(AN: I needed some Muriel fluff okay? Don't judge me)
I was expecting Muriel to come home from his round in the forest with the normal assortment of herbs, roots and perhaps some fish, but a soggy, cold kitten was not one of them.
The small black form lay still in his massive palm and his green eyes stared up at me, with that looks of worry that was so often present. "It started to rain, and I couldn't find the mother anywhere. I didn't want to leave it." He said quietly, his large presence making the entire hut feel cozy, even though he was dripping wet.
I let out a small squeal that makes him chuckle and smile a little, and I immediately grabbed a rag and wrapped up the kitten and started to dry out its fur with as firm of strokes as I dared. It was fairly limp and wasn't even shivering anymore and I huffed a worried breath as I worked.
I brought it over to the fire with me and sat down, and Inanna padded over and sniffed at the small shape in my hands. "Hush, girl. Be gentle." I chide her and hold the kitten closer to the fire, and I see it jerk its head a little and I gasp.
"Oh love, it just moved!" I say excitedly and I hear him place his cloak on the hook, and he walks over to me, settling on the furs near the fire. He places a hand on my back and gently rubs it with his thumb as we both stare down at the kitten.
"What kind of food does a kitten this small eat?" I ask, my brow creases a little as it continues to struggle to move. I keep rubbing it, and get a new cloth to continue the ministrations.
"It can have goat milk mixed with some other things. I've made it before." He explained and he gently strokes my wrist before getting up. "Keep warming it up and I will start on the food."
I hear him walk to our small kitchen, and get out some different jars and cans and he grabs some goat milk we had in storage.
I continue to rub the cloth into the kitten's fur and Inanna scoots forward, keeping low to the ground until she is right by the kitten and she huffs and licks at the kitten, her tongue moving around the fur as she laps vigorously.
"Inanna!" I scold lightly and then I see the kitten stir and let out the tiniest meow, its head swinging back and forth. Inanna sits up a little and continues to lick the kitten, her ears perked.
"I think the little thing likes that." I whisper at Inanna and she sneezes at me as if to say 'Of course!'
Muriel comes over, a mixture in a small bowl and he dips the end of a very small hard carved spoon into the milk and places it near the kittens mouth and it lifts its head and I see its little tongue move as it works frantically to eat.
With gentleness, he scoops the little thing out of my hands and into his palm and continues to feed it a few drops at a time, and I can't help but stare at him lovingly.
"Stop looking at me like that." He says, his cheeks flushing bright red, and he focuses extra hard on the kitten, trying to ignore me but I know it's not working.
"Like what? You're just so…cute." I smile wide and scoot closer. "So what should we name the little thing? And is it a boy or a girl?" I ask, curious.
Muriel lifts the kitten for a moment and checks to see. "It's a girl. And I don't know what name. Are we keeping it?" He asks, lifting a brow slightly.
I raise my own brow. "Um…yeah. Obviously we're keeping it. You'll break Inanna's heart. She already thinks she's her baby." I say, pointing to the little kitten and then to the wolf in question. Inanna blinks at him as if to back me up.
Muriel shakes his head once, but I see the smile on his face and I look back down at the kitten, who is looking significantly more plump due to her warm dinner. She's moving a lot more now and it makes me breathe a sigh in relief.
Once she's stopped eating, he gently lifts the kitten into his other hand and gently, so gently pats and massages her back until he hears some small exhalations of air and she makes him smile, such a rare but wonderful sight.
I scoot close to him and Inanna comes and lays her head down on my lap and I look up at Muriel and then down at the tiny girl nestles in his palm, already falling asleep from the warmth.
"Welcome to our family, little one. We'll take care of you, I promise." I smile up at Muriel again and he leans down and initiates a kiss, something that's rare, but so wonderful. I kiss him back and settle against his side the evening passing into night.
(AN: I had to do some guessing on what a little baby kitten would drink, and google gave me what I wrote down. I suppose it works for story purposes, but make sure to do your research!)