Well, I did it. I wrote another chapter for this story without finishing my first one. I'm sorry, but I stuck in my first story. And this one was begging to be written. So, here ya go.
Merlin smiled as he walked through the market. Gaius had sent him down to some supplies and herbs that he was running low on. He had now finished his errand and was headed back.
He left the market behind and walked down the road, hefting his bag onto his shoulder. He stopped when he heard a sound from a alleyway farther down the road. He walked closer and listened. There was a splashing sound followed by the sound of laughter. It wasn't happy laughter, and there was more than one person laughing.
Merlin looked around the corner and saw a group of boys, none of them over thirteen, the youngest nine at least. They were gathered in a circle around a bucket, full of water. The oldest looking boy reached in and pulled something out, holding it up. Merlin couldn't tell what it was, then it made a small mewling sound. The boy dropped the kitten back into the water, it floundered, crying pitifully. Merlin frowned and stepped into the alleyway. The boys whirled and stared at him before running off.
Setting his bag down, Merlin crouched next to the bucket and reached in, speaking soothingly, he gently pulled the kitten out of the water. Sitting on the ground he held the kitten with one arm and pulled off his jacket, spreading it on the ground. He settled the kitten on top and wrapped the jacket around it. He stood, holding the kitten and picked up his bag and walked back to Gaius'.
"Gaius?" Merlin stepped into the room looking around the room.
"Back here, Merlin." Gaius walked around from behind a bookshelf looking through a book he had pulled off said shelf. Looking up at his ward he stopped and cocked his head. Merlin stood in the door way, his bag on the floor at his feet, his shirt was wet and there, cradled in his arm, was a small head peering out from his bundled jacket.
"What have you been doing Merlin?"
"I found some boys almost drowning this kitten."
Gaius cleared a spot on the table.
"Set it here."
Merlin did as directed, setting the jacket wrapped bundle down.
"Put a dry shirt on then come back in here."
Merlin nodded and disappeared into his room.
Gaius turned his attention to the kitten on the table. He grabbed a towel and gently unwrapped the jacket. Merlin walked back into the room as Gaius wrapped the kitten in the towel. "Fetch a bucket of water will you Merlin."
Merlin nodded and walked out the door, rubbing the kitten's head as he passed.
Gaius put another log in the fire and then turned back to the kitten. It stared at him with big green eyes, shivering slightly.
Merlin returned a few minuets later, lugging a bucket of water. He set it on the table and looked at Gaius for instruction.
"Put some water in a pot and warm it up. Not boiling mind."
Merlin nodded and grabbed a pot next to the fire, filling it with water and setting it on the fire.
Once the water was warm, Gaius wet a rag and handed it to Merlin. "Scrub the kitten clean and brush it's fur."
Merlin unwrapped the towel and gently rubbed the the kitten with the rag, then he dried it off with a fresh towel.
The kitten was still all the while, only making small mewling noises once in a while. As Merlin brushed the kitten down, he saw, now that it was clean, it was a silver grey tom cat. He picked it up and sat in a chair rubbing his fingers over the kitten's ears, the kitten began to purr and curled up in his lap. Gaius walked over with a small bottle in his hands. "We need to check him for fleas."
Merlin sighed and reluctantly put the kitten on the table. He bent over it and ran his fingers through his fur. Miraculously, the kitten was flea free, Gaius still rubbed a potion into his fur, just in case.
"We'll need to feed him some milk to start with. It's underfed and we have to start small."
Merlin emptied the pot into the bucket and Gaius poured a bottle of milk into the pot. Once it was warm, Gaius took it off the fire. "I'm not sure how to feed him, I suppose we could fill a small pan..."
Gaius stopped talking as Merlin took the kitten in his lap and untied his neckerchief and dipped a corner in the pot. He offered it to the kitten. The cat latched onto the milk soaked cloth and sucked on it. Merlin grinned and scratched the kitten's ears.
That night they fed the kitten small chunks of meat and a little more milk. When Merlin went to bed, the kitten slept in a basket he had filled with rags and set next to his bed.
So... Kitten needs a name... anyone? I'll welcome ideas. And, if you don't have one, review anyway. :)