carpe-ho_ras [closed, for Merlin]

[misborncat]

Asato didn't like the rain. He huddled up further under the tree canopy and curled his tail around him further. His cloak was getting soaked through and he figured he'd eventually have to brave the full force of the spring storm to get inside the mansion and dry off, but he wasn't really looking forward to that.

Times like this, he missed his tiny hut in his home village. Or even Bardo's inn. Something warm and safe.

Like I said, for Merlin, but if someone wants to chat with a water-logged kitty, feel free to poke me.

Comments

[misborncat.livejournal.com]

"It's amazing." And he means it. "But your magic is also different than what I know..."

[myrddin-wyllt.livejournal.com]

"Then when we are both warm and safe," he tells him, "you will tell me what magic you've come across, aye?"

[misborncat.livejournal.com]

"Alright." Asato would very much like to be warm, but he already feels quite safe with Merlin.

[myrddin-wyllt.livejournal.com]

Merlin gives him a gentle smile, and if they've made it to the hut, he'll open the door for him. "In you go, lad - and feel free to wander by the fire."

It's already crackling cheerfully in the hearth. The hut itself is rather old and murky, the place is untidy but not exactly dirty - there are herbs hanging from the ceiling, and the faint scent of clove is everywhere.

If Asato pays attention (there are pans hanging), he'll notice that everything metal is generally copper, and certainly not iron.

[misborncat.livejournal.com]

Asato gives himself a brisk shake before entering. It's only polite after all to not drip on everything.

The hut is ... familiar. The pans and metal work is really the only thing different from his own hut back home as he had clay and stone crockery. Well, the size as well. A small one room hut vs. this? No contest.

"It's wonderful."

[myrddin-wyllt.livejournal.com]

Merlin takes his cloak off, brings it by the fire and stands there, letting himself dry. "The hut thanks you for the compliment, Asato. That is very well done of you. Now, lad, tea?"

I'm going out of chronological! Shame on me.

[misborncat.livejournal.com]

Asato comes to stand by the fire as well andshrugs off his own sodden cloak.

"Tea? Yes please."

Fffff, chronology is for losers. ^^

[myrddin-wyllt.livejournal.com]

Merlin smiles, and leaving the cat to warm himself at the hearth, goes to fill the kettle with water from the tank.

"Tea and stew," he mutters as he puts the water to boil on the fire. "For we are both famished, are we not?"

Good to know. ^^

[misborncat.livejournal.com]

Asato perks up at the sound of food. "I can help if you want."

You know what they say about feeding stray cats...

<3 <3 <3

[myrddin-wyllt.livejournal.com]

"If you wish, lad, though it's only to put it to heat on the fire, really."

The cauldron is probably in plain view.

[misborncat.livejournal.com]

"I don't want to be lazy," he says as he stands up to help. He's fairly strong and happy to do what Merlin directs his way.

Besides, the faster things get done, the sooner food is around.

[myrddin-wyllt.livejournal.com]

"My thanks, then, lad," he replies, and lets Asato put the stew to the fire. "Here -" the tea is ready sooner than it should be by natural means, "in the meantime."

He taps the earthen mug lightly.

[misborncat.livejournal.com]

Smiling, Asato takes the mug with a bow. "Thank you," he says before going back to sit on the floor by the hearth. "Did you build this place yourself?"

He'd gotten an unused hut of his own when he'd been deemed too big to stay with his 'aunt' any longer so he didn't know how to build his own. It seemed like a very impressive thing to him.

[myrddin-wyllt.livejournal.com]

"Aye, I did," Merlin replies as he sinks into his chair, an old thing covered in sheepskin.

"Though I had little else to do, in the day."

[misborncat.livejournal.com]

Asato thinks about that for a moment. "Do you have more things to do now?"

[myrddin-wyllt.livejournal.com]

"When the weather is dry, I will find more wood for the fire," he replies. "Until then, entertaining my company suffices me."

[misborncat.livejournal.com]

"As long as I'm not being a bother," he says. "I'll have to go back to my spot when it's dry again and see what can be salvaged... But I can help you gather wood too."

[myrddin-wyllt.livejournal.com]

"You may stay as long as you wish, lad," Merlin tells him. "The house has been quiet of late."

He looks half-pleased and half-worried.

[misborncat.livejournal.com]

"Really? What if ... I want to stay for a while?" It would be nice to get out of the rain and elements for a bit, and this place was much more comfortable than the Mansion. That was much, much too big.

[myrddin-wyllt.livejournal.com]

"Son, I would sooner have you under my roof than alone in these woods," Merlin replies. "It is most unsafe."

[misborncat.livejournal.com]

Asato smiles. "Really? I won't take up much space," he promises. He can smell others here and doesn't want to crowd them.

[myrddin-wyllt.livejournal.com]

"Hush now - you will take as much space as anyone else, and that will be well," he says. "There were two lads here, but one of them seems to have deserted." He grumbles something about fickle bards.

[misborncat.livejournal.com]

"Who's the other one?"

[myrddin-wyllt.livejournal.com]

"A young lad - another of my kind. He is reclusive, but you might meet him, one day. His name is Sebastian."

[misborncat.livejournal.com]

The cat files away the name for later. The warmth from the fire and the tea are going a long way to making him feel alive again and he's content enough to ignore that his hair and fur has dried into a bit of a mess.

"I've never smelled another like you."