Fourth Song ★ Dictated/Action

[catsong]

...what do you do about baby hiccups? Shui's been doing it for over an hour, now...

[Catboy hasn't been around much lately, both due to sudden kitten and the fact that he was mortified at his earlier nipped-up behavior.

Today, however, he's finally venturing out among the residents again, looking for a cure for his little one. The kitten was named after Konoe's father, and had Konoe's colors - only inverted. Brown ears and a tail, tipped in white.

...and the tail was not crooked, which was a relief.]

Comments

[cantacquityou]

Hiccups for over an hour? That's rather unusual... I take it you've offered the traditional methods of quelling hiccups?

[catsong]

I've tried, but Shui's just a kitten and I don't want to hurt him...

[cantacquityou]

...





...A kitten.

[catsong]

Ah... I mean a baby.

[cantacquityou]

...Right.


Well, then, I certainly wouldn't think that a drink of water would hurt your...baby.

[catsong]

In the bottle, then?

[cantacquityou]

I don't see why not.



Were you actually given a kitten?

[catsong]

Yes, but not the four-legged kind. My people call ourselves cats.

[cantacquityou]

...and why is that?

[thehistorian]

Have you tried burping him?

[catsong]

Burping him? How do I do that?

[thehistorian]

Put a cloth on your shoulder, hold the baby up next to your shoulder and gently pat its back until it spits up.

[catsong]

Oh! Thank you very much, I'll try that.

[thehistorian]

Good luck. I think we're all a bit out of our depth with this.

[catsong]

Yes... I hope no bad people were given children.

[thehistorian]

Even if they were, I imagine someone else would step in. The castle doesn't seem terribly malevolent, for all its whims.

[catsong]

I suppose... still, I'm a bit concerned.

[peacockherald]

_{[Oh good, Konoe. He had worried about you, but the whole being a peacock thing sort of made it hard to check up on his friend.]}

Try rubbing their back, or feeding them milk or water, depending on what they take.

I take it this is your first time as a parent?

[catsong]

[The amount of absolute embarrassment had made him hide in his room for some time =/ Only the smallest kittens acted the way he'd done when high on that cursed herb.]

I gave him some milk... the castle gave me some odd-tasting milk to give him, but he seems to like it.

[Pure cow milk would make him sick, so the castle gave him formula]

...but it doesn't seem to help.

[He sighs and moves Shui a bit so he can get a better access to the journal.]

Y-yes. I've never even seen a child this small... and I haven't even had my first rut yet.

[peacockherald]

First... rut... ? Ah... ah, you mean you are virgin.

_{[It was not a concept Vanyel was unfamiliar with nor shied away from, so to speak. But he had never been particular comfortable discussing his sexuality. In his world, it was most likely going to get him dirty looks.]}

[catsong]

R-right.

[Ribika went into heat twice a year after reaching adulthood, but Konoe was a late bloomer thanks to living in a backwater village where everybody hated him. =/]

...and there are very, very few children and females in my country. So it's odd to suddenly have a kitten.

[peacockherald]

_{[That... surprised him. He blinked, wondering how to feel about that.]}

So, most of your partners are...

Never mind. Do you have an actual kitten, or does it look like a human baby?

[catsong]

Huh?

[He blinks, a bit confused as he looks at the journal.]

It's a ribika baby.

[peacockherald]

So, it looks like you with a cat tail and ears?

_{[He's just trying to get a mental image.]}

[catsong]

Yes... he looks like me, but his ears and tail are brown and the tips are white... not the other way around, like mine. His hair and skin is a lot darker, too.

[A pause.]

...he's beautiful.

I never knew kittens were this helpless, though. My mother must have been stronger than I ever realized.