blizzardbox | Something Something cats

[It had been about two weeks since he'd found himself in this shelter. There were animals of all sorts, but mostly they took in cats and dogs with cats being kept in their own area more securely inside as opposed to where the dogs were. Small cage-like kennels that they stayed in until they were adopted or fostered, this sort being a no-kill shelter.

They just had no clue, somehow, that one of the "cats" that a family had brought in to them was no cat at all.

Karamatsu would say that, overall, he didn't really mind this place too much. Sometimes it got loud and he got very lonely without his family, but it was something like an extended vacation, wasn't it? That's what they'd told him, anyway. And being too young to really understand it as anything else (while knowing his parents were too big to actually get inside such a small kennel with him), he wasn't too bothered by knowing they weren't immediately with him. After seeing his fellow kennel mates and other cats being taken away every day, it brought him to the realization that the only way to find his family again would be to get someone to take him out.

That's how Karamatsu learned to start making himself as obvious as he could, strutting in front of the cage bars and meowing as loud as he could, though...people didn't seem to react well to his attempts at being cute. He didn't meow so much as yowl, and it wasn't very appealing to prospective adopters. He had an unusual coat, too- orange/yellow with dark black stripes, white patches on his belly and neck...he was really odd for a cat.

But he wasn't going to give up. Someone would come along, if his parents didn't first.]

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[The scratching has an immediate, expected affect. The tiger goes boneless, making soft, pleased sounds and pushing his head up against Ichimatsu's hand. He hasn't been this happy in weeks, even with his parents missing.]

[He balances his bowl on his knee and continues the scratching motion on Karamatsu's head, still eating slowly with his other hand.]

I guess you can sleep on my futon with me, I haven't really got much else to offer unless you wanna lay on the pillow by the table I was on earlier.

Eeehh?

[Karamatsu seems a little surprised by that, his ears swiveling to face Ichimatsu as he tilts his head up to look at him.]

You mean I don't have to sleep in a cage?

[He makes a face at him, tilting his head and quirking an eyebrow.]

Well for starters I haven't got a cage to put you in, but I mean if you're that dead-set on it... [He's grinning, clearly kidding.]

[He gasps loudly, then whaps Ichimatsu with his paw...slowly...oh god he's so full.]

Non!

[He snorts and then chuckles quietly, taking his paw between his thumb and forefinger and shaking it gently like he's shaking hands with him.]

I was kidding. It's dumb to keep pets in cages, especially when you're gonna get huge.

[He seems quickly pacified by this, his paw wiggling a little in Ichimatsu's hand without actually being pulled out of it.]

Yeah. I should be sleeping in a futon, too!

Or... outside, or something, I dunno what tigers usually sleep on, or in, or... I'm actually not prepared for this at all, but such is my dilemma. I have to sleep with a tiger.

[He finishes his bowl of food and releases Karamatsu's paw, standing to rinse the bowl out and set it in the sink. A moment later he does the same with Karamatsu's bowl.]

[Meanwhile, Karamatsu stays perched at Ichimatsu's feet, looking up at him and watching as he washes the dishes. Right now, the top of his head barely clears his ankle, but soon he'll be able to see over the counter-top.]

I can stay inside. Like a human!

You'll have to go outside to take a shit, I don't think human toilets can support the weight you're gonna wind up.

[He is having concerns.]

Oh...I can do that!

[Or you could get him a litterbox the size of a bathtub.]

[He doesn't want to scoop tiger poop. Nor does he want to smell it.]

Good, 'cause the reaches of my care only go so far.

[The tiger stretches his paws out in front of him, claws extending for a moment before he does the same with his back feet, then toddling over to rub his head against the side of Ichimatsu's leg.]

I'll do whatever you want me to!

[Maybe then Ichimatsu will be more like to, you know. Keep him.]

[He chuckles softly, crouching and smoothing a hand along his fur.]

Don't worry too much about that. I told you, I like cats.

[He arches his back against Ichimatsu's hand, rumbling and coiling himself around his ankle.]

Tigers are the best cats, right?

[He says this while hopping away from his foot suddenly, just to see if Ichimatsu will reach out for him.]

[He watches him hop, raising an eyebrow and not reaching right at first, but feinting like he's gonna hop after him.]

[Karamatsu growls and hops straight up into the air an inch or two, coming back down in a deep bow with his front paws splayed in front of him and his butt wiggling in the air.]

[His face hurts from smiling so much, what the hell. He laughs, and reaches both arms forward making a put-upon growling sound, hopefully snaking his arms around Karamatsu's middle and dropping them both to the floor on his side, curling him close to noogie him.]

[Ichimatsu will be able to do this easily, seeing how Karamatsu's so full that he couldn't get anywhere fast. He lets out a sharp, yowly chirp of a sound when he's caught and pulled to the floor, then further over to Ichimatsu's front. He wiggles and growls louder, trying to briefly free himself from Ichimatsu's hold before he relents because ah...this is nice, actually. Being held close, and...warm...

He's cut off by a yawn as he tilts his head up, rubbing it hard against the bottom of Ichimatsu's chin before settling in his arms.]

[Ffffffuuuu, this is actually the cutest thing he's going to explode. He shifts, hefting Karamatsu as he sits and eventually stands up, moving them back out into the main room of the apartment. He shifts Karamatsu to one arm and nudges open a closet, kicking a futon out into place and carefully laying Karamatsu on it.]

Sleep some, yeah? Just don't keep me up all night.

[Karamatsu yawns again and almost immediately curls up into a tight little ball on the futon, his tail wrapping around himself. He's full, he's warm and surrounded by softness, and he's...happy. The only thing keeping him awake really is the sound of Ichimatsu's voice, which has him peering up at him through half closed eyes.

He turns his head a little to rest his cheek against the side of one of his big paws, blinking slowly.]

I won't, Ichi...myaaa-tsu.

[He yawned for a third time, then.]

[Ichi-myaaa-tsu what the fuck he was going to die. Killed by a tiger, but not how you'd expect. He clamps his hands over his face and wheezes, nodding.]

I'll hold you to that.

[That's undoubtedly going to be Ichimatsu's fate before all is said and done. Regardless, Karamatsu doesn't say anything else. He just settles down and falls asleep the moment he lowers his head. For once, he's in for a relatively peaceful rest compared to the fitful sleeps he had before where he'd wake up and beg to be let out of his tiny cage. Of course, the very moment Ichimatsu comes to bed that night will probably be the time Karamatsu wakes up, full of energy once again and ready to play. Either pouncing on his hands and feet whenever he dares to move them, or bapping his paw against Ichimatsu's cheek to see if he'll react, then hopping away when he stirs.

Assuming Ichimatsu does survive the night, though, he'll wake up to Karamatsu not being in the main room at all.]

Something Something cats

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