Bunnysitting

[poison_lipstick]

Saffron had never owned a pet. She remembered wanting one when she'd been younger, a pretty little cat in a shop window that had practically begged to come home with her - or at least that's what it had seemed like to Saffron, back when she was young and innocent and her real name was still what she answered to. But her parents had said no, and

Comments

[sgmitchell]

Austen was getting particularly more difficult every week. It was as if she'd just realized there was a world outside the hut, and she needed to explore it all. It started with sneaking out of the window when he wasn't looking. When he put a stop to that, she seemed determined to bolt as quickly as possible down the path whenever he took her on a walk.

Clearly, he was going to have to get her a leash. Maybe a rope or something. He was fairly certain cats weren't supposed to have leashes, but he was not about to let her run off and get eaten by a monkey because she decided to investigate it while she was waiting for him to catch up.

To her fortune she did not find a monkey today. She did find one of his employers outside the Compound, however, and had started attempting to snuggle the woman's legs, presumably hoping for food, by the time he caught up.

He made an annoyed sound, pulling up short, and frowning at the kitten in exasperation. "Dammit, Austen! What'd I tell you about harassin' people? Leave her alone!"

Were she someone more familiar--and less capable of taking away his chief time-killer of the moment, he might have made his way over and scooped up the kitten despite the proximity required. As it was, he offered the woman and her rabbit an apologetic expression. "M'Sorry, Ma'am...she's just very friendly."

[poison_lipstick]

"Awww, that's all right, Cameron," Saffron assured him. She didn't know what the cat would think of Playboy, though, so she cradled him close to her with one arm as she bent down to pet her. "She's beautiful. What did you say her name was? Austen?"

[sgmitchell]

Cameron gave Austen a briefly disapproving frown. She was doing her kitten thing, again. She was losing her touch with every month that went by, but clearly at four months she still had that kitten look--at least for those who hadn't seen her use every trick to tear through the hut. Frankly, he was a little wary of how closely Austen was watching the rabbit in the woman's arms.

At her question, he gave a quick nod and a slim smile. "Yeah. She shares her namesake's ears."

[poison_lipstick]

The cat did seem to be giving Playboy the eye, so Saffron pet her a second longer and then straightened. "How long have you had her?"

[sgmitchell]

"Since January. One of the Island's displays of humor." He shrugged and knelt down, snapping his fingers for Austen. After a moment where Austen decided she'd gotten all she would be given, she slunk her way back over toward him.

He snatched her up before she could get it into her mind to bolt off again, and stood with a small, friendly smile. "Is that one yours, Ma'am?"

[poison_lipstick]

"Cameron, honey, stop calling me Ma'am," Saffron said with a smile and a shake of her head. "No, Playboy belongs to Lloyd. I'm just keeping him while Lloyd's in class."

[sgmitchell]

He gave a short, apologetic nod, and took a moment to recall an alternative designation. He doubted similar titles would be any more appropriate than Ma'am, and his limited personal exposure to the woman left him without a surname to use.

His train of thought was momentarily sidelined skimming over names until he recognized Lloyd as one of the bartenders.

Apparently the island could indeed give worse than a cuddly kitten.

"Well, I'll remember to tell him he's got a knack for names next time I run into him." He doubted, actually, that he'd talk to the guy any more than he always did--which was generally not at all--but it seemed like the most appropriate thing to say.

[poison_lipstick]

"Lloyd had to explain to me what it was in reference to, but I thought it was pretty creative," Saffron agreed, smiling down at the rabbit in her arms. "It definitely suits."