It was a rare happenstance that Autumn got a day off from both of her jobs. And honestly? She ******** needed one. She’d been stupid-busy with work, journals, and flowering cats, and she had every intent of spending the entire Friday in bed. She didn’t need to eat. Food was for wimps. Her only sustenance would be snoozing.

Stretching idly in bed, Autumn rolled over and sighed contentedly. Bed, wonderful bed. She would’ve married this bed, if it were recognized as a legal marriage in the united states. Honestly, she could spend the rest of her life here, and be fulfilled and happy.

‘Wake up!’

…Oh, if only. Autumn groaned inwardly at the voice, picking up her pillow to cover her head. She could ignore it. Just let whoever the hell was yelling at her to get up get bored and walk away. Rosalinde would understand- she was a good cat. Sometimes a girl just needed her beauty sleep. And stress sleep. Maybe a bit of just good ol’ sleep-sleep, too.

‘Really, darling. Get up. It’s uncouth to ignore a hungry cat. Particularly one so lovable, who’s depending on you.’ A dramatic sniffle. ‘I’m so terribly hungry.’

“Don’t whine, Rosalinde. I’ll be up in a minute,” Autumn groaned, pulling the covers up to shield her as well.

‘Lying isn’t becoming of you~’

“Lying isn’t becoming of ANYONE,” she argued, finally sitting up. When she looked at Rosalinde, the cat was giving her a peculiar look.

‘…you understand me now, darling?’

Autumn blinked.

“Wait. Wait. That’s- that’s you talking?”

‘Indeed.’

Autumn blinked again. And again. Deciding that she hadn’t properly woken up, she rolled back over and pulled the covers back up. Sleeping was how you got out of this crap in dream-movies. It would probably work again here.

‘Are you being entirely serious?! Get up, I’m starving! Just because you have the day off doesn’t mean my stomach is upholding the same schedule!’

Autumn turned over to look at Rosalinde, frowning. She could see the cat’s mouth moving in what would typically be a meow, and yet, she heard words. Actual, human words. Sitting up properly, she reached a hand out to Rosalinde.

“I’m not dreaming this, am I,” Autumn said very matter of factly, already fairly certain of the answer.

‘Not at all. Not unless we both are. And I’d like to think my dreams have more fish and catnip.’

Well, s**t. Another odd magical happenstance was making its way into her life. Apparently, she could talk to Rosalinde? Or was it Rosalinde only? She’d have to investigate with the other cats of the world… or was it all the animals?

“I didn’t ask for this, Rosalinde,” she sighed softly, standing up from the bed. Rosalinde hopped up and scurried for the kitchen, tail flicking behind her as she went.

‘Well of course not, darling. Your kind never does. But you seem to be handling it serviceably, as far as I can tell.’

“…Thanks?” It was kind of impressive, really, that Autumn wasn’t flipping s**t about this. In that regard, Rosalinde had a point. Still…

‘It’s a compliment. Don’t read too much into it,’ Rosalinde purred, brushing against the counter. ‘Now hurry up, I’m wasting away every moment you waste.’

“…Am I gonna have to deal with this drama every day now?” Autumn asked, opening up the fresh can of cat food.

‘You say deal with like it isn’t a gift to speak with yours truly,’ Rosalinde teased, brushing up against Autumn’s leg. Despite the absurdity of it, Autumn found herself smiling.

“Yeah right.”