OOM: In Gotland with Bodhi and Galen

[ostro_goth]

 It is the very height of summer now, so the fields are turning golden, the young animals in the meadows are nicely grown and running around when they are not stuffing their faces with the abundant grass, and the people are busy in the gardens and in the workshops and among the granaries.

One of the children points up at the procession coming down the barrow-hill, and then everybody is running up to meet them.

Comments

[galen_erso]

"My sleepy pilot," Galen murmurs fondly.

[imthepilot]

"Not a pilot any more." He mutters into Galen's shirt. "No flight instructors to chase me out of my bunk."

[galen_erso]

"So here you stay," Galen chuckles.

Kyber stands on Bodhi and stretches, waving his little striped tail in the air.

[imthepilot]

"You want me up too, don't you?" He grumbles at the kitten, rubbing between Kyber's ears. "Chase me out of bed so I can feed you."

[galen_erso]

The kitten yawns and gives an enthusiastic mewl at the word "feed". He may have been feasting on fat Gotland mice all night, but some food would be good.

Galen chuckles.

[imthepilot]

"I spoil you." Bodhi mutters, flipping Kyber over and tickling his tummy. "It's my own fault."

Of course Kyber protects his ticklish tummy with claws and fangs. A fierce little ball of fluff!

[galen_erso]

Galen reaches out and tickles Kyber's ears.

[imthepilot]

More fingers to attack! Bring it on, humans! Kyber gives a playful little chirp and throws himself at Galen, leaving Bodhi laughing.

[galen_erso]

Galen laughs as well, cuddling and tickling the kitten despite the sharp little teeth and claws.

Another little feline face peeks into the alcove.

[imthepilot]

"Hello, little sister." Bodhi smiles, reach out for the little black kitten.

[galen_erso]

The little one comes to Bodhi's hand and playfully nips at his finger.

[imthepilot]

"Is this one of your siblings, Kyber?" Bodhi asks, lifting the kitten over to join them.

[galen_erso]

"She's rather smaller than Kyber and Nahts," Galen muses.

[imthepilot]

"Another litter, perhaps?" Bodhi plays with the little one, playing with her little tufted ears. "I wonder how many they have a year."

[galen_erso]

"I'll asks them later," Galen says. "The people, not the cats."

He reaches out to stroke the little one's jaw.

[imthepilot]

She purrs loudly, rubbing her cheek against Galen's hand.

Kyber, feeling left out, pounces on her but Bodhi scoops him up. "It's okay. We still love you best."

[galen_erso]

"You are our special little cat," Galen assures him.

The black kitten, utterly unafraid, pounces to retaliate on Kyber.

[imthepilot]

Nahts appears to join in the game, pouncing on Kyber's attacker. Pretty soon their bunk is a riot of playful kittens. Bodhi can't help but laugh. Myrrh trots over to watch, perched on Galen's pillow.

[galen_erso]

"We have all the cats!" Galen laughs when even Isis pokes her placid ginger face around the beam in the corner.

[imthepilot]

"Apparently we're cat people." Bodhi grins, more than okay with that. He gives Myrrh a gentle scratch, making sure she doesn't feel left out.

[galen_erso]

Isis comes all the way in and licks the smallest kitten, the black one, and then lies down by Bodhi's feet.

[imthepilot]

"Is this little one yours?" Bodhi asks Isis, brushing a pat over her flank as she settles. "Well, now we can't get up! Not without upsetting everyone."

[galen_erso]

It takes indeed twenty or so uninterrupted minutes of laziness until a human face appears around that beam. It's rpthe little girl called Myrtia.

"This is the cats' lair now!" she giggles. "They have taken you as their prisoners."

[imthepilot]

"We're trapped." Bodhi admits, Myrrh curled with her head tucked under Bodhi's chin, her purrs vibrating through his chest as the kittens bounce all over the pair of them. "Want to join us?"

[galen_erso]

"Valeria," she calls, "bring the bread and milk; the cats are here."

She climbs in, and her twin sister soon follows, with a small jug of milk and a little basket of sweet bread with dried fruit and nuts baked in.