Marathon!

[mitochondriaaya]

Aya had trained faithfully, just like she promised (and despite her period starting a few months after that promise. Really? She didn't need that!). The weights had been added by about the second month of training and she was really, really proud of her stamina!

And the marathon they'd chosen as their first was coming up this weekend, with fund raising as done by Elcy...and yeah. "Don't tell me you have to cancel!" she said into the phone, pulling one foot up to stretch out her thighs. "Don't! I can't go and do this alone!"

Comments

[sliceitwithwind]

Dilan murmured, "I can't have a second cat..." for a moment.

Braig offered his fingers as well, then stroked mama between the ears.

[mitochondriaaya]

"No, and someone already said they'd give her a good home," Aya pointed out, though she leaned over to hug Dilan. "That might be why she's so thin though! I thought it was because she just had kittens but if she can't hunt well..." poor, poor momma cat!

Momma cat gave Braig a raspy purr after a moment. It was a startling, gravel-in-blender sound far louder than should come from a small cat but still! It was a purr for Braig!

[sliceitwithwind]

"Right." Dilan agreed, nodding, "Braig? You want to run home and grab a can of Cat's food?"

"On it." the smaller man said, jogging off after one last pet. "I'll be back, momma...with food."

Dilan started stroking her, then, not trying to touch the kittens.

[mitochondriaaya]

Aya settled on a bale near the nest, reaching in to pet the mother every once in a while but she didn't want too many hands to spook the cat. "I should have thought of that. I've been bringing her milk on the way home from school but..." but that didn't cover all the necessary nutrients!

And momma cat was going to eventually flop on her side for more petting, which the kittens took as a signal for 'time to eat'.

[sliceitwithwind]

Dilan kept purring and chirping at the cat and her kittens, "It's okay, Ayay. You didn't notice her paw. We'll put the food in the crate, and see if she'll go for it, then put her kittens in with her. I think she may have been dumped, though, not stray...she's too friendly for a feral."

[mitochondriaaya]

"No one would dump a cat around here!" Yes, the very idea of a local doing so made her angry. "We all know better! We can ask the vet if they recognize her at all though, just in case." Because there would be repercussions!

[sliceitwithwind]

"Well, it could've been one of the summer people, last year." Dilan pointed out, "But yeah, we'll get her checked out."

[mitochondriaaya]

"True, but not a lot of people travel with cats." She reached in to fuzzle a cheek then leaned until she rest against Dilan. "We can cover six check-ups, shots, and spay/neuter right? I think."

[sliceitwithwind]

"Aya..." Dilan blinked at her, "this is the kind of thing Braig'll pay for. Or mom and dad. Taking care of animals is important."

[mitochondriaaya]

"Oh." Blink. It was hard to get used to! "Right. So tell who said they'll take kittens! Have I ever met them?"

[sliceitwithwind]

"Jack, Tam, Souin, and Karamella." Dilan said, "They're from some of my classes, I don't think you've met any of them yet."

[mitochondriaaya]

"Aw, yeah, no. Haven't met them." Which was a sad thing really. "But I'm up for my birthday right? And they might be old enough to leave their mom then, then I can meet them!"

[sliceitwithwind]

"Yup!" Dilan said, smiling, "Well, we can have them come over any way? It's important to bond with kittens, so they can play with the babies even if they can't take them home yet."

[mitochondriaaya]

"I like that plan! I'll cook if they come over!" So Dilan could be social and supervise kitten visiting! "Can she keep my shirt so she remembers me?"

[sliceitwithwind]

"Sure." Dilan said, smiling.

Braig returned with the can of food, split between two plates. He set one right next to the mother, then showed her the other one and put it in the cage.

[mitochondriaaya]

"Yay!" Aya sat back enough to let Braig past with the food and watched intently to make sure the cat ate.

And yes, Momma Cat chirped in delight to see the food and shook kittens free enough to stand up and eat!

[sliceitwithwind]

Dilan smiled at the momma and, very slowly, petted a kitten. Momma looked at him hard for a moment, then purred.

[mitochondriaaya]

"Dilan, the cat whisperer!" Aya teased softly. She wasn't going to risk a kitten! She was going to keep petting Momma! "Do you think Braig could talk to lemurs?"

[sliceitwithwind]

"I dunno." Dilan said, shrugging, "Maybe?" Momma moved over to the crate where the rest of the food was, and while she was there Dilan swept up the shirt-and-kittens...and stuck them in as well.

[mitochondriaaya]

"Score six cats!" Aya held her hand sup in victory pose and Momma cat...finished her food and stomped the shirt into a proper nest in the carrier. The kitten meeped and tried to trundle away from stomping before nosing out the boundaries of their new home.

[sliceitwithwind]

Dilan hefted the box, "Okay. You go back and help mom. Braig and I'll get the kitten box set up in the garage."

[mitochondriaaya]

"And we'll call the vet after dinner and make an appointment?" Aya grabbed the plate from the old nest and hooked her free arm in Braig's (since Dilan had the carrier!).

[sliceitwithwind]

"Yup." Dilan said. Braig bonked his head lightly against Aya's and led the way back to the house.

[mitochondriaaya]

"Hey!" Aya laughed and rubbed the top of her head. "You've got a hard head! Ouch!" Dork. Naturally she had to bonk back, head to his cheek but hey!

[sliceitwithwind]

"Sorry, monkey, didn't mean to hurt you." Braig said, "So. Guess we'll be spending the rest of the weekend on kitten duty, then going home with them."