Jynx's return has not been exactly a smooth ride. For one thing, there was a matter of tending to all the damage done to his posterior what with those eep fragments, and then running around and trying to ignore the pain. That involved a trip to see a physician – Not a Life Mage (that would be too expensive), but a Rath'ani (Do ALL raccoons wear spectacles?) specializing in the more mundane (but still effective) arts of medicine.

Only now, after a stay in the hospital, has he had a chance to actually come back HOME – for more than a few minutes.

Dinner didn't really provide much chance for discussion. Jynx's father hasn't proven to be very inquisitive about his son's exploits just yet. But then, would he BELIEVE them? Despite the hospital stay, Jynx isn't quite fully healed just yet, and one thing he finds himself needing a lot of is rest. Therefore, it is high time he retired to his room for the night…

The tired black Khatta walks up the stairs to his room, not saying much and eyes drooping. At the doorway, he turns the knob to a black darkness, but makes his way to his bed, since he knows the way by memory.

A few items strewn on the floor almost trip the cat, but he keeps his balance nonetheless, making it to his bed. Something smells kind of unfamiliar about the room. The bed is also a bit lumpy. Perhaps his mother didn't bother making it in his absence, since no one had any reason to expect he'd be coming back.

A lumpy bed isn't about to stop this cat though. He jumps into the sheets, and gives a wide yawn. Funny, the bed is awfully warm for one that hasn't been slept in for a few months…

It's also rather hairy and smelly. It moves, too. "*SNARK*"

"YOW!" yells Jynx, as he bolt out of the covers, hits the ground, and trips face first to meet the floor. Looking up at his bed wild-eyed, he yells, "who's there??"

A loud, guttural voice responds with "GNARRRRRRR!" In the dim light coming through the window from the street, Jynx can see the flash of sharp fangs.

Jynx, not waiting for his eyes to see more, jumps up and back from the sound. He shakes his head to wake up, and stares at his bed…

The covers shuffle about, and something big and hairy dislodges itself from the sagging bed. It looks rather lupine, though a bit wilder and more feral than the Jupani typically seen in the city.

*SNIFF* *SNIFF SNIFF*

Jynx's jaw drops, and he inches towards the door. "Dad! There's something in my room!!"

The door creaks open, and a gray Khatta pokes his head in. "What? Weren't you listening to me? I TOLD you, you have a room mate now. After all, we thought you were dead. I couldn't very well let your mother just turn the room into a shrine… " The older Khatta frowns severely.

Jynx blinks, and looks intently at his dad. So Eve was telling the truth. He looks to the Jupani-thing, then back to his father. "Yeah, but I'm back? Couldn't you make him leave?" Then he whispers loudly, "besides, why did you rent it to one of them?"

The lupine swings his legs around, his feet slamming to the floor. He's large enough that, sitting there, his knees would easily bump against his shoulders if he leaned forward a little. He rubs at his eyes, grumbling. This act reveals another feature that is a bit odd for a Jupani – His forearms (and forelegs) are especially hairy, much like "fetlocks" on certain breeds of Rhians. He also has enough of a mane to make it seem like he has a beard.

Dominic says back, "His shekels were as good as any." A grimace on his face hints that he's not too fond of canines or lupines himself. "In any case, I can't just throw him out without due cause. Actually, you should be … grateful … that he didn't protest your being able to stay in here as well."

Jynx ughs, a shaggy one at that. o O (He better not have shed all in my bed… )

The big wolf leans forward and snuffles at Jynx. "Hmph. You smell like bed when Gnarr first move in. But Gnarr roll in mud. Make smell go away."

Jynx blinks wildly at his father, "Let HIM protest??"

Dominic frowns. "I didn't realize all of the laws involved in renting to tenants … until it was … ahem … too late."

Jynx looks aghast at the wolf, "You did WHAT?!"

Jynx says, "Laws? What laws? Are you saying he's here to stay?"

Dominic says, "Until he decides to leave, basically. I still have quite a bit of reading to do." He sighs, "You know, you really SHOULD have gone into law. If you didn't knock over some candles and burn the books first, and if you could make it all the way through, I'm sure you could have made a killing as a lawyer."

Jynx says, "Hey! Don't blame this on me. It was your idea to give my room to this walking smell factory."

Jynx sighs.

The big wolf opens his wide maw … and makes a rumbling, rude noise, then smacks his lips. He climbs up from the bed, and stumbles over to a shelf, scrabbling about for some stones. There are several clacking noises, then a spark, and he lights a lamp.

Dominic grabs Jynx by the ear. "I will NOT have you talking to me in that tone of voice, young man!"

Jynx ows! as his father pulls him over, "Ouch!! Yes sir!" He gets a double pain as the light is flared up, his family doesn't usually have to use lamps at night.

Dominic squints too, at the lamp light. The lamp is quite a battered and chipped-looking artifact of dirt-crusted ceramic. Its light shows off the wolf a bit more, and his odd ornamentation – He has a band of some strange material (ceramic? plastic?) running across his forehead, studded with four metal bolts, looking as if they have been driven through the band and right into his skull. He has other jewelry that has a blend of barbarosity and a hint of technology, in the form of roughly cut cogwheels he wears for bracelets.

The gray Khatta lets go of Jynx, then indicates a second bed across the room. "That will have to do for now, until we can get something better. You can string that rope across the room and run some blankets over it for privacy." He adds with a whisper, "He can't see in the dark."

Jynx sighs angrily, and looks to the pitifully small guest bed that is usually reserved for when visiting cousins or friends stay over. He glares at the wolf one last time, and strings up the makeshift barrier. Right now he's just tired.

The gray Khatta nods to his son. "There. That's being a sport. I'll see you in the morning." With that, he slowly closes the door, and his foot-steps can be heard retreating down the hall.

The wolf walks right over to Jynx while he's setting up the barrier, snuffling at everything, and watching the Khatta curiously. He slams himself on his chest hard enough to make all his jewelry jangle. "GNARR!" he barks.

Jynx jumps a bit, then glares at the lupine. "Okay, here's the deal, I don't like you, you don't like me. So you stay on your side of the room, and I'll stay on mine. Got it?" Hey, it may be stupid talk, but this is one tired kitty.

The wolf grumps, then thumps himself on the chest again. "GNARR!" He then points at Jynx.

Jynx sighs, "What?". o O(I survived for this?)

The wolf's brow furrows further. He whaps himself on the chest, bellowing, "GNARR!" … then thumps JYNX on the chest just as hard!

Jynx, about a fraction of the wolf's size, goes flying across the room, and makes an audible 'THUMP' and a slight shriek as he returns to the ground. He gasps for breath and looks wide eyed up at the hairy monstrosity.

The wolf lumbers over, and snuffles at Jynx until he's sure the Khatta is still alive. He thumps himself on the chest again, and barks again, "Gnarr!"

Jynx shudders a bit, "Uhh, s-so, okay… we'll make y-your side of the r-room bigger… " then he catches on (maybe). "I-is your n-name Gnarr, by any chance?"

"GNARR!" the wolf barks, nodding his head, then points at Jynx. He refrains from thumping the cat this time.

The cat nods, still wide eyed, and gives a pathetic thump to his own chest, "J-Jynx… "

The wolf stands back, looking satisfied, as he nods his head and barks, "JYNX."

"Er, Feli," he corrects himself, now in the habit of calling himself by his own annoying nickname.

Jynx covers his ears at the loud bark. o O(Hope he doesn't wake anybody up… )

The wolf says, "FEELEE," then wrenches his nose at the sound, sticking out his tongue. "JYNX," he barks, grinning toothily.

Jynx sighs, he can't win. "Uh, okay then… Gnarr. That's your side. This is mine, got it?" He crawls back to the guest bed.

The wolf snorts, but then nods his head. He lumbers back over to what used to be Jynx's bed, and roughly slams down into it. No wonder it's sagging so badly. Near the headboard is a heavy sledgehammer with a head of some sort of stone. The handle bounces away from the wall upon the impact with the bed, then bounces back against the wall with a *WHOCK*.

Jynx flinches, and notices as if for the first time the condition of his once beloved room. His ears droop at the thought of having to live with this brute.

The wolf rolls around in his bed a bit, then grumbles at the lamp. He makes a loud hacking noise … *PTOO* *hisssssss!* The lamp light dies out abruptly.

Jynx gives one final look about his room as it is plunged into darkness (well, for others at least). He fwaps back down on his pillow and gives a long sigh as he shuts his eyes. Its gonna be a long night.

The wolf's breathing slowly calms down. Ah! What luck! He doesn't SNORE!

*GNX*

Oops. Perhaps that was a bit premature.

*GNXXZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzz*

Jynx rolls over on his back, then his stomach again. He sets his ears back, covers them, and puts his head under the pillow, but none of it does any good.

The snoring stops, as one of the wolf's legs starts kicking, whapping against the footboard, as he whimpers in his sleep. (whinewhinewhine … GRRRRRRR!) He makes snapping noises.

There's a scraping, scrabbling noise, like claws against wood. That wolf must be tearing the bed apart!

Jynx looks up and over at the wolf's side, but is unable to see due to the sheet. He glares, and tries to listen more to the death of his poor bed. o O(Maybe I should go sleep in the living room… )

The wolf's leg isn't moving right now. But Jynx still hears the scraping noise. As he sits up, though, he can tell the noise is NOT coming from the wolf's bed.

He CAN see, however, by a glint of something shiny, that the wolf is making a little puddle of drool on the pillow. Ewwwww.

The cat's brow furrows, and he listens harder… what could that be?

Jynx grimaces…

There's a clattering at the window, which is already a crack open. It slides the rest of the way open.

Jynx quickly hides underneath his sheets, and peers out at the window. He wasn't expecting anyone, but then again, who does like this.

A slim, dark-clothed form slides into the window, the sounds covered by the wolf's resumed snores.

Jynx blinks, and slows his breathing, trying to be absolutely quiet. His heart pounds wildly, this evening has been nerve-racking.

The intruder slinks past Jynx's rope-suspended barrier, apparently paying no notice to him. A clatter and a hiss hint that the intruder also paid no notice to a few items scattered about on the floor. If it weren't for the loud snoring, this would probably be sufficient to wake everyone in the house and bring them running to investigate. After a brief pause, the intruder fumbles over toward a beaten-up trunk at the foot of Jynx's former bed, where the wolf is now sleeping noisily.

Jynx watches the home invader as best he can, trying to make out what species it is. He decides to stay hidden for the time being, since he's in no condition to fight.

As the figure works at the chest, it would appear that the intruder is a Khatta, quite likely of the darker-furred variety. And this Khatta, if a burglar, is downright unskilled at this line of work, judging from all the clunking and hisses and general lack of progress with the lock.

Finally, the Khatta grabs a big stone implement and gives the lock on the chest a few good WHACKS … thus proving beyond a doubt that the wolf is NOT a light sleeper. The crude lock at last gives way, and the chest creaks open … and the lid promptly falls off the hinges. The burglar hisses, then rummages around amongst the contents, pulling out a rectangular, cloth-wrapped bundle.

Jynx hmms inwardly. Even if that is the wolf's stuff being burglarized, he can't just sit and watch an intruder in his home. Besides, he hates to think what that wolf'll act like in the morning to find his things gone (i.e., "Jynx cat did!! Smash stinky cat!), so he slinks out of bed, as quiet as possible…

The intruder gives no evidence of noticing the black Khatta's approach. Indeed, the burglar removes gloves, revealing black hands, which pull away the stained cloths. The cloths slide away … revealing a thick, heavy-bound tome with inlaid bits of stone that form a mosaic resembling various cogwheels and other simple "mechanical" shapes in an asymmetrical pattern.

Jynx pads over, ready to pounce, but he can't shake the feeling that he's seen this person before, and that book look familiar too…

The burglar feels the cover, then pops the book open, flipping through the pages, and trying to hold them up to catch the faint light of the street lamps streaming in through the window. It doesn't really help.

Jynx jumps at the robber, tries to get his paws around it, and yells, "Who are you! Give it up, I've got the place surrounded!"

The burglar screams, and thrashes in Jynx's grasp, sending the thick book flying.

*SNRRRRXXXXXZZZ – * *koff* *SNX?* The wolf stirs.

Jynx struggles with the intruder, and attempts a pin, "Hey -oof- Ugly!! Gimme some -ack!- help here!"

For his trouble, the Khatta gets a few nasty punches … but it's evident that he has the advantage of surprise, of being able to see (while his opponent cannot), of better position … and a very big grumpy wolf who comes to investigate, and simply grabs the BOTH of them up in his smelly arms.

Jynx yeeOUCHES! "Hey!! Watch it! You've got the wrong one!"

The wolf just growls and holds the two squirming felines tightly. He looks about, at a bit of a loss as to what to do NEXT.

"Let me go, infidel!" the burglar spits. My, that voice sounds terribly familiar. Hmm. Female, black Khatta, has tendency to show up when it'd be better if she didn't…

Jynx struggles wildly, not so much because of the pressure as of the smell. "She was trying to stea-" he cuts himself short, and glances over at the other cat. "Not YOU again!!"

"Me? Again? You … Oh no! By the First Ones! It CAN'T be! Not YOU!" the intruding feline yowls.

Gnarr grumbles loudly. "I sit you down. You stay still. Promise. Or Gnarr go *SKISH*!" He makes that last noise very loudly and convincingly.

There comes a knocking on the door. "Jynxie?"

Jynx shakes his head in disbelief, then glares over at the former knight. "So, you haven't tormented me enough huh? Just HAD to bug me in the middle of the night??" He looks over to the door, "We're busy Eve! Go back to bed!"

The door creaks open. "I can't sleep," the white kitten mews. "Can't you stop playing in here? It's past my bedtime."

"Put me DOWN!" the intruder demands.

Jynx looks back to the other black Khatta, "Haven't you made my life miserable enough already?" He looks back at Eve, "I said go to bed!"

"I was about to say the same of YOU," the other black Khatta growls back.

Eve peeks into the room. "Jynxie, who's that in there with you? Have you been bothering the big slobbery smelly wolf? That's not a good idea. He could squish you, you know."

Jynx rrrs. "I'm not the sicko-fanatic that decided I'd look good at the end of a pike! Gnarr, put me down, but you can squish her all you want!"

Jynx just sighs at his little sister.

The wolf grumps. "You make light for Gnarr. Gnarr no like dark."

With that, he loosens his grip enough for Jynx to wriggle free, while still keeping a firm hold on the other black Khatta.

Jynx jumps down, and uses the stones to light the old lamp, flinching at the flare. He brings the light over closer to Blossom's face to make sure its her. "What are you doing here?"

The female Khatta slumps as she sees that it's really Jynx. "I'm not allowed to tell you that," she mumbles.

Jynx rolls his eyes, "Not allowed? Why don't you just quit that 'I got my vows' stuff, we all know you're not a knight anymore." He thinks a bit, then grins as he nonchalantly moves the lamp closer to Blossom's face. o O(A little light won't hurt. Besides, it's notlike she didn't do her fair share to me)

The intruder squints and flinches away at the glare of the light, hissing. "Infidel. You couldn't possibly understand."

"I don't think I'd want to anyways." He moves the lamp away from her face, sets it down, and goes over to pick the tome up. He then sits back down on his (former) bed. "Besides, this is more of a job for the authorities."

Jynx looks to the kitten, "Eve, go get mom and dad."

The wolf growls as he sees Jynx pick up the book. "NO TOUCH THAT!" He growls even more loudly … and drops the Khatta in his arms as he lunges for the book!

Eve EEPS loudly. "DON'T HURT JYNXIE!" she wails.

Jynx acks!! and jumps back, dropping the book, "I was just putting it back for you!!"

The wolf picks up the book, clutching it closely to his chest, a low rumble emanating from his chest as he bears his teeth and gums, his ears flattened back.

Jynx puts his paws up defensively, "Okay, okay big guy, no harm done … wait," he looks over to Blossom, since she is no longer restrained. "Eve, hurry up and go get dad!"

The warrioress is indeed no longer restrained. She dashes for the open window!

The white kitten dashes as well – into the hallway, crying out, "MAMA! PAPA! BURGLARS!"

Jynx sighs loudly, and quickly bolts after her, "No you don't!!" He makes a lunge.

The Khattas run into each other at the window, the intruder halfway through the window as Jynx catches her legs, and gets several tail-swats in the face. "Let GO!" protests the other Khatta, as she kicks wildly.

"Ouch! Oof! Get back here! Ack!" Jynx pulls as hard as he can. o O(Not so tough without her swords!)

Jynx ALMOST manages to pull the intruder into the room … but there's a ripping noise, and he falls back, clutching nothing more than cloth, as the other feline quickly retreats out the window … just as three other felines (one kitten, two parents) charge into the room. "Where? What? Feli! Are you all right?"

The wolf just sits on the floor, growling, holding the book possessively.

Jynx falls backwards, and hits the ground with an 'OOF'. He looks at the cloth in his hand, then back to the others with a grimace, "We had a visitor."

Jynx scowls at the wolf, "A lot of help HE was… "

Lylia, a calico Khatta, rushes over to Jynx, fretting over him … and regressing to grooming his face with her tongue, in between exclamations of, "Oh, my poor KITTEN! Were you hurt?"

Eve covers her mouth, hiding a giggle.

Jynx icks, and tries to push his mother away from his face, "I'm fine mom! Qui- ack! Quit!"

Jynx's mother backs away, looking reprimanded. "I'm only … concerned."

Dominic growls as he investigates the broken-into chest, and the window. He looks back to the wolf. "What did you do to the latches?" He looks around, and finds the pieces … sitting on a shelf, rearranged into something that looks vaguely like some sort of cartoonish person. He lets out a loud sigh.

Jynx paws the spittle off of his face, and sighs, "Sorry mom." He stands, and takes another look at the cloth, before handing it to Dominic. "Guess who decided to pay us a visit?"

Jynx blinks, "ME?" He gives a shocked look at his father.

Dominic looks to his son. "I'm not in the mood for guessing games. Please, enlighten me."

"Gnarr didn't do it, Blossom did! She broke in," Jynx nods to the book in the Jupani's grasp, "I guess she was after that."

Dominic looks at the creative way the latch-bolts and holders were rearranged into a little figure on the shelf. "Aha. And she paused to make some art, I see. Ahem." He looks at the book, and the way the wolf holds it. "Well … I suppose we'll have to see about making our home a little more secure." He frowns severely.

Jynx blinks, "Art?" He goes over to the window to take a look.

Dominic sighs. "Nevermind." He goes about, trying to pick up a few of the items knocked about … but considering that much of the room is in a state of order thanks to the wolf's actions, he eventually gives up.

Jynx sighs, and goes back over to the guest bed. He looks to the Jupani, the grimaces. "Uh, Dad? Do you mind if I sleep out in the den tonight?"

Jynx glances over at the shelf, trying to get a look at the little arrangement.

The arrangement on the shelf is a pretty clever construction of what used to be a window latch arrangement, intermixed with some other "spare parts" from about the room, resembling a crude image of a squat lupine with his arms sticking out, holding a little wooden wrench in one paw.

Jynx hmms. He looks over at wolf, as he gets up and heads towards the door, "Did you do that?"

The wolf looks at Jynx and grumphs loudly. Then he nods slowly.

Jynx gives a confused look, then shrugs. What business is it of his? (Even if it is his room.) He heads out the door and down towards the den.

The wolf just remains in the room, clutching his book protectively, growling.

Once downstairs, Jynx plops down on the sofa and curls up, eyes shut. Its been another one of those nights…