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Post by sybbil on May 28, 2011 23:20:00 GMT -8
Fred sat at the kitchen table, placing a mug of fresh tea in front of Mistofelees. "Here you are. Been a while, hasn't it? Work going well?"
Ox wasn't saying much, only glaring down at his newspaper, but if anyone cared to look closer, they would have seen that his eyes did not move. He seemed tense and his large ears were alert and quite twitchy.
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Post by victoriousscarf on May 28, 2011 23:26:53 GMT -8
Mistoffelees glanced between the pair and nodded. "Yeah, life got busy. Work is good. Rather normal which is nice," he said, accepting the tea. "You guys? Been doing well?"
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Post by sybbil on May 28, 2011 23:41:26 GMT -8
Fred nodded and shrugged his shoulders. "Well enough, or as well as life can go when one works in a large and rather hectic kitchen. It's certainly been an adjustment, I don't think we've worked in a kitchen quite this big before, have we Ox?" He looked over at his brother.
Ox did not reply.
"Ox?" Fred sighed. "Ah, well. He won't calm down until Mags gets home."
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Post by victoriousscarf on May 28, 2011 23:48:49 GMT -8
Taking a sip of the tea, Misto smiled faintly at that. "Ah, understandable. She's been doing well too I trust?"
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Post by sybbil on May 29, 2011 0:01:16 GMT -8
Fred smiled. "Blooming. She seems to grow prettier every day. Especially since she made a certain new friend." His smile seemed to fade a little.
Ox humphed and ruffled his newspaper.
Fred placed his chin in his hand. "It seems like just yesterday that she was a nine-year-old kit, crying for her doll..." He shook himself. "Oh, don't listen to me, I'm rambling like a old biddy."
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Post by victoriousscarf on May 29, 2011 0:06:45 GMT -8
"It happens," Misto replied with a faint smile. "So, certain someone?"
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Post by sybbil on May 29, 2011 0:16:05 GMT -8
Smiling crookedly, Fred replied. "A tom named Phillip Hunt. A journalist, if I remember correctly. He's been courting my niece for several weeks now... And on principle, I must dislike him, if he wasn't all ready a decently likable tom."
There was a soft growl from Ox.
"Oh, stop that. You knew this would happen eventually, we couldn't scare away all her suitors." Fred suddenly looked sheepish. "Please don't tell Maggie this, Mistofelees, but we've been rather instrumental in the absence of gentleman callers for her... I don't think she would forgive us quite yet."
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Post by victoriousscarf on May 29, 2011 0:20:38 GMT -8
Misto smiled faintly at that, still a little unsure about their use of his full name. "I think you should wait until she's married with several kits before mentioning that. She'll probably be able to forgive you then."
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Post by sybbil on May 29, 2011 0:41:56 GMT -8
"One can only hope." Fred glanced at the clock and frowned. "Speaking of Maggie, where is she? She should have been home nearly an hour ago... What is it, Ox?"
The large white cat had stood abruptly. He was stiff, ears at attention and straining to hear more of the soft sounds outside the house. "A car just pulled up."
"Well, maybe it's Maggie. Maybe she caught a ride with Hank or Richard."
But Ox was already out the door. He heard a whimper, a dull thud, and the sounds of running paws. He sped up and opened the front door to see a dark automobile peel out and vanish into the night. Highly confused, he looked down and froze in shock.
Fred had followed closely behind his brother to the front door, instantly worried. He squeezed around Ox and gasped in horror. "Maggie!"
Crumpled on the porch in a shuddering, piteous lump, Maggie whimpered incoherently.
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Post by victoriousscarf on May 29, 2011 0:46:22 GMT -8
Mistoffelees had followed and froze. "What happened?" he asked, getting a look at her from around Ox, following the path Fred had gone through. He sank down quickly, looking her over. Tail broken... tail? Shit.
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Post by sybbil on May 29, 2011 0:54:16 GMT -8
Fred gathered her into his arms, crooning softly. "Maggie, kitten, ma petite cherie...It's all right, you're home, you're home. I'm here, I'm here. Anubis' Fangs, cherie, what in Bast's name happened to you?" Close to tears, he focused only on his injured niece, trying hard not to move the obviously broken tail. But Ox acted otherwise.
"The look on your face says you know something." His glare was now focused on the small black cat who knelt by his darling niece's side. "What's going on, Mr. Quaxo?"
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Post by victoriousscarf on May 29, 2011 11:26:49 GMT -8
Mistoffelees glanced up and then back to Maggie. "Get her to a hospital, they can deal with the tail much better there." He looked back at Oxford. "Why would I know anything anyway?" he asked, rising. "Seriously, get her to the hospital," he said and shook his head slightly. "I have to..."
There was no way to make a graceful exit so he shook his head again slightly and took the porch steps quickly, moving away as if he knew exactly where he was going.
((Exit Mistoffelees))
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Post by sybbil on May 29, 2011 23:12:00 GMT -8
"Hey, wait!" Ox reached for the young tom, but he was already gone. "Damn and blast, what the hell is going on?!" Shaking his head, he knelt by his brother and his niece. "...how is she?"
Fred let out a shaky breath, slightly rocking Maggie back and forth. "She won't answer me and she's clearly in pain. I think Mistofelees was right, we need to get her to a hospital - and fast."
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Post by victoriousscarf on May 29, 2011 23:17:13 GMT -8
Whistling to himself, paws in pockets, Philip came up toward the house. He had been planning to stop by for dinner as a surprise, and froze when he saw the two cats already at the door and... was that Maggie?
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Post by sybbil on May 29, 2011 23:28:23 GMT -8
Ox heard the approaching footsteps and his scruff was instantly up. Half rising from his kneeling position into a protective stance in front of his loved ones, he began to bare his teeth until he noticed who it was. "...Mr. Hunt, I-I didn't know it was you."
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