Unexpected Happiness (Vegeta x Goku)

Chapter 24

Atarau followed Bardock through the palace with her head held high, obviously feeling proud that others were giving them a wide berth. The commander almost snorted at the looks her fangs got from some of the guards. The cat intimidated them enough for them to walk through the palace without any delay.

She could tell something had happened to the sire of her young master, and she could smell a familiar scent on the alpha. It made her want to swish her twin tails in happiness. She took in the large gardens surrounding a fairly large house, and that smell was getting stronger. Her chest rumbled in a deep purr that had Bardock looking at her with a smile before stopping.

Atarau looked up at the man as he told her to sit and wait in front of the door. The puma cocked her head to the side as he called out.

"Kakarot." Her ears and tails perked up at the sound of her master's name. "There's someone here to see you." The door opened, and the cat recognized the alpha who trained under her master's sire. That smell hit her nose again, and she recognized it as her master. Whining she started looking for the beta.

As soon as the cat saw the small beta, she bolted straight for him and tackled him to the floor. Her large front legs wrapped around Kakarot, and Atarau licked, nuzzled, and purred in joy at being reunited with her master.

"The hell?!" Vegeta snapped close to the pair in the floor. "Bardock! Are you crazy?! That thing could make Toa lash out!"

The prince moved to push the large cat off his mate, but Atarau snarled at him while crouching her body protectively over the beta. She had waited years to be with her master again, and had every intention to eat anyone trying to take him away from her.

"Relax, princeling." The older dominate smiled down at his youngest son who seemed to be looking at the cat in shock as Atarau nuzzled him again once Vegeta backed off. "Atarau will be good for Kakarot."

Toa wasn't sure what this large animal on him was, but it wasn't hostile. Kakarot wasn't sure what to do either until his eyes landed on the small charm dangling around the cat's neck. He made that for his pet. Kakarot's eyes teared up as he wrapped his arms around the puma's neck.

"Atarau..." He softly whispered her name in the light colored fur. Toa shifted restlessly in his mind, but Kakarot just held his friend tight. She was huge now instead of the awkward leggy cat she had been when he left, the size of a large saber wolf.

It took some effort, but in the end, Atarau was sitting in the living room with her tails and body curled around the beta who had yet to let go of the puma. Both were purring and snuggling each other.

"I don't know what you were thinking, Bardock." Vegeta growled as his mate cling to the massive cat.

"Atarau was Kakarot's only friend." The older alpha explained. "Not to mention you see how protective she is of him. I'm not naive enough to believe someone can be with him every minute of every day forever. For Kakarot to heal he needs to feel relaxed and safe. Atarau can help with that, both in protecting him and offering him comfort and unconditional affection." Bardock explained

"He has that from us though."

"Kakarot and Toa don't believe that. From what you've told me, he's taken a huge beating to his self esteem. What he knows and believes to be true might not be the same things. He's going to have to relearn to think positive and that we actually care about him."

A loud squeal cut through the air and they saw Seba making a bee line right for the puma. Vegeta hooked the small cub around the waist and pulled him to his chest. Bardock wrangled the other young cub, Tasik. They didn't know how Atarau would take the cubs just yet, but she certainly might not like them jumping on her.