Words: 1303
Summary: Raistlin's cat has kittens.
Disclaimer: I do not own Raistlin. He belongs to the writers of Dragonlance. I own Raven and the kittens, tho'.
Kitties
Raistlin was sitting on his favourite chair in front of the fireplace. He was reading a new book that would help him tremendously on his research. He had come across it in an old store, from a not too friendly alley. The mage had had to bargain himself sick with the seller; the original price had been nothing more than ridiculous.
Raistlin was so focused on the book that he didn't notice a black creature slip through the slightly open door and make its way toward the chair.
The wizard jumped when he suddenly felt something soft rubbing against his leg. He peered over the book and glared at the intruder.
"Oh, it's just you Raven", Raistlin's glare softened and he put the book aside. "Come here." He patted his lap and Raven jumped.
The mage stroked the cat's shiny black fur, the action making Raven purr in delight.
"What have you been doing? I haven't seen you in awhile", Raistlin asked the cat. Raven had been missing for a few days. Normally the cat always followed him around the tower, meowing and demanding attention. But not recently. The last he had seen her, Raven had looked quite roundish, and ate more than usual. Now that he looked her, though…
Raven was thinner.
"Are you sick, my friend?" Raistlin inquired, slightly worried. Raven just meowed and bumped him with her head gently. Then she started to gnaw at her master's hand.
"What's the matter, Raven?"
Raven jumped on the floor and turned to look at him with her green eyes meaningfully.
Raistlin was puzzled. Raven meowed loudly and patted to the door. She glanced at Raistlin, as though to indicate him to follow.
Now curious, the mage rose and went after the cat, who continued down the hall, taking a turn towards the kitchen. Raistlin saw Raven disappearing through the open doorway.
"Raven?" Raistlin called, when he arrived in the kitchen, looking around for the cat. He heard her meowing in the other side of the room, where an empty wooden box lay. He went over to it and peered inside.
Raistlin's mouth turned into a small smile. There in the box was Raven, curled protectively around three recently born kittens. Their eyes hadn't even opened yet.
"So, this was why you weren't around", he said. Raven licked one of her offspring lovingly.
"Congratulations. They are beautiful", Raistlin stroked her head. She purred proudly.
The kittens were all different looking. Only one was black as its mother. The two rest were white-black and white-grey.
Raven let Raistlin take the black one into his hands. He lifted the kitten carefully in front of his face. The kitten started to mewl quietly for her mother.
"Hmm... Shivery would be a good name for you, little one", Raistlin mused. Raven meowed like in agreement.
He gave the kitten back to its mother and continued to inspect the rest. The white-black he named Neon and the white-grey Mara.
***
It has been nearly four months since the kittens were born, and Raistlin was losing his temper. He was trying to do something constructive but always one of the kittens – namely Neon, who was the most michevious – jumped and ran over his note parchments, scattering them everywhere. Or otherwise disrupted his working.
"Raven!" Raistlin yelled. He had had enough of the rambaging kittens in his laboratory!
The mother cat slouched into the room, looking quite haggard. She meowed weakly to gather her offspring to her. Raistlin watched this alarmed. He went to the cat and lifted her up. The wizard looked the cat's eyes; they were glazed.
"You, my lady, are going to rest", he announced and carried the sick cat to the kitchen. Raistlin deposited her gently on the pillow in the box, which she had taken as her nest. Neon, Mara and Shivery came running and were about to jump to their mother. Raistlin prevented that kind of action and glared at the kitten brats disaprovingly. The kittens seemed to quiver under his eyes and backed away.
Raistlin smirked but turned his attention quickly to Raven. She looked like she had gotten a cold. The mage went immediately to gather some medicine for the cat. When he came back he noticed Shivery cuddling onto his mother's side in the box.
Raistlin furrowed his brows and gently shooed the kitten away. "Leave your mother alone for a while. She's sick", he said and proceeded to give her the medicine.
"That should help after a while." He stroked the black fur before rising and turning on the terror trio. Neon, Mara and Shivery looked at him curiously.
Raistlin sighed. "What am I going to do with you..." He would have to look after them until Raven recovered from the cold.
The mage took every kitten and carried the protesting brood into the living room area of the tower. He put them on the floor. "Now, play nice here." After that he closed the door. He was a little unsure if it was wise to leave the kittens on their own devises, but shook that thought out of his mind and continued towards the laboratory.
---
"What in the name of Takhisis..." Raistlin looked at the complete destruction. He had come an hour later to check on the kittens and now regretted for leaving them.
Books were scattered from the shelves and onto the floor, his favourite chair's fabric was in shreds! A table was lieing on its side and the carpet had surely seen better days.
Raistlin was furious. He stomped in the middle of the room and searched for the miscreants. He spotted a tail peeking under a torn pillow. He lifted the pillow and froze. The kittens were asleep and looking every bit as cute as kittens could. The mage rolled his eyes and let them be.
He started to pick up the books from the floor and placing them back into the shelves. He would organize them some other time. Then Raistlin lifted the table onto its feet. The chair he could do nothing.
The brats must be hungry after their little busy work. He mused and went to the kitchen to find them something to eat.
He checked on Raven and finding her asleep as well, went to rumbage the cabinets. He found some milk and meat. They would do nicely.
Raistlin poured the milk into a bowl and sliced some meat into three separate plates. He put them on the floor and went to get the kittens.
To his luck they were awake. The kittens came running to him and started to meow loudly.
"Yes, yes. You're hungry." He went back to the kitchen, Neon, Mara and Shivery trailing after him.
As soon as the kittens noticed the food they dug in like pigs. Raistlin didn't want to watch the scene and instead sliced more of the meat and offered it to Raven, who had also awakened.
Raistlin was happy that she was eating and looking more healthier than earlier.
After eating the little horrors jumped into the box and curled tightly against Raven. She started to purr and clean her brood.
"I guess you are alright now", Raistlin stated as he watched the gentle mother fuss over her children.
***
Neon, Mara and Shiver had grown quite a bit. Mara was a little too chubby, though... But Raistlin was more than happy that the terror trio had calmed down a bit after growing into adults. His notes were more safe now.
Raven came waddling to the room. She had been missing for some time and Raistlin had started to ponder where. Raistlin looked at her and paled...
"Raven, no..." he pleaded. Raven's stomach was quite porky again...
Raven just meowed and her expression looked like it was saying:
"No can do."
Raistlin just hoped she wasn't going to get sick again...
Oh, poor Raistlin... xD This was partly inspired by my friend's cat, who had four kittens recently. I got to choose one of them, yey! :)