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A small creature sat huddled in the dark corner, blending into the shadows with its tenebrous pelt, nearly invisible if it were not for its wide, golden eyes. It crept along the shelf, eyes laid predatorily on the magi occupied with a dusty old book. A ripple of iridescent green passed over the creature's skin in its excitement; it was closing in on its target. It came to the edge of the shelf, hiding behind an antique bookend carved to look like a dragon's head. It crouched at the edge, waggled its hindquarters, and pounced.
"Oof!" The magi exclaimed as the creature landed on her upper back, tiny claws digging through her clothes. "Alright, Kit, very funny," she said, reaching back and scooping up her fuzzy attacker. The kitten immediately started purring as his magi, Meredith, placed him on her desk as his coat turned from a dusky purple to a creamy white, gold lace embellishing his fuzzy skin, and his eyes melted from gold to blue. "I am not a scratching post," she scolded him. "That," she pointed to the small cat tower at the end of the bed, "is a scratching post. Got it?"
The Filigree kitten just stared and purred.
"Oh, I can't stay mad at you, can I?" Meredith pet the kitten, who arched his back on the downstroke, and a wave of teal happiness followed her hand, mesmerizing. "I'm trying to study, Cat."
He blinked.
Meredith sighed in mock-frustration. "Go sit in the window."
He turned and jumped onto the sill, and stretched as a mid-afternoon breeze floated into the room. He sat and took watch like a cute little guardian, eying a Winged Cat, who also belonged to Meredith, as it swooped and floated with other creatures. The Filigree kitten decorated his pelt with the outline of golden wings, which, as Meredith watched, opened and closed as if he were stretching them.
Meredith thought back to how she'd obtained the kitten, about a month ago.
"What'll you take for the whole package?" The wealthy-looking magi was eying up the two Coal Wyrms curled up together in a dark pile that could be mistaken for the aftermath of a bonfire, if it weren't for the steady rise and fall of the creatures' breathing. Around them sat many colorful Arkai, all wearing tagged collars that identified them as an auction package.
"One of a few things," Meredith answered. "150 grand, a Western Cyan Psittarx, an Aurora Whale or a Filigree Cat."
The magi reached inside her coat, and produced a small, fuzzy bundle that appeared to be asleep from a hidden pocket. "Deal?"
"Deal," Meredith said, smiling. She reached out for the cream and gold colored kitten, which woke up once it realized it was being moved. It let out a high-pitched, squeak-like mew that melted her heart, and stared at her with its bright blue eyes that seemed too big for the size of its head. It stretched its neck out to sniff Meredith's hand, then, seemingly satisfied, began purring.
The other magi pet her kitten one last time before handing him over to Meredith, who then held him close to her chest. "I'll take good care of him," she assured, and the magi responded in kind of the creatures they were visiting.
She still hadn't named him. She currently referred to him as Cat; Kit; Kitten and the like. She definitely planned to keep him, meaning to look for a female sometime soon, but she was running low on gold. She had a few rather expensive creatures to sell before she could do any more heavy buying.
Both the kitten and Meredith were startled when a loud caw broke the quiet, and a Coria Alagos—the one belonging to High Archmage Thane—flapped up to the window. The kitten was spooked out of his fur and half-jumped, half-fell from the windowsill and jumped into the he little cubby in his cat tree. His pupils were dilated to their max as he peeked out of his hiding spot, scarlet and black waves flowing across his pelt in alarm. The bird cawed loudly again, dropped a rolled-up letter onto Meredith's desk, and flapped away.
Speechless, Meredith picked up the letter, undid the string, and read it over.
"To Meredith Gold,
Tomorrow durning free time, please report to the Library, room L2 for a select meeting. Please make haste, and do not mention this to other magi. You do not require supplies of any kind.
Thank you,
High Archmage Thane"
"This is weird," Meredith murmured. She reread it to make sure she didn't miss anything, then folded it up and put it in her desk drawer. "I don't think I'm particularly special," she told the kitten, who had crept from his little cave and settled in her lap, kneading her thigh. She rubbed behind his ears, one of his favorite spots. A purr started up, and hummed strongly as she thought of what could have called her specifically to a meeting with Thane.