#catfcng

"what are you talking about?! Who are 'they'?" He woke up in middle of the night by the sound of someone pounding on the door frantically. He didn't expect to see Roman between all people, at this time of the night. 

Going to the carnival alone was not an option, and neither was changing his plans. Kevin's friends had decided to amuse themselves other ways, a slight he did not plan on forgetting. But in the meantime he'd needed company, so when he'd spotted his now companion lurking around one of his usual haunts he'd made nice and quickly extended the offer. The stranger had an unusual sort of air to him, but Kevin was willing to overlook it as long as he accepted the invitation.

Though the other's good looks did factor in heavily to his decision.

Addy's trying to be careful about coming into Port Townsend. With the detectives there, it's a large risk of getting caught. They are probably one of the few who would actually know she's not supposed to be here. But she'd been looking for something specific, something it seemed Tragic Mick had. Then she learned about the detectives issues with Esther and the witch's death, and...well, there was definitely some stuff there worth taking. Better with her than for someone who'd misuse it to find, she figures.

With her knowing being here was a risk, she's done research, and she's tried to remain observant. So when someone shows up after she's spent her time in the town followed by cats, she can piece it together.

There were few things that were inevitable, and near the top of that list was death, taxes, and the wrath of petty gods.

It was time for these humans to face the latter two. They had refused to pay tribute, gone so far as to chase him, a god, out of their store, and Usi had already withdraw his protection.

But that was not enough, he needed vengeance, to make them pay for refusing him what he was due.

It had taken weeks of careful coordination to fill the rooftop ventilation with mice, his fellow kittens were not nearly as adept at catching them as the elders. But they made do, keeping their secrets close to the chest…and today was the day.

The plan went into motion the moment the humans began unloading the newest shipment of cheeses and deli meats. The truck was open, the plastic wrap slit, and the humans focused.

The first step was from a kitten who had chosen the alias "trashboy." A pigeon, skillfully caught and kept imprisoned in the corner, was snuck past the doors and released into the store. In the chaos he managed to tear down a chain of sausages, the first of many prizes to be dragged off into alleyways.

Next Usi released the mice, magic rusting through the ventilation shaft and dropping them onto the humans below. Then, with his best leonine roar, he sprang into action, bringing with him at least a dozen of the town's most young chaotic felines.

By the time it was all said and done they had made off with cheeses and meats galore, with one of them going so far as to leave a message in the middle of the loading bay's floor. A mouse, head lying several feet away from its body, and intestines strung up like Christmas lights.

In their secret headquarters they feasted like royalty, cheese crumbs sticking to whiskers and rotisserie chicken juices making them look like lions digging fangs into a fresh kill. It was a child's bacchanal, pudgy little bodies going so far as to roll in the pilfered butter spilling out of mutilated metallic packaging. So long as a kitten had contributed a mouse they could take part, taking advantage of the spoils of war.

"Calm little one, if I am to help you I have to touch you, and if you keep struggling you will injure yourself further." Kara wasn't necessarily stupid, she knew the rules, but she also wasn't the kind of person to let them get in the way of what needed to be done, especially not when it was a matter of life and death, and especially not when kittens were involved. The one before her was not responding to gentle words, and who knows how long it had been trapped. Certainly long enough for things to swell, but not long enough for the kitten to lose any of its fire.

"Little hellbeast." The kitten's hissing was temporarily mirrored by Kara as needle-sharp teeth dug into her hand, the one that was supporting the dangling kitten. It was a mere child, but that did not mean its fangs and claws were dull. "Fair warning, I am going to spell you to sleep. Just for a moment, so that I may get you free and dress your wounds."

It only took a simple brush of her fingertips and a few whispered words to send the baby off to Dreamland, and once it was still she could begin the delicate process of freeing it from the ornate gate upon which it had clearly misjudged a landing.

With that done she could sit in the alleyway, taking stock of the injury and sealing some of the cuts with simple spells. It was only then that she realized she was being watched, caught in the midst of a crime. Best act innocent, hope that the watcher couldn't recognize forbidden actions, or was just focused on something else.