Right in Your Backyard (private)

[ToddlerMarissa]

'Where am I? Where is everyone? ' were the only thoughts running through the brown skinned neko's head as she ran through the forest. Her name was Snow, and a few hours ago, poachers entered her clan and started taking all of the nekos they could find. Snow ran away before any of them could capture her, but in doing so got lost within the forest. After day turned to night with not a single neko to be found, Snow was about to give up, but all of a sudden, she saw a light leading away from the forest. She wasn't sure where the light would take her, but as long as it was away from the poachers, Snow didn't see any better alternative. So, she followed the light and stumbled her way into the backyard of someone's house. Snow had heard of human houses, but this is the first time she had ever seen one. She tried to enter it, seeking shelter from the poachers, but she found herself unable to open the back door. "Stinking humans! Why must they make everything so complicated, " Snow meowed out loud, thinking no one would hear her. However, unbeknownst to her, the owner of the house was inside and listening...

[PaddedPrinceling Joey]

There was a rattling at the backdoor. Annabelle was working on making herself dinner, when the noise suddenly began to rustle away at the handle. Hand on a pan, she wrapped her fingers around the handle. She approached the door, and turned the lock. Free hand on the handle, she opened it. Pan raised up, it opened and revealed a small, dark skinned girl... with cat ears? She seemed panicked and fearful, lights in the background. The cat girl was clearly too small to really worry her, stepping off to the side and pulling her in. "Come on, sweetie," Annabelle urged, closing the door behind the two. "You running from someone?" There was something scaring her.

[ToddlerMarissa]

Snow almost jumped back in shock when she saw that there was actually someone inside the house after all. This was prime hunting time back in the forest; what was this human doing at home? Snow's shock only grew when she heard the human speaking to her in its human tongue. The young neko had no idea what this she-human was saying of course, but she could sense concern in her voice, so Snow decided to trust her for now. "My name is Snow," she mewed. "There was a giant poaching raid on my clan, and I just barely managed to escape." Annabelle would likely not understand Snow, but would definitely pick up on the fear in her voice.

[PaddedPrinceling Joey]

This poor girl couldn't speak; only mewed like a kitten would. Sighing, Annabelle brushed her brunette hair over her shoulder and smiled. Leading the neko out of the kitchen and into the parlor, she looked over the poor girl to get a grasp on what it was she was dressed in. "I'm Annabelle, hon. Can you tell me your name?" inquired the woman, unaware that Snow had already introduced herself. It was an unlikely option, but it was better than nothing. Some kind of conversation had to be struck, simply to pass the time even. "Are you hungry? Maybe you'd like something to eat?" Maybe she'd understand something Anna was saying.

[ToddlerMarissa]

Snow was a bit miffed by the language barrier between her and the she-human, and she saw the she-human didn't quite like it either. As she was led into the kitchen, Annabelle would be able to see that Snow looked to be about 14 in human years and as naked as the day she was born. Her attempts to strike conversation would be in vain, as Snow had no knowledge of human language. However, some things are universal between species, as Snow's stomach growled once she smelled Annabelle's dinner. "I didn't eat all day, and that food does smell delicious. I wonder if the she-human would be able to spare me any..." Snow mewed to herself, eyeing the food with hunger.

[PaddedPrinceling Joey]

The cat girl seemed to respond in kind to her offer, or at least she thought she did. Undoing the apron that Annabelle wore, she stepped carefully over. "We'll get you something to eat, but let's cover you up first," the matronly woman offered, proffering the apron to the girl. She intended to assist the girl in getting it on, at least until they could spend some time looking for clothes in her closet. "C'mere, and we'll eat. You'll love it." It was a simple chicken stew that was simmering over, the scent of poultry hopefully would appeal to the girl enough to entice getting dressed. "Something to cover up. Like me." She tried to indicate how the apron would be worn, holding it up to her front and then offering it anew to Snow.

[ToddlerMarissa]

Snow looked quizzically at the white sheet-like thing presented to her by the she-human. It appeared to be a body covering of some sort, but she had never seen anything like it before. Snow didn't understand the need for such a cover, as she and her fellow clan members never used anything like that, but since this she-human was being so hospitable, Snow saw no harm in wearing it. She following the she-humans miming instructions, and got the sheet on, albiet after struggling with it for a few moments. It was a bit loose on Snow, considering the size difference between her and Annabelle, but not loose enough to fall off. Once she got the apron on, Snow cautiously approached Annabelle and the chicken stew.

[PaddedPrinceling Joey]

Annabelle carefully made certain the girl was comfortable in the apron. Settled around her neck and cinched up around the girl's hips, she smiled a little. "Not so bad, right?" asked the woman, leading Snow to the table and ushering her to sit. Once seated comfortably, Anna turned to the stew, serving it up in a bowl she'd pulled for herself; the panicked girl came first here. A small bowl and a spoon set before her, she smiled. "Go on, sweetie. Eat up, it's good for you... I think," Anna smiled, ignorant of the nutritional needs of another species. She assumed it was alright.

[ToddlerMarissa]

Snow sat down at the table, still scared but comforted by Annabelle's soothing nature. She waited eagerly for the stew, and once it was brought before her, Snow started eating it the only way she knew how: by lapping up the broth with her tongue. As one could imagine, hot stew on a young neko's sensitive tongue was a recipe for some serious hurt. Snow mewed sharply and held her mouth close. "Do you humans always serve food this hot?" the neko mewed behind her hands.

[PaddedPrinceling Joey]

In mere moments, it was clear what Annabelle's folly was. Face first, the kitten began to try and lap up the stew like a saucer of milk. "Oh, no sweetie. That's not how we do that," Anna tried to quickly correct, but it was too late. This girl clearly had no life skills, and how she'd grown was probably very different than Annabelle was accustomed to. Smiling meekly, she picked up the spoon. "Like this." It was very simply instruction, dipping the spoon into the broth, she blew on the spoon for a moment and took her own spoonful. Satisfied that blowing on it wasn't so bad, she dipped in for a second spoonful, and blew before offering it to little Snow. "Nice and easy, hon. Take a bite."