Here, Kitty, Kitty

The Front Row Seat

The very next morning, at a rather unbearable hour, Cassie wound up in Uma's shoppe. Apparently, when the captain told the pirates they'd re-group in the morning to discuss everything that'd happened the evening before, Cassie was also included, much to the little cat's annoyance.

Cassie's first night on the pirate ship hadn't been a smooth one. Unfamiliar with her surroundings, she'd tossed and turned in her bed for the majority of the evening. Having spent most of her time in the inner Isle, Cassie was used to silence and stillness. In the attic of the castle, there hadn't been too much noise, although she had been forced to adjust to Maleficent's squawk's if she wanted to get a sliver of rest. In Helena's salon, the back room she'd stayed in was similar. Thankfully, her room had been separated from the dining room with a hefty wooden door, muffling any voices that came through when Helena opened up the salon. Uma's ship, unfortunately, greatly differed. Naturally, Cassie wasn't familiar with the swaying motions that came with sleeping on water, and the sensation of it had set her nerves on edge. To add to this, the porthole in her new bedroom was slightly rusted and refused to close completely, allowing the soft murmur of waves to travel into the room. Cassie could accept that this was just something she was going to have to get used to, and she hoped it would eventually become as soothing to her as the noises in the middle of the Isle.

Due to Cassie's previous nightly 'excursions', she was accustomed to sleeping when the sun was up. After only a few hours of sleep, she'd be ready to take on the day or night, depending on what time she awoke. Instead of a long night, or day, of sleep, the little cat only required a few naps here and there to stay functional. Helena's salon and the Witch School had been the perfect locations for a quick sleep. Unfortunately for her, the Witch School was now a no-go zone thanks to Maddy and her insane crush. Helena's salon was still an option, or at least she hoped it was. With her best friend's boyfriend fighting to bind Cassie to Maddy in only a week, it left the little cat to wonder how her relationship with Helena could continue after.

At first, the loud thumping at her bedroom door jolted Cassie. Helena had never bothered to knock, having seen Cassie in multiple states of undress or vulnerability during their time together. So when the noise came, Cassie immediately darted beneath the bed, hiding in the dark space. When the door opened, and a known voice called out for her, Cassie's worries had diminished.

And now here she was, resting above Uma's countertop with a cracked saucer of fish paste placed next to her.

Initially, Cassie had been extremely doubtful when Starla brought her into Uma's shoppe. The moment they'd arrived, more than a handful of Uma's pirates had gathered at the sight of her. Many congratulated Starla on her ability to tame a feline, while others were content to scratch behind Cassie's ear or underneath her chin. Obviously, it had taken her by surprise. At least until Starla was kind enough to explain their fascination.

The pirate set Cassie down on the countertop and started to explain, "A lot of us are pretty superstitious. My daddy's crazy about things like that! So I know everything. Cats are good luck charms, well, most of the time. If a cat comes to a pirate, it means good fortune. But if a cat turns its back on a pirate, it means something bad's gonna happen to him. They say cats hold magic in their tails, and they can bring storms around if they're unhappy." Starla gestured to another pirate, who'd brought over a dish of fish paste. "So we like to keep them happy."

Cassie was, understandably, baffled. She'd known the witches had a great fondness for felines, likely because cats and witches went hand in hand. Still, it was utterly fascinating. Plus, Harry's little tantrums after she stole her treasure back from him had insinuated otherwise. She'd forgotten just how many cats he'd killed in his attempts to draw her out of hiding, but what she did know with certainty was that it'd been one too many. While she wasn't one to lean too much on superstition, Cassie had to wonder if she'd survived him for so long purely because his pirate gods had gotten pissed with him.