Ask to Join Household Comforts

A little bit of elegance never goes out of style
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Monty had expected many things... an aloof dismissal, maybe even an outright threat. But the voice that greeted him was nothing like that. It was calm, poised, almost welcoming.

His amber eyes flicked up toward the source - a pale, curled up figure nestled atop the patio, nearly blending in with the frost-covered wood. She hadn’t moved, hadn’t made any attempt to chase him off. Instead, she simply observed, like a queen surveying her court.

"Not exactly lost, merely looking for some respite -! Have I arrived at the right place?" His whiskers twitched with a wry amusement as he met her gaze, dipping his body forward in a friendly stretch. "Madam - Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Monty - Once partnered by a human companion to abandoned in a dreadfully cold, unknown world. Of which I hope is accidental..." He trailed off slightly, an ear flicking.

A light chuckle left him, though he kept his posture relaxed. He had come this far. He might as well see it through. "Do you live here, Madam. I was told that this house might offer a home. I've come to see if you'd have me."

A little bit of elegance never goes out of style
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Monty’s ears flicked as the pale she-cat moved toward him, her steps slow but assured. "Susan. And now Lawn Gnome - what an interesting title." His whiskers twitched with indulgence, though there was a deep respect in his tone.

At the mention of Milo and Spud, his expression shifted. "Milo is unfamiliar to me, although my human has shown me moving images of a cat named Spud..." he had no telling if he was the cat Gnome had in mind, but he hoped that offered some closure.

Then, she welcomed him. Just like that. 

Monty let out a breath, his shoulders loosening as Gnome explained the expectations. A simple trade of effort for shelter. It seemed… fair. Honest. And more than he had any right to hope for. "A reasonable arrangement. One I’d be glad to accept." His amber eyes met hers, steady now. "I may be new to this way of life, but I’m not afraid of earning my keep. Hunting, repairing, story-telling, kitsitting, watching the borders - just tell me what needs doing, Madam."

A wry smirk curled his muzzle. "After all, it would be terribly rude to take without giving."

A little bit of elegance never goes out of style
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Monty followed Lawn Gnome inside, relishing the break from the biting wind. The house smelled of dust and old wood, but there was a warmth to it - a lived-in sort of comfort. Hardly a caste. He glanced around, taking in the towering furniture, the worn rugs, the pockets of darkness where a cat could easily tuck themselves away. It wasn’t the cushioned luxury of his old life, nor the raw wildness of the world beyond, but something in between.

His ears flicked at Gnome’s curiosity, and a slow smirk spread across his muzzle. "Exotic you say?" He padded to the base of the kitchen chair where she had sequestered herself, while, he, the grand storyteller pawed at his whiskers wryly. "Well, Madam, if it’s a tale of grandeur and wit you seek, then allow me to introduce you to none other than Puss in Boots."

He lifted the paw theatrically, his amber eyes glinting with mischief. "A cat unlike any other! A cunning rogue with charm sharper than claws, who turned the fate of his human companion with nothing but his wits and a fine pair of boots." His voice took on a storyteller’s cadence, smooth and deliberate.

"He was not a warrior. Not a king. Not even a great hunter. But through clever words and impeccable timing, he won himself - and his human - a place of power and luxury. With a flick of his tail and the right turn of phrase he transformed... Rags into riches! Fear into admiration!" Monty’s smirk deepened, his head tilting. "Now tell me, Gnome - have you ever heard of such a cat?"

A little bit of elegance never goes out of style
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Monty beamed at her enthusiasm, his tail flicking with satisfaction. "You see, he understood something that most overlook - humans are simple creatures. They may tower over us, build their great nests, command their world, but they are very impressionable."

He straightened, his tone drawing out the anticipation. "Puss belonged to a miller’s son. But Puss had a sharp mind. For some cream, a home, and a fine pair of boots, he presented his human as the noble ‘Marquis of Carabas’... A title spoken with such confidence that none dared question it!"

Monty was finally opening up, and delight shown in his eyes as - finally, an audience who could appreciate a fine tale! " - With tricks, cunning, and no small amount of bravado, Puss ensured his person was lavished with gifts, respect, even a royal audience! A mate who's sire only asked for the boy to deal with a particularily nasty ogre..."

"The ogre was a shape changer. Through sheer wit alone, Puss tricked him into changing his form into something small… a mouse! Puss devoured him. Took his castle. His riches... His human won his mate. And so, with nothing but his silver tongue and a pair of boots, a mere cat made his human the most powerful man in the land."

A little bit of elegance never goes out of style
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Monty let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head in amusement. "No, Madam, the ogre was something far grander - a hulking brute, massive and fearsome, with teeth like daggers and eyes like burning coals. A green terror to any who crossed his path!"

Monty sat back, studying Lawn Gnome with an inquisitive glint. His gaze flicked around the house - the towering furniture, the dust settling in golden streaks of light, the silence where voices once filled the space. "Seems like your humans left you with an inheritance - a castle all your own.

The white length of his whiskers twitched as he settled on his haunches, shoulders giving an experimental wiggle. "I'm more of a sneaker, or a slipper cat, I'd wager. Then again, haven't met a pair of shoes that I haven't been able to nap in."