* Look at that puppy! The one with the sad eyes!

[Munkustrap Etc.]

Munkustrap rolled onto his side, tipping Electra off. "You can play around me, but not on me," he grumbled.

Etcetera giggled as Munkstrap knocked Electra off, clapping her paws. "Yay!"

Tumble lead Belle to the piano and stopped, looking up. Newborn kittens and a young Pollicle. Not a good mix. "Uh... stay here. You stay. I... soon back." He pointed to the puppy and then to the ground, to show her what he meant, before vaulting up into the piano. "Munkustrap! Munkustrap!"

[xxelectraxx]

" Sorry...." Electra said as she toppled onto her back. She got back up on tackled down Etcy again. " GOTCHA!!!!" Electra declared happily.

Belle stayed outside as she was told, not wanting to make the cat mad at her in fear that she would get hurt.

[Munkustrap Etc.]

Etcetera bopped Electra on the nose with her paw. "I got you!"

Munkustrap turned to face Tumblebrutus as the younger cat entered, clearly agitated about something. "What is it, Tumble?"

"Pollicle!" Tumble cried, pointing out of the piano.

Munkustrap was immediately ready for a fight, but as he sprang for the exit, Tumble got in his way. "Tumble, what is it?" he demanded, checking his jump to land in front of the cat instead of on him.

"It's a puppy," Tumble said, lowering his ears. "I kinda... um... said we'd help it."

[xxelectraxx]

Electra bopped Etcy back and then leaped off of her and rubbed her nose. " Ouchies!" She said. Yup, she had been hanging around Etcy too much.

Belle laid down, waiting for the cat to come back out. She whipered a bit and barked softly. She grew impaitient and bored and began to chase her tail happily.

[Munkustrap Etc.]

Etcetera shushed Electra, looking over at where Tumble and Munkstrap were talking. "Pollicle!" she whispered, pointing to the exit.

Munkustrap crept to the hole in the piano and looked out, down, at the puppy. It was definitely bigger than the kittens, maybe about Quaxo's size, maybe a bit bigger. "That's a puppy?" If that was how small it was as a child, how big would it grow?

"Her humans abandoned her," Tumble said quietly. "She's three months old."

Munkustrap turned to look at Tumble, frowning slightly. "We should find some Pollicles to raise her."

Tumble nodded. "We should... but for just now?"

"She can't come in here," Munkustrap said, sitting back. "I don't want her near the newborns. Maybe the stove." He pointed toward the old, broken stove. "That should keep the wind down."

Tumble nodded and jumped out of the piano to tell the puppy the news.

[xxelectraxx]

" What is a Pollicle doing here??" Electra whispered to Etcy. She eyed the door. She walked over to Munkustrap. " Mr. Munkustrap, may I please go outside? Just for a second???" Electra asked. She wanted to see the pollicle. She had never seen one before.

Belle continued to chase her tail happily, giving up after another minute, not being able to catch it. She saw the cat come back out of the piano.

[Munkustrap Etc.]

"No," Munkustrap said, reaching out to grab both kittens by the scruffs of their necks (Etcetera had followed Electra to the door). "You can look, though." The kittens probably wanted to see the Pollicle, and Munkustrap knew that if he didn't let them look, they'd probably try to sneak off on their own, later. He wasn't about to let go of them, though. This Pollicle, young though it may be, couldn't necessarily be trusted.

"You stay yes," Tumblebrutus said, trying to figure out how to explain things in his mediocre Dog. "Umm... you stay for cold. I take you to bed." He hoped that was everything. Glancing up, he could see Munkustrap and the kittens watching. "Aren't you going to help?" he asked the Protector.

"Your Dog is better than mine," Munkustrap replied. Tumble had the benefit of having Jennyanydots as a mother. She could speak fluently with any animal. "I'll follow, though, in case she attacks, but for now, you're the one she trusts."

[xxelectraxx]

Electra saw other cats come out of the piano. " They help, no hurt?" Belle asked Tumble. She sunk down to the ground when she saw the other cats. Electra squirmed some when Munkustrap picked her up by her scruff. She didn't even like her mother doing that to her.

[Munkustrap Etc.]

"They help, no hurt," Tumble replied. "Come. Follow." He led the dog toward the stove Munkustrap had approved for its den.

Etcetera whined as Munkustrap grabbed her, batting at his paw. "I'm not a baby!"

"No, but you're a mischiefmaker," Munkustrap replied. "There, you've seen the Pollicle, now go back inside?"

[xxelectraxx]

Belle followed Tumble. " Me stay with you? You friend?" Belle asked as she followed Tumble. " Me no stay by self. Too scawwy." Belle said.

" Is the pollicle nice? It looks nice. " Electra said. || I've got to get off for the night. I hope that I don't get too far behind..... Byes!||

[xxelectraxx]

|| Never mind. I can stay longer.||

[Munkustrap Etc.]

"Uh...." Tumble looked back over his shoulder at Munkustrap, but the Protector was busy trying to get both kittens back inside the piano. "Um... no. You not too scrawny. You stay by self."

[xxelectraxx]

" Too dark!!! Too scawwy!!!" Belle said. She was used to sleeping with her humans. One of the children had a night-light and she was used to sleeping with the night-light. She wouldn't sleep without it.

" Is it nice??" Electra repeated. Munkustrap obviously didn't hear her the first time. " If it's nice, can I play with it???" Electra added to her previous question. || Scawwy= Scary||

[Munkustrap Etc.]

"I don't know if it's nice or not," Munkustrap told the kittens (he had Etcy by her waist now, as she kept trying to dive past him). "But it's going to get very, very big."

"Uh..." Tumble stared at the puppy, not understanding. "Dark good for sleep. Um... not too dark."

[xxelectraxx]

" No! Dark scawy!!! Too scawy!!! Need night-light!" Belle said.

Electra sat down, inside of the piano door. " But if it is nice, can I play with it? It looks lonely...." electra said.