Here's To You, Mrs. Robinson...

Xeph regarded the critter before him with something like mingled distaste and sympathy. An odd mis to achieve, for sure. But he was managing, casting withering glances at his receptionist/assistant as he donned a pair of very thick gloves.

Ah, Nachton, new home, new start, the place where his Pack would grow and thrive and regain their place in the world.

Little difficult to see that now. Mrs. Robinson's cat was about to claw his arms to ribbons. His assistant, a veritable neophyte to the field, had taken pity on the woman and scheduled the little darling for an appointment when he'd thought he'd been pretty specific about leaving the number of feline patients to a minimum. Cats didn't like Xeph. And Xeph didn't like cats overmuch either.

Normally, he could get away with a routine exam but damnit, Fluffy had to go wander around outside at night and that led to eating nasty things and that led to worms which led to Xeph irritably trying to grapple with Fluffy, who'd seemingly grown fifteen more sets of claws, and shove a dewormer down her precious little throat.

Xeph was sorely tempted to shove it elsewhere.

Finally though, the deed was done and Fluffy stowed away back in her carrier, a grateful Mrs. Robinson chattering away as she headed to the front desk to pay her bill. Xeph pulled his gloves off and looked around at his small clinic with satisfaction.

New home indeed.

The yowling Fluffy was carted off and Xeph couldn't say he was terribly sorry to see her go. Fortunately, that was the only feline client for the day and he could now relax and deal with the far more amiable canines.

That night, there was no one to notice one sneaky kitty making her escape from an open window. And no one to notice until the following morning the disappearance of one sneaky kitty... with nothing but a tuft or two of soft fur to show she'd ever been sneaky at all.

Here's to you, Mrs. Robinson...

Xeph licked his lips in satisfaction and let his legs carry him back home to the Den.