Hey, Cousin, Colette, Rebecca

[Rebecca West]

"Mrew." Rebecca pet her kitten as she watched the birds, thinking to herself about how long it had been since she last saw Colette. Her soft brown hair fell into her eyes as she shifted her gaze to the orange tabby on her lap, who was looking back at her with emerald eyes.

"Can I tell you something?" She said softly, her usual smile gone, replaced with a frown that gently cured at the courners of her pouted lip.

"Of course." Leo mewed in reply, rubbing her head against her friend's hand, "After all...who would I tell? No other human speaks cat. At least not that I know of."

"True." The british youth replied, her lips tugging feebly upward in the corners, "I know I've been a little upset lately...and you can't hide the fact you're worried about me, Leo. You purr it in your sleep. The problems just...well...so much has happened in the last year. My supposed friends finding out about my power and turning on me...Coming to school here. Coming here should have been so happy! I'm with Col again! Except now...I can't even face her. I know I'd just start to cry! I shouldn't be...but I'm jealous. Her life got so much better after she came here, and mine crash landed! Venus died...and I feel so alone."

Leo twitched her ears in protest.

"Well, except for you of course." Rebecca interjected, scratching the kitten's ears.

[Colette West]

Colette walked through the gardens, smiling softly at the calm that came over her being with the plants. She pushed the stroller, humming to herself and to the fussy baby. Maya was having a hard time napping without being rocked and her mother hoped that the stroller would work in a similar way. Her arms were sore.

She had stopped to admire the beauty of the flowers who survived the first frost of the season, when she heard the distinct sound of cats having a conversation. Wait, what? The cats were mewling back and forth at each other, yes, but that didn't mean they were carrying a discussion.

Unless...

Colette followed the sounds around a corner and her suspicions were confirmed, "Becca?" Though at first she was glad to see her cousin, suddenly her stomach fell out at seeing her. Why had the girl who'd vowed to be like her sister decided seeing Maya wasn't important?

[Rebecca West]

The young girl's eyes widened at the sound of her cousin's voice. Quickly she sucked in a deep breath, forcing the sorrowful look from her face. She smiled as she turned to face Colette.

"Hey, Col." She said, faux glee in her voice. "Sorry I haven't been to see you...." She paused, unable to think of any creative excuse, "I've been busy."

Leo mewled lightly, climbing to Rebecca's shoulder as the girl stood. The kitten knew that Colette was a major source of her master's unhappiness...and that the child in the stroller was an even greater source of sorrow. And she growled her concerns into Rebecca's ear.

The human silenced the cat with a sideways glance.

"Oh." She looked at the infant, "This must be the baby, huh?"