Hawknell Humane Society Kitten Chaos

Looks+Outfit

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Constantine was doing his normal rounds here at the shelter. When he had free time, he liked to volunteer here and help take care of the cats mainly. Not much of a dog man, he much preferred the felines and they had just gotten in a bunch of newborn kittens that demanded to be fed.

So, sitting in the cat showing room, he had on his lap three orange kittens that were eagerly attacking their bottles. Tiny little tails were swaying excitedly as he balanced the bottles in his hand while trying to keep from being covered in kitten formula. News flash though, it was hard to not get covered when baby animals were eating and his brain had forgotten the towel from across the room.

Why couldn't he have an ability that allowed for him to lift things with his mind? He could illusion himself clean until the cows came home but the dampness on his leg was irking.

Looking around and only spotting a rather large black maine coon who was asleep in the room with him, he would just have to call to the next person passing, "Pardon me, could you help for a moment? " he would call to the person who was passing the room.

outfit - left & sans hat

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Nousha thought she was good with little animals. Seeing them romp and play and make noise. She'd never eaten a stray animal back home. Wild ones, sure. But a dog or a cat on the street, never! If anything, Nousher wanted to play. And she had to be reminded that it wouldn't want to play with her and it was little! Like she'd been not all that long ago. She didn't like being squished by bigger cats. So they wouldn't either.

But it was also the need to be reminded that let Nousha know that she probably shouldn't have a pet. Unless the little animal saw the jaguar and wanted to play, too. But who would know that? It wasn't like she could just walk into this animal shelter and ask if she could turn into a jaguar to find her perfect pet! One that liked jaguars and didn't eat plants. The actual perfect pet.

She kept this to herself, letting it swirl in her head. Maybe if another were worked her they could give her the knowhow. But really Nousha was just here to look at all the cute animals through the windows and bars. Dogs were kind of loud though. So Nousha would start with the cats and go from there. She sucked in her cheeks as she peeped into the first room. The cats kinda just minded their business for the most part, it seemed. And Nousha wasn't doing all that much to encourage them to say hi.

Then the next room. And she was summoned.

Nousha stopped and pointed at herself. "With what?"

Ah someone heard his plea for aid now, good very good. He would adjust his hold on the kittens who were dribbling milk onto his thigh. It was wet and annoying but he would keep his tone pleasant to the young miss who answered him.

"Ah, I seemed to have forgotten a hand towel to keep my leg dry while feeding these little ones- could you grab me one, dear? " he asked politely. Then again his british accent helped to do that since he was always told that aided in sounding polite. He had no need to not be, they were here for the animals he believed so, politeness of course won out.

Oh my god all the squirming kittens. She saw them now, smelled the sweet milky smell through the door. Nousher twitched, suddenly very awake and very aware. Just as focused as the person was on the kittens. She tried to feel it out. If that was a good thing or not. Mostly it was just excitement.

Hand towel, though, right. She nodded and turned to hunt down a hand towel. There were cabinets and containers so she speedily peeked in all of them until she found an assortment of well used and washed towels. Nousha ran back to the room and slid through the door. Like the kittens would somehow escape even though they were so tiny and they were eating. She held out the towel for him.

"They're...so cute." Her eyes were wide and she sucked in her lips.

The orange kitten's tails wagged as they eagerly suckled from the bottles but being babies, they were messy. So messy. He disliked messes so much that the only reason he put up with it was that they were babies and kittens. Only reprieve for these little guys.

The girl went out and then returned quick as a whip; honestly was impressive really. He would offer a charming smile to her as she awed at the small kittens on his leg, "They are... their mother was not found so they are here to grow up and find homes, " he told the girl as he reached and took the towel and would pull the three bottles away to hand to her. Almost instantly, they started to mewl for the return of the bottle! Their little milk covered mouths searching as their barely opened eyes looked around for their snatched food!

"Oh no, that's awful." Nousha hoped their mom was OK somewhere and not just like...dead. Why did that always happen? It didn't seem very fair. Kittens without a mom and a mom without her kittens. As he pulled the bottles away and the kittens began to yell, Nousha had to chomp down on her lip. That was...a lot. Like a lot a lot. Nousher was very excited. Poor babies without a mom and here she was a big cat with a big tongue, a very good mom and they'd fit so nicely all in her mouth like an alligator mom, too. Her eyes went green and she reluctantly took the bottles. She shuffled back a little towards the door, just in case because she was feeling a little stiff.

"How...uh, how old are they?" She'd mumble through a tetanus jaw.

"Yes but I hear that some are still trying to find the mother, so not all bad at least, " the woman looked upset when he told her that they were orphans. He knew that their mamma was gone but he didn't feel right telling this young woman that one bit. So she would tell a tall tale for her comfort and peace of mind. With bottles handed over, he would gentle cradle the trio of orange puffs in his hand so that he could set the towel down on his leg to dry the spot finally.

Leaning down, he picked up a wet towel and cleaned their face and backends a bit. gross but needed, "I believe these little fluffs are almost two weeks old. Their eyes are opening and they are crawling all around, " she told her as she seemed fixated on them.

"would you care to help me finish feeding them? "

Oh, that was good then. Maybe she'd turn up in time to be a mom again. She probably missed her babies a lot.

She watched in silence as he went through the motions of being a stand-in mom. Every time he jostled them, they were like little puff ball mushrooms. Just clouds of smell that flooded the roof of her mouth. And she couldn't recall if there was a real difference between play and eat. Like when she'd caught the fish with the bear. They'd played with the fish and then eaten them. Maybe the fish had had fun in their final living moments. Nousha didn't know much about fish.

"Uh, I-um, sure." She took a step forward on sore legs, thinking maybe she could be a good kitten mom. She was a kitten once! A little mewling fuzzy baby. Not for very long, but she had been. So she understood them. Right? The jaguar batted against the walls of her brain, hard, insistent. Yes, closer. And then maybe she could put one in her mouth and...Her knees made a funny popping sound and she stopped. "Actually. Um, I'm--I don't know how to. I don't want to do something wrong." Nousha stepped back towards the door and popped as she crossed her arms over her chest. Stop, stop, stop. Not right now, ok?

What was all that popping sound? It made the kittens lift and look around confused and curious but still mewling for their food. They wanted to finish their meal and then sleep as all babies did and he was trying to help with that. Though this girl was acting funnier than he expected her to.

"It's rather difficult to do it wrong, see, you hold the bottle at a slight angle so they don't suck in air and the kittens do the rest, " he informed her gently. Why was she shying away now? Before she couldn't resist them but now she was backing away like a repelled magnet.

"Are you alright, dear? " he asked, his tone still soft and gentle as he spoke to the girl but there was worry now over her actions.

Nousha kind of tuned him out after a while. It felt bad to have to suppress herself like this. But after what happened at that bar, she was definitely nervous. And she didn't want to hurt the kittens. Or this man. Just...Nousher would appreciate them so much more and it didn't feel fair. Her apple green eyes blinked and she laced her fingers tightly behind her back. Her shoulders pushed back, adjusting her posture straighter. Though they also popped.

"I...My nose feels kind of runny. I think I might be allergic." She foolishly sniffed dramatically, which only made the rubbery feeling in her bones worse. Well, better, depending on your perspective.

Constantine was not buying this at all, something was off and he felt leery about this girl now. Standing, he would carefully carry the kittens to the small enclosed box that was their bed and laid them down inside it.

Picking up the fallen cloth, he dabbed at his leg still than before holding a hand extended to the door. "Then let me get you an antihistamine for those allergies...I wouldn't want you sneezing or going blurry eyes, dear, " a part of him felt the urge to just get her out of here. Just push her away from the vulnerable kittens that were starting to settle as they realized they weren't starving, just snacky.

She could still smell them, but they were out of sight now as the man tried to usher her out of the room. Her eyes locked onto the box. Keeping the kittens from her view. Nousha sort of rolled out of the way so the door could open and then tightly unwound herself out.

"Antihist--?" What? She had to shake it off. Wait. "Oh, yeah." Nousha rubbed at her nose a little too hard and held her eyes closed. It was all fine. Nousher would just have to come out later and maybe they could watch some kitten videos on youtube. Not that it was the same at all. She sat in the nearest chair, feeling her joints rubber and ache.

Gently, he helped her to a spot outside of the cat/kitten room and made sure she was seated. He gave a soft smile before walking off for just a few minutes, getting a soda and bottle of Benadryl for the girl. The sounds though were still in his head, what were those? Why did she suddenly look tense? Those didn't add up.

Once he returned, he held the drink to her while opening the bottle to drop two of the little pink pills into his hand.

"Were you making those popping sounds? "

She kept trying to sneak a peek into the room while he'd left her there and kept telling herself to knock it off. So she sat there with her hands clasped on her lap, doing breathing exercises that her mom had made her learn. Five in, five out. She'd gotten really into it when he came back and her breath sped up again. Discomfort. But she took the pills and the soda. She got a feeling that the little pink pills, in this dosage, wouldn't be doing much for her, but she tossed them back and eagerly guzzled down the liquid sugar.

She leaked a mouthful into the can when he asked about the popping. The can was dragged away from her mouth. "My knees are funky." A slow smile. "That's all." The can crunched in her hand suddenly, a metallic apple core, and a small stream of soda shot into the air and onto her lap.

He watched her carefully and listened. He wanted to believe her but that popping just sounds weird, weirder than it should have but he didn't want to seem like a creep.

"Alrigh- " he tried to say when he got suddenly sprayed with soda.

The. Hell.

He was now wet and sticky and it had nothing to do with cute kittens.

"Not to discredit you miss...but I do believe something is up with you that isn't normal. " he told her, wiping her face and flicking the sticky substance away.

Nousha got up abruptly. That was enough.

"I should go." Because that was what a totally OK person would say in this situation. "I'm sorry for the soda. Um. Thank you!"

And she began to try and make her quick escape.

Yea...he didn't buy this, what if she was a psychic and didn't realize it? The girl seemed young so maybe she just needed help with it.

"You don't need to run off, I'm not afraid of you; especially if you are different like myself, " he was trying to help comfort the girl; awkwardly yes since he'd never dealt with young adult women but he was trying.

Nousha stopped in her tracks. Wait. He was different, too? She didn't look at him for a second and then turned around looking excited and nervous and all the very terrible things. How didn't she notice? Maybe the kittens had gotten her too riled up to sense it?

"Really?"

Nodding some, assuming that she was a psychic after all.

"Yes...but you do need to calm a little so you don't scare the kittens, hmm? " he asked her, a gentle tease in his tone towards the young lady as he didn't want to scare her off. But truly, he didn't want harm coming to the little felines because he cared for them a bit too much.

"That's why I was going to leave." She frowned and looked towards the room. Her hands wiped over the front of her pants again like she still felt sticky. "I'm OK." Was her hopefully reassuring reply.

And then, "W-what kind of animal are you?" A burning question because maybe he was really good at hiding it.

He understood a bit more then, she was trying to protect the animals inside without causing them harm. Sweet girl she was.

He then held a hand in front of him, "Let me at least walk you out then, " he told her before his eyes went a little wide at the asking of animal; wait...she wasn't a psychic?

"You're not a psychic? The strength and eye color? " he asked her, totally perplexed now as his gears were sadly going slow as to what this meant.

Nousha blinked, also confused.

"...You're...a psychic?"

She wondered if it was too late to just run. Like, really really fast. Because her heart was thudding unpleasantly again.

"Um..." She really, really didn't want to get in trouble again. Why did this keep happening?

He nodded at her, "Yes, " he told her simple.

Then he slow brain caught up.

Animal. Shifter; were! Oh this young woman was not psychic but still was supernatural.

The look on her face though, he couldn't get angry at her for it and he softened his expression towards her.

"It's alright. You surprised me, first one I've met; why don't we get you outside for some air, hmm? " he asked her, not shying from the girl but trying to offer some compassion towards her. Perhaps she was new to it and still nervous, poor thing.

He wasn't mad or scared. As far as Nousha could tell, at least. And he did want to usher her out. It was fine, she'd let him.

But a smile grew on her face as they walked. "I'm the first one, really?" What an honor! She would really have to set a good example.

Once outside, he folded his hands behind his back and looked to the young lady who looked rather proud now.

A small laugh left him, his head nodding, "To my knowledge, yes you are my dear. I'd met a psychic who had incredible strength some years ago, it's why I assumed that you were the same in that regard. Are you alright now in the fresh air? "

Once they stepped outside, Nousha took a huge lungful of air in. Kittens out, nature in. Nousher was soothed. Well, mostly. Now she wanted to play with their new friend.

"It's really nice out here. Much better." Nousha sucked in her lips and looked over at him. "What kinda stuff can you do?"

The girl seemed to calm down, he relaxed as she did and now he hoped he wasn't going to be some wild animal chew toy.

"I can make illusions, here, " he told her and just like that, right in front of her, a kitten popped up. Their fur was golden with a white body and they let out the softest mewing sound as they chased around an imaginary string.

What? Illusions?

And then, just like that, a kitten. A gorgeous kitten! Nousha crouched down, half eying the string and half eying the kitten. Just as she'd started to relax, too. It was OK, just...

"Can...May I touch it?" Was it touchable, or like fizzy?

Constantine now had to put in an extra amount of effort to make sure it was even more tangible but it wasn't.

"You may try, yes but it won't feel like anything. Think of it like a beam of light through your window for sensation, " he told her as he willed the cat to head over to the young were woman.