The female giggle came from somewhere to Josh’s left. Mwhuh? That wasn’t right. Kit wasn’t female, so wasn’t Lady Catnip’s voice coming from the wrong body? Was it more than just Kit and the maid?

Looking up was dangerous; the maids wore skirts and more than once he’d almost gotten an eyeful of panties. Josh checked for pants first before raising his gaze and seeing that he’d collided with the wrong person! He was begging for affection from Kit!

Embarrassment burned through his cheeks in a hot blush.

“He seems to have taken quite a liking to you,” Lady Catnip laughed.

The accent was thicker than Josh remembered, but it was hard to focus on that when the smell of chicken was thick in the air. “I was good,” Josh meowed forlornly, knowing that no one could understand him. “I’m hungry.” His nose followed the plate as Kit set it down on the table.

“Only because I have food, I’m sure,” Kit said with a practical tone. “He nearly starved to death. You can still see his ribs.” Kit reached down and scooped Josh up.

“Eeeep!” Josh protested. “Watch where you put those hands! Sensitive bits!”

“See? He’s way too thin. It’ll be a few weeks before he’s reasonable about food,” Kit continued. Josh puffed a bit in indignation at the accusation, but the new height provided distractions that soothed his fur quickly. Now that he could look her in the face he could tell that this maid wasn’t quite the Lady Catnip he remembered. She was close in general looks, and was possibly a sister or parent or relative of some sort who had worked at the castle when Kit was younger.

“If he’s housebroken, sir, then this should help while you wait for word on an owner,” Not-Lady-Catnip said. “Missy was devastated when old Fluffers died; it’ll be years before she’s ready for another animal.” Josh couldn’t quite make out the contraption in her hands until the maid took it to a corner of the room and set it up.

A litter box. A genuine, fill-with-sand, litter box.

“I don’t have any litter for it. We could ask at the stables? They have a few barn cats and they probably set some sand or litter out for the creatures.”

As if Josh was meant to use such a monstrosity! “I refuse,” he said boldly. “That’s just… humiliating. Not a chance.”

Fingers rubbed between his ears in a way that felt oh-so-good. Purr, purr, purr! “Don’t think I’ve forgotten about that thing over there,” Josh warned. “This just feels good and I can’t stop the purring!”

“I’ve already sent a knight to ask for some,” Kit explained. He stopped scratching to reach for a bit of chicken and held it out for Josh. “I think he’ll only be using it for a few days so it doesn’t make sense to buy him a new one.” Josh accidentally nipped one of Kit’s fingers in his eagerness to eat and got a flick to the nose in retaliation.

“Ouch!” Josh yelped, pressing a paw to his little pink nose. He wriggled it around a bit and grumbled: “Watch yourself, Josh. You’re being held by a dragon. No matter how hungry you are, don’t nibble on his fingers!”

“I’m lucky you had this with you,” Kit said after a moment. “I didn’t think there was room for extra items on the trip.”

“Oh, we had one here and one at the summer house. It saved trouble to only cart the cat around and not all his belongings,” the maid said cheerfully. “I was hoping to find a new maid or squire who needed it, but there weren’t any new animals around who needed it. I almost threw it out. I was surprised when I heard you were looking for supplies though. It’s unlike you to take in a stray, even for a few days.”

Josh paused in his eating. He expected Kit to chew her out for overstepping her bounds. As a maid it wasn’t her place to question the actions of the manor lord or anyone over her in station. And Kit was the Duke’s son. The difference in their levels was night and day.

But Kit just shrugged and fed Josh another piece of meat, this time letting Josh nibble on it from Kit’s palm. “It didn’t seem right to toss him to someone else. I’ll be gone most of the day, but stability still seemed more appropriate.”

A small giggle again. Josh’s ear twitched. “Yes, it will be. If you’ll excuse me then?” the girl asked before pressing a kiss to Kit’s cheek. “I need to get the dining hall ready for dinner. Thank you for earlier.”

Josh wrinkled his nose. “Earlier? What kind of maid is that casual with the Duke’s son? Just what did you-“ his back paw slipped as he tried to turn his head to look up into Kit’s face. The limb fell between Kit’s arm and belly, and brushed against Kit’s belt. “Ewww,” Josh protested at the smell. “With the maid? I didn’t need to know that. And how did you even have time? Wait. I don’t want to know. Bad thoughts, bad thoughts, bad thoughts.”

The next bite of chicken got pushed away as Josh tried to center his thoughts back on something a little less stomach-rolling. He thought Lady Catnip had higher standards than that!

Kit set Josh down on a chair, and Josh immediately tucked his legs up under himself and started wondering if there was a way to wash without licking himself - or a way to wash that image out of his brain!