Cat Returns - Unfinished Stories

More then Meets the Eye pt 1

Chapter 1:

The moment Baron Humbert von Gikkingen knew his cousins had arrived was the moment his door was almost smashed in by the pounding of multiple heavy fists.

It had been a peaceful night, with rain pounding on the windowsill in an almost rhythmic way, and Humbert had just been getting out some ingredients for a new batch of tea.

"Humbert! Let us in, will ya?"

He sighed almost inaudibly and placed the ingredients for his new tea blend back into the cupboards. Continuing his blend experiments would have to wait. Humbert made sure to open the door in such a way as that he wouldn't be flattened when his larger cousin practically fell through the door and stormed towards the couch to collapse onto it.

"Food," he rasped, waving a hand around weakly. "I need food."

Humbert's darker cousin stepped through the door to taunt the large man. "Like any more food would do you good, lardball. If anything, Aunt Maria should put you on a diet!"

The larger man snarled and pounced at the darker one; a stark contrast from his previous 'weak' disposition. Humbert merely sighed at what was a common scene to him. "Please be careful, Muta, Toto. That vase in the corner was a gift from Mother, and I would loathe for you to face her temper if she arrives and finds it broken.

Neither man stopped fighting, but they did make a noticeable effort to avoid the vase. Humbert closed his eyes in faint irritation, and went to close the door, before he stopped, head cocked slightly.

"What's eating ya, Humbert?" Muta asked gruffly, as Toto got in a lucky punch.

"Nothing, just ... a feeling. Wait right here."

Humbert left his duelling cousins behind and followed his gut feeling, heading down the stairs. He walked through several halls, the feeling of foreboding increasing with every step he took. Finally, he heard a jeering laugh out in the courtyard, and went to investigate.

There were several guards sheltering from the storm under the awnings near the door, but none of them seemed to be the cause of the foreboding. Humbert waited for a moment, but the feeling didn't fade, and he figured out why a second later.

Another laugh was heard from a tall dark soldier – Machida, if Humbert remembered correctly. Machida had just kicked a small dark shape out from until the cover and into the heavy downpour.

It was a little cat. She – he could only assume it was a girl – had large dark eyes and soaked fur and was trembling as she mewed pitifully at Machida and moved to go back under the awning. Machida grunted slightly, and aimed to kick her again, but the cat somehow managed to dodge his foot and weave between the feet of the other guards to try and escape through the doorway. Machida caught up to her and moved to kick her again – a kick the little cat wouldn't be able to dodge this time – and Humbert's muscles finally started to work again. He leaned down and smoothly scooped the cat into his arms and out of the pathway of the on-coming kick.

Machida froze. The other soldiers froze. Even the little cat would have been as still as stone, if she wasn't shaking so badly.

Humbert steadily met Machida's gaze, raising one eyebrow disapprovingly. "I," he said slowly, "am far less than impressed. Next time, maybe show a little compassion. It would do you good."

With that said, Humbert turned on his heel and headed back down the dark corridor, mumbling several ungentlemanly things under his breath. The cat was struggling slightly now, trying to escape his grasp, so he slowed his fast pace and rubbed her back soothingly with one gloved hand.