyes blazed fury.

"No, he is not. He was my best friend, and only friend, for eight years. I could never choose someone else over him, I'm sorry. Please, understand." Raven said quietly.

They were at the wharf, waves crashing against the pillars holding up the dock. They were walking beneath them like they sometimes did. It was Sunday.

"I don't have to understand shit, Raven. You're choosing a cat over me?" Chad whispered lowly.

Raven's muscles tightened in the need to run. During their short time together, he had shown a slightly violent side. One time a guy asked her to dance at a party he had pulled her away with a grip so tight it left a bruise that lasted a week. One time he smacked her for calling him a jerk. She thought he had been having a bad day, but that tone of voice suggested otherwise.

"Chad, it's just on Friday. We still have all weekend." His hands gripped her upper arms painfully. "Chad, stop it."

"No. You're my girlfriend. You're not choosing a cat over me, damn it."

"I don't have to choose, I'm not your girlfriend anymore. You're violent. Let me go." Raven said coldly. He smirked, humorlessly.

"What? Waiting for your cat? Sorry, but no cat is gonna save you." He hissed.

He pushed her to the ground and tore at her pants. Her eyes widened.

"Let me go! Stop it! Let me go, damn it!" She scratched at his face and kneed him in the side. She jumped up and ran, shedding her bulky jacket.

"You bitch!" He chased after her.

Her breath came in puffs. She looked out at the waves crashing onto the beach. Chad doesn't know how to swim! She remembered. She ran towards the waves.

"Are you crazy? It's freezing!" He heard him scream. She waded into the water as he caught up.

She dived into the water and kicked for all her worth. She surfaced to see him wading in behind her. She began to swim deeper.

"You crazy bitch!" She continued, fighting through the waves and dizzying cold.

She stopped and turned. She treaded the water until he finally left. She swam back her limbs numb. She walking unto the beach, shivering. Her jacket was gone. She cursed and began to walk home.

"Raven!" Montica stood.

"Rae, why are you wet?" Aaron asked rising. They had all gathered in the living room, worriedly waiting for her.

"I took a swim," She chattered. She started towards the stairs.

"What? Why? Are you crazy?" Trista exclaimed.

"Yes, I am."

"It's winter! You do not swim in the winter unless you're inside!" Christa said.

"Rae, what happened?" Aaron murmured. She ignored them and continued up the stairs.

She stripped off her clothes, threw them on the dresser so not to soak the floor. She pulled on a giant T-shirt and dove into the futon. Beast meowed concerned. She laid an arm over him and smiled with her teeth still chattering.

"I'm okay. He just tried to rape me. I dumped him before that, though. I thought he was violent." She giggled and shuddered and drew the covers around them closer. "I chose you over him, I made a good choice, you aren't violent." she giggled again seeing his ear and scar, "Well, not to me." she began to cry, her whole body shaking. He meowed and licked her face with a warm, rough tongue.

"That jerk." Trista whispered, her knuckles cracking.

"He pays for hurting one of the Sliders." Geoffrey said his eyes narrowed. They all nodded.

"What the world...needs now... achoo! Is love... sweet love..." Raven sang, her nose touched Beast's.

He purred and licked her nose. He moved away and curled against her stomach, trying to warm her. She curled around him.

"It's the only thing...the world... has too little of...achoo!" She sang it again, her words soft and low, comforting herself as well as Beast.

Raven walked down the road, a bag of books from the library in her hands. Chad had been beaten up and Christmas was right around the corner. She hummed Beast's favorite song and her lullaby aloud. She had just found a great book, and she found a cool present for Beast. He loved dragonflies because she did and often chased them at the park by the pond. She got him a stuffed dragonfly with shiny wings. She giggled, blushing, imagining him roll around with it, attacking it for all its worth and then sleeping on it for a catnap.

"Mrrow!" She turned to see Beast on the other side of the road and smiled.

He often came to walk her home now. She glanced up as something fell in front of her nose. Snow was falling and she smiled. She and Beast loved playing in snow. She looked back down as a car's brakes screeched.

Beast was in the road, running towards her. She saw the car just as he did. His green eyes widened, frozen in shock and fright. She ran towards him as the car lost control on the ice.

Her large galoshes smacked against the asphalt and her calf length tan coat weighed her down. She ran harder. She dove and grabbed Beast. She felt something hit her back and felt something snapped. Her world went black and her head hit the icy road and she rolled, her limp body curled around Beast to protect him.

She stopped moving, sliding slightly on the ice. Beast squirmed out of her hold and looked at her wide unseeing navy eyes. He meowed and patted at her face. He smacked her hard and then sniffed her.

He sat and cried loudly as onlookers gasped. His yowling echoed through the air.

The door to car that hit Raven opened, music spilling out.

"What the world needs now, is love, sweet love-"

He yowled louder, desperately trying to drown out the song.

V V V

Kitty: Did you like it? I do. I know, a cat? And what's with the song? I can't answer the first one...I don't know why either, but it's better than mermaids, surely. It was going to be a story about mermaids. And the song...leave me alone. I saw the commercial with that song and something told me, "WRITE IT DOWN, IDIOT!" So, I did. Then, I didn't know what the fudge to do with it. So, I put it in here. Bebo!