Maleena couldn't stifle a twitch of the corner of her lips at her calico friend's rather typical<em>"You find this very funny, don’t you?"</em>It was Skuld's way, from head to toe, and it made everything a little better - never mind the apparent clairvoyant power - she was part-cat, after all.<br/><br/>From Akira's seat came a fresh scent - not too much flower, not too penetrating at all. In one word, she'd have described it as promising, but she was cautious not to confuse her internal hopes with what was actually surrounding her. And hopes and wishes - there were many. She knew her calico friend wasn't nearly as concerned with their future home as Maleena was, but while Skuld felt happy and at home among playing kittens, adequate-yet-unspectacular meals, with her little space and bed and the noise and the constant change, Maleena wished for nothing more than having a true home, a place to belong to, a life more adequate for two pretty ladies of their blood and race. But there was another hope, too. The hope that<em>this time</em>she would maybe not end up being either someone's erotic toy, or, worse - decoration and showpiece, a mere doll to be dressed up and shown around. She had had it all and this particular bit, she had had a little too often. Luckily, Skuld - whose presence was more important to Maleena than the properties of any future home - did neither push forward nor object to Maleena's wishes to find a home. She was fine with anything, equally attached to Maleena as Maleena was to her, and, unlike Maleena, not too concerned with details. However, with some luck, they'd end up close enough to Greenwood to grant Skuld an occassional visit and playtime with the kittens.<br/><br/>She kept her eyes fixated on Akira. He was talking.<em>A lot.</em><br/><br/><em>"I see that I have left you speechless..."</em>was one of the things he said, and Maleena felt a rebellant twitch to start denying this, but kept to herself. Humans always talked so much and figured something was wrong with someone who didn't follow their noisy example. They had no sense for the odour of the planet, the million things one could learn and understand by looks, scents and gestures alone. And while they had no understanding for the orchestral composition that flowers, dust flakes, washing powder, fruit baskets, grass and the little closed perfume bottle in the corner had for a catperson's nose, they were yet very skillful at wrapping and disguising themselves in the most interesting fake scents, won from flowers, alcohol, and many secret ingredients Maleena could not name. It seemed Akira understood that art as well and it pleased her a lot.<br/><br/>For Maleena, Akira's words - for the most part - flew by unnoticed, while her nostrils fluttered subtly, but excitedly, taking in all the news that Akira had brought with him from wherever he came from. What she mostly heard was the drum of his fingers and the slightly nervous, yet positive tone of his voice, rather than the contents. As she threatened to get lost in scents and hopes again, she reminded herself that she wanted this.... This was a chance she wanted to take - so she'd better put herself into it before all was lost. Yes, she trusted Skuld would manage the necessary things, but Skuld was also record-holder for being sent back to Greenwood. Maleena assumed that this was because most people fell in love with Skuld's rather cute looks, forward nature and positive attitude and then were rather surprised at what a kobold they actually got. Would Akira see beyond this? Did the two of them have a real chance?<br/><br/><em>"I really, really hope that you will like it with me..."</em>Akira finally closed and Maleena snapped out of her after-shave-induced trance. She allowed her smile to change into a more amiable one.<br/><br/>"Please take a breath occassionally between talking," she replied in the most well-meaning way, but partially aware that this might be taken as an insult. She couldn't help it, though. The flood of words was a little too much and he'd better know right away, right?<br/><br/>She kept her voice quiet, calm and soft, and tried to reflect the well-meaning warmth that seemed to come to Akira. She, too, was nervous, but what cat-lady would she be, if she would show that?  "I'm Maleena," she confirmed, noting somewhere in the back of her head that he had addressed them correctly in some part of his speech. "It's nice to meet you, Akira." The tip of her tail twitched next to Skuld - after all, it wasn't utterly possible to hide the nervousness - it needed and outlet somewhere, but a human might not even notice or at least not understand.<br/><br/><em>Please be as nice as you seem, young as you are...</em>her mind begged him as she elegantly brushed a strand of her out of her own face.<em>You're already talking to us like we're respectable people, and that's a good start. Please stay on this course...</em>rang the hopes in her head as she began to realize just how much of them she had put into this. She really wanted to stop travelling and finally arrive.