In Which Yvanette's Luck Runs Dry

December 5, 1183

Today had not been a lucky day.

When the tingly feeling had set in again, Yvanette had barely made it back to her bedroom in time--and when she had, she hadn't been transformed a full minute when a chambermaid had arrived, and knowing her luck, of course she'd been spotted.

The one good thing was that most of the servants only half-listened to Yvanette's mama when it came to the "cat problem", so she'd only been chased outside with a broom; once she'd been swept down the last couple stairs, the chambermaid left, mumbling something about Yvanette not picking up her clothes.

But she was still outside, in the snow, stuck in the helpless kitten body waiting to either turn back--and then head back inside stark naked--or for someone else to shoo her even further away.

"I can't believe it snowed so much overnight! Isn't it pretty?"

Or for worse.

There was enough snow for hiding, so Yvanette nudged herself into it just as her papa's boots touched the ground. Good thing he'd been first. If one of them had to see her...

Or, did it matter, if he told? If her mama asked her papa to do something, he didn't usually fight it.

But if he'd noticed her, he didn't say so. Yvanette backed deeper into the snow as her mama joined her papa at the bottom of the stairs. Her mama was more interested in the snow falling from the sky then the snow already on the ground; relieved, Yvanette slumped to her two-too-many knees.

"I guess it is, though I'm happier about the excuse to stay home." Her papa put his hands on her mama's cheeks and kissed her on the mouth. Yvanette's ear twitched. Was it safe to kiss someone on the mouth in winter? Cousin Ricky said people's mouths could freeze together. Yvanette didn't want her parents' mouths to freeze together!

Or did she? If her mama was stuck to her papa, it would be tougher for her to chase her away--or worse--if she saw her.

Yvanette's tail swished. She loved her mama. She hated having to be scared of her.

She crouched a little lower as her parents broke apart. Should've known Cousin Ricky knew nothing about kissing. "My siblings and I used to have so much fun playing in the snow. Pity you never had any brothers or sisters."

"I guess..."

"Well, you wouldn't know what you were missing, I suppose. Say, what's that over there?"

Yvanette froze--but whatever had caught her mama's attention, it wasn't her. In fact, once her papa looked the other way, her mama just bent down and scooped up a handful of snow.

"I don't see anything."

"Sorry. It might have just been a trick of the--oh, there it went!" Yvanette's mama pointed another way and stepped around her papa's back.

"Rona, what exactly--hey!"

Snow flew every direction as the ball broke against the back of her papa's head. "What the hell?"

"First snow of the season, silly!" Yvanette's mama giggled, kicking up a little more snow with a flick of her cloak. She looked so happy. If she ever found out, would she smile like that still? "Is there any better day to forget that we're adults?"

"No, probably not." Her papa reached down for a handful of powder, though he had to dodge another kick in the process--and under her blanket of snow, Yvanette had to dodge him. "Though you seemed to enjoy being an adult last night."

Yvanette didn't get it, but her mother gasped--if a little falsely. "Ashe!"

She'd swatted, but he'd already dashed over toward the gate, snowball in hand--nearly trampling Yvanette in the process. Oh, if only she were big enough to climb the stairs! Not that she could open the door...

"But if you want to be kids today..." Her papa let loose the snowball, hitting her mama on the arm.

"Oh, now you're going to get it!"

And so the snow flew. Yvanette had too much to worry about to keep track of who was throwing when and who hit who how many times--things like getting seen, or turning back and being naked outside, or that horrible combination of the two--but maybe this was her chance. If she could stay low, then she could make it to the stable door, which was always open a crack...

"Ashe! That was my face!"

Yvanette looked. Her mama was wiping snow out of her eyes. If she wanted to go for it, she had to go now.

But as she learned a few seconds too late, it hadn't been meant to be. "My God! Is that another cat?"

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