In Which Sevvie Holds a Heartbeat

August 16, 1186

"Yvanette?"

Sevvie had knocked. He'd knocked, and Yvanette hadn't answered. She hadn't said anything. So he'd knocked again. Still nothing.

But the door had been unlocked, so... well, it couldn't have been the worst thing, could it? He knew it wasn't nice to barge into older girls' rooms, or if it was an older boy doing the knocking--or both. But he thought he knew why it wasn't nice, and if he was right, then neither of them were old enough for that yet. So... he thought it would be all right? If she kicked him out, he'd leave.

But she didn't. She wasn't there.

Just a kitten.

Yvanette's mama let her get a kitten? That couldn't have been right. Yvanette's mama hated cats.

"Uh... hello."

The kitten stared at him--gaped, almost. Did kittens gape? Sevvie's papa was a dog person, and his mama had been too. Sevvie didn't know what happy cats looked like. But he got the sense that this wasn't one of them.

"I don't know if this castle's safe for you. I should take you outside."

It made a dash for the space beneath the bed, but Sevvie was quicker. He kind of regretted it, though. Yes--happy cats probably didn't squirm and hiss and paw so much.

"Sorry. It's just--ow!" He gritted his teeth, a drop of blood on his wrist where the kitten's back claw had caught. Did kittens usually scratch with their back claws? She couldn't have reached him with her front, but... was kicking with the back legs natural cat behavior? Wouldn't it have been an awkward motion? "I'm just trying to help you!"

The kitten waved her front legs about, as if to swim forward through the air, the prospect of a fall several times her length apparently preferable to his grip. "Sorry! It's just--"

Huh?

She'd stopped. All that effort and then... nothing. Not a swipe, not a flick of the tail. Barely even the breath.

Just a tiny, racing heartbeat.

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