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The woman sighed lightly, eyeing the child who was giving her the mouse innocent look he could muster. She needed to go buy a new lamp, and a couple of glasses. Maybe those martial arts classes weren't such a good idea. She scratched slightly at one of her ears, closing her eyes a moment before speaking. "Keanu..."

"Yes, mum?"

"Please be nice to Naito? I'm only going to be gone a few hours, assuming work doesn't call me in on my cell. So maybe we can go see a movie with Paxton, and Naito when I get back?" She offered, hoping to bribe the boy into good behavior. It usually worked.

"Of course I'll be good, we'll just be in the backyard." He mumbled, glancing toward the far end of the hall which would have led to the living room. Through a set of sliding glass doors was the backyard. A fairly nice place with enough space to keep even that energetic boy out of trouble. Most of the time. It had been a rainy day when the lamp, and other objects had ended up broken. Because the woman had insisted that Keanu not get drenched in the rain.

Letting out a sigh, the woman shook her head, and glanced up at the blond who was to be watching her child, waving slightly before closing the door behind her. Please just let him be good..?

The blonde watched as the door was shut and the house was suddenly one person emptier, oh lord now she was alone with not one kid but two of them, great twice the trouble. She glanced down at the small child which had been clinging to one of her legs the whole time.

"You'll be good to, right Paxton...?" She nudged the bird. He nodded silently, looking over and out to the other child.

He was still very curious about his new living mate Keanu, they had only met a little while ago, all in all he wasn't quite sure what to think of the child yet.

"Now..." Said the woman as she grabbed Paxton, and Keanu both by the shoulder and began to usher them towards the sliding doors. " be gone. Go run around and do play stuffs like you usually do. " with that she promptly opened up the doorand shoved both of them outside. "No funny bussiness either," she gave both of them a 'I'm watching you stare' and then closed the door. Oh not to worry, she would be watching both of them if anything did go wrong. She may not have enjoyed baby sitting but she wasn't crazy enough to leave them alone, what would Raja do to her if Keanu ended up with a broken arm in her care? ...Wait maybe outside wasnt such a good idea.

Well, even if she didn't think it was a good idea. Paxton was certainly happy, once outside the boy stretched his wings, giving Keanu another odd glance. He hoped he wouldn't be the one to have to talk first.

Keanu needed no second bidding to head outdoors, without supervision. Today had to be his lucky day! Even Tai-Yun who hated the light of day, which made Keanu wonder if perhaps he was a vampire, would have at least plopped down in the lawn furniture. But Raja had needed help carrying things, so she'd drug him along. Leaving him with an unnatentive blond it seemed. Not bad. Not bad at all. waving lightly to the woman beyond the glass, he started off along the lawn a few steps before eyeing his new companion of sorts curiously.

The boy was a bird of course, that was obvious enough, though he didn't really fly. At least Keanu hadn't seen it. They moved in pretty recently though, so he didn't know much about the other. Or the woman. But they seemed decent enough. Taking a moment to try, and size up if the boy was going to be worth asking along, or not. He gave his tail a quick lash before grinning. "Soooo, want to see if there's any little snakes, or things in the bushes? Ichigo always catches them, so maybe we can too?" He asked, not waiting for an answer as he turned on his heel, and scampered over toward some of the far bushes. If this proved fruitless, well he'd just have to practice climbing trees. Or something fun like that.

As he reached the green foliage, he promptly leapt into the nearest bush, all but his tail soon dissapearing among the leaves. Naito might have been better worrying about Keanu staining, or ripping his clothes. He was wearing a light blue shirt today, instead of that nearly unstainable black he liked.

Quick, lively those were the first too words which came to Paxton�s mind after he watched Keanu run across the lawn and disappear into the dark green leaves of the underbrush. Paxton had a feeling he was going to like this fellow, unlike the other two which he had met before this one seemed to have an adventurous spirit, Gabby had been fun to play with, and Anoki was nice but neither of them had really seemed to enjoy exploring there surroundings.

Not one to be left out Paxton quickly followed after Keanu, although when it came to jumping into the brush he wasn't as graceful and rather tripped over the fat leafy bushes. Oh dear not good, mother would be upset with this. He wondered if Keanu�s mom yelled at him for ever getting his clothes messy? Looking about Paxton's eyes searched for the patch of blue that would stick out. Light colors were always easier to spot outdoors. Ah-ha, there he was scrambling after something on the ground. What was it? His eyes couldn't quite make it out from the distance he was at. "Ke-Keanu wait up! " He squawked, tearing himself away from the organic matter.

The boy hadn't taken long to find something to chase after, and being as oblivious as he was to the bushes, only mildly noticing the twigs brushing against his ears, and the long sleeves of the shirt, he toddled after it. More like pounced. The action had already created a thin brown line along the fringe of his shirt with fresh soil, and one could only hope it wouldn't stain the soft blue clothing too badly. Of course,hope did little good for most of Keanu's lighter colored outfits.

He skidded slightly after the most recently quick spurt toward the slithering creature, which was quickly trying to escape the boy. And a voice caught his ears, the younger bird. What? Didn't he know how to navigate under a bush? It was easy, and it wasn't like the branches scratched you. He didn't bother looking up as he replied, making sure not to lose the thing as he continued on. "Can't it'll get away!" He called, scrambling forward quickly, almost snagging the garden snake's tail this time. But once more he was an inch away, and left without he treasure. Blasted thing...

He shoved aside a branch, pushing after it again. "You're not getting away ya little bugger... If Ichigo can do this so can I!"

Great, now he was covered in twigs, he should defiantly try thinking routes through next time. He was usually pretty good about looking for paths and all sorts of handy things like that but this was an area which he hadn't gotten to explore yet. Picking the dead foliage from his black shirt that he usually wore he made his way over to Keanu.

"Snake?" He said the word aloud, so that's what he had been trying to catch. Unsuccessfully it seemed to. If all those hours of watching things outdoors had taught Paxton something about hunting, same it didn't help Paxton though, was that if you wanted to catch something you should be sneaky and patient.

"Keanu...maybe you should uh..pick a different target." He suggested

knowing perfectly well that the snake wasn't something which would wait patently and allow itself to be caught at this moment. Thats another thing he had observed, if you wanted to catch something you had to know to go after the right target. The snake was something you had to sneak up on, clearly this would not work unless Paxton improved either speed or aim.

Keanu wasn't about to listen to any advice the bird gave. "Quitting halfway is pathetic." He called in reply, continuing to chase the thing. He'd either catch it, or it would get into a hole. There was no other option. He might have come off as an idiot by being so hard headed about such things, but he saw this as training as well, certainly there would be times when... Well he'd have to catch something that was crafty, and good at wriggling through his fingers. So it was very important he do this.

Leaping against after the thing, he once again almost caught it, this time feeling the smooth body slip between town fingers gracefully. Almost there... He continued again, and this time managed to land above it, closing his fingers just in time to half it's movements, and draw it up from the ground, it's body wriggling in his hands cupped together to form a closed space. He wasn't going to let it get away that easily.

"Ah hah! See I got it!" He cried, not knowing the only reason for his success was because it was a rather young snake. Part of the reason why it's attempts to bite at the closed hands didn't work well. Carefully shifting so to stand up without using his hands, his upper body emerged from the bush, and he lifted his hands, trying to make it back to where it was more open so he could see the thing. Though he kept his hands carefully closed, no way was he letting this thing get loose. "Let's go to the patio so we can see it!"

Of coarse Keanu wouldn�t listen to Paxton�s advice, Keanu knew what he was doing, Paxton was only just offering ideas off of what he had seen on his excursions in the great outdoors. Although, now thinking about it, he hadn�t watched many creatures get chased around. But now a question came to Paxton�s mind. Once Keanu got this thing what would they do with it? Why the only time something ever chased after another was to�he couldn�t finish the thought. Keanu wasn�t really going to eat the snake was he?

Paxton tried to think back to one day when he had been outside and watched a raccoon snag a fish�that poor fishy all the raccoon had spent all afternoon chasing it, and then ate it.

Frantically Paxton began to flap his wings as he trailed along after the other �Keanu you wills let it go right, right?�

His eyes were slightly panic filled as he spoke, that would be terrible if Keanu ate the poor snake. Cats didn�t eat snakes did they? He wasn�t quite sure.

Keanu broke free from the bushes grasp before long, still holding his little prize from the endeavors as he made his way toward the cement. He glanced over his shoulder as the boy spoke, stopping to stare confused at the bird. "What else would I do with it?" He asked, tilting his head to one side. Raja wouldn't let him take a snake inside. Certainly not.

"Mum doesn't like me to drag things inside... Well she doesn't like it when Ichigo does it. So she wouldn't let me bring this one in as a pet certainly. So I have to let it go." He said, shrugging, and starting up again. His new friend of sorts was fairly odd. He didn't get it.

Upon reaching the cement, he flopped backwards onto the ground, before lowering his hands to let the thing loose. He'd moved it here so it couldn't get away as easily as it had before. And as he opened his hands it was easy to see the thing was a little black snack with a few brown markings. Nothing special about it, just a common snake to find in a backyard if you had them. It couldn't hurt them, as it was rather little. Just a curious young creature the boys had happened across. The thing tried to shoot away, but the boy snagged it again gently, once more moving it back to where it couldn't get out of reach, and watching it. "Ichigo usually doesn't leave them moving when she catches them..." He mumbled, eyeing the little creature happily.

From the way Keanu reacted to his question Paxton pieced together that the small creature trapped within Keanu�s grasp was in no immediate danger. Apparently cats didn�t eat snakes then, Keanu was a cat after all, it was easy to tell that from his ears and tail. All in all, Paxton was relieved that the snake would be safe, he didn�t like the thought of something helpless being chewed up.

Glancing shiftily to the side Paxton choose to ignore Keanu�s question and instead focused on the handsome red and brown bird who was jaunting across the lawn. What had Ma called those?

Oh yes, Robbins. Just what was that little bird doing, every now and again it would bob its head down�oh it was going after worms. Wait birds ate worms? He certainly didn�t eat worms...maybe only wild birds ate worms?

More time outside, he was just going to have to spend more time outside in the feature exploring. Keanu seemed to enjoy the outdoors and he seemed pretty interesting, maybe Ma would let Paxton go with him.

�Hmn?� Keanu�s last words caught Paxton�s attention again �Ichigo?� He had heard the name before, Ma had mentioned something with that name before. �Who�s Ichigo?�

"Ichigo is..." the boy paused to catch the snake again, always careful not to harm it when he touched it. Keanu might have sometimes had a habit of making a mess, or breaking inanimate objects. But he had a love for things that lived, and wished no harm to them. Unless they where bad. He was going to rid the world of bad ones, and leave it to the good ones. "Ichigo is mums pet kitty." He replied, once more letting the snake loose to slitcher along the cool cement of the patio. "She's pink with stripes. And she doesn't talk." He continued, eyes on the snake still. "And she waks on four paws, and is pretty small. For a kitty. Cause mum is a kitty, and she's bigger." The boy continued, before smiling, and scooping up the snake again.

"It moves in a neat way huh? Not like we do, or even Ichigo! I don't seehow it can do that with no legs, but it's so fast. "He glanced down at his little discovery, running a finger along it's sleek form. "But... I think maybe it doesn't like us too much. So I'm going to let it go." He called, start over toward the bushes with it, careful not to let the wriggling form escape, and drop to the ground.

Near the bushes twin eyes of a brilliant pink shade where watching the robin as well. Keanu may not have noticed the bird, nor the smaller feline, but that couldn't stop the cat from having it's fun. The female domestic had also been watching the newcomer. A bird... A big bird. It flicked an ear at the creature boredly, flexing it's claws a bit in the grass before turning it's attention back to more attainable prey. That lovely Robin.

So, Ichigo was a cat. Paxton tried to think about how many kitties he had met with in the past couple of days. That lady named Raja was one, Keanu was another, Ichigo made the third�plus one or two others that he had seen, each and every one of them different. Apparently there were many different types of cats, not even basing it on what color fur each one had, some could talk while others couldn't.

Was this the same for other animals too? Ma had told him he was an exception when it came to birdies, he knew he was different from Mr. Robin over there. But what about others�Paxton looked down at the snake, and Mr. Snake, was he an exception? We�ll whatever he was, Paxton had to agree with Keanu that he was cool.

�Its got no hands or legs�� It must have been hard to crawl around on your belly all day long, even if Mr. Snake made it look easy.

And when Keanu began to drag Mr. Snake off even though Paxton would have wanted a little more time to watch him, he has happy to see that Keanu seemed to really care that Mr. Snake remained safe and happy.

With the snake gone once again Paxton turned his attention to the Robin, he didn�t bother to look closer at the bushes otherwise he would have noted the cat. Hmmn, was it possible that worms tasted really good?

Keanu reached the bushes, and lightly set down the snake, watching it quickly vanish among the dark hues of the bush without much more than a rustle as it ran under a leaf, and then it was gone. He looked up at Paxton grinning. "Yeah, it's amazing. I don't think I could do that at all..." He mumbled, following the others gaze to the bird.

Hmm... That was a normal bird. Like Ichigo was a normal cat? Isn't that what Mum had said? No, she said Ichigo was a bit special too... Not quite normal. He glanced over at the sight of movement, well mostly to the bright colors, spotting the feline, and grinning. It didn't occure to him what the cat was intending to do, so he raised his hand pointing at her to show the other. "There's Ichigo! See, she's playing too!"

Just as he said that the feline finished preparing for it's pounce, and darted at the brown, and white bird, quickly catching the poor thing under it's paws. Her head jerked down toward it's neck, clamping around the feathers to ensure it wouldn't escape, as well as intending to still the wings permanently.

Paxton�s eyes darted up just in time to meet the gaze of the hunter before she lunged upon her prey. Whatever happiness and satisfaction Paxton had invested into that bird on the lawn was about to be obliterated by the ferocious beast, in his mind that was a good enough name to call it currently.

Suddenly a flash back occurred in the depths of his mind, that time when he had been watching T.V. and that �monster had attacked that girl. �What�s it doing Ma� he had asked Naito, �EATING HER� screamed the other, over and over the line �EATING HER� rotated through Paxton�s head.

At first all Paxton could do was watch as the bird was subdued by the fangs of Ichigo, small horrified expression on his face. Playing? PLAYING?! This thing wasn�t playing it was eating.

�LEAVE IT ALONE!� Paxton managed to scream in his paralyzed yet horrified mental state of mind.

It was a shout loud enough to get Naito to pop her head out the door to see just what the heck was all going on. It was not a pleasant sight.

Keanu had frozen as Ichigo grabbed the bird, having not thought that her intention. Yes, he knew she sometimes went after small things, but never a bird before. He stared in confusion as the pink feline snapped the smaller things neck, and doomed the wings to never flutter again. That was bad... Bad... It's what bad things did... Not little kitties... "Ichigo! Don't!" He suddenly cried, darting toward the cat.

Oh, but the feline had no intention of giving up her capture, and gave Keanu, and even the child a more, or less dismissive look, before scampering away from the spotted boy, bird clutched in her mouth. Ears flat against her head at the sound of feet behind her. It didn't take too long for the cat to vanish from sight, the feathered thing along with her.

Keanu stopped as he knew one thing very well. Ichigo was still faster than him. He starred as she vanished around the house, glancing back at Paxton, his own ears drooping. He'd never seen the pink thing catch a bird before, never seen her kill anything. The things she left had always already been dead, he'd thought... Well that maybe she found them like that. He didn't know... That she did that. "U-uh... S-she... She..." Was a bad kitty...

The cat may have ran off when Keanu went after her, but the impression she left upon Paxton remained. In fact in his mind it was almost as if she were still standing in front of him the bird in her mouth.

That bird�that bird which she had killed. Cats�killed�.cat�s killed birds. He was a bird. She had taken that creature down as if it meant nothing. It really did mean nothing for in the animal kingdom you see Ichigo was just doing her duty, fulfilling the circle of life. Terrible shame she had to do it in front of Paxton though.

The moment Keanu tried to come near Paxton only made things worse, Keanu would never hurt anything but that didn�t matter he was a cat, and what had he just seen a cat do? For children it�s easy to generalize, and so Paxton began to scream at the sight of Keanu. If Ichicgo could easily catch a bird, Keanu could easily take down Paxton.

Keanu was about to appologize, even if it hadn't been he that hurt the bird, he didn't mean... To point out Ichigo doing it. But as he was about to scream a shriek pieced the air, causing him to cover his ears. He heard things better than most, due to that fantastic feline hearing, and the noise bothered him. As well as started. why was Paxton screaming?

After the initial shock wore off, he opened his eyes, not even recalling that he'd shut them, and stared at the boy more confused now. "W-what's wrong!?" He called, hoping to be heard over the noise.

While it was true Keanu likely could have pushed the boy down, his ability to kill him as easily as Ichigo had just done... Was debatable. Keanu was not an adult like Ichigo, and the sizes where not so different as they where with Ichigo, and the robin. this suggestion Paxton had far less to fear from Keanu than the bird did from Ichigo. Of course with generalizations came the problem.

"Ichigo isn't here... S-so she can't hurt you, and..." His face fell, andhe shook his head, not wanting to see the little brown, and red thing be hurt. "S-so it's... It's safe." Ichigo wasn't dangerous, she just didn't understand that killing the bird was bad. She wasn't a bad cat. And Keanu wasn't a bad cat. So... So it was ok. He shook his head starring at Paxton, waiting for him to calm down.

Even though Paxton could hear Keanu�s voice over the sound of the screaming, his words failed to register inside of the little birds mind. Post traumatic stress syndrome was the best way to describe Paxton�s state, basically it was completely illogical and all over the place.

Screaming one minute and then crying the next, he was so young that he really had no control over his emotions. He couldn�t even curb them like most adults and teenagers are able to. Terror was mostly the cause of his behavior, comfort was the solution.

Poor Keanu he must have felt awful, he was trying to comfort Paxton, but in doing so he was just causing more problems, seeing has he was the current object of Paxton�s fear, those fluffy ears and tail a dead give away.

Eventually Naito came to scene of the crisis, most parents would have been at hand the moment they heard a shout, of coarse Naito was�well ill adept at the parenting gig. �Keanu, what happened?� She asked as she tried to wrap her arms around the flailing bird.

He took a step back as the boy didn't cease the wailing, eyes wide. He couldn't comprehend that he was the trouble, seeing as how he'd never once done anything to hurt anyone. Not intentionally. He'd never done physical harm beyond almost causing Raja to have a heart attack, but now... His new husemate was starring at him in horror completely scrared of something, and the only thing he was looking at was... Well Him.

Was he... Bad?

The idea stung the boy far worse than any of his mothers lectures. Because as much as she yelled she always smiled in the end, hugging him, and asking him not to do it again. But this one... It wasn't like that. He didn't know Paxton, and Paxton saw him as bad so... Did the rest of the world thing he was awful too? His lip trembled in a way that was so unlike the boy, looking as if it would soon turn to tears.

Just as he was about to join the bird in sobbing, but for a completely different reason, Naito arrived to... Save the day?

Wrong. she didn't help much. And asking him what was wrong? He didn't know. Though that did stop the chance of him crying, and he just starred at Naito a moment, frowning, and simply looking like he would. "I... I..." He stopped, glancing down. "Ichigo... She... She caught a bird, and..." He suddenly starred up at the blond fearfully. "Am I a bad boy?" He clutched at his shirt fearfully. He didn't want to know, but... Was he? Had all his efforts been for nothing? Was he just... Bad?

Oh no Keanu, please, please, please don�t cry. Naito didn�t think she could handle him if he went all sniffles on her two. Paxton had now calmed down some but was still sobbing uncontrollably into her shirt.

Huh, so Ichigo had gone after a bird, well that didn�t make sense as to why Paxton was crying. Paxton had been around cats before�but�he had probably never seen a cat eat a bird before. Oh, now it was starting to pull together, Paxton�s screaming and crying, Keanu�s pouting lip and WHY ALL HELL WAS BREAKING LOOSE WHEN RAJA WASN�T AROUND.

It was hard to do it, but once again Naito reached deep within her self and pulled out some of the motherly instinct she had been blessed with, reaching out to Keanu she pulled him into her arms too�Shh, both of you. No, no Keanu your not a bad boy. Paxton, it�s alright Keanu won�t hurt you.�

Paxton lifted his head to look at the child which now stood beside him. At the moment he didn�t look to threatening�but appearances can be misleading why Ichigo she had looked soo�.sooo. Suddenly the boy had the urge to scream �MURDERER� at Keanu, good thing he lacked the energy to do so. I think that one would have sent the other over the edge.

Keanu stood waiting for the reply quietly, holding in the barrage of tears that wanted to break out. Heros didn't cry, they where strong figures that protected people. He couldn't cry, that wouldn't be good. He managed to keep it down to a sniffled, still clutching the hem of his shirt in fear of the reply that might come. What if she said he was? What if he was bad, and all this time he didn't know?

The idea just seemed too much for him, and wanted to block it out. Hide from it. And yet it floated around in his mind, trying to provoke the wail that wanted to escape him.

He glanced back up as the other pulled him close as she had with Paxton, speaking, a wave of relief sweeping the boy. But only momentarily as the girl continued. Hurt... Paxton? He wouldn't hurt him? He glanced at the bird in disbelief, still not peicing it together. And then it did click, and horror ran across his features. Likely he should have been a bit upset with Paxton, but instead he let out a low whine, suddenly pushing away from the woman, and backing up.

Cats where bad. They hurt things... He was a cat, that meant... Even though she'd said that... That he was... That he was... "I... Am... I'm..." He shook his head, suddenly falling to the ground, finally one little tear escapping the corner of his eye, followed by others. "I AM BAD! I'M A CAT AND WE'RE BAD! THAT'S WHY ICHIGO HURT THE BIRD!" He let out a sob, rubbing at his eyes with one hand.

Oh dear... Certainly Raja wouldn't be happy about all of this when she got home. More damage to undo as she liked to put it.

Paxton continued to glare at Keanu until the other pulled away, now it was the other�s turn to have a little snap. Bad cat? Yes, he was a bad cat. �Killer.� was the one word Paxton finally managed to whisper out under his breath as Keanu backed off. Paxton was certainly not one to be mean or hateful ever, yet now the emotion pumped through is system like poison, and it caused him to grow bitter.

Naito didn�t hear Paxton say it, she was to preoccupied with the tears which now splashed from Keanu�s face, hopefully Keanu wouldn�t hear what Paxton had said either. Standing up, Naito shifted her weight so that she could manage Paxton in one arm. �Keanu, Keanu you�re not a bad kitty.� She reached out an arm hoping that Keanu would take it.

�Paxton doesn�t understand, come inside and we�ll sort it out�� little did she know that Keanu didn�t really understand what was going on either.

All Keanu knew was Paxton currently hated and feared him, and probably wished that Keanu and that pink monster would disappear off the face of the earth. The bird sniffled some more and plunged his face once again into his mothers collar.

But Keanu did hear it, and his face fell further. Yes... That was right he was a killer. A bad cat. Just like Ichigo... That's how cats where... He just... He just hadn't known... But it would have shown up eventually. All this time, he'd thought he was good, and that he was going to be a Hero... And now... He felt it all falling to pieces around him, all those little hopes he'd been working toward. No no... He didn't want to be bad.

He let his hand fall from his face starring up at Naito as she spoke, and her arm held out to him. Though he didn't move to take it. He simply stared at it, and the pair of faces beyond it. He was bad. Bad things... They hurt people... He didn't want to hurt anyone. Not those two, not anyone. So he couldn't go in with them. What if he was like Ichigo, and hurt something. All those things... She'd killed them all.

"N-no... I'm not going in." He suddenly said, pushing himself up, but backing away from Naito instead of toward her as she'd been intending. Paxton didn't understand, but he did. He was a cat, and cat's... They... Killed things. That made him a killer... Just like the bird said.

He quickly turned from the pair, and darted in the opposite direction, not wanting to talk about it. He knew what it was, and didn't want to think about it. But it was there, and he might... He would... He Shut his eyes, shaking his head a bit, before opening them in time to spot a tree, and skirt around it, and then continue off. He didn't want to face Paxton knowing that, and he didn't want to be lied to by someone who knew the truth. Bad... Was bad... And... There was no changing that.

He stopped as he glanced back. He was in the forest near the house. He'd been in here a few times before. Far enough that he couldn't see the house, but nothing he could get lost in. He shuddered slightly, clutching at his arms, tears still crawling along his face from his eyes. "B-bad... I don't... But..."

He flopped down beside a tree, curling his knees up to himself, arms wrapping around them as be bowed his head behind them. A few sobs still escaping him.

"I don't want to be bad..."

Naito kept waiting and waiting for him to take her hand, why wouldn�t he just listen. For once out of the many times in her life she was certainly 100% about believing that Keanu was not a bad cat. He certainly hadn�t done anything wrong in this case. In fact, Keanu had tried to make it better.

Paxton was just very upset and confused right now, he was still making the transition from toddler to child and still had a more irrational thought process than rational.

Naito�s hand remained empty though as she stomped into the house, she didn�t bother shutting the screen door, she wanted it open in case Keanu decided to come back home. Oh god, how was she going to break the news to Raja.

�Uhm, yeah, and well bottom line�Keanu is outside alone in the forest crying.� Just thinking the thought made her flinch.

She tilted her head to look at Paxton who had now gone dead silent. He was glad the killer had fled, it had fled just like its counterpart earlier. Talking or non, walking on all fours or walking on two legs it didn�t matter they were all the same deep down. They killed, hunt hunters and well Paxton, he was the hunted. It�s a scary thought to know your so venerable. To watch as something that looks like you is suddenly attacked, mutilated and then probably eaten. Lets face it, birds aren�t quite on the top of the food chain.

Naito sighed as she heard the front door clicking open. Raja was back�taking in a deep breath she brushed a few strands of Paxton�s messy blonde hair from his eyes and set him down. �Go up stairs for a moment please�� a frown slid down across her lips as she watched him walk upstairs she didn�t� want him to see Raja.

It was only a light breeze tonight, which snuck up behind the sitting love bird and ruffled his hair, before passing on through the setting darkness. Paxton smiled as he felt the pink tips of his blonde hair tugged at by the wind, why did every thing seem so much better at twillight? Prehaps it was that quiet...bubble, a protective shell which fell upon the world. Told the birds and animals to go to sleep, sent a hush upon the busy people and chilled the grass untill little droplets of dew formed on the green stems.

Ruffilng his wings, Paxton took one last look off into the setting sun. Another day was done, speaking of which...he probably should have been getting home right about now. Ma' would be worried...allright she probably wouldn't, but he liked to imagine that she was one of those protective mothers at times. Ah, silly Ma'.

Picking up his journal, Paxton slammed the cover over the picture of a fire-fly he had been drawing. He turned towards the spot where he had been sitting and waved at the little insect who had been his model. "Good bye little guy....best of luck tonight, eh?" He grinned ratherly largely as he said this. What ever could have been going through his head as he said that? Oh well, probably would be much more sensible to worry about how much of a crazy he looked like talking to an insect.

The leopard's reason for being outside was far different than the bird's. though he couldn't have perceived that. Annoyance ran rampant in the feline's brain, a rare emotion. Certainly he was often cross with the older woman, his mum, but today she'd gone to a new level. Forbidding him to continue? NEVER! He would not accept such a proclaimation. Never. It didn't matter if she was his mum. He couldn't imagine life without being what he was.

And he was a hero... Correct?

Oh how ironic it was that the pair desired a parent so like the others. Keanu desiring one who would simply let it be, leave him to his own devices. And Paxton imagining his mother to dote as Raja did. Perhaps even more ironic was the fact that while the bird was calm as a lake at this moment... The feline's angered movements drew him toward the bird. A scowl along his features.

The park of course was his goal. He had no idea of the winged animal being there. He just needed somewhere quiet to think. He often went there with someone. Though... This must have been his first time alone. Even Ymir had been left behind. Which likely had the dragon fretting wildly back at the house.

Great... Mum would be angry about that too...

The single visable eye turned to the heavens, muttering a quiet word which even he did not hear, or recall. Then both black lined ears drew up at a noise. 'Good bye little guy...' Then more... But the point was... The boy's face turned in the direction of the noise, soon managing to pick up the winged figure in the fading light. Him... That bird... "Paxton, what are you doing here?" It wasn't an accusation, just a calm curious tone. Harmless. The feline didn't dare move closer either. For was not this other boy, nearly the same age as he, afraid of him? Yes, an animals own predjudice... Fear of a predator when there was none needed. Keanu had begun to understand that after his meeting with the bird... A bad meeting...

Paxton froze at the sound of that voice. That voice, he could never forget it, ever, even if he wanted to. Keanu was far to entangled in the black depths of Paxton's mind. Some people just become a part of who you are, Keanu and the memories he brought were a part of Paxton...for better or worse. Usually, for worse. So at this moment in time, what was going through that little feather brains head?One should think it would be something awful, something that would make him scream and run in terror or turn and attack. However the one thing which now ran through his mind...

"KEANU!" As if that weren't surprisng enough for the cat, Paxton came running full charge at him coming in for a hug. Oh my, hopefully Keanu wouldn't interpertet as a 'attack' or threat. The bird was just so terribly excited to see his old 'friend'. Paxton of late, had been going through some changes, major changes I might add. There were so many things that Paxton wanted to say to Keanu. So many things he wanted to say to every one. Every one who he had hurt. Yes, he knew he had hurt Keanu.

It may not have shown through the child as much, but those tears Keanu had cried that one day, were real. Tears, as Paxton knew, were just a form of showing hurt. But Paxton was done with hurt. He had, had enough of it...now he was focused on the cheerier things in life...like love.

Thre was his name, response. A shout... That meant things still rang as badly as before. The other was getting up now, running for him... The cat did tense slightly. Though Keanu tensed, it as fear of the other that brought the action, no... Nothing the bird could do was something he couldn't send back... Or so he thought.

Keanu would have anticipated a lot of things, being labeled a killer again was one of them. Fists he'd need to block was another. But this... No... Definitely not. Probably Paxton gained more of a response from that hug than would have come from any other barrage sent at him. The single visable eye going wide, both ears errect with shock. Evenhis tail was stiff and straight at the bird's action. What freakish thing was this?

Now perhaps this wasn't a bad thing. Wasn't it acceptance that Keanu needed at this point? An acceptance of what he wanted to be being a good choice. Certainly this action suggested he couldn't be bad. Not as a whole. So the choice... must be fair as well?

Confusion finally replaced the stunned expression and the single clear blue eye starred down at the brightly colored bird. Thankfully the other's features where clear even in the falling darkness. A blessing of his feline side.

Or he might just have thought this was some trick to stab him in the back.

Keanu was inclined to believe all actions where in the positive unless proven to be completely negative. But this one had hurt him before yes... They had never made ammends... How could this be right? But things where what they where right. "U-um... Since when..?" Again calm, nuetral... confusion had been added though. Yes, this was one mixed up kitty now.

Paxton wrapped his arms tightly around Keanu. He�he could hardly believe it! Him, Paxton, the child who had been deathly afraid of cats�hugging Keanu. Not only that, Keanu hadn�t swatted him down. Paxton was sure the cat would have taken some action along those lines. A yell, a smack, maybe even a good �ol fashion throw down! But no�he was letting him�touch him. He, he, he.

Paxton could barely could barely control himself. His mouth was moving a mile a minute. �Keanu, oh-my-god! I thought it would be ages since I would be able to see you again. I was so afraid you were mad at me. Keanu, Keanu! I�m so sorry for hurting you. I didn�t know what I was thinking Keanu�Wow! What happened to your eye?� Since when did Gabby invade Paxton�s body and posses him?

Hmmn, that pink hair dye must have started sinking into his brain and taking control. No matter. It was dead and awkward silence for a few minutes before Paxton realized how much of a fool he was making himself out to be.

With a slight cough, and a quick, �Eh-heh, sorry, got a bit carried away.� Paxton released himself from the spotted feline. A sheepish grin adorned his face as he reached down to pick up his journal which he had so hastily dropped in his rush towards Keanu.

Since when, since when�? Good question.

And he was babbling now. About nothing and it made sense? Oh enough sense for Keanu's brain to adjust to it's course. Sorry? Yes, and angry? No... Keanu hadn't be angry. Perhaps dissapointed, but not angry. He understood why Paxton thought what he did and as much as he couldn't agree with it, there waslogic behind it. Predjudiced logic, but some form of logic behind it. Paxton had seen a bad example of what a cat could be. He'd judged based on it. Even the feline found himself doing it at times, before chiding himself over the idea of it. Still he'd never expected this. "I... wasn't ever angry."

Sad, hurt, confused, and betrayed. Yes. A bit broken for a time. Yes. Angry? "At least not at you." He was angry with himself if anything. The bird made sense in it's words for the situation when he'd looked back at it, but even so Keanu hadn't accepted it. No. "Actually I wanted to talk to you about that... But I guess it wasn't needed..." Now he was smiling too, obviously pleased with this progress he knew nothing of. "Because I didn't want anyone to be sad for not reason. To be scared for no reason." That was right. He didn't any anyone to suffer for nothing.

"And it's alright." He added as the other backed off, shrugging slightly as if to show it really wasn't anything to worry about. Didn't he get drug into hugs more than a little too often? What with his mum and some of those family members.

"but you know I'm surprised. I never expected you to well..." How could he say it in a good way. "change so much." Yes, before the bird hated him. What had caused this?

So Keanu had never been angry at Paxton... The thought just made the little love bird that much happier. Paxton knew that deep down there was some part of Keanu that he had hurt, but still at least that hurt hadn�t turned into a bitter hatred towards the love bird.

Would Keanu ever forgive him? With the way the snow leopard was speaking, it was almost a given. Time changed all. With time Keanu had grown to desire that no one should be scared or sad. Two things Paxton had once felt, oh so long ago, once upon a time.

No. He didn�t feel them any longer. What good did fear and despair ever do? They only caused more ruin. No, the world should be filled with happiness, and warmth, the world should be filled with�love.

Paxton still felt a little guilty for jumping on Keanu like that. Control was all. Yahto had been trying to teach him that, but he still lacked discipline in that area. All the same, it was good to hear that he and Keanu were an the same page. Same page and ready to burry the ghost of the past.

�Yeah�I changed a lot.� He paused trying to think how to phrase what he wanted to say. �Its�amazing, huh? I didn�t ever think I would be jumping on you at dusk either.�Oops, erm, why didn�t that sound right to say for some reason?

Yes, Keanu had been hurt. But like all things that hurt him, either emotionally, or physically, the leopard found that dwelling did little good. With worry came anger, and anger lead only to more pain. Pain he didn't want anyone to feel, to know. Heros stopped pain, they didn't make it. That was why things needed to change. Yes, he would make them change. Though now it seemed they could change without him doing it.

"Yeah, I never expected that from you." He was still grinning like the naive fool he was. It never occurred to him there might be something 'wrong' with how Paxton had phrased the sentene. It was all good, and friendly in the world of his mind. Probably a good thing, or he might have commented that the bird was going too fast?

Then again, wasn't a hero the type to commit? Oh yes, Keanu would have been in a pickle had Paxton really 'jumped on him' as the saying suggested. Oh well, no worrying about what didn't happen.

"You know though, change is good. After you yelled at me like that..." He paused a moment, running his hand through his hair as he did. "I thought about it. That's why I wanted to make sure to prove that cats weren't bad all the more. Cause I wanted to make sure you didn't go on thinking people where bad before you thought about it. I guess I didn't need to worry though." Yes, he'd tried so hard because he knew the bird was a good person deep down? Or at least he thought. Well he'd guessed right.

Underneath the red hugh of his face, Paxton was really all a glow. It was so nifty being born with red cheeks. You could blush and blush, and be embarrassed all you wanted. No one would ever know. Unless you started slipping up and loosing your calm.

No! Paxton wasn�t blushing because he was in love with Keanu. More than anything, he comment had gotten him a little flustered. It had just slipped out of his moth he didn�t mean to. Ah, oh well, it seemed that Keanu didn�t mind too much.

He was older than Paxton, maybe he had already gotten used to hearing stuff like that. However Paxton also blushed because well�of acting like a dolt, grabbing onto Keanu like that, babbling his brains out. Besides! Talking about the whole cat thing again was just a little uncomfortable for the bird. It made him feel ashamed of what he had done.

Paxton�s eyes met the ground as Keanu brought up Paxton yelling at him. Oh man, those were the days weren�t they? Paxton scratched his head absent mindedly as Keanu spoke. Taking the opportunity when the other finished to smile at Keanu.

�Yes, it was silly of me. Truth be told, I feel horrid about it now. It was just�just�Gah!� He spread his wings fluffing them out. �I don�t know what it was, but it was stupid!� Yep, defiantly stupid, he nodded his head in agreement with himself. At last. The past was reconciled.

So now it was on to the future. �So Keanu�what are you doing out here so late?� Paxton switched over, �Isn�t Raja going to be worried about you�.in fact, I was just on my way back when �well�ya know.� He laughed lightly.

He shook his head, waving a hand. "Don't worry about it. Even if it was silly. It did some good, right?" He asked, not wanting the other to end up troubled by something he said, the leopard was rather calm, his tail waving to and fro a few times with the pleasant grin on his face. "So don't let it bother you anymore, alright?"

He was just happy not to be hated by the other. It had troubled him to think of another so angry with him, hating each small thing he did. But now all of it was ammended, made well again. Time fixed all things. That seemed true.

But then he was reminded of something, and the clear joyful look left his face. Here he was talking of making things right when he'd only stormed out on his mother when things hadn't worked out. That wouldn't do at all. "Er... Well yes... But..." He turned to look away, nipping softly at his lower lip a moment. "We had an argument." It really wasn't all that different from the time with Paxton. Two opinions clashing. They just hadn't called each other killers. "I probably should get back... I need to talk about that." He ran one hand down his arm, closing his eye momentarily.

Then opened it again looking at the bird. "Maybe we can see each other again soon though. When I don't need to talk with mum?" He suggested, starting to turn,a nd pausing again. "But it was good to see you, I'm glad that you aren't angry. I just gotta make things right with her too, you know?"

And with that he started to pace back the way he came, slow enough that anything Paxton did say would beheard. But he was on a mission again. Making things right again was very important. It could not be overlooked.

Paxton watched as Keanu walked away. The meeting had been breif, but it was almost as if a wieght has been lifted from the others chest. This meeting, it just continued to prove that Paxton was changing...for the better. Keanu too it seemed. He was happier. Paxton was glad of that too.

The love bird didn't say anything as Keanu walked off. With a happy smile on his face he turned and began to walk the other direction. Wait a minute here....Paxton smacked himself in the face. Why walk when you can--fly. Grinning he gave one last look at Keanu behind him and spread his wings. With a couple of short leaps and bounds, at a fast pace Paxton was off the ground. It had taken hima while to get the flying thing down but he had managed.

Now if only he could figure out how to wear shoes while flying. Now that would make him happy. He hated running around barefoot.