The times, they are a-changing, and we are changing as they go

[runs]

The first thing that Kitty does when her senses return is to run.

Run and run and run and run, and then hide under a chair for good measure. And then just cower there, shaking and hissing should anyone even try to come closer.

To most people, it will just look like a terribly upset black kitten hating the world, but those who can see through masks will notice that that isn't quite true. Because the kitten really has paws that just look a bit too much like hands, with prolonged digits, one of which could function as a thumb, and ears that sit too low on her head and are too asymmetric and flat tilted back to look right. If someone looks carefully, they will also notice gills on the kitten's flanks just behind her shoulders.

She'll hiss at everyone because fuck all of this, but she will only hiss for a few seconds if she knows the person. Probably. Maybe.

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[runs]

She'll just... reach out to lay a paw against Nitou's shirt, and then bend her little not-fingers to grab it and pull at it. Sure, a bit of the job is done by her claws still, but most of the grip comes from her innermost digit being kind of opposable now and there being digits in the first place, protruding stubby fingers where her paw should be much more solid and round.

And tug some more for good measure. This is so weird.

[infinitemayonnaise]

Nitou stares down at that. "...that is definitely new." There's a long pause. "At...least you can open cabinets now?"

[runs]

"Cats-" Cats can open some cabinets, just not the way humans can, but that's not the point here.

There's clearly something happening here that is making her less and less of a proper cat. "This is stupid."

[infinitemayonnaise]

"Thumbs are pretty awesome, though." Nitou is trying to be comforting, in his own way. "I miss them when I go full lion."

[runs]

"...They are practical." She has to admit that much. Some things get easier to operate with them.

Speaking of full lions, though- "I can see you properly. The whole time." And she couldn't before. Why?

[infinitemayonnaise]

"Wait, what?" He looks down at himself and back at her. "Really? Seriously?" Hold up, things are kind of starting to fall a little more into place...

[runs]

"Yeah." She stands, a bit awkwardly because she's hyperaware of her strange paws now, and starts wandering over towards him and climbing up towards his shoulders. It's comfortable up there and feels safe, from what she remembers of meeting him at the market, and that's what she needs right now.

[infinitemayonnaise]

He'll let her get up there, and he'll offer a bit of petting once she's gotten settled. "You want something to eat? Would that help?"

[runs]

"...I want to know why everything is wrong."

It's bad when you can't even distract her with food any more, but she's at that stage right now.

[infinitemayonnaise]

"Ah, well...that...that happens in the Hedge." Nitou's quiet. "Things can go really wrong in there. Really wrong."

[runs]

Kitty makes an unhappy thrilling sound and burrows more deeply into the fur at Nitou's neck. Now that she's this close to Nitou, he might feel a soft, summery warm breeze brush against his neck, an impression of warmth and sun more than something to actually move any hairs.

"...I think I died."

[infinitemayonnaise]

"Ohhhh..." He reaches up to offer a soothing bit of petting in addition to letting her burrow there. "That...that can happen out there, yeah. But you're safe now."

[runs]

"But aren't people dead after they died?" It's not that she wants to be, but she's pretty sure that she should be. They don't even have DocWagon here.

[infinitemayonnaise]

"Most of the time, yeah, but it doesn't always go that way in the Hedge." Nitou grimaces. "Stuff from there doesn't always work like it should or like you think it should."

[runs]

"I don't like it." She buries herself deeper into his neck again and falls quiet, shaken to her core and not intending to get out of this relative safe space anytime soon. She won't mind if he starts moving and listen to whatever he has to say, but she'll just stay here for a good long while, looking for all the world like a regular kitten sitting on a regular guy's shoulder.

[infinitemayonnaise]

"No one does, kid. No one does." He's tempted to fix something to eat, but he's not sure he wants to do that with her on his shoulder--when you favor cooking on a small campfire charcoal grill like he is, and when you've got a bad history of things literally blowing up in your face when you do that, well...he'd rather be safe. He'll find a nice, peaceful tree somewhere and sit with his back to it, letting her take in some peace there.