====Finding Mu====
**Date:** 1974 CE
**Location:** Somewhere in Europe - specifics still in the works
**Participants:** [[JosephCooper Joseph Cooper]], [[PeterNorth Peter North]], [[TobyWyld Toby Wyld]], [[Miyen Radley Quinn]]
**Summary:** After a fight, Joe finds a friend.

Joe pushed a fallen pile of wooden planks off of his back, his body bent double to try and keep the flames and heat from the tiny creature cradled in his bare arms.  Around him pieces of the flaming building continued to crash to the ground and black smoke billowed in the cold air that stoked the embers back to life.  

Before him he saw the window frame that he had initially used as a door start to crack along the top edge.  The front facade of the building threatened to buckle under the heat. His boots crunched the broken glass as he hurried forward, his exposed arms and back heedless to the sparks and flame that surrounded him.  

He heard the loud snap as the wooden beams holding up the ceiling began to give way and dove for the opening that was draped in thick dark smoke.  Rolling, he curved his body around the tiny creature and bounded out onto the sidewalk that was illuminated from the fading sun and the growing flames of fire.

As he got to his feet he could hear Toby calling his name over the rumble of the blaze, his loud voice barely audible against the sound of the building as it tumbled to the ground behind him.  Joe got to his feet and looked around, catching sight of the smaller man running towards him from across the street with a unique expression of mixed infuriation and relief on his face.

"Are you ok?" Toby shouted.  Joe nodded and peered down at his arms, "What the hell do you think you were doing going in there?  You can't just..." Toby's reprimands cut short as he followed Joe's gaze.  The tiny orange head that popped up from between Joe's forearms peered up at Toby with large feline eyes.  The kittens ears were perked up curiously but she looked out from the protection of Joe's muscles cautiously.  "A CAT?!" Shouted Toby.  "You went into a flaming building, shit," the interior of the building caved in, "a collapsing flaming building, for a cat?"  

Joe looked up at the other man with a shrug as the tiny kitten mewed back at Toby, almost in his defense.  "I was the one who lit it on fire, Tob." Joe added.

"Hell man," Toby glanced down either side of the street and laid a hand on Joes bear shoulder, and they trotted down the road from the flaming building and turned down a darkened side street.  Within moments Peter rounded the same corner, gun in hand, his head scanning the roadway.  He looked back at Joe for a moment and saw the small head poking out.  The kitten mewed at him ferociously and Peter shook his head and looked back out to the street.  

From the other side of the alley Radley trotted up from the shadows.  Her paced slowed as Toby's lecturing continued.  "It's a nice thought, but you can't risk your neck to save every little thing Joe."

"You do it all the time!" countered Joe, "I do not without danger walk these street!"

"I can survive that kind of thing.  It's going to get you killed."  Toby looked over at Radley as she neared.  She was frowning, looking questioningly at Joe who had turned to peer down at the furry orange striped body in his arms.  "Maybe you can get through to him." Toby said to her grimly.

Radley swung the bag that was in her hand up onto her back along with a sheathed sword and moved to stand silently in front of Joe.  The younger man lifted his sandy colored head and met her eyes for a moment his face as worried as hers was blank.  She looked down as the kitten mewed at her, a small smile breaking onto her lips, then reached out and scratched the tiny animal between the ears.  The kittens white paw stuck out from Joes arms and batted at her ash and dirt stained fingers playfully.  After a moment she looked up, took a hold of Joes chin and leaned forward, planting a small kiss on his cheek and stepped back with a small, warm smile on her face.  Then she turned and headed towards Peter to help ensure their retreat was clear.  Joe watched her go with a dopey grin spreading on his own face.  

Toby shook his head. "That's only going to encourage him," he murmured with frustration mixed with resignation. Then he laughed to himself as he saw Joe rub the kittens head and the small creature perked up more, glancing about with interest.  "You did good kid," Toby said quietly as he slapped Joe on the back.  The younger man tipped forward slightly and gave Toby a half grin and a wince at the impact.  They turned and walked up behind Peter and Radley then the four, now five headed out as sirens started wailing from down the road. 

After traversing through a maze of streets and alleys they arrived and quickly climbed up the back stairwell, Peter leading the way followed by Joe still shirtless and cradling the small kitten in his arms, then Radley with Toby taking up the rear.  

"We can't keep it, Joe." said Toby in his best fatherly tone as he shut and locked the apartment door.  Joe looked up at him with a frown.

"Why not?  Not like it's going to get in the way."  Joe held up the small orange ball that fit easily into his two hands.  The kitten had fallen asleep but being waved about brought her awake and she mewed loudly as he held her out in the air towards Toby.

Toby sighed and looked to Radley and then Peter who both returned his pleading look with noncommittal shrugs.  Without any support, Toby shook his head.  "Don't tell Sam," he said tiredly but with a thread of amusement in his voice. Joe gave him a victorious grin and Peter chuckled quietly and then headed towards the kitchen.  As Toby slipped out of his jacket he said, "You should give it a name then."   

"How about..." Joe lifted the kitten to eye level and it stared back at him with wide eyes. "Graymalkin?" he said, testing the name.

Radley frowned, "She's no witches familiar, Joe." 

After a moment, Joe nodded in agreement and let the kitten down onto the couch and went to pull on a t-shirt to replace the one burned in the fight and fire.  The small cat padded along the deep cushions carefully and hopped up onto the back rest, exploring the terrain.

"Felix?"  Suggested Toby as Joe came back in, donning a striped t-shirt and buttoned over shirt.

"No," Joe said quickly, "she's orange not black." Joe sat down on the couch near to the cat.  The little kitten looked over at him and then jumped down into his lap and padded at his jeans with white paws and needle sharp claws.  Radley set her bag next to the table at the center of the living room, lifted her sword off her back and laid it on the table top before sitting on the other end of the couch.  The kitten lifted her head curiously from its attack on Joe's leg and leaped delicately onto the center cushion and stalked towards her cautiously.  Radley held out a hand and the kitten sniffed it and then pushed its head into her palm and started purring loudly.  She lifted the little body into her lap and the kitten curled up and demanded more attention. 

Stroking the kitten, Radley suggested, "Mu Lao Hu Yu Huo."

"Huh?" said Toby as Joe repeated the syllables thoughtfully.

"Mu Lao Hu Yu Huo." Joe looked over at the kitten that was purring loudly and twitching her tail from side to side.  "Thats, Japan...no, Chinese?"  Radley nodded, "What does it mean?"

"Friendly tiger from the fire."  She said with a small smile as she looked down at the cat and rubbed the kittens white chin.

"Ah, right."  Toby came over and looked at the cat, "Mu." And rustled the little cats head.

"Is it a cat or a cow?" Asked Peter cynically as he emerged from the kitchen with a beer in hand.

Belongs to categories: AllEvents