Okay, so..yeah. Just some more of the same in an attempt to push ahead to the next plot point. Consider said plot point (still a few updates off) the light at the end of this very fluffy tunnel I've written myself into. :P Thanks also for all the support, patience and kindhearted reviewage. :D
Stretching back onto the sofabed, seeing as Farrah was content outside reading her book, Brody shut his eyes only to feel tiny paws jump onto him, and tiny claws starting to dig into his abs.
"Hey! Watch it!", he barked as Calvin mewed, jumped off of him.
"Thank you."
Closing his eyes again it didn't take long for him to drift off. He hadn't slept well in the canoe bed, and figured squeezing in a quick nap before the hike to the waterfall would be a good idea.
Sleeping soundly, he didn't feel Calvin jump back up and resume his earlier position. This time though the kitten curled up right on his shoulder, his loud purring lulling Brody into even deeper sleep.
"Okay, I've got food. A bowl for the food. I've got treats, a scratching post, litter, litter box. Some sort of catnip creature. And a pole with feathers dangling off it."
"Feathers?", Farrah frowned, looking up from her book.
"Supposedly kittens can't keep their paws off of them. Did I forget anything?"
"You get collar?"
"Damn it. Ugh, stupid. I knew I forgot something. Guess he'll have to go without. Speaking of which, where..."
Giggling, Farrah got up, motioned for Carrie to follow her inside before pointing to the couch. Specifically where Calvin had dozed off.
"Oh shit..", she laughed, covering her mouth with one hand and pulling out her phone with the other. After snapping a picture or two the phone rang. Seeing the caller, Saul, Carrie's smile faded and she shut it off.
"Where...what the..", Brody muttered.
"No! Nick don't move!", Farrah yelped, getting him frowning and her shaking her head. Annoyed she went back outside, returned to her book.
"You heard her! Stay put or you'll make him move."
"If you think for one second I'm not going to move on account of a cat...", he scoffed as Carrie pouted.
"C'mon Brody. He's purring and everything."
"Hey, enough! Giving me that look.", Holding the still snoozy Calvin, Brody sat up, then stood up.
"I'll just move him to a more willing shoulder, okay? Here."
Setting him down on Carrie, the cat continued to sleep unfazed, snuggled near the crook of her neck.
"So I'm just supposed to walk around with him like this. All day!"
"Oh c'mon Carrie. He's purring and everything.", Brody mocked.
"Great. So in addition to crazy I'm a fucking crazy cat lady?"
"Eh, not necessarily.", he teased.
"I think to qualify you need three more of those draped on you, to be hopelessly single and, what's the last..oh yeah, unattractive."
"You're saying I'm none of the above?", she asked, her voice teasing but with a flicker of seriousness in her eyes.
Leaning in to kiss her as an answer, after their lips met Brody heard a distinct hiss and jumped back. Getting Carrie laughing.
"Hey! Okay if your new friend gets in the way of that with us-"
"Settle down. He's just protecting me. Someone has to.", she smirked, lifting the kitten off her shoulder and onto the rug before resuming the kiss, getting over to the couch.
Not letting things get overly heated with Farrah just outside, they were interrupted by a loud meow and a scratching sound at the door.
"I swear that cat.."
"Fuck. Just remember where we left off, Sergeant. I got him."
Getting up Carrie opened the door, went to let the kitten onto the porch to be with Farrah, only to see the porch was deserted.
"Oh shit. Farrah? Farrah!"
Running outside she looked to her left, right, everywhere, with no sign of her.
"Carrie what...what happened?"
Joining her on the porch, Brody's stomach knotted at the look on her face, then double knotted realizing she was out here alone.
"Son of a...Farrah! FARRAH!", he yelled with no response.
Keeping his own fear in check he forced himself to think rationally, calmly. Take control of the situation before Carrie had the chance to spiral out of control. Looking at her he could tell she wasn't that far off.
"Not again. This...this isn't fucking happening again...it...it can't! I-"
"Carrie, Carrie look at me okay. Look at me.", he ordered, taking a grip on her shaking shoulders.
"Don't panic, okay? We will find Farrah. I swear it."
"Brody! I-"
"Say it back to me. We'll find her."
"But I-"
"Say it, goddamn it!"
Swallowing hard she managed a nod.
"We...we'll find her."
"We will, okay. We will." , he promised. Quickly kissing her on the forehead, he rubbed her shoulders once more before running off the porch.
"Go search around back. I'll look by the lake."
"The lake!", Carrie cried, paling even more.
"Shit. Brody, you don't-"
"Just go around back. Yell if you find her.", Brody demanded, all the while praying that she'd be the one to and not him.
Looking over his shoulder as he ran towards the dock, he saw her sprint around to the back of the cabin, then heard her yell. Relieved, he ran back the way he came and found her in the backyard, looking up nervously.
"What the, Carrie where are you look..."
Using his hand to shield his eyes from the sun, squinting up he finally saw what she was.
"Son of a..."
"Farrah! Honey it's okay. It's alright, just stay there!"
"It'll be fine, brat. I promise I'll help you get dow-"
Cut off when Carrie rushed past him, Brody watched as she took off running towards the too tall looking tree. Set to scale the damn thing.
"No! Carrie no!", Farrah cried. Straddling one of the higher branches, she was clutching onto the trunk of the tree afraid to let go. But also afraid for anyone else to come up after her and help her. Calvin had tried and now the kitten was as stuck as she was.
"Farrah it's okay, I'll just climb up and-"
"NO! Calvin...he, he up here too.", the girl sniffled as Calvin let out a loud mew, skittered over to a different branch.
"Rethinking that damn cat yet?", Brody scoffed as he jumped to grab hold of a branch near the base. Pulling himself up and onto it.
"Brody what the...? I'm perfectly capable of climbing up there and-"
"I know. So go around to the other side and get Calvin. Leave Farrah to me."
Nodding, rolling her eyes Carrie ran over to the other side of the tree, scaring the kitten off his branch and onto a different one.
"Damn it, Calvin!"
Leaping up to grip the branch, once she climbed onto it and got semi-situated in the tree, she pulled down the branch the kitten was balancing on. Prompting him to walk from it onto her shoulders and to purr, paw at her hair.
"Oh don't you even. Trying to cute your way out of this. Because of you I'm climbing a fucking tree instead of-"
Interrupted with a meow, Carrie eyed Brody closely as he made his way to the higher branches where Farrah was still perched.
"Nick!"
"It's okay Farrah, I'm almost there. I'm almost behind you."
"Nick, I scared!"
"Farrah? Farrah look over here. Look at me.", Carrie coached as the girl turned her face towards her, looking pale.
"You're okay, sweetheart. You're not going to fall."
"But-"
"Shhh. Just relax. Stay still and keep holding on just like you've been doing. Brody's almost behind you."
"Yes?"
"Yes. I can see him even though you can't.", she assured as Calvin leaped off her shoulder and onto the top of her head. Getting Farrah giggling and luckily enough, distracted.
"What? What's so funny?", Carrie frowned, feigning confusion even though she felt claws digging at her scalp.
"Cal! He...he on your.."
"What? Where is he?"
"He's on Carrie's silly head. That's where.", Brody smirked, getting close enough to Farrah to wrap his arms around her waist. Pulling her off the branch he settled her on his hip, as she looped her arms a little too tightly around his neck.
"Whoa! Hey, just ease up on your grip okay?", he choked out as she lessened her hold.
"That good?"
"Yeah. Yeah that's better.", Brody coughed.
"Just hold on. I'll get us down."
After Brody climbed down and eventually out of the tree, Carrie went to do the same. As did Calvin who leaped off her head to land gracefully on his feet.
His using her forehead as a springboard though left Carrie distracted, and about to lose her grip on the branch.
"Oh, oh shit..SHIT!"
Hearing her Brody ran to the other side of the tree and saw her dangling, just her left hand holding the branch.
"Carrie! Look I'm right underneath you, okay. I'll catch you, just let go of the branch."
"Are you kidding!", she yelled, trying to regain her earlier grip and not get frantic.
"Brody I'm too high up. You try catching me the both of us will wind up hurt."
"Jesus Carrie, you weigh a hundred pounds soaking wet. I'll brace myself and catch you, it'll be fine."
Biting her lip now she looked down, and saw Farrah encouraging her too. Leaving her with no other choice.
"Okay, okay I'll do it.", she nodded.
"Sometime today would be nice.", Brody sighed.
"Hey! You try being the one fucking dangling up here!"
"Carrie! C'mon, it okay. Look at me!", Farrah coached as Carrie managed a slight smile, then shut her eyes and slowly unclenched her hand. Swearing the entire fall down.
Readying himself, Brody managed to catch her, then continued to hold her as she shook.
"Carrie? Love, you okay? You okay?" he asked nervously until he realized she was laughing, near hysterically.
"What's so funny?", he asked, shaking his head before laughing at her.
Meanwhile Farrah watched, frowning and slightly concerned for the two adults in a giggling, tangled heap on the back lawn.
"You two silly.", she scoffed as Calvin mewed in agreement.
Once she came to grips, caught her breath, Carrie frowned at her, arched a brow.
"Oh, we're silly? Who was the one silly enough to go up a tree that high without asking first?"
"I silly?", Farrah asked nervously, getting a nod as Carrie stood and walked over to her, then knelt to her level.
"Farrah if you wanted to climb a tree you should've asked me. There's plenty around here that you could've had fun on. Like, see that one over there by the cabin?"
"Yes I see."
"If you go out a little on that middle branch, you can touch the roof."
"Carrie, you really want her trying that next?"
"Hey, believe it or not, it's less risky than the gymnastics we were just doing.", Carrie said knowingly, shutting him up.
"I thought I could climb that tree. I brave!", the girl protested.
"Hey, I know you are!"
"Then why I can't climb?", she whined as Carrie sighed, looked to Brody.
"Brat, we know you're brave. You're one of the bravest kids I've ever met. So you don't have to prove it by doing things that could get you hurt or make you feel scared. Especially without asking. Carrie's just looking out for you. You gave her a scare earlier."
"And you gave him one too.", she reminded.
"I..I scare?"
"Yeah.", Carrie admitted as Farrah sniffled, hugged her.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I'm just glad you're not hurt."
"I glad you not hurt.", Farrah echoed, leading the way back to the cabin.
"I'm glad neither of you are hurt. Otherwise it'd just be me and that cat.", Brody scoffed as Calvin mewed, ran back up onto the porch.
"Well, it's going to be unless you keep up with us.", Carrie smirked, taking Farrah by the hand before subtly nodding to a path not far away.
"Keep up with.."
"Last one there has to jump in!"
"Jump in?! Jump in what, we just climbed out of that stupid...hey!"
Watching them take off running all he could do was shake his head, break into a run himself to catch up.