It’s raining dats and cogs (erika)

Alicia blinked rapidly as she stared at the pile of dog curled in her bathtub. Ripley had the forethought to drag the heavy comforter from her and Leifr’s bed to create his nest in the grand clawfoot tub she’d convinced her boyfriend that they needed to have. Her dog’s thoughtfulness aside, the reasoning behind him having his own litter of mewling kittens curled against his side, and him licking them every so often like a proud papa. Alicia had been in the middle of getting dressed to go out, as evidenced by the sequined red dress and stiletto heels she’d only been able to slide one on of, before she’d heard the tiny chorus of hungry kittens echoing from the bathroom room.

Sliding out of her tall heel, Alicia padded cautiously to the side of the tub. Sliding down to her knees, she met the eyes of her happy dog, murmuring “What have you done now?” only to be greeted with a happy bark. These weren’t just ordinary kittens. These were something else. They were a soft cream colour, with silver eyes that gleamed with something else. Alicia reached her hand in to grab the searching kitten who was trying to crawl up the walls of the tub, and pulled it against her chest, watched carefully by her own dog. The kitten was so light, barely a weight on her hand, and it was nuzzling into her gown like it was the softest thing.

She didn’t hear the whoosh of the floo, but she turned at the sound of her name being bellowed in the hall before the blonde bombshell that was her best friend Erika stood in the doorway where Alicia was. The brunette blinked a bit before holding the kitten up for Erika’s inspection. “So Ripley is a proud papa to a little of...” Alicia gently touched the kittens as she counted them. “Nine. Come say hello to your nieces and nephews.” As if they me they were being spoken about, a chorus of tiny mews begin and Ripley was singing in a low howling accompaniment.

“I don’t think we can take this lot to the club with us...”

@Erika Trickett

"Hellooo?"

Erika's voice echoed around as she stepped out of the fireplace like she was stepping off a Milanese catwalk. Casually, she flicked a small spot of soot that landed on her pristine outfit. The starkness of the colour brought out the deepness of her sun kissed tan and she wore it because she was tired of her mother lamenting about the loss of her "alabaster Cornish skin". Erika looked better with a tan and her hair had been bleached by the hot sun, shining around her head like an angelic halo of pure gold.

She didn't think it was weird that her favourite cousin was dating her favourite person. If anything, she thought Leifr was bloody lucky to have Alicia in his life and she was keeping a close eye on him. If he messed her around, she'd snap him like a dry twig. "Alicia?" Erika called out as she strode down the hallway. "It's mojito o'clock and we're laaaate~" She said in a sing-song voice before stopping suddenly. What was that sound.

"Oh my God."

With a gasp, her bag dropped to the floor and her tube of lipstick rolled across the floor sadly and forgotten. She became misty-eyed as she clapped her hands to her face and practically skidded over to her best friend. "Can I hold it?" She asked in a soft whisper, her hands held out before more noises caused her attention and she squeaked in surprise. "Babies!" She gasped again, leaning in and picking two of the little things up, jostling them carefully and attempting to wrangle a third.

Erika let out a lot of unintelligible words and happy noises as she kissed the little creatures on the head, leaving behind a faint red mark of her lipstick on their pale fur. The club? "Then we don't go," the tall blonde said with a shrug of her shoulder, fussing over the fur babies gently, stroking a nose with a long index finger. "We stay in and order some food and you can introduce me to everyone. It's about to rain anyway," she said casually. "Oh I love you!" She cooed to the two that she held, squeezing them softly.

“Lots of babies.” Alicia agreed, rubbing her cheek against the kitten that she held in her hand. While she was basking in the cuteness that were baby animals, she was still puzzled. It wasn’t like Ripley could speak and tell her where he’d gotten these precious kittens from. Alicia didn’t know if they were still on meat, or were on food. She didn’t know how to take care of a parcel of kittens. What would Leifr say? Should she call him immediately?

“What do we do?” She asked Erika, placing the kitten against Ripley’s side, watching as the dog licked the kitten, before tucking it closer. She wasn’t quite in a panic, but more in this surreal feeling fugue. “Other than order take out, and watch this pile of kittens roll over each other.” She blinked, her stomach giving her a little bit of a rumble. “Food first though. You watch them?”

Rising from her position on the floor, she stepped into her room for a quick change into comfortable clothing, before walking over to grab the take out menus from the kitchen. They could always go to the Stag, but Leifr would probably question her about why she and Erika weren’t out.  Then he would walk upstairs and butt his big head into the situation, and probably freak over the kittens.

Walking into the bathroom, she sat down on the floor and stared at the cat covered Erika. “We’ve got thai, bar food if you want to go face Leifr…” She laughed softly, looking at the glamour cat lady. “…What do kittens eat? How old are they?”

"Enjoy it?" Erika asked innocently as she expertly handled the kittens who were trying to escape. She came from a large, sprawling family. She was absolutely used to wrangling children and babies. She could do it blindfolded.

"Heck yeah." With that, the tall blonde climbed into the bath and slid down, folding her long legs up and into her chest, mindful not to accidentally clip any of the kittens. The mewling began. As she was a new and uncharted object, they began to climb all over her. Their little claws didn't hurt so much as they grazed her thighs and she deftly managed to stop them all from dropping with the skill of a circus juggler. She managed to have them all set down on her chest, stomach and upper thighs, using her arms as a sort of blockade.

"Ha, no," she snorted when asked if she wanted to face Leifr. Absently, she scratched Ripley behind his soft velvet ears. "He'd only blame me anyway," she added. Her tone wasn't accusatory; it was fact. Erika was well know for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. She didn't so much seek trouble as it came hunting for her.

"I don't think they're newborn," she mused as she lifted a kitten up to her face, not bothering to move as it took a swipe at her and bumped her nose. "Their eyes are open and they seem sprightly enough. Where's mama?" She asked the dog who didn't reply and she smiled softly.

"Maybe he wanted to be a dad," Erika asked lightly, though she was a little worried about the welfare of the mother cat. With any luck, she was happy and healthy, like her babies were. In an odd sort of way, she could sympathise with Alicia's dog. Did she want kids? Of course she did but the best thing that had walked into her life had been Ava and Murphy. A few times, the little girl had called her "mum". While she was thrilled and didn't correct her, she figured she needed to maybe tell her dad about it.

It was easy to think they were mother and daughter. Both blonde haired, blue eyed and easily overexcited. Ava felt like a daughter and she didn't bother to correct anyone as they cooed over the little girl. She'd always wanted kids, ever since she was one herself and if Ava was what she got, then she'd be absolutely thrilled. Erika was absolutely certain that Murphy was "the one". He and Ava came as a package and it was the best one ever.

It had been tough at first, listening and learning about his style of parenting to make sure any changes didn't impact the little girl too much. While she was still unwilling to discipline Ava, she had to occasionally. The worry had faded somewhat. She wanted Ava to like her, to accept her, to feel comfortable around her and she hoped she'd accomplished that. As far as she was concerned, Ava was her daughter. She'd never treat her any differently.

Erika didn't flinch as the kitten bit the tip of her nose. "Maybe try both?" She suggested to Alicia, meaning meat and milk. "Thai food would be amazing," she gushed, letting the kitten free as it scrambled up her chest and over her shoulder, getting itself tangled up in her long blonde hair. She pouted a little. "It's a shame that Murphy's more of a dog lover," she mused. She rather liked this wayward, hair-chewing kitten.

Erika shifted her long legs and allowed Ripley to move a little closer to her as she plucked the kitten out of her hair. It wasn't anything new. She was used to having babies pull at it, stick gum in it, get toys tangled it in, she didn't bat an eye. "How is Lefir?" She asked gently. "I haven't seen him in a while. I think he's avoiding me."