I don't own these characters.

3: Niche

After a couple of days, Felina and Callie had already worked up a routine. Felina knew Callie being there was for the best just because Callie would not allow her to sleep the day away, even if she needed the rest. She needed to move, too, and Callie made sure she did plenty of that. She was allotted a couple of hours for napping and every hour she had to move some place new for at least five minutes. Her body was sore, but at least she was not rotting away on the couch like she planned.

Then, of course, there were meals. Callie was an excellent cook and she made sure Felina got three square meals a day. She had not eaten quite this well in a while. In fact, lunch was about to be served.

"You know, I haven't eaten this well since I was in the air division of the army," Felina said as she slid up to the counter. She grunted a bit as she picked herself up to sit in the tall chair.

"Why am I not surprised you were in the army?" Callie commented, placing a tuna sandwich in front of the lieutenant. It was fully loaded with eggs, lettuce, tomatoes, and melted cheese.

"Most people see this." Felina flexed her bicep, which had certainly seen better, fuller days. It would definitely get better, though, as long as Callie continued to feed her and help her move around. "And they think army immediately. You probably saw it and thought I got from being an enforcer, though." She then took a huge bite out of her sandwich.

For a moment, Callie only stared at the bicep that was still up. "I didn't think she-kats could get muscles like that."

Felina chuckled. "It takes a lot of training and the right body type, but I've seen quite a few females with muscles like these."

"Are those… um… you date those types of females?" Callie asked. It was the first time she brought up the lioness thing since finding out, even though she had found several other Pride items in Felina's room as expected when she cleaned up. She had merely silently put them where they went after asking Felina. It would seem she was trying to get comfortable with the idea. Felina appreciated the effort, as she had never seen a non-lion try so hard to get along with one.

"No, I don't date females that look like me," Felina replied simply before biting her sandwich again. She did not want to tell the blonde what type of females she did date or it might frighten the poor thing off.

Callie nodded, but did not say anything else. They ate and discussed books they were reading. Callie had seemed surprised to find out Felina was an avid reader, but it made sense to her. "Reading offers an escape," Callie had said, like she knew. Felina read often when she started to feel different from others and had no one to speak to about it. Reading allowed her to be somewhere else for a while.

"So, are you… going back to work?" Felina asked. It was a weekday. She assumed the deputy mayor had to get to the office eventually and the idea made her stomach twist a little. The silence that would follow, something she should have been used to, did not sit well in her mind right now.

"Oh." Callie yelped and had to swallow another bite of her sandwich. "I'm on vacation."

Felina blinked. "You… you used your vacation time to stay with me?" Is it really that serious?

"Well, I figured you'd need me for a little more than a weekend. I told you, I'm here for you. So, as long as you'll have me, I'm here."

A laugh escaped Felina and she wondered if it sounded as awkward as she felt. "Then, I guess I'm stuck with you."

Callie gently nudged her. "I think I'm stuck with you. You're the one that whines about needing blankets."

"I told you my feet get cold." The deputy mayor had learned quite a few things about Felina over the past two days most people did not know. Felina was not sure how she felt about it yet. It was just weird.

Scoffing, Callie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, and then in the middle of the night, your feet get hot and a few hours later, cold again." She lightly swatted Felina, as if that was a punishment for being such a pain.

Felina only laughed. She liked that Callie still openly touched her. Things ran smoothly between them. She imagined this was how things were between sisters. She knew she had never interacted with another person like she did with the deputy mayor, not her family, not her friends, not her comrades, or even her girlfriends.

"So, what made you join the army?" Callie asked.

Felina shrugged. "Needed to get away from home and couldn't afford college."

Callie's forehead wrinkled. "You needed to get away from home?"

Felina took a big bite of her sandwich, needing time to think before she answered. There really was no harm in telling Callie. The trouble-prone deputy mayor already knew more about her than most just from seeing what was in her apartment the last couple of days.

"My father… my father, he didn't mind me being a lioness much. He blamed himself over it. Thought he treated me too much like a tomcat when I was growing up. I was his first and before my brother was born, my dad hung out with me all the time," Felina started, a small smile tugging at her face. Good times.

Callie smiled as well. "He sounds like a good guy."

Felina nodded. "Oh, he is. Great guy. You'd probably never believe he was related to my uncle, much less that they grew up in the same house. But, my dad, bless him, he tries."

"But, your mother…" Callie guessed. There was a look in her eyes, a shadow of something. Maybe a memory, maybe an understanding. Or maybe I'm just hoping for something that's not there.

"My mother always thought something was wrong with me, but at one point, she found me by the barn cuddling with a girl. We weren't even doing anything, just sitting too close for my mother's comfort. I was fifteen. She went ballistic. Hasn't spoken to me since. Hasn't touched me since. I might as well be dead to her. Could you imagine living in a house where your mother treats you like the evilest thing she ever encountered?" Felina shuddered at the memories, her skin crawling, and her heart pounding. She tried never to think of her mother. If she was dead to the she-kat, then the blasted fool she-kat could be dead to her as well.

Callie rubbed Felina's elbow, maybe to show she was not shy about touching Felina like her mother was or maybe just to be comforting. "That had to be tough. At least you had your dad."

Felina nodded. "He kept me sane. My brother, too, even though I wasn't allowed to touch him when my mother was around. My little sister was barred from seeing me. My mother thought…" She growled, remembering the horrible accusations her mother flung her way when she had gone out of her way to pick her sister up from grade school. Well, her mother had not really said them to her, more like screamed them at her father because he was the one who allowed "the defective one" to get Kitty.

Callie caressed her elbow a little more. "It's all right. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

Felina nodded and decided to stop talking about. It hurt, but it also felt good to tell someone. She just… she would rather do it in bits. Callie had stayed through her crankiness, her outing, but she might not stay through bitching about childhood trauma. So, she ate more of her sandwich.

"I got out the house as soon as I could, too," Callie suddenly said.

Felina looked up from her food. "What?"

"Shocking, I know," Callie tittered. "I was always a… weird kitten. Even now, you wouldn't describe me as typical."

Scoffing, Felina smiled. "Typical is definitely not a word that would come to mind in regards to you." It was a good thing, though.

"Well, my parents didn't take too kindly to it. I'm from a small town out west and she-kats don't have the interests that I did."

"Politics?" Felina guessed.

"Well, at first, law. I was very interested in the law. My father is a lawyer and I read his entire library. I had three older brothers and they teased me all the time. My mother… she was a homemaker and she really wanted me to be one, as well. But, I wanted to be a lawyer."

Felina studied Callie for a moment with an arched eyebrow. "No one in town believed you could do it?"

Callie scoffed. "Not a soul, but I worked hard and kept my grades up. I got a scholarship to Felis University. I was so surprised when I got there. There were so many she-kats there and they weren't training to be secretaries or planning to be moms before they were twenty. Complete culture shock. Was the army like that for you?" Callie tilted her head a little.

Felina smiled a bit, just taken by the little spark in Callie's eye. She could imagine how the deputy mayor took to college life. "Well, I met some people like me, but I was more relieved than shocked."

Callie laughed. "I was relieved, too. It was good to know not every place was like my hometown. Then, I got here and expected more of the same, but it was… well, more like my hometown, which I think is weird. A city with ten million people in it is similar to a town with barely a thousand people in it." She shook her head.

Felina nodded. "The city is strange."

"I wonder why, though. My college town was more open-minded than this place. I always imagined more people meant more of the same."

"I think college towns tend to be different in general, but I promise you not every city is like Megakat City."

Callie smiled. "You've done a lot of traveling, right?"

Felina nodded. She had been all over the world. Some places were better than others. She could see the glint in Callie's eyes, but the deputy mayor did not ask her about her travels. She would save those stories for later. She was sure she had some that would knock Callie for a loop and others that would keep her rapt attention.

They finished their lunch and Callie helped her back to the sofa. They sat together, reading quietly. Felina appreciated this time. It was nice to have company, even if they were not speaking. Callie was not disquieted by silence, which was a change. Most people seemed to freak out when things got quiet, but not Callie. It was refreshing.

-8-8-8-8-

After a few days, Callie wondered why she never got along with her college roommates considering how well things were going with Felina. It was comfortable being in the enforcer's home and taking care of her. Felina was still a bit grumpy, especially when having to get up, but she suspected some of that was hardwired into Felina's DNA. They got along for the most part. Even personal matters, like helping Felina to the bathroom, were easy now.

"You don't have to help me up," Felina grumbled as Callie tucked herself under the lieutenant, helping her out of bed.

"Yes, I do. Don't act all high and mighty now," Callie scolded her.

Felina grumbled nonsense words as Callie led her to the sofa. Callie chuckled and eased Felina down onto the couch. She gave Felina the book she was reading and then walked off to take care of daily chores. The day was normal until there was a knock at the door.

"You expecting someone?" Felina asked.

Callie gaped at her. "Why would I be expecting someone? This is your house. Are you expecting someone?"

"I only have visitors when I bring them up or when they barge into my life to save me from myself."

Rolling her eyes, Callie fought down a smile and went to see who was at the door. Looking through the peephole, she found herself staring at Commander Feral's chest and the tip of his chin. Stepping back, she opened the door.

"Commander Feral, what a pleasant surprise," Callie greeted him. It was good to see him coming to check on his niece. Of course, it would have been better to see him do that days ago, but better late than never.

Feral actually gasped and his eyes went wide to the point of being buggy. "Deputy Mayor Briggs. What are you doing here?"

"I'm helping Felina out for a while. Do you want to come in?" Callie motioned inside the apartment, waving him in.

Feral nodded slightly as he stepped inside. He seemed confused, looking around as if to make sure he was in the right place. Callie did not think anything of it. She shut the door behind him and went back to cleaning the dishes while he stood by the couch, looking down on Felina.

"I brought some reports for you to complete since you're out," Feral said, almost awkwardly as he dropped a pile of folders on the coffee table.

Felina let out a sort of uncomfortable chuckle. "Oh, yeah. I forgot I had those."

"This is seemed like a good time for you to catch up since you're not doing anything beyond lying on the sofa, it would seem."

Callie frowned at the seemingly callous words. She stopped washing the dishes for a moment and walked to the kitchen entry point. The way the apartment was set up, the kitchen was on a diagonal from the living room, so it was hard to see directly into the living room from the kitchen, especially since there was a wall at the end of the kitchen. She just wanted to see what Feral looked like while basically ordering Felina to do work while she was supposed to be recuperating. Surprise, surprise, he was frowning as always. His eyes seemed softer than usual, though, like when they were in the hospital and sitting at Felina's bedside.

"I'll be by to pick them up this time next week," Feral said, almost like an order.

"All right," Felina agreed.

"No, no, no. Not all right," Callie declared as she marched into the scene. She glared at both of them. "Felina is recovering from being shot three times and having a deadly infection. She needs rest and relaxation. She will not be working on any reports right now."

Feral opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Felina gawked at her as well. Apparently, the uncle and niece had not expected that. Callie was not sure why. This was definitely part of her personality.

"Now, you pick up those files, Commander, and then have a seat. Felina has been home a week and this is your first visit." Callie shook her head.

Feral looked down at Felina, who shrugged. Callie gave him a stern glare and he eased down onto the free part of the couch. Callie went back to the kitchen, finishing up the dishes. She could hear the relatives talking, but because the running water, she could not hear what they were saying. It was none of her business anyway.

Once the dishes were done, she went to check on Feral and Felina. They were actually flipping through the reports Feral brought. Callie was not surprised. If she were couch-bound like Felina, she would probably do the same.

"Do you two want anything? Hot milk or fish cakes?" Callie asked. She had learned fish cakes were Felina's favorite snack, so she had stocked up.

Feral gave her an odd look, squinting at her, as if trying to figure her out. She was not sure what conclusion he came to, but he shook his head and packed up the reports. He climbed to his feet.

"No, no. I should be leaving. I have to get back to work," Feral stated.

"Are you sure?" It seemed strange, but very Feral-esque for him to visit with his injured niece for such a short period of time. Truthfully, the two enforcers seemed a little awkward around each other. But, then again, Commander Feral seemed awkward in general.

"Yes. There's a lot of work to be done. We can't all take a vacation," Feral declared with a tilt of his chin.

Callie ignored what she was certain was a shot at her, even though she could not understand why. After all, she had taken time off to make sure his niece made it through a trying ordeal all right. "I'll walk you out then."

Feral grunted and patted his niece on the shoulder as he moved toward the door. Callie followed behind him and opened the door. Stepping over the threshold, he then turned back. For a moment, Callie thought he might come back in to bid his niece a proper farewell, but that was not the plan. He leaned down to her level, wanting to speak with her.

"Miss Briggs, while what you're going is admirable, I hope you have made your intentions very clear to Felina. You don't want her to mistake this situation for something more than it is," he stated in a whisper… well, what he probably considered a whisper. His voice seemed boom and thunder no matter what.

"I'm sure she's not," Callie replied. Unless, of course, this was what he and Felina spoke about during his brief visit. She doubted it, though.

"You say that now, but you don't know. She's a good enforcer and good person, but her brain isn't exactly… right. You should be careful around her, too."

"Excuse me?" Callie hissed, glaring at him. Did he just imply that the person who saved her life might harm her? Bastard!

He stared right at her, as if not wanting her to miss anything. "I think you should be warned. Be on your guard around her. You really shouldn't be alone with her either. If you need help, make sure you call me immediately."

"What?" It took all of her willpower to not reel back as she realized what he meant.

"Do you have mace or pepper spray? Felina is strong, even with the wounds. She could overpower you. You need to be able to defend yourself."

"Commander, what are you saying?" Does he hear himself? He can't possibly think so little of Felina!

"You've trapped yourself in this apartment with a lioness, Miss Briggs. Felina is a good person, but you don't know when she might snap and devour you."

"Excuse me!" Callie accidently shouted in an outrage. She could feel her fur stand on end and she was very close to slamming the door in his face… or slapping his big, stupid chin.

"Be careful," he said and then he stood back up. He had the nerve to march away, like he had not just outted his niece or implied Felina was some kind of out of control rapist!

Callie slammed the door, causing Felina to jump. Growling, Callie marched back to the kitchen. Felina watched her with eyebrows curled with worry, but Callie ignored her until the fool lieutenant tried to pick herself up from the sofa.

"What the hell are you doing?" Callie rushed over to Felina and tucked herself underneath a broad shoulder.

"I was trying to get your attention. I keep asking what happened and I don't think you hear me," Felina explained.

"It's nothing," Callie lied. She did not want Felina to know her uncle thought so little of her.

"Bullshit. What happened?" Felina demanded.

"Nothing. Now, sit back down." She tried to direct the enforcer back to the couch with her body, but Felina resisted.

"No. Not until you tell me what happened."

Callie sighed, knowing Felina was stubborn enough to stay as she was until she got the story. "Fine. Sit down and I'll tell you what happened."

Nodding, Felina leaned down and Callie eased her back onto the sofa. Felina was much stronger and better off now than she was last week, but Callie did not want her moving around without a purpose until she could hold herself up. Felina sighed and Callie sat down next to her.

"So, it's obvious my uncle pissed you off. What happened?" Felina demanded.

"He… he…" Callie sighed and ran her hand through her hair. "He warned me… about you."

Felina tilted her head to the side and squinted in thought. "Warned you about me?" She sounded bewildered, but then her dark eyes went wide. "Oh. Warned you about me. Oh." Felina's breathing increased and she looked away.

Callie reached over and clutched Felina's hands in hers. "You know I don't think the worst of you." She ran her thumb across Felina's knuckles.

"Wha—what did he say?" Felina's voice was as soft as she had ever heard it and it cracked.

"He told me your were a lioness and he insisted you were a good person, but couldn't control yourself. Is this what people think about lions? You're liable to attack anyone of the same sex and take your pleasure?" Callie could not imagine dealing with this assumption on a daily basis. It was hard enough being a female in a powerful position and dealing with the bias that came with that, but she hated to think what Felina dealt with almost all of her life.

"Well, amongst other issues, but yes, most people think lions are apex predators and have to hunt, preying on the weak. You know… you know I would never…" Felina gulped. Her mouth moved, but it seemed she could not get the words out.

Callie held her hands even tighter, fearing she might break their fingers. "I know you wouldn't. I trust you, Felina." Those words were absolutely true and now that she thought about it, she trusted Felina more than any person she had ever met. "I know you'd never hurt me."

"I wouldn't," Felina whispered.

"Look at me," Callie ordered. When Felina did not listen, she repeated the command in her most authoritative voice. It worked. "I know you wouldn't hurt me, or anyone else for that matter unless they were trying to hurt others. You're not just a good person, you're a great person. You're a hero and you have a hero's heart. You wouldn't do that."

"My uncle… he doesn't mean anything by it. He thinks he's helping."

Callie frowned. "Helping would be checking on you more than once a week and not bringing work as an excuse when he stops by."

Shaking her head, Felina smiled slightly. "He thinks he's helping you."

"By warning me you might rape me?" Callie could not help her forceful tone or the growl that escaped her at the end of the question.

"He doesn't know any better. He's just going by what he's heard. Lots of people are like that."

"Lots of people are like that? They think lions are mass rapists?" How did Felina manage to take all of these lies throughout her life? She was even stronger than Callie gave her credit for.

"And kit-molesters. Any terrible sexual practice you can think of, it's assumed lions do it. They think there's something wrong with our brains and that's why we're attracted to the same sex. There is a lot about lions people don't understand, so they just make things up."

Pouting, Callie moved closer to Felina. "But, your uncle knows you. He knows you're a good person. Why would he think you're capable of something like that?"

"Because he can only go by what he's heard, what he feels are facts about all lions. He doesn't blame me for these things. He looks at it something like my father does. They think I'm sick and if something happens because of my 'sickness' then it's the illness and not me. One of the reasons I left home beyond my mother is my first girlfriend. We got caught kissing behind the barn and she claimed I attacked her. My father didn't think I would ever do something like that, but he couldn't explain why a female would voluntarily kiss me either. So, he just chalked it up to me being sick. I spent sometime in a hospital after that. I pretended to be cured and joined the army right after I got out."

Callie shook her head. It was one thing to deal with sexism, which she encountered plenty of her entire life, but no one had ever hospitalized her for acting differently than what was expected. She could take charge and sure there would be whispers that she was acting like a male, but no one would say anything of malice to her face. No one had ever accused her of being sick.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Callie whispered.

Shaking her head, Felina gave her a half-smile. "It's all right. A lot of lions tell a more gruesome tale. Besides, life hasn't been so bad since then."

"Still, I'm sorry." Callie reached up and caressed Felina's cheek. She stared into dark eyes for a long moment, wondering who the hell could have treated such a wonderful kat in such a horrible manner. How many other kats who were just as good as Felina had to go through such terrible times?

Felina leaned into her touch and Callie felt warm. Her heart pounded. Something was going on and she was not sure what, but she needed to stop it. Callie pulled away, making sure not to do so abruptly.

"I need to go pick up my mail. Are you going to be okay here by yourself for about an hour?" Callie asked, even though she already knew the answer to that. They had gone through this a couple of days ago.

"You know I will. Can you pick me up some new magazines while you're out? I'm good on books, but I've read every magazine in here, including your frilly ones." A teasing grin and a twinkle highlighted Felina's strong face.

Callie pretended to take offense. "Excuse me, you could learn a thing or two from those magazines, Miss Sweat-Pants-and-Cologne."

"I'll have you know that cologne has gotten the attention of more than one queen."

Callie's brow furrowed. "Queen?"

"Oh, sorry. I forgot you're not into lionesses terminology. Females who look like you, we call them queens."

"Females who look like me?"

"You know, very feminine. Not like…" Felina flexed her bicep. "Not like me. I mean, I'm not the butchest lioness in body, but I'm close. There are some, though, who are very feminine and like that. We call them queens."

"So, there are different types of lions and lionesses?" This never occurred to her, but then again, she was learning how there was so much she did not know.

"Exactly."

Callie was curious, but she decided now was not the time for a lesson. She really needed to check her mail. She might want to check on the mayor, too. No sense in having the city completely fall apart while she was taking care of Felina.

"I want to know more about this, but when I come back," Callie said.

"It would be more pleasure to educate you. I wish more people wanted to know about lions rather than just judge them."

Callie wished that, too. People were missing out. She did not want to miss out anymore.

-8-8-8-8-

Felina managed a nap while Callie was out running errands and then woke up to watch something on television. She found a boxing match and waited for Callie's return. Soon, her stomach growled. Glancing at the clock, she noted Callie had been gone for a couple of hours. Not usually as long as she was gone, but not long enough to freak out over. Instead, Felina decided to test her legs and see if she could make her way to the kitchen on her own. There were fish cakes in the refrigerator she could snack on.

"All right. You are strong, Felina. You have made yourself strong. Your father has made you strong. So, get off this couch and get yourself something to eat. You can show Callie her work has not been in vain," she told herself as she gripped the sofa.

A week ago, even the thought of getting off of the couch on her own would have exhausted her. Straining her unused muscles, Felina pushed herself up, teeth gritting and growling. Exhaling slowly, she stood as much as she could.

"Okay, so you're up. Now, to the kitchen," Felina commanded herself. She was not sure if she would make it. While her wounds did not pain her as much they used to, they still hurt, even under the painkillers. There was a burning, an itch. But, she pressed on.

By the time she rounded the sofa, she had a hand wrapped around her abdomen, pressing against one of her wounds. She pushed herself to continue. She could do this. By the time she made it to the kitchen, she had worked up a bit of a sweat, but she was there. A grin spread across her face as she opened the fridge and pulled out the fish cakes.

"Shit, now I have to get back to the couch," she sighed. The very idea made her want to pass out. And then, she heard the door open.

"Felina?" Callie called.

Thank you, divine spirits. "In the kitchen," she answered.

"The kitchen? How did you get into the kitchen?" Callie strode over and looked at her, leaning against the counter, clearly winded.

"I walked," Felina replied with an awkward half-smirk. She felt a little foolish, but she also felt some pride. She was getting better and soon she might be able to show Callie everything she was capable of.

Shaking her head, Callie actually laughed. The sound made Felina feel a bit better about her position, but not much. At least she was not being scolded.

"What am I to do with you, Lieutenant?" Callie smiled.

"Help me to couch?"

"Of course. I'm sure you've learned your lesson."

Felina laughed. "Not hardly. Ferals are known to be hardheaded."

"You're quite lucky I like you and find your stubbornness adorable."

Felina's brow furrowed and she frowned slightly. "I am not adorable."

"Tell that to me when you're not leaned over the countertop, clutching at those fish cakes like they're everything in your life."

She looked down at the container of fish cakes and her stomach growled. "They are. I'm starving."

"I'll get to dinner after we get you back to the sofa. Tomorrow, we'll start walking you around the apartment more since you seem to be up to it. Soon, we might even be able to take walks outside."

This idea pleased Felina more than it should have. How did she go from not wanting anyone around her because of wounds to being happy the deputy mayor wanted to take walks with her to improve her condition? At least her tail did not sway at the thought.

Callie helped her back to the couch while she made sure to keep a hand on those fish cakes. Once she was down, Callie walked off and returned with a glass of milk for her.

"Thanks," Felina said, moments away from shoving a fish cake into her mouth.

"It's no problem."

"Still. Thanks." Felina smiled. "For everything." She was not used to this support, this care, not even from girlfriends. The fish cakes were not everything in her life. This was. Now, I have to make sure I don't chase her away.

Felina knew if she was not careful, she would fall for the helpful deputy mayor. She had already developed a crush on the fiery female. Something about that take-charge attitude and the power suits was enough to make Felina have a fantasy or two. The fantasy was too close now. It needed tapering down because reality was much better than fantasy.

-8-8-8-8-

Next time: the end