This is a continuation from the previous drabble, per request ;)

Snowflake

Retaliating for the sudden tug of her little toe, Elsie leaned her head forward and nipped Charles' earlobe.

"Oh! You sneak!" He took her left foot in his hand, lightly running his fingers along the bottom.

"No! You know I am ticklish!" She twisted in protest, quite helpless as he pinned her body behind his. "Oh! No! Truce! Truce!"

"Very well. Seal the deal with a kiss." Charles turned his head back towards her and was met with a sweet peck. Settling back against her, he once again took her left foot in his hand. He was applying pressure with his thumb along her arch when he noticed a small jagged scar just above her ankle. "Elsie, where how did you get this scar?"

Elsie leaned over his shoulder, "Oh that. I have had that since I was seven."

"But how did you get it?"

"I was viciously attacked by an animal."

Charles pulled his head back to look at her profile. "What?"

Elsie laughed, "Don't worry, Charles. The vicious animal was a wee moggy."

"A cat? You were attacked by a cat?"

"A kitten to be exact. A beautiful little white ball of fur with gray ears and a gray tipped tail that I called Snowflake."

"And why did Snowflake attack you?" Charles ran his finger over the scar as he waited for her answer. "Well?"

"Well, it is rather embarrassing."

"Oh, tell me, love."

Elsie sighed, "Very well. You see my mother had altered a pair of union jack pajamas of my father's for me to wear under my night dress when it was very cold and I happened to be wearing them the night I snuck Snowflake into my bed."

"All right…" Charles wasn't following, but he was intrigued.

"Well, the mother cat in our barn had had kittens earlier in the fall and I was madly in love with the little white one and I spent every spare moment I could with her and one night it was bitterly cold and snowing quite heavily, I begged my father to let me bring Snowflake into the house for fear she would freeze. He, of course, refused, promising she would be fine with her brothers and sisters in the barn, but I couldn't stand it. I was so convinced she would freeze that I tucked her into the sleeve of my coat and managed to get her into my room. "

Charles grinned as he thought of a pretty little girl with big blue eyes cuddling a furry white kitten. "And you weren't caught?"

"Not immediately, no. I managed to keep her quiet most of the evening." Elsie laughed, "I don't know if I have ever been as nervous as I was when my mother was putting me to bed. I had Snowflake tucked in a drawer that I left open a crack. My mother had just leaned down to kiss me good night when I saw the tip of Snowflake's tail poke out through the crack. I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest."

Charles joined in her laughter, "Bless your little heart. Did your mother see it?"

"No! I was so relieved when she turned off the light and closed the door. I waited a minute and then crept out from under my blankets and took Snowflake out of the drawer and brought her into my bed. I was so happy to have her curled up with me and she was good as gold all night. Unfortunately, seven year old me hadn't given much thought to how I would get her out of my room and back to the barn the next morning."

Charles shook his head, "Oh dear."

"Oh yes. I woke up to hear my mother just outside my door, so I panicked and tried to stuff Snowflake down the front of my night dress, but I pulled the union jack along with my dress and managed to stuff her into the underwear. The poor wee thing was wiggling like mad when my mother opened the door. I tried to stay still, but Snowflake was tickling and scratching as she made her way down my body, well, I had to squirm a bit. And my mother just stood there waiting for me to get out of bed! I remember turning onto my side and the cat climbing into the seat of the union jack so I had to awkwardly slid off the side of the bed, keeping my backside away from my mother. I took a step and felt the cat slide into my left pant leg and I took another step and felt her slide down a little further, all the while she was digging her claws into my leg, trying to get purchase as she fell."

"Ohhh…" Charles shook with laughter as he pictured what she had just shared. "And your mother just stood there?"

Elsie laughed along with him, "Yes! I didn't know it then, but she and my father had slipped into my room in the night to make sure I was warm enough and saw the kitten curled up at my side."

"Oh no! So she knew why you were squirming?"

"Yes, but she just stood there and watched me struggle! I don't know why, but I thought that if I could just make it to my dresser, I could stand on the other side of it and hide the cat. Unfortunately, Snowflake was so traumatized by the whole thing; she suddenly dug her claw deep into my ankle, screeched and weed on my foot all at the same time."

Charles had to sit up for fear of crushing Elsie, he was laughing so hard.

"So now you know the source of my scar."

Charles fought to catch his breath, "Oh, thank you. I needed that laugh."

"Glad my misery is a source of mirth for you, Mr. Carson."

Charles squeezed her foot, "So what happened after the cat made her presence so well known?"

"I got a firm swat on my bottom is what happened and I wasn't allowed to play with the kittens for a week."

"Aw, poor little Elsie Hughes."

"Yes, I was quite heartbroken, but it was worth it to cuddle with the sweet furry thing that night."

"Speaking of cuddling, this water is getting quite cold, Mrs. Carson. Would you care to join me in our warm bed?"

Elsie smiled at his request. "I would quite like that, Mr. Carson." She wrapped her arms around him, "You aren't quite as furry as Snowflake, but you'll do."