It stinks here. That is, the reek is so thick, you could cut it with a knife. Or cause an impressive explosion with a match.

Welcome to the sewer systems of Rephidim City. This ancient network has origins not truly known by much of anyone. It is an example of the sort of machinery that DOES work on Sinai: Big, lumbering, inexorable, of uncertain practicality. But function it does, and has done so for more generations than anyone can remember. (Or, that is, if anyone can, they're not telling.)

This machinery has lasted for ages without much in the way of maintenance. However, that doesn't stop the bureaucracy of the Temple from tending to it, just in case. After all, one of the great advantages of living in Rephidim is interior plumbing. To do without … would be a disaster.

Speaking of disasters…

In this maze of subterrainean chaos, a very unfortunate (and smelly) black Khatta wanders about, wide eyed for anything that might like to have him for dinner, such as giant dracodiles and the so called 'cannibal-savanites-who-escaped-and-make-lunch-out-of-others.' He carries in his hand a crude spear made of sewer concrete and a rotten stick, and on his head is a hat weaved out of leaves that somehow found their way down into the depths.

Tiredly, the cat wanders on, then sits down with a heavy sigh to rest a bit. "I'll never get out of here… "

The large concrete pipe that the black Khatta walks on provides a fairly uncertain footing, thanks to the ages of gunk on its surface. It wouldn't provide any footing at all, except that it's "low tide" right now – and, while the Khatta hasn't found a way out yet, he's managed to become pretty accustomed to the … ah … traffic patterns of Rephidim City's lower levels.

From the murky waters nearby, some bubbles come to the surface. This is not unusual … but to the Khatta's fine battle-trained senses, his keen cunning and razor-sharp reflexes … his … Well, come on, give the guy a break. He's stuck in a sewer, but he's at least managed to SURVIVE this long. In any case, he knows full well that this is a herald of … danger!

In particular, this danger would be something slimy and tentacle-y and just all around very unpleasant for a Khatta to get caught by.

Jynx leaps up and back! Managing not to slip (for once), he gets into his battle ready stance and glares at the creature, "Bring it on tentacle boy! I could go for a bit of calamari tonight!"

Sure enough, a mottled black tentacle shoots out of the water, snapping around the bit of air where the Khatta stood just a moment earlier!

The Khatta thrusts his make-shift spear quickly at the tentacle, while looking for a place to escape in case this doesn't work. "Yer mother was a spineless jellyfish!" he taunts.

And … it's a hit! The makeshift spear is not particularly sharp as weapons go, but it catches the tentacle just as it retracts, slithering across the wide concrete pipe. Thus, with the force of pressing the semi-sharp weapon against the tentacle, with concrete behind it, it pierces the appendage. True to Jynx's experience, once you manage to break the rubbery skin, the tentacle isn't all that durable. The tentacle stretches, pinned by the spear, then snaps, leaving its suction-cupped length dangling on the pipe.

The other end of the tentacle, now a stump, splashes back down into the murk. There are more bubbles, and a bit of greenish ooze for just a moment. No screeches, no –

*YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWL!*

A scream splits through the darkness.

"Take THAT, you poor excuse for a slimy eight-legged urchin!" Jynx picks up the severed tentacle and waves it mockingly, only to quickly cover his ears as the unnatural scream pierces the darkness.

It takes a moment for the echoes to die off. Most certainly, it didn't come from the detached tentacle. The sewer-thing shouldn't be back for a while. For all the Khatta knows, the monster might just grow another appendage.

Jynx takes a look in the direction of the scream, and starts off. He then stops, and remembers to grab the tentacle. Guess what's for (shudder) dinner tonight? He then makes off towards the noise.

Through the gloom of the unnatural cavern, lit only by the faintest of sources from somewhere far above, at first there is no sign of where the scream might have issued. There are too many grimy stalactites and stalagmites and concrete pipes and ancient machinery in the way.

However, beyond some of the accumulated mounds of detritus and filth of the city, there seems to be a bit more light over there … something that flickers faintly.

Jynx absent mindedly nibbles on a bit of tentacle (He HAS been down here too long), and searches a bit more. He looks up at the light, which is almost blinding considering how long he's been below, then heads towards it curiously.

A few warm spots skitter along the walls, away from the Khatta. The scraggly things might not be hard to catch, but they're too chewy and not very filling for the trouble.

Jynx ponders for a bit, then yeechs, he'll settle for the tentacle. Ignoring the little creatures, he contimues towards the light, "Anyone down there?"

The distant illumination bobs like a will-o-wisp, silhouetting the stalactites and the hulking pieces of rusting machinery. It eludes the small black Khatta, and just when he finally seems to be drawing close, it vanishes. The chamber echoes with a loud, slurpy splash immediately afterwards.

Jynx blinks, and run towards where the light was. It doesn't take a Technopriest to figure out what just happened.

The pipes spread out around a reservoir-like area, the accumulated grime like packed dirt or perhaps even rock beneath Jynx's feet. Overhead, a pale liquid spirals down stalactites and plops into the dark waters (a term used loosely), the ripples dying away quickly. Creepers of some weedy plants hang down from pipes near the vaulted ceiling.

Little bubbles appear on the surface, holding their shape for long seconds before they burst, leaving dimples that fill in quickly.

Jynx peers downward, straining to see if he can spot whatever it was that flopped down into the sewage.

The water ripples, some large form is moving within its brown opaque depths, and rising. An object breaks the surface, a misshapen head with two different sized eyes. The sewage runs off it in dark streams as the bulk raises itself to loom in front of the black Khatta. With an angry snort, it vents, blasting clear the blowhole on the back of its head.

"AAAAAAACK!" Jynx jumps back up to his feet, and sprints off into a direction opposite the creature. A squid is one thing, whatever this is is another.

Amazingly, the Khatta's tread is true. As he charges across the filthy footing, his feet do not slip even once.

Deformed hands wipe the filth away from its wide flat eyes. The creature is easily as wide as two men; its skin is waxy and reflective like the water it pulled itself out of. At the sound of the Khatta's scream, it lunges forwards, slipping off the ledge and splashing back into the water with a blurp.

Jynx just continues to run. He still falls for that trick every time, ( Mental note: be less gullible )

Deftly navigating the network of pipes and the occasional "shore" of accumulated debris and less pleasant stuff, the Khatta winds his way around the obstacles, quickly putting distance between himself and the strange creature.

Jynx continues to run, looking about for any handy (if nasty) debris to hide behind.

Far behind the Khatta there continues the sound of splashing, and the occasional desperate scream. It isn't following him.

There! Just the right sort of thing. Under normal circumstances this might have been some kind of ship's spar, or perhaps a flagpole. Now it's garbage, and has been glued to the pipe with accumulated debris. Some irregular clumps next to it suggest that some other trash has gotten stuck to it and likewise become glazed by the accumulation of filth.

The bulk of the wooden section looks enough for a Khatta to hide himself… As long as he didn't move much.

Jynx dives behind the mess and peers back at the scene behind him. "*Whew*, almost had me that time." He sits down and takes a look at his tentacle, now ever dirtier before. He grimaces, "Well, guess I better begin." Chokingly, he bites into the tentacle; he never thought eating would be such a chore.

Jynx imagines that the tentacle is some of Lylia's cooking, but the illusion doesn't help much.

There is a moment of relative silence in the darkness…

Dinner is rubbery, with a distinctive taste that takes some getting used to; Jynx has been down here a long time. Then, the silence is broken by a distant, plaintive mew of, "Heeelllp!"

Jynx, mouth full, furrows his brow, ( Doesn't that thing ever give up? )

A rasping, grating noise follows, sounding like a raw growl or a quieter version of the large gears that grind away down here. A faint light appears immediately afterwards, near the noise.

Jynx hmmms, that's a new sound. He looks back at the source of the sound, seeing the new light. ( Wait a sec, that's different from before… )

The bulk of the wooden spar, lumpen with grime, and the intervening pipes don't quite give Jynx a clear view… Something's glowing in that direction, perhaps in the water.

Jynx slowly tip-toes over towards the commotion, chewing on tentacle all the while, "This is weird… or at least weirder… "

Again, the fetid waters at Jynx's feet are broken by a large shape that bursts upward – the monster again, its limbs flailing about, scrabbling against the pipe, but unable to get any hold against the slick surface. It emits a bright light from one eye, but the light flickers repeatedly, and then dies out entirely. With a burble and a schlorp, the creature slips away, sinking into the mire once more.

Jynx stops, and blinks confusedly, "There's something you don't see everyday… " He looks down at the water, then around for whatever it was that made the other noise, "Hello?"

*blorp* *bubble*

Jynx blinks, then comes to a realization. He stoops down and peers as best he can into the water, trying to make the shape out better.

Two hands rise out of the black water and grab the black Khatta's head!

"GACK!!" Jynx yells as he is pulled downward. Using the hand that holds his spear, he thrusts blindly downward, unfortunately with the blunt end.

A pity. A valiant attempt though it may be, attacking with the spear invalidates any chance the Khatta might have of bracing himself against being pulled into the mire. The result is entirely unpleasant but not extremely unexpected. Thus, the Khatta is at least foresightful enough to … close his mouth.

As luck (or the lack thereof) would have it, something about Jynx's jab with the blunt end of the pole provokes a very strange reaction in the monster that pulled him under. It explodes! The force knocks the Khatta backward (or, that is, upward), sending him out of the mire, and sending through what would, except for the circumstances, be a fairly graceful arc through the air. He lands – with a loud squishing noise – in a pile of blissfully unidentified debris on the "shore".

The spear, it seems, has been misplaced in the process.

Jynx coughs and sputters, and wishes deeply that he had a clue. He stands up wobbly, and realizes he has no weapon. "Great," he mutters, as he looks back at where he was expelled from the water. He dives behind some of the debris, and peeps out, trying to get a better look at whatever pulled him under.

At first, there is no sign. The muck is level and smooth … well, a little lumpy, but not especially so. But then, there is a swelling near the pipes, as something breaks the surface, the greasy, filmy surface sloughing off as a balloon-like shape emerges to bob on the surface.

That is, it is balloon-like only in some respects … more like several balloon-like sacs, in the center of which would be … the monster!

Jynx shakes his head to make sure he's seeing this right… he's been down a long time and he's never seen anything like this. He takes another gaze at the creature, craning his neck to get a better look.

The creature floats, well, flounders unsuccessfully as it thrashes about but doesn't go anywhere. Finally, after a moment it reaches up beside its head, and makes the strange grating noise again.

The Khatta is suddenly blinded by a bright light from the creature.

Jynx winces, and falls back in pain. It's then that he realizes this is no monster…

The Khatta gets back to his feet, and squints at the strange figure. "Hello?" he calls out, "Who's over there?"

There is a squeeking noise, and the light is briefly obscured by the creatures actions. With a strange echoing quality to it, a voice shouts, "ZSOFI HATE IT HERE! Get Zsofi out!"

This is immediately followed by a moan.

Jynx blinks. ( What's a Zsofi? ) The Khatta shrugs and starts over towards the creature. He gazes down curiously. "What in Dagh's name are you?"

Jynx pads up as close as he can get to the creature, which is still several feet away. "Swim closer and I'll try to pull you out!"

The 'monster' turns to face Jynx, its light starting to fade again. The Khatta can just make out the second 'eye' as being a large porthole, now open.

"Zsofi is a destroyer of worlds; Zsofi is all powerful." She is also unable to swim, as her thrashings demonstrate.

"Can Zsofi get me out of here?" the Khatta asks.

Zsofi seems to be in some sort of oversized body suit. The 'head' has the large window she is looking out of, and a light right beside it. Opposite that, is a small wheel which the Demoncat tries to wind. The air-sacs keep her afloat, and immobile for the moment. The light brightens again.

"Zsofi can do anything! Zsofi will make your insides burst like worm caught underfoot. Zsofi will kill you last if you help her," she generously offers.

Jynx winces as the light comes back to life, "If Zsofi is so powerful, then why can't it get out on its own? I can't say as I want to be killed, first or last… "

"Zsofi is not falling for that trick!" She points suddenly at Jynx. A glittering object flies out of her hand and bounces off the wall beside the Khatta's head. "Ah… excrement." The Demoncat says, as her hurled faceplace disappears into… well, what she described.

Zsofi can just barely be seen through the window of her helmet, frowning. The screw-in glass plate, which she has just lost, is another of the cruel tragedies heaped on the exile since her arrival. "Zsofi HATE it here!" She says, in case anyone forgot.

Jynx sighs. He is miserable, and misery loves company, even if that company seems to be sociopathic. He leans forward and holds out a paw, "Swim closer and I'll try to pull you out!"

The Demoncat leans and holds out her hand, stretching and managing to get within reach of the Khatta's grasp.

The black Khatta grabs ahold of Zsofi's hand, and pulls back as hard as he can. "Sheesh! The destroyer of worlds isn't very light either!"

The Demoncat just growls, which is something she does constantly anyways, untill she manages to get out of the water with Jynx's assistance. The airsacks still haven't deflated, and she has a hard time standing because of them. With as much dignity as possible she says, "Zsofi let you rescue her."

Jynx sits and tries to regain his breath, since the suit is heavy and a chore to get it up. "Gee, thanks," he hisses.

The Khatta takes a look at Zsofi to see who – or what – he was just allowed to rescue.

"Zsofi will reward you by not turning your brain into milk that runs down your throat and drowns you. Zsofi is even… " She pauses, winding her 'head' again, prompting some life in the light. The Demoncat is hard to make out in the suit, which seems to have been designed to fit a variety of people, and is consequently quite loose on her. All that is really visible, is her black face in the helmet.

"… thinking she will let you live to worship her," Zsofi finishes, looking around the cavern, and trying to figure out how to deflate her sewer-floats.

Jynx grimaces, "Really? Too bad, I was just commenting to some vermites the other day on how much I'd really like to choke to death on my own liquified body parts." The Khatta gets back up with a grumble, and dusts himself off. "You might as well take that contraption off; it'll just slow you down."

"Zsofi does not like the brown water as much as you do," she comments, beating on the air-sacs, trying to make them go down.

Just about at that point, the black Khatta notices another light, this one flickering in much the same way as the one that Zsofi has been using, but not going out entirely. It bobs at a height that should be a few feet above the murk level, and is slowly approaching, having just rounded a corner. A couple more lights appear as well, accompanied by ratcheting sounds. "Hullo?" calls out a filtered voice. "Miss World Destroyer!"

Sloshing noises can be heard, like something breaking the murk and stirring it up at fairly regular but slow intervals.

"Zsofi has found the place she will destroy first when she gets her powers back. It is right here!" the Demoncat shouts, turning her light towards the other one.

Jynx hmphs, "Then you'd be doing us both a favor… " he stops midsentence, "Oh great, you brought friends."

"Zsofi has no friends, just worshippers and future victims," she explains, watching the boat approach.

The light and sounds approach, resolving themselves into a boat that navigates the "cavern" by means of two of its crew poling it along, while another at the prow uses his pole to push away at obstacles along the way. "And employers!" one of the similarly-suited crew responds. "Zsofi, I know you're a demi-godling, but you REALLY ought to be more – Hey! Who is that?" The three lights turn to focus on Jynx.

Jynx arches a brow, "Well, whatever floats your boat… " He winces as the lights shine on him, "Who are they?"

"People who give Zsofi scraping job in the sewers," she answers to Jynx, then turns to call out to the crew, "Someone on bottom of Zsofi's kill list!"

"Sewer Maintenance Team Number Thirteen!" the foremost suited boat-crewman calls out in his filtered voice. He reaches out with his pole toward Zsofi, bracing himself in the boat. "Grab on, and I'll pull you in. We have to hurry back. We'll barely make it in time for the seal to open to let us out. Otherwise, we'll have to wait for the next cycle."

Jynx, blinded by the lights, is unable to make the crew out, "Well, add me to that list. Mind if I hitch a ride?"

The Demoncat grabs tightly onto the pole, and is pulled across onto the boat, surprisingly without incident. She moves out of the way to let them bring Jynx across.

In response, the boat poles closer until it bumps against the "shore" and its halo of floating debris. The portside poler reaches out with one mitted hand for the black Khatta, while the first one struggles with securing the Demoncat and deflating the cumbersome air sacs.

Jynx grabs onto the poler's hand, and steps carefully towards the boat and its crew.

With surprising nimbleness and grace for his appearance, the black Khatta effortlessly makes it into the boat, causing only the slightest of bobs. The boat's crew immediately sets to poling the craft back the way they came, working against the weak downstream flow.

Zsofi stands triumphantly in the centre of the boat, where she will cause the fewest problems, and pretends it is a divine flotilla, bearing her to a better place. The second part is right at least – anywhere is better than the Rephidim sewers.

One of the crewmen looks Jynx over. "Hmm. Not a Fox this time."

Jynx blinks to adjust his eyes to the light he is now unaccustomed to, and peers to get a better look at the rest of the crew.

The crew, for the present, looks indistinguishable from Zsofi, save for having just a bit less grime on them, and still having their faceplates intact.

Jynx shrugs, and decides to 'go with the flow' as it were. "So… uh… you guys come down here a lot or something?"

"Yup," comes the answer. The boat poles along, navigating a maze of tunnels, passing through areas that were simply inaccessible to the black Khatta unless he would have been willing to tread "water" to the ends of his endurance … and then some. Eventually, they come to another landing – this one of stone rather than debris. Indeed, it is just in the nick of time, as they bring their boat ashore and slide it through a circular hatch that is still in the process of sliding open as they enter.

The crewmen rush through the circular doorway, to a room that looks less filthy beyond – relatively speaking, of course.

Zsofi follows, threatening the crew with various forms of death for not letting her go first, and joins them in the next room.

( I was that close to getting out the whole time?? ) The Khatta sighs annoyedly, but them gazes around at the new surroundings, which look as clean as a polished shekel compared to what he's just been in.

A few moments pass, as the besuited workers wait for the hatch to dilate shut again. There is a rumble … and then the floor underneath their feet begins to vibrate. There's a sensation … as if the chamber is moving upward.

Jynx says, "Where are we?"

"City Sewer Treatment Center Maintenance Access Thirteen, naturally," one of the suited ones replies. "On our way out. Shift's over."

"Zsofi hates shift work," she adds, in case no one guessed.

Jynx looks at the figure with shock, "You mean I was down there for months, and you guys go down there on a regular basis?"

"Uh … not where we found you. Zsofi … ah … deviated from the normal area of coverage, in her infinite wisdom," one of the suits replies, as he reaches up to his helmet.

The Demoncat doesn't say anything; she stares only at the wall.

Light grows brighter above, until the platform rises to stop, its floor flush with that of a larger chamber, a railing partially surrounding the area where the workers have just come up. Rattling fans can be heard, barely succeeding in ventilating the access area, as the workers file out and fumble with their suits.

Jynx hmmms; somehow he doubts the wisdom part of that statement. "Well, at least I'm finally out of there." The Khatta relaxes for the first time in a long while.

Jynx follows the workers out, and for the first time notices his own body odor, "Uh, you guys have baths or anything?"

One of the "suits" removes his helmet, revealing a Skreek inside. (The suit must just make him look bigger.) He looks at Jynx's leaves, and says, "Nice hat."

The workers file into a corridor. "Baths?" one remarks – this one a Kavi – as they walk on down.

The Demoncat just stands there, holding her arms out. "Zsofi is waiting for you to respectfully remove her suit." Perhaps she can't manage it herself.

The third one – an aging Jupani – helps Zsofi with her suit, then files on down the corridor as well.

"Huh? Oh… " The cat snatches the hat off his head and hides it behind his back embarrassedly. "Yeah, baths." He gives a quick puzzled glance at the Demoncat, then follows close behind.

Zsofi is last, stomping along with her hooves throwing off blue sparks that illuminate the area around her ankles.

The group heads single-file down the corridor, until they reach a closed door. Over the door, a glassy cup affixed to the wall blinks, illuminating into a soft red light glow, accompanied by a distant-sounding chime.

"Eyes and mouths closed!" cries out the Jupani, as he squints and holds his nose with one hand.

The Khatta then does a double take at Zsofi minus her suit, "Ye Dagh!"

Unfortunately, just as Jynx is exclaiming this, he is hit all about by jets of liquid spray.

It tastes like soap.

With JUST a hint of disinfectant.

"Arghlebloopsnrsh!" suggests Jynx.

How ironic! Just like having his mouth washed out for cursing by dear ol' mum. Well, not JUST like, perhaps, but …

"Zsofi is not Dagh!" she snarls to Jynx, then gurgles and spits.

Jynx sputters and coughs, spitting the foul tasting liquid out. It tastes worse then Lylia's washing, actually.

There is more gushing that continues for a bit, then followed by blasts of warm air. By the time it's finished, everyone's fur is sticking out at most unseemly angles. But at least it meets Office of Sanitation requirements.

The red light blinks out, then glows green, to the accompaniment of a cheerier-sounding chime. The door opens, and a rush of fresh air blows in, sweeping past the group, temporarily drowning out the smell of disinfectant.

Jynx's fur POOFS out. At least he's clean now. He then gawks at Zsofi once more, "Are you sure you're not from the sewer?" He backs away a bit.

The group files out, into what looks like a fairly ordinary work area … somewhere in Rephidim City.

The Demoncat glares down at Jynx with her colourless black eyes. "Zsofi is not from around here, and Zsofi is not from there."

Jynx nods quickly, "S-sure, sorry I mentioned it… wellIgottagonowbye!" The Khatta does an about face, and sprints out the portal to the surrounding area.

Ah! Glorious Rephidim. The black Khatta would never have thought that the drab, much-scuffed walls of houses and warehouses and shops would look so beautiful, but as his eyes adjust slowly to the daylight, the colors (real colors!) glint like jewels. It is late in the afternoon and the sun turns the fur of several cougarish Katthas nearby to pure gold.

The workers wave goodbye to each other and head their different ways, each holding wooden lunchboxes that are much lighter than they were in the morning.

This particular point looks like it's in Crafters' Quarter, not too far from the massive gates that open out onto the port and surrounding areas.

Elated, the Khatta throws his hands to the sky, "Free at last, free at last, by the ancients I'm free at last!!" He then falls to the ground to kiss it for a while. "Ewwww… "

Zsofi stomps out, looks up at the sky and scowls, looks behind her and grimaces. She starts walking, and coincidentally it takes her the direction that Jynx went.

A well-kept Jupani mistress wearing a shawl of red-dyed zolk looks down at the black Khatta distastefully. "How disgusting!" She turns her muzzle up and walks down the street.

Deciding that the ground is better left unkissed, Jynx stands back up, gets his bearings, then makes off for home. "If Dominic says one word, I'll have him stuffed!" Mighty words from a big mouth, but right now the Khatta doesn't care.

Walking straight through the ceramics store and back towards the house, Jynx makes a beeline for the kitchen, not even bothering to alert anyone to his presence.

There is Lylia, Jynx's mother, whose face he never thought he would see again, cooking a stew of something mostly vegetable, with a few discs of sausages floating on top. She looks up at the sudden noise, and then drops her spoon which begins to sink into the pot…

"Feli!" Lylia cries out, and then grabs the poofly black cat up into her arms, squeezing him. "Oh, where have you been? We thought you were gone forever!"

"Yeah, we thought you were dead… again!" Eve says from where she has been chopping up Bromthen ham.

Jynx OOFS! as his mother grabs him into her arms. He stares longlingly at the stew, "No, I've just been stuck in the sewer, having to fight for my life and live off what I could beat at a wrestling match. All courtesy of a little white kitten who loves to wander off." The black Khatta glares at his sibling.

Eve blinks. "It wasn't my fault!" she says very loudly.

Jynx just sighs in response, still wanting to get to the stew, but still trapped in the embrace of the motherly calico.

Lylia sits Jynx right down at the table and ladles him a bowl of the stew. "In the sewers?" she says disbelievingly. "How did you do that? Eat! You look so skinny, Feli!"

Dominic opens the door and steps in, the gray tabby Khatta's apron flecked with specks of porcelain dust. He blinks at Jynx. "Oh no."

"Funny, I feel skinny too." Jynx throws all manners to the wind, and bears down on the soup bowl and finishes it off like a rabid animal. He then looks up at his father, mouth too full to talk.

"Mmhmmphmm!" Jynx replies.

"You're not going to believe this, son, but since we all thought you were dead or something, we decided to rent your room out to… " Dominic's voice is cut off by the door behind him suddenly slamming open.

A heavy stomping in the other room precedes a snarled statement. "Zsofi is going to her room. Zsofi will disembowel anyone who disturbs her!" There is the sound of hoofsteps going – to Jynx's room.

Jynx freezes, his mouth falls open, and what stew was left in there flows out. He just stares at Dominic, "You didn't… not again!"

"Well, son," Dominic says, waving his hands placatingly. "The Temple gives us a great deal for putting up with their more difficult Exiles. Besides, she causes less breakage and she's no more annoying than you can be. Louder, but still… Can you just share the room with her for a while?"

Lylia pats Jynx's shoulders. "She's really quiet if you leave her alone, Feli. A model tenant… "

Eve says, "Yeah! Like they always say about serial murderers." She grins and gets a stool to try and fish out the spoon from the top of the stew.

Jynx looks like he's about to have a conniption. "Why is it that you do that every time I go away for a little while?!?!" he says as he jumps up from his chair.

"A little while?" Dominic peers at his son. "Why didn't you leave us a note if you were going to disappear for two whole months?"

"Don't blame me! Blame that little white terror over there!" Jynx exclaims.

Eve drops the spoon back into the stew where Lylia eeps and fishes for it. "Me? What did I do?" the white Khatta says self-righteously.

"You were the one that wandered off! And it was Dad who made me look for you!" Jynx defends, "Maybe we should rent YOUR room out!"

"But I actually use my room," Eve points out completely logically. "And you don't."

Jynx goes berserk, "ONLY BECAUSE I'M ALWAYS OUT LOOKING FOR YOU!! ARRGGHH!"

Dominic shakes his head. "Well, we'll work this out one way or another, son. Look, I'll get the extra bed unpacked and put back in there for you, Feli. We'll talk to the Temple or something… If you can manage with Zsofi, then we could really do with the extra income. She doesn't need much sleep."

Eve blinks cutely at Jynx. "Well, you don't have to do that. I'm right here, aren't I?"

Jynx puts up his paws defensively, "Oh no… no no no, I'm not sleeping with that… that thing! I'd rather sleep out in the shop! And shut up, Eve!"

Eve hmfs!

"All ri – " Dominic thinks about what kind of accidents Jynx could cause sleepwalking, then shakes his head. "Not in the shop, son."

Lylia sighs and stirs the stew. "Really, Feli, how bad can it be for one night? She seems all right for an Exile. Not as smelly as that Titanian we put up the other time."

"Fine then, I'll sleep in the den!" Jynx angrily eats more soup. He's mad, but hunger comes first.

Jynx says, "At least Gnarr wasn't homicidal! *SLURP* She'll probably gut me in my sleep!"

Eve pads up to Jynx's side and pokes him in the side. With a clawtip out. "Silly! She doesn't have claws. She can't gut you! But she says the strangest things! And makes these weird gestures." She grins up at him. "Fraidycat!"

Jynx comes near the boiling point, "Fine, if you like her so much you can sleep with her! I'll use your room!"

Dominic looks at the somewhat small den, currently stacked with pots of dyes and finished pots and miniature sculptures. "In a few days, maybe, son, when I get these done and sell them off, but I really can't get these moved out tonight."

Jynx smiles wickedly at Eve, "Fine then, we can do like I said. I'll sleep in Eve's room and she can sleep with the maniac."

Eve looks hurt at Jynx. "But, Feli, that's your room. I sleep in my bed. And I don't think you would fit in it."

Dominic looks skyward.

"It'll still be better than what I've had to do for the past two months! But I will not sleep in the same room as that beast!"

"And since you two are such good friends, then you won't mind each other's company!" Jynx finishes with a wicked grin.

Lylia says, "Well, dear, maybe he is right. After all, she is an adult, and Feli isn't. It might be better if Feli slept in Eve's room. But you'll have to share with Eve, dear."

Dominic throws up his hands. "All right, but don't complain to me if it's cramped in there, son."

Eve sticks out her tongue at Jynx.

Jynx crosses his arms with a look of scowling determination, "Fine!" He then makes a small kick at Eve while his parents aren't looking.

Eve says, "Good! You can play house with me." She grins and scampers off to get the toys.

Evening falls, and in one room of the Kurai household is found two crowded and angry young cats, sharing the same small pink bed designed for little girl types. The larger of the two, a black cat with his feet sticking way out of the sheets, readjusts annoyedly, "Move over!" To this the smaller white cat angrily replies, "Shut up!"