I love you all! I really do! I have been lazy since I had a job so I'll answer some questions in this chap. I'll try to answer in every update from now on.
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ShadowQueen: Va kul med en Svensk på ! Tack for din kommentar jag blev verkligen chockad! Jag känner bara en svensk till på förutom min syster. Hoppas du fortsätter att läsa!
Shippo Look Alike, Iroi: I have that in mind. I promise that nothing bad will happen to him.
Luna-chan: Well I would be. I don't think anyone likes to be clawed in the face…least Cliff. Would mess up his pretty face.
Chikao: Well, yes I have cats. Three actually. Mirramiss, Amos and Snurran. The first one is mine and she was named Bandit before I took her. When I started on this fic I had them in mind.
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Nyalbel
Chapter three: Problems for the Kitty
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"Are you all done in there? We are ready to leave!" Fayt called from the door which lead to the tavern. He and Cliff had worked the whole morning, loading the last supplies on the wagon that would take them to Airyglyph. The day had been hotter then the one before so the two was exhausted. The girls had been lucky to work inside, making sandwiches and such for the trip.
Sophia poked her head out from the kitchen and smiled. "We are packing the food right now! Get in the wagon while you wait" she called back.
Fayt nodded and turned around only to smack face first into Cliff. He took a step back and rubbed his nose. "Cliff, watch it will you? I almost broke my nose!" he muttered.
Cliff smirked and rubbed his head. "Sorry about that, Fayt. I just came in because I need some water for Albel" he explained and moved for the kitchen.
Fayt gaped and grabbed Cliff's hand. "What do you mean? I gave him water a before we went to work. It can't be all gone…" Fayt said.
While they had worked, Albel had been placed in a box so that he wouldn't run away. At first Fayt had locked him up in their room, but Albel had managed to get out and had terrorised the room the girls rented. He had shredded the sheets and ripped the pillows open, flinging cotton and feathers all over the room. Cliff had managed to capture the little neko before Nel got her hands on him. She had discovered that Albel had used her scarf as a bed and left tons and tons of black hair strands behind. Cliff and Fayt decided that it would be safer if they took the cat out with them. Albel had protested loudly when he had been locked in the box but had calmed down when he had received a bowl of water and some dry fish.
Cliff sweat dropped. "Yeah, but it ain't enough. I went to check on him and I figured out something that I should have seen before" he told the bluenettte.
"And what is that?"
"Well, when we placed Albel in the box we thought it was a good place since it was in the shade and he wouldn't get hot, right?"
"Yeah"
"We seemed to have forgotten about the fact that the sun moves and the box is now in direct sunlight… you catch my drift?" Cliff asked and went into the kitchen.
Fayt stood there and thought for a few minutes before everything clicked into place. "Albel!" he cried and dashed outside. He rounded the corner of the tavern and gasped when he saw the box in direct sunlight just as Cliff said. Ripping the lid open he peeked inside.
"Nyaahhaaaa…. Nyy" Albel was panting loudly, sprawled out and trying to get cool. Why the heck had they left him in this hell hole?! At first it hadn't been all that bad. He had a bowl of water which he had tipped over to cool himself. He hadn't been happy about becoming wet, but it had worked. When the water had vanished he had been left with no way to cool himself and collapsed. He threw the boy over him a hateful glare. It was him who had locked him in here!
Fayt picked up the warm cat and cradled him in his arms. Trying to be careful with the small being he went inside. "Cliff are you bringing the water you spoke of!? Albel is not looking so good at the moment!" he called.
Cliff came out from the kitchen, carrying a cup of water. "When did he look good at all?" he asked and handed Fayt the cup. "There, water as I promised"
Fayt shook his head and dropped the cup. "That is not enough! He is to hot and need a cool bath! We need a tub with water, not a cup! Why didn't you bring him in here when you checked up on him?" Fayt asked and walked past the blond and into the kitchen.
Cliff rubbed his chin. "Well I didn't know he was suffering, honest! I don't know a smack about animals!"
Nel looked up when she saw the two enter the kitchen. She lifted a eyebrow when she spotted the over heated cat. "Tried to cook him? 'Steamed Albel' sounds kind of good" she said with a small smirk.
Fayt rolled his eyes and proceed to place Albel in the sink. He moved his hands to turn on the water.
Albel's eyes followed the boy's movements. What was he now planning to do? One sweaty ear perked up at the sound of water. Finally he would get the drink he wanted! Looking up he saw something just above him but before he could see what it was, cold water splashed down and hit him straight in the face. "NYAAA!!"
Cliff heard the neko shriek in panic and just got the chance to see the wet cat come at him before ten small claws dug into his bare shoulder. Blinking he looked down at the cat that clung to him until the pain registered in his brain. "OUCH! GET HIM OFF ME! GET HIM OFF ME!!" he shrieked and that only resulted in Albel digging his claws in even further.
Fayt was stunned when the cat just vanished from his grasp. He looked up when he heard the blond shriek and realised where Albel had gone to. Quickly moving over to the blond that was hopping around in pain, he grabbed a hold of Albel and tried to get him of Cliff without hurting the two. Well, not trying to hurt Cliff even more the he already was.
Albel held on for dear life. He knew that if the blue haired boy got him, he would be placed in the cold water again. How much did a kitty have to endure in one day? First being fried alive then almost turned into a popsicle… That was just too much!
Nel watched as Cliff and Fayt struggled to remove the cat. 'Idiots. There is a easier way to remove the cat then just to yank him off. If they just would use their brains a little…' she thought and picked up a sandwich. Yanking of a small piece of ham she turned to the two boys. "Albel! Come here kitty! I got something for you!" she called. She wasn't sure if it would work, but hey! It was worth a shot!
Albel lifted one ear when he heard the voice call for him. Turning his head a little he could see the woman. His little nose wrinkled. Why the heck would he go to her…. HAM! She had ham! Well, that made up his mind. Using his claws he dragged himself up on Cliff's shoulder and used him as a springboard to jump to the table close to Nel. He sat down before her like nothing had happened and gave her a small "Nya"
Cliff had stilled for a second when he felt the cat push himself of his shoulder. The burning pain the neko's claws left behind awoke him again. "OW OW OW! That does it! I'm getting the biggest scissor I can find and cut his claws!" he threatened as he stomped his foot in pain and clutched his wounded shoulder.
Fayt tried his hardest to clam the blond down but had to give up. "It's just a small scratch. I bet that Albel didn't do it on purpose!"
Cliff gave him a glare that said 'yeah right' before he left the room to nurse his wounds and his wounded pride.
Peppita came running into the room with a huge smile. "Are we going soon? Hu hu?" she asked and bounced before Fayt. She didn't wait for an answer before she turned to Nel and the others. "Oh! Hi, Nyabel!" she called to the cat.
Nel lifted an eyebrow and looked at Peppita. "'Nyalbel'?"
Peppita nodded and smiled wider. "Well, I got kind of confused with the change and all so I decided to call this for Nyalbel and Albel his human form. I decided Nyalbel would fit him nicely since he only says 'Nya' anyway"
Albel watched as the two spoke. His nose caught the sent of meat again and he looked at the ham in the red haired girl's hand. He noted that it was too high for him to reach the ham with his mouth so he reached out with a clawed paw. Why would he always work so hard to get something to eat?
Nel yelped when she felt Albel claw at her hand. Fearing that she would get badly scratched, she dropped the ham to the cat who gratefully took it.
Mirage, who had quietly packed the sandwiched for the trip, looked up and smiled. "I'm ready to go, are you? Roger is waiting for us in Airyglypth"
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Fayt walked forwards the wagon, Albel resting in his arms.
Cliff and the others got up just as Albel's eyes opened. One ruby eye looked at the wagon before he tensed hard. Whet the heck was the creature in front of the wagon?! Was it a large carnivore? Cat eater? The monster of all monsters?!?! Hackles rising, Albel flattened his ears and hissed loudly at the beast. Well he wasn't taking any chances!
Fayt noticed that Albel was suspicious forwards the animal that pulled the wagon. Smiling he stroked the hackles on the cat's neck, trying to flatten them. "It's alright, Albel. The beast is friendly" he tried to soothe the cat. Noting that Albel was still tense he moved to the back of the wagon. "Ok, sit here where you can't see it. What you can't see can't hurt you right? I bet Cliff can keep you company"
Cliff heard the bluenette and shook his head. "No you don't! I mean, I just finished bandaging my wounds from his last 'attack'. Why do I have to keep an eye on him? Can't Peppita or Nel do it, or yet, Sophia?" he asked. He wasn't angry or anything at the cat but his shoulder still stung…
Fayt shook his head. "You know that he doesn't get along with them. He never has. He likes us best and I need to be at the front of the wagon and talk to Mirage and Nel. Please, Cliff" he said and gave Cliff big puppy eyes.
Cliff placed a hand over his eyes to shield him from those blue eyes. "Ok, just this once. But if he even gives me any indication that he's up to something, I'm throwing him of the wagon!"
Peppita, who sat beside Cliff, looked at him with large eyes. "You would throw Nyalbel of the wagon while it's moving?" she couldn't see that Cliff was just joking.
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I know, I'm cruel to cut the chap here but my inspiration grew dry… gomen!
