◦°☆ ᴍᴏᴏɴʀɪsᴇ--ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 7 ☆°◦

Instructions

-ˏˋ⠀sᴛᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ⠀ˊˎ- Maggie lay on her stomach, watching the butterflies. Once upon a time, they would cluster around her, causing her to giggle and squeal with delight. Now they flew away at her touch. She sniffed and wiped a tear away. At least she had one friend that hadn't abandoned her. Fire-Breathing Dragon Horse was in the stables, where he always was. He nickered and snorted smoke at her approach. She payed his horsey noises no mind, reaching out to tangle her fingers in his mane. It was warm, like a summer day. She leaned on the wooden wall and smiled sleepily. Fire-Breathing Dragon Horse whinnied and shook himself, and Maggie saw an invitation in his eyes. Suppressing a tingle of fear, she began hoisting her self up over the partition that divided him from the rest of the stable. There was a small hole cut to let air in, and Maggie's skinny body was just small enough to squeeze through. She landed on the floor with a bump, scattering charred hay everywhere. Fire-Breathing Dragon Horse nudged her, and she reached up to pet him. She looked into his eyes, entranced. She was sleepy, so sleepy. Dimly, she heard a yell. "NO! YOU IDIOT CHILD, GET OUT OF THERE!" Maggie didn't know why there was shouting. She leaned against the horse, eyelids fluttering. The door swung open and hands grasped her, pulling her away. She didn't resist; she was too tired. "Idiot. Don't you know? Fire-Breathing Dragon Horse is carnivorous. He can hypnotize you with his eyes. Friendly as he may seem, you can never trust a dragon." Maggie blinked and yawned, rubbing her eyes. Lepos was crouched in front of her, his eyes worried. "Sorry," Maggie mumbled, her eyes on the ground. Lepos hesitated, as though not sure what to do. "It's okay, just don't do it again. I know it's hard." He pushed something white and furry into her hands. "Here. This was given to me by...an acquaintance of mine who didn't want it anymore." He swallowed and looked away. Maggie gave him a sharp look. She may have been young, but she was not, as Lepos seemed to think, an idiot child. Clearly there was more behind the story of this acquaintance. The thing in her hands wriggled and mewed. She held it up to her face, examining it. It was a white kitten, with strangely slick fur. Was that soap? There was a LOT more to the story of this kitten. But right now it looked forlorn and helpless that Maggie couldn't help but cuddle it to her chest, not minding the soap that rubbed off on her clothes. "It's a kitty," she said, looking up at Lepos. She slowly began to smile. "I like kitties." He patted her on the head and rose. "Good. Don't forget to give her a name and lots of love. Feeding and watering her would probably help, too. And she might want to get that soap off her fur." Impulsively, Maggie stood and threw her arms around Lepos. "Thank you," she said, her face pressed up against him. Lepos stiffened, but he gingerly hugged her back before beating a hasty retreat. Maggie turned to her kitten. "Now, Your Majesty, let's get you cleaned up," she said, picking the cat up and walking away. -ˏˋ ᴇɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ˊˎ-