No Rest for the Weary(Alex//Cat,Rufus)

She had just begun to nod off when there was a tapping on the door. “Who is it?” she called out groggily.

“It’s Miss Nelly, dear. May I come in?”

Alex pulled off the blanket that was covering her and traipsed over to the door to unlock it. “What do you need, Nelly? Are those pigs back causing trouble?”

“No, no, dear, nothing like that.” The short lady came into the room and allowing the many voices to break through the silence of room 3. “There’s some fellas downstairs who wish to meet you.”

“Aw, Nelly, I was almost asleep. Can’t it wait ‘til morning?” The girl looked longingly at the bed, trying to give the dear woman a hint.

Nelly smiled sympathetically, “You really should come down. One of the young men took out at least two dozen of those hoodlums in front of Al’s Diner. I think you ought to go and thank him for such a grand service.”

Alex knew from past experience that there would be no dissuading Nelly. Reluctantly she mumbled that she’d be down as soon as she put some pants on.

“Thank you, dear. You’ll find them in the parlor eating.” She quickly left the room to tend to her other guests.

Alex grabbed a pair of jeans from the floor and slipped them on under her nightshirt. Not bothering with her boots, she padded down the wooden steps in her bare feet. She looked like a little girl standing in the doorway of the parlor in her oversized shirt and mused hair. She politely acknowledged various ones as they passed in and out the door. Alex knew that it had to be close to midnight but the house showed no signs of emptying out any time soon. Nelly seemed to be in her element as she scurried about with blankets, pillows, and food. Alex walked into the parlor and found a man and a boy not much younger than herself eating and talking with some other guests.

“Nelly?” she hollered stepping back into the little hall.

“Yes, dear?”

“I thought you said the men were in the parlor.” She scanned the room again. Nelly politely pointed them out. “Them! Which one did all the killin’?” Nelly indicated the younger of the two. “Hmmm. Interesting.” Her questions answered Alex strolled into the room to the greetings of several guests.

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“What in blazes was that all about?” asked the rabbit irritably while catching his breath under the safety of a box.

“How should I know?” came the curt answer, “I saw everything you did. I’m just happy it didn’t come down to this end of the town. I’ve heard that some humans eat cats.”

“Had I known that, I wouldn’t have let you in my box.”

The orange tabby let out a hiss, warning Rufus that he had gone too far in his joking. “Soon as things settle we need to report. All three of them under one roof – most interesting. Has Tavalox given any indication of joining ‘the cause’?”

“No.” answered the brown rabbit as he proceeded to nibble on the edge of the box.

“Will you please quit doing that unless you want to be my dinner.” The rabbit stopped his gnawing in mid bite. “Thank you.” The cat flicked his tail in annoyance of the situation. He hated waiting and hated waiting with the rabbit even more.

“What about your folks, what are they planning on doing?”

“My ‘folks’ will be here when it is the right time. Unlike the centaurs, they will not ignore the great forces.”

“Now listen here, you over grown fur ball,” the rabbit began to hop about the tiny box in anger. “I’ll have you know…”

“Sit down before you tip the box over, you floppy eared rodent.” The cat stared at Rufus, his eyes mere slits of green, waiting for an excuse to pounce on the hare. The rabbit knew when he was treading dangerous ground and sat down on his haunches to wait patiently for the coast to clear. The cat took advantage of the time to wash and nap, enjoying the quiet.