A/N: Please don't bash me for starting in the middle. This is the same story as Mia, but I want to get on with it.
While Kalen brings Mia's sweater, I slide Tom's hand off her tail.
Too much petting for one day- and being touched by a boy, that's her trouble.
"Su-- I mean, Kitty?"
"Sh. Have you ever seen a cat cornered? That's what she feels like, Tom."
His eyes-- brown so dark it's almost black-- turn on me. He mouths, Tell me more.
"I know about these things; I'm a jaguar."
"J-jag-?"
Now three pairs of eyes are on me, not just one. I fidget with my lap cushion.
"Why haven't either of us smelled you out?" demands Kalen.
"For starters, I'm only eight. If either of you smelled cat on me, you'd think I was feeding strays."
"But, a jaguar-"
"Let me finish. Just like you, Kalen, have a lioness's build, I have a jaguar's stealth. It doesn't hurt that I have very
few scent glands."
I can tell they're listening.
"When I... use the bathroom, I also leave my scent. Mia and Kalen do too;
you just don't notice it. And besides, I knew what you both were the
moment I met you."
Tom asks, "If you did, why hide what you were till now? I don't get it."
"Would you, a human, believe me without first seeing Kalen's size
and Mia's tail?"
Reminded, Mia tries to curl it around her waist. She's too weak, though.
"Remarkable. Three girls, but why no men? If there are others like you-
there have to be- then you'd have to have mates, right?"
Now there's a narrow-minded male for you.
I snort. "How should I know? Filly's tired and wants to eat; let's leave her alone."
With a few embarrassed looks, the two of them exit the room.
"Thanks, Kitty."
I smile. "Want some company? Like I said, I'm eight. I've seen girls with nothing on."
"Right." She lies stomach down on her bed. "My tail thinks it's a pillowcase full of bricks."
I wheel over to her side. "Can you help me up there?"
In a minute I'm sitting with her on the cot. This close, she smells of tiredness
and reaction to Tom. What was he thinking?
