Chapter Text
The moment the angry door thingey scremmed open, Grudge knew that she had found her New Mummy.
It wasn’t that Book was a bad mummy, of course — indeed, he was a very excellent mummy as far as Hindpaws went, even if his furs were limited to his head and chest. He always gave Grudge the tastiest snacks and the very best snuggles, allowing her the run of Home without trying to restrict her natural awesomeness.
Even Burnham-mummy was beyond reproach, with clever paws that knew how to find the itchy spots under Grudge’s jowls. Sometimes she would pay Grudge homage for what felt like hours, murmuring in her low, comforting voice as Grudge purred to reward her for her ministrations.
It was a good life. But nothing had prepared Grudge for the sight of the lioness standing in the doorway.
Grudge had had her suspicions, of course, when Burnham-mummy left her here. Book-mummy would’ve let Grudge have her run of Home 2.0, but Book-mummy hadn’t come back to regular Home, and now Burnham-mummy was obviously off to go scruff him and drag him home like the naughty kitten he was.
Burnham-mummy’s scent was all over one side of the room, but the aroma on the other side was … different. New. The Hindpaw who lived here had made herself a very comfy den, lining it with a few springy furs that she’d shed and drooling on the pillow to show her dominance. Even the blankies were squishier here than on Burnham-mummy’s bed, sproinging delightfully under Grudge’s paws as she kneaded some biscuits into them and settled down for a quick nap.
Then the obnoxious doors made screm, and Grudge found herself confronting the most magnificent space catte she’d ever seen (apart from the one time she’d found herself in that mirror, naturally).
Grudge sat up and howled to show New Mummy how happy she was to meet her. With another cat she would’ve just slow-blinked, but Hindpaws could be roundabout when it came to communicating — Book-mummy and Burnham-mummy were proof of that, and Grudge didn’t want there to be any doubt.
New Mummy prowled into the den, her mane even more poofy and majestic than Grudge could’ve imagined. She was so glorious that Grudge almost didn’t mind when the doors made screm again.
“Grudge?” New Mummy mewed. Then there were some other words that didn’t matter; she knew Grudge’s name.
Grudge purred. Yes, New Mummy would do nicely.
New Mummy gave her scoops, babbling more, and Grudge was pleased to find that her scoops — while not perfect — were adequate. Grudge would show her the best way to pick her up in due course, but this wasn’t a bad way to start.
“Hgtdkytdxfhjkkjbi cat person,” New Mummy chattered. Yet she wasn’t supporting Grudge’s heinie in the correct manner — and Grudge’s pleasure began to fade as New Mummy caught her underneath her legpits and held Grudge away from her comfy shoulder-and-shelf region.
New Mummy deadass stared at Grudge, asserting herself, and Grudge admired New Mummy’s lovely eye markings as she stared back.
“Jhfchvvchhb eat jhvhvk?” New Mummy asked.
Grudge purred. She was always hungry; New Mummy was very clever to notice and think of her needs, even if she was leaving Grudge’s bum to dangle in midair like a toy mousie.
Grudge mountaineered her way up onto New Mummy’s shoulder again — but as New Mummy chattered to herself, she leaned forward, making her body into a table in her distraction.
This wouldn’t do. Distraction meant New Mummy didn’t like Grudge as much as Grudge liked her .
Grudge stood on New Mummy’s back for a few moments, but she was only rewarded with a feeble flailing from the Hindpaw Lioness. Clearly Grudge was going to have to think of a new way to get New Mummy’s attention.
She hopped down and scooted under Burnham-mummy’s bed to plot. Tragically, New Mummy made only a lame attempt to lure her back out, without producing any treats, toys, or catnip.
No, this wouldn’t do at all.
“I jhjlvl like you,” New Mummy huffed.
Then show it! Grudge wanted to yowl — but New Mummy only disappeared again.
Grudge purred angrily, the gears of her mighty cat-brain beginning to spin with schemes.
Clearly, she was going to have to do everything herself.