InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I haz a flavor."

Avoid if triggered by misplaced apostrophe's. (essayel) wrote in morningstar_mnr,
@ 2008-09-02 16:02:00

Entry tags:

emma, goblin, palug

Pool house, Palug OTA
Like all cats Palug was fascinated by water. It was the dancing sparkle of it. He felt that he should really be able to pin it down with one big paw the way he occasionally did with a butterfly or a moth. But water wouldn't pin. Water was WET!

But he could't resist looking, either from the edge of the pool or the rafters above. Today he had been up on a lounger, happily watching the glint and the comming and hasty going of the tenants. But when he had had the place to himself and had gone to the edge for drink - it didn't taste very nice but it was too far down to the Mocha to blag some cream - the damned pool had come and got him.

He still couldn't believe it as he started his fourth, or was it fifth, circuit of the pool. Because every time he got close to the edge a wave would wash him back to the middle.

So - in the pool, one soaking wet, extremely angry tabby tom-cat, just beginning to get a little bit frightened.

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mm_kel
2008-09-02 10:15 am UTC (link)

And high above the pool, watching with great humor, was a large grey gargoyle.

Goblin could have told the cat to stay away from the pool - it was a bad time really - but then he doubted the cat would have listened. It like to think itself very superior.

Now so superior now was it though. Letting out a chittering laugh, Goblin glided down to land on the lounger Palug had vacated.

"Didn't know kitties like to swim," he said.

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	essayel 2008-09-02 10:20 am UTC (link)
	"Oh," Palug panted. "You know - I just dabble. Like to keep my paw in." The wave washed over his face and when he surfaced again he sneezed. "Useful skill to have." There were steps - all he needed to do was make it that far. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	mm_kel 2008-09-02 10:22 am UTC (link)
	Goblin chittered again. "Not doing very good," he pointed out. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

essayel
2008-09-02 10:35 am UTC (link)

Palug growled - a long low grrrrrrrrrr of annoyance. Not particularly at Goblin - if the positions had been reversed Palug would have been making the most of it too - but at whatever it was that was playing with him.

Oh yes, there was something there. Unseen, unsmelled, but there. Plaug paddled on, planning a long slow dismemberment for it as he said, "Out of practice. Care to join me?"

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	mm_kel 2008-09-02 10:45 am UTC (link)
	Goblin shook his head, teeth glinting as he grinned. "Not good time to swim," he said. "Water not happy." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	essayel 2008-09-02 10:56 am UTC (link)
	Palug paddled frantically with all four paws, tail sweeping behind him, and snarled, "Well, what can we do to make it happy? Throw it a party - with cake?" The pool said gloop and Palug began to bob on the current. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	mm_kel 2008-09-02 11:04 am UTC (link)
	Goblin cocked his head. "Don't think it wants cake," he said matter of factly - then smirked. "Might want kitties though." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	essayel 2008-09-02 11:09 am UTC (link)
	This time the growl was for Goblin. "S'welp me," Palug said, "when I get out of there ..." the rest of the threat was submerged and just bubbled. Palug popped up again straining his head back and coughing water. "This," he said, "is SO not fair!" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

mm_kel
2008-09-02 11:17 am UTC (link)

Goblin laughed then quieted as he saw a shadow in the water.

Watching Palug get taken down a notch or two was all good fun but when it looked like the water might actually decide eating the kitty was indeed what it wanted - well Goblin didn't like that.

Hoping off the lounger Goblin came to the edge of the pool and chittered and clicked at it. The shadow swirled down near the bottom and seemed to grow and Goblin huffed.

Large wings unfolded from his back and made a thumping sound as he took off from the side of the pool and circled high above Palug. Another wave rose and headed for the cat and Goblin dove down, rushing to beat it. Clawed hands grabbed Palug beneath the front legs and lifted him from the water just as the wave crashed down and there might have been the faint rumbling - almost a growl - from the pool.

With a plop Goblin dropped Palug on the lounger and then landed himself and wrinkled his nose.

"Ewww. Wet kitty."

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	essayel 2008-09-02 12:17 pm UTC (link)
	Palug sneezed and stared at the pool, aware that he had been in even more trouble than he had thought. He shuddered his fur, but it was too wet to fluff up properly. "I'm not doing that again," he said. "Er - do you think the people know what's happening? Do you think it might hurt them?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	mm_kel 2008-09-02 01:32 pm UTC (link)
	Goblin shrugged. "Maybe," he said in answer to both questions. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	essayel 2008-09-02 03:57 pm UTC (link)
	"Well that seems fair," Palug growled. "Don't see why they should be treated differently." Then he turned round and because he was grateful to Goblin, though he'd have sooner been made into a hat than admit it, he put his paw on Goblin [claws sheathed] and began to give him a wash. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	mm_kel 2008-09-02 09:34 pm UTC (link)
	Goblin snorted but didn't pull away. He watched the cat for a moment then shrugged and returned the favor. His tongue was a bit bigger than Palug's. (Reply to this) (Parent)

sam_mm
2008-09-02 03:46 pm UTC (link)

Emma was home from college, her first day having been kind of stressful, and yet, fun! Exciting! Challenging! All at the same time... she'd gotten lost, gotten found, managed to find somewhere to eat, and get back to class. As it went, she figured she'd had a successful day, and now she wanted to lounge up by the pool and enjoy some peace and quiet. So she took a book, her iPod and a large towel, and with her bikini on she headed for the poolhouse.

She was not expecting to see a still very wet cat sat on a lounger. She hurried over, wanting to find out what was going on, "Mr Cat? Is that you? What happened? Did you fall in the pool?"

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	essayel 2008-09-02 03:59 pm UTC (link)
	An audience! Just what Palug had been waiting for. He yowled piteously and jumped down from the lounger, rushing to meet her. "I'm cold and I'm wet and I nearly drowned and NOBODY cared and I'm hungry and there's NO food and it's all someone elses fault," he howled. Yeah, right on. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sam_mm
2008-09-02 04:02 pm UTC (link)

"Oh baby, well, lets see if I can help you at least get dry?" Emma wrapped the cat up in the towel, and made her way to a lounger, settling down with the large bundle of wriggling towelling on her lap, "Oh you poor thing, I know you hate getting wet, that must have been terrible."

Swiftly her hands moved, rubbing the towelling and the cat, hoping to get the worst of the water out of his coat. "You know, you're gonna taste of chlorine for days, I'm glad I don't have to lick you clean."

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	essayel 2008-09-02 04:07 pm UTC (link)
	Being roughed up with a towel wasn't normally Palug's idea of fun, but today, once he was secure on her lap he just leaned against her a purred - being careful to put in the occasional bubble so she'd know how close he had come to losing yet another life. "Mmmm warm," he said, snuggling. He'd worry about the horrible taste later. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	sam_mm 2008-09-02 04:10 pm UTC (link)
	Gently Emma pulled a corner of the towel free, and rubbed behind his ears and the top of his head with it, "I have no idea how you came to fall in though, you're normally so very agile for such a large cat." She reached round to do under his chin with the towel, "Is that better?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	essayel 2008-09-02 04:13 pm UTC (link)
	Cue ecstatic purring, half closed eyes and a big Cheshire Cat grin. "Agile, that's me," he said. "And I didn't fall, I was pushed, pulled, whatever. By that thing..." He turned his head and spat at the pool. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

sam_mm
2008-09-02 04:15 pm UTC (link)

"Now now, I'm sure it wasn't the pool's fault if you fell in." Emma chuckled, and carried on drying the cat, he had a lot of fur to get dried. She did loosen the towel though so she could get to his legs and his tummy, if she was brave enough.

"Um, you're not all dry, but can I get to the bits that are still wet without you taking a finger or two off my hand please?" She grinned, and scritched behind now just about damp ears.

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	essayel 2008-09-02 04:39 pm UTC (link)
	Palug grumbled a little bit, butting his head into her hand, then let himself roll half onto his back, displaying sodden cream fur leopard spotted with black. "Go steady now," he advised. "There's sensitive bits there. I also think it's a bad idea for you to go in the pool. Dunno what's in there but if it gets you who's going to open my tins?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	sam_mm 2008-09-02 04:42 pm UTC (link)
	"There's a good boy," Emma rubbed cautiously at his soft underside, "you keep those claws to yourself while I'm helping you dry off huh?" "I guess this towel is gonna need a wash, it's all covered in Mr Cat fluff now." Emma sighed, "No swimming for me, or I'll be covered in it!" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	essayel 2008-09-02 04:46 pm UTC (link)
	"I'm always covered in it," Palug pointed out. "I always wondered which gods you people offended in order to be cursed with baldness. Whatever you did must've been BAD." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	sam_mm 2008-09-02 04:50 pm UTC (link)
	"Are you talking to me? Yes, but you know, I never did learn cat, I suppose I should have," Emma moved to gently rub one back leg dry, "only I didn't, so I hope that was you saying thank-you to me for drying you off so nicely. You're barely damp now." Emma grinned, "If it wasn't, maybe it should have been?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

essayel
2008-09-02 04:58 pm UTC (link)

Palug just looked at her. Didn't she realise how blessed she was? There had been people who would give a kidney to be allowed to clean out his litter tray, way back in the day when the Cat's progress was accompanied by virgin shaking cistra and eunuch's shading him the gold embroidered awnings.

Probably not. Modern kids missed out on a lot of good stuff in their education. But he couldn't quite bring himself to say it so said, "I did it very well," instead.

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sam_mm
2008-09-02 05:02 pm UTC (link)

Of course, all Emma heard was what sounded like a very satisfied cat purring, and smiled, "You're almost dry now, just got to do the other legs, ok? Oh, and the tail, can't possibly forget that lovely tail now can I?"

She shifted to the other back leg, one arm carefully supporting the cat, so he wouldn't fall off her lap. "Are you getting bigger Mr Cat? Or am I feeding you too much? you feel heavier than normal."

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	essayel 2008-09-02 05:07 pm UTC (link)
	"You could never feed me too much," Palug said, but carefully cut back on the catness, because thinking about the glorious past had made him forget himself and bulk out a bit more than usual. He turned his head, said prrrttt and licked the nearest bit of her, sandpaper tongue rasping. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	sam_mm 2008-09-02 05:10 pm UTC (link)
	Emma chuckled, "Yes, I know you love me, but then again, I'm the one pampering you silly right now, so why not?" Moving on to his front legs she took the opportunity to dry his chest as well, "There, I think you're about as dry as I'm going to get you, feel better?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

essayel
2008-09-02 05:16 pm UTC (link)

All better now.

Palug stood up, stretched at the front, stretched at the back then shivered his fur back into order.

"Hmm, not bad," he said. "But what I really need now is some food - preferably fish, and then a good wash to get rid of his nasty smell and replace it with Eau de Hareng avec catspit."

He beamed at her, chirruped, and jumped down heading for the door - though he gave the edge of the pool a wide berth.

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	sam_mm 2008-09-02 05:19 pm UTC (link)
	Emma's laughter echoed round the poolhouse, "I get it, now you're hungry, oh alright then, I get the message!" She stood up, gathering the towel into a ball, and followed the cat to the door, "Early dinner after a bath huh? Don't think you're getting seconds, it's tuna tonight and I know you and tuna." Maybe an early dinner wasn't such a bad idea... (Reply to this) (Parent)