LIKE FIRE, puss in boots

Chapter Three

I find Puss running away from Del Mar.

I sigh and wrap my cloak aorund myself, teleporting me to the destination of the cat. The distention is a distant mansion smelling of cats. Ugh, why did this woman have to be a cat lover? Why not... I do not know a dog lover. I grow in my mind as I let myself change into that cat.

While I've never changed to something other than a human, I am pleasantly surprised to find myself as a cat. I still have dragon features, bigger fangs than usla cats — sharper claws, and my odd sapphire color.

Hopefully, this *Mama Luna' will accept me. I pad over to Puss to see that he is taking off his garments and putting them in a dug-up latrine. I sigh and walk over to him as he holds a broken speech. "We are gathered here today to say goodbye to Puss in Boots. There are no words to express such a loss. " I snort and walk up to him, making him freeze and turn to me with wide green eyes. "really, this is what I find? Are you saying goodbye to your old life? Did that mutt scare you?"

Puss stares at me. I chuckle and tilt my head. "Sap-Saphira?" he asks, and I nod, sitting down and cleaning myself like I've seen the cats do it. "h-how?!" Puss yowls, and I wince, pinning my ears on my head.

"I'm a shapeshifter, didn't I say that?" I meowed before standing up and shaking my fur.

"Now let's get to this human then," I said, shuffling up to the door and knocking on it with my paw. "I told you, health department people, there are no cats here!" a woman's voice -- Mama Luna, I guess -- calls from inside, making me and Puss look at each other.

I sigh and flick my ear, and let out a strange meow. But it seems to do the dishes because the door opens soon, and a tanned older lady with white curly hair smiles at us.

"you two are not from the health department, are you?" she says, grabbing us both by the arms. I try to get comfortable while Puss looks as bad as me.

She takes us into the house and introduces us to all the cats before bathing us. I don't mind the water, but it would have been better if we hadn't washed with that lady.

Soon enough were clean and tidy, and we got cat potatoes. I growl and shake them off. Puss and I walk around through the cats, look at them, and see some that don't look so good.

In the end, we find ourselves in a shell of space and curl up side by side. Since I'm a shapeshifter and not a proper bloody cat, I'm bigger than Puss. But he doesn't seem to mind.

Oh, I just remembered: our new names are Pickles and Uhura. Not the best name, but it will have to do.

I soon fall asleep and snuggle into Puss. This day has been quite a day.

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It's been a few days since we came here to mama luna.

She's not as bad as I thought she would be. she gives us food and a bath. We may even go out sometimes. Puss and I are eating with the other cats right now when I hear the ginger tabby elf hiss something. "Do you mind? I'm trying to eat here. I mean, meow. Whatever."

I scoff and lift my head to see a strange-colored cat.. wait this isn't a cat. It's a dog! My mind races, and I walk around. Puss and hiss at the dog.

I have nothing against it, but it was describing my charge. I'm not going to let him get away with it. "hey, leave him an alone puppy." I snarl, and the dog turns its big beady eyes toward me. "Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. You're a talking cat too?"

I'm taking out a loan "yes, apparently. and who could you be?" the dog smiles and laughs. I give him a titular glare before knocking Puss on his hindquarters and beckoning him to follow me.

The dog follows us. "I don't have a name or a home." he says, and I stop short "what?" I say, eyes wide.

"How can you not? You live in a human world," shrugs the dog.

"I live under the porch. It can get a lonely little down there," he says, and I blow my nose.

"Well, I don't know what to do with it. Come," I beckon and let Puss jump into a sheet pulled from some tower thing.

Then I curl up with the dog, my tail curled around him. "tell me about yourself; what's your name?" he asks, and I flick my ears. "Uhura. Well, that's what the humans call me. I don't tell people my real name unless they are... well, near me," I say, rolling my eyes and looking over at the ginger elf.

He is already falling asleep.

The mutt seems to notice and says, "oh, I see. you trust and only him? well, that's cute and cool!" I shake my head and soon fall asleep, too, the dog snuggled against my flank.

I have nothing against it.

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cliff hanger