> Nepeta: Ascend to the highest point of the bar.

[nepetaleijon]

A just-barely-adolescent catgirl troll is perched happily in the rafters, surveying the bar.

There's just something so satisfying about being where you can see everything and nothing can reach you.

Comments

[changeinasnap]

Or so you would think.

Several rafters over, the shadow of something gray and triangle-shaped glides over the wood before vanishing again.

[nepetaleijon]

The furtive movement catches her eye. She goes still, staring at the spot where the shadow appeared.

[changeinasnap]

All is silent in the rafters of the bar.

-- wait no there it is again! It's gliding in the opposite direction this time. Somewhere, the Jaws theme plays.

(No, literally. Listen. Duuuuuuuuh-dun.)

[nepetaleijon]

Nepeta flattens herself against the rafter, the very tip of her tail twitching.

Duuuuuuuuh-dun.

> cat: Be awakened from a perfectly good nap.

[withhistailhigh]

On the next rafter over, something sleek and black stirs, opening two yellow-green eyes to blink muzzily at Nepeta.

[nepetaleijon]

... !

Nepeta blinks back.

[withhistailhigh]

For a long moment, the creature just stares. Then, it blinks, slowly and deliberately. If Alternian felines are anything like those on Earth, then Nepeta will recognize this as a gesture of trust, perhaps even friendship--a predator will not deliberately break eye contact with anything it considers an immanent threat or a potential meal.

[nepetaleijon]

Nepeta muffles a tiny squeak of happiness, and very deliberately lids her own eyes in a reciprocal offer of trust.

It's a KITTY. And such a tiny one!

(The narration feels obligated to point out that Nepeta's referent for average cat size is her lusus, who was large enough for Nepeta to ride.)

[crabbycustomer]

Maybe so, but it's hardly dignified to go scampering around up there. Karkat wouldn't be caught dead up there, unless he was killed by a leopard and dragged up there, he guesses. But he doubts it.

Instead he is camped out on a couch, watching something on the crabtop and eating what appears to be a starfish sandwich.

[nepetaleijon]

Nepeta spots Karkat, and starts sneeeeeeaking along the rafters to find the spot as close as possible to directly above him.

[crabbycustomer]

Karkat is unaware of her location, and would never set an obvious trap by hanging out all oblivious and vulnerable.

Obviously.

MAN WHAT AN ABSORBING ROMANTIC COMEDY FILM THIS IS. HE SURE IS OBLIVIOUS TO HIS SURROUNDINGS RIGHT NOW.

[nepetaleijon]

Sneeeeeeak.

Sneak sneak sneak.

POUNCE FROM ABOVE