Chapter Text
Sneaking into the Cavalry Headquarters, much more, the Commander's bedroom at night, was concerningly easy, but maybe it was because he was currently a tiny black cat and all the Peletta Knight guards, no matter how elite they were, weren't prepared for a cat infiltrator.
Still, Yuder clicked his tongue. He was going to have them chase him around in circles near the most defenseless spots of Headquarters later. This was unacceptable. While there weren't many shapeshifter Awakeners or even natural shapeshifters like him and his grandfather in the world, what if a shapeshifter Awakener tried to infiltrate here?
(Never mind that he was currently said shapeshifter infiltrator or the fact that Yuder had no memory of animal shapeshifters infiltrating the Cavalry within the next couple or so of years so it was an unnecessary and invalid concern.)
Yuder's violet cat eyes glinted in the dark. He was going to whip all the Knights and later the Cavalry members with his paw.
Yuder could also just as easily transform back to his human form and tell them all that with words, but he didn't feel like doing that.
At first, Yuder had decided to join the Cavalry as a cat to protect Commander and the Cavalry without all the hassle of being known (no, the true reason was because he didn't have the face to see them who he had failed), but as soon as he had transformed to this state, he felt an immensely relieving sense of peace overcome his feline brain. As he melted and dozed off on a pleasant rooftop under the warm sun, he almost decided then and there to never transform back.
When he had been human, many people had hated him and wished he was gone or someone different so wasn't just it fine to just be a cat this time?
It wasn't like his ability's strength decreased in this form.
While his physical strength would because his cat form was just so small, Yuder was sure that he could still protect everyone and beat up all his enemies as a cat.
That decided it for Yuder and after the most pleasant, satisfying, and quiet nap he had ever had in ten years, Yuder headed straight to the Cavalry Headquarters.
There was only one thing he had to do for his plan to work.
That is, to get Commander to adopt him.
Unfortunately, the Commander wasn't awake at this time like Yuder had thought he would because, well, Commander was always sneaking into his office at this time to keep him awake all night.
Instead, the Commander was sleeping. His sleep was quite deep despite the sweat and frown on his face indicating that he was having a nightmare.
Commander used to have nightmares? That was something new to Yuder, but after a while of watching, Yuder deftly hopped from the bedside table he was on to the bed. Padding across the soft sheets, he laid down on Kishiar's chest as if sitting on him would stop him from trembling.
It did and Kishiar's breaths eased immediately. Although he still didn't wake up, his large hands automatically came up to hug and pat Yuder's cat body, making Yuder feel drowsy.
He had just slept the entire day away, but Kishiar's hands, especially as he brushed and patted his head, felt too pleasant to do anything but sleep too. As Yuder dozed off on Kishiar's chest, he absently noted that Kishiar wasn't wearing gloves. The feeling of his bare hands was very nice.
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Kishiar yawned as he woke up after the most pleasant sleep ever. Well, he felt like he had a horrible nightmare in the beginning though he couldn't remember what had happened in his dream, but halfway through that nightmare, his dream suddenly turned enjoyable and something clicked with him, almost as if a part of his soul that he didn't know was missing returned.
The feeling was euphoric and Kishiar wanted to remain in his dreams all night and day, but alas, he had to wake up for the entrance exam he was secretly attending in the morning.
As Kishiar sat up and was about to stretch, he finally noticed that he was cradling something close to his chest.
Looking down, his eyes widened to see the most adorable black cat sleeping quietly in his hands.
Since when did he have a cat? How did it get in here?
Still, despite the many questions he had in his head, he couldn't bring himself to disturb and wake up the little thing. He was even more reluctant to toss it to fend for itself outside.
For some reason, he wanted to keep it in his arms forever.
...Was this natural? Had Kishiar always been a cat person without knowing it?
Curious, though he never had thoughts of keeping a pet in his life, Kishiar made plans to keep the cat. He brushed its fur with his hands and scratched the back of its soft ears, relishing in its content purrs, while he made plans.
What did cats eat? Did Nathan know? His aide had always been good with horses and other animals. Did he also know how to take care of a cat?