Wait! Stop Running! PV Mikey Forville Finished

Mikey wasn't himself. His satchel slung too far over one shoulder, crumpled half-done homework filled with, and the trip back from the library hadn't really done much to lift his spirits. KodoPodo rode atop his shoulder as he always did, the small ferret's claws occasionally sinking into the fabric of his robes. All in all, the slight weight there served to ground him, to reassure him. Today, however, Mikey's brain was fuzzy, and even the soft chittering of KodoPodo could not shake it out.

He'd just turned down the corridor that led out into the courtyard when KodoPodo came to a rigid stop, every one of his hackles raised on end. Before Mikey could get him to ask him what was the matter, the ferret let out a high pitched squeak and launched himself off Mikey's shoulder in a flash of white and brown.

"Kodo—?" Mikey began, twirling just in time to catch sight of what had taken him by surprise a dark cat, hugging the flagstone floor, hurtling directly towards him like an arrow shot from a bow. The ferret wriggled, claws ringing against the flagstones as it scurried down the corridor.

Mikey's jaw clamped. His temper grew sour even harder, hot rising up into his chest. "Oi!" His bellow ran down the corridor, angry and harsh enough to reverberate off the stone walls. His fists clenched at his sides and he pursued them, boots booming on the floor. "Call off your bloody cat!"

He didn't even know who he was yelling at yet, only that his ferret was vanishing into flight, followed by teeth and will, and all of his nerves were stretched taut. He ran, face contorted, ready to scoop up KodoPodo the moment he caught sight of him, ready to chew out whoever thought it was okay to let his pet be loose like that.

date 12/09/25

word count 341

speech #8C2626

mentions @Mikey Forville

notes xxx

A boy was going after the ferret, and he was angry, to say the least. Lucille flinched at his yell, but, unfortunately, that didn't apply to Daisy May. The cat had only known comfort from humans, and she had tuned out the world in pursuit of her prey. Fortunately for Lucille, Daisy May crouched for a second, ready to pounce. That one second was all Lucille needed.

She launched herself into the air, landing flat on her stomach in a big heap, but with the little black cat held tight in her arms. For a second, she lay collapsed on the ground, burying her face in Daisy's soft fur, wanting to hide from the world for a while, and what was to come. She really didn't want to talk to the boy, but she knew she owed him an apology. Steeling herself, she rose, tightly gripping Daisy May, although the cat didn't seem like it would try to break free anytime soon.

Lucille dusted off the front of her clothes awkwardly, finding it a bit difficult to adjust a cat in her arms simultaneously. "I'm sorry. She's not usually like this, I swear. Is your ferret okay?" Lucille's voice came out soft and timid, and she wasn't even sure if the boy had heard her.

Her eyes wandered, avoiding eye contact without realizing it, but she was trying to spot where the ferret had gone off to. Guilt ate her up inside. Daisy hadn't been close enough to hurt the little thing, she was sure, but she wouldn't be able to forgive herself if the ferret had hurt itself running. And, neither would its owner, she was sure.

She hugged the cat to her chest, almost like a shield. Daisy seemed quite content in her arms, but her pupils were still dilated and she still twitched at every movement she saw, clearly hoping to see a rat she could catch. That didn't concern Lucille, though; as long as Daisy felt someone holding her back, she wouldn't try to go after something.

Mikey skidded to a stop, breath coming hot in his chest, as the girl collapsed to the floor and engulfed the cat. For half a second, the scene nearly stunned the words out of him. The black blur was now snugly ensconced in her chest, and the ferret was a whirling blur of fur up the closest tree and onto a wall ledge, shaking but alive.

He pressed his palm against the stone beside him, teeth ground together, waiting for his heartbeat to ease. His rage was still there, roiling, but the desperate bite had been extinguished because KodoPodo no longer in ganger of teeth and paws. He cast a wary glance about him, eyes catching the girl as she gripped her cat like a shield.

"Not normally like this?" His tone snapped off, a little more tight than he intended, before he struggled it down a level. "It only happens once." He shoved a hand through hair, holding it back hard, breathing short. "You have to keep her in line. That," he directed towards Daisy May, "could have killed him."

KodoPodo let out a shocked squeak off the ledge, scratching at cloth as he hesitated whether or not to get down. Mikey's shoulders slumped slightly at the sound of it, and he moved slowly forward, hand extended. "Easy, mate… it's okay now. She's not coming for you." His voice was gentler than he normally spoke to the ferret, calming him until KodoPodo crawled back onto his shoulder and wrapped his neck in tense little shudders.

It wasn't until the ferret had gone quiet once more that Mikey glared at Lucille. Her apology was a thin thread, almost eclipsed by the shadow of anger. He observed the way her eyes avoided his, the shame written in the manner she held the cat closer to her body. The anger within him persisted, but more difficult to uphold against that.

He exhaled, shaking his head. "He's okay. Shaken up, but okay. You can't just let her off like this, okay? Some of us bring our animals here because it's supposed to be safe." He said it with an edge still, but not viciously, more the sort of warning that gets given when one's been shaken more than one will admit to.

Then, with a salty little snort, he added, "And next time, maybe feed her before she starts hunting ferrets, yeah?" The attempt at humor fell short of the mark, but his temper improved, and his hand went to scratch the back of the ferret, grounding himself as much as KodoPodo.

date 12/09/25

word count 324

outfit ⁺₊ ☀︎ ⁺₊

speech #8C2626

mentions @Mikey Forville

notes xxx

For as long as the boy spoke, Lucille listened silently, willing to shoulder the rightful blame. He was angry, understandably so, and she held her tongue, flinching at his tone. However, his last comment awoke something in her, and she raised her eyes to meet his, snapping back. "Well, nothing happened, did it? And she's got as much of a right as him to be loose." She jerked her head at the ferret, who was cowering on the boy's shoulders. Her voice had been harsh and angry, ready to retaliate, but it lasted barely a second.

She quieted suddenly, stunned at what she'd said. She avoided conflict, always, and she knew this was her fault. She cringed, realizing she sounded like those dog owners that let their uncontrollable dogs off the lead in a public park. At least she hadn't shouted oh no, she's friendly! Perhaps it was because Daisy May was remarkably scrawny. She was well-fed, a healthy weight, and passed every vet checkup with flying colors, but the cat refused to look it. It was a touchy subject for Lucille when others judged her for how her cat appeared to look, and the boy's last snarky comment had brought out a rare negative reaction from her.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean that." It seemed Lucille was alternating between guilt, shame, and feeling fiercely protective over her cat. She hugged the cat tighter, and Daisy May let out a little squeaking sound of confusion. The little cat was much more clingy than Lucille, and often it was the other way around, with the cat clinging onto Lucille while Lucille supported her slightly with her hand.

Still, that gesture seemed to break Daisy's concentration on the ferret, and she looked up at Lucille instead. "She's not even a year old. I don't think anything would have happened." Lucille was stumbling over her words again, trying to make excuses. All things considered, the boy was handling this far better than she would have, had something like this happened to Daisy May.

Mikey's jaw muscles flexed as her first words landed on him, biting and defensive, and he had to shut his eyes for a moment to avoid spitting something back. His hold on KodoPodo clenched up another notch when the ferret shifted, claws digging into his robes as though he was afraid he'd slide away. The little tremors against his neck were reminder enough that this wasn't nothing.

When he opened his eyes again and exhaled through his nose. The anger exhausted itself, leaving something heavier in its place. “Right,” he said finally, his voice still edged. “Nothing happened. This time.” His eyes flicked down to the ferret, still pressed like a shadow into his collar. “But I’ve only got the one of him. He’s not replaceable. And if it had gone different…” He trailed off, shaking his head as though to rid himself of the thought.

He set his shoulders, clenching and unclenching fists, and looked at her with a more resolute eye. "You're going to have to do better by her. A year old or not, instincts are instincts. This isn't a matter of rights, it's a matter of responsibility. If you take her out here, she's your responsibility, not anybody else's." No flames in the words this time, but there was seriousness, the way someone speaks when they're not yelling because they want you to listen to them.

KodoPodo chittered quietly once and burrowed deeper into his scarf. Mikey raised a hand to smooth the fur on his head, digging in on the gesture, before he glanced at the girl once more. "I'm glad she didn't hurt him," he murmured. "But you scared him. And me. That's not something you just roll your eyes at."

He halted, then continued, his face serious in a kind of half-smile, "You did jump down to cut her off, at least. I'll credit you with that. Not everyone would've done it." Mikey shifted the strap of his satchel and half-stepped back, still watching her. "Just. keep her in line next time, please."

date 12/09/25

word count 334

outfit ⁺₊ ☀︎ ⁺₊

speech #8C2626

mentions @Mikey Forville

notes xxx

She had expected him to be angry, not... this. The boy was more stern and disappointed now, which was somehow worse. Especially when he spoke of his ferret. Lucille lowered her eyes again, staring at the floor, shifting from foot to foot. Her original emotional reaction was calming down, but being replaced by something worse.

He was right, of course. She'd known it all along, but this time his words seemed to dig under her skin, leaving a permanent mark. She stayed silent as he spoke, but she didn't seem half as scared or defensive anymore. Instead, her grip on the little cat relaxed. Some might think that was a stupid decision, considering what had just happened, but Lucille knew even if Daisy tried anything, she wouldn't be able to escape her arms.

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again, I swear. With him or anyone else," she said, looking up at the ferret nestled close to the boy. "She usually couldn't care less about the smaller animals. Back home, we'd have ducks and things wandering around and she never chased. I think she might just have been tired or hungry right now." Lucille's voice was softer, her tone indicating she wasn't trying to make excuses, but instead speculating at the cat's odd behavior. She bent down to sit on the floor, not making it clear whether she appreciated the boy's presence or not. As if to support her words, Daisy May rested her head on Lucille's arm, her eyes closing. Now that her focus on the ferret had been interrupted, it seemed she had no interest in it anymore.

"What's his name?" Lucille asked suddenly, eyes trained on the ground, scuffing it with her shoe. It was a poor attempt to make things better; she hated conflict. What made it worse was that the boy seemed kind. If he had continued to be harsh and angry with her, it would've been easier to dismiss, but he truly just seemed concerned for his furry companion.

Mikey’s shoulders eased a bit at her “it won’t happen again.” The tightness in his jaw stayed, but the spark of anger was gone; what lingered looked more like worry wearing itself thin. “Alright,” he said, quieter now. “Thank you for saying that.” He glanced down at the small, tense bundle against his collar. “He doesn’t bounce back fast.”

At her question, his hand moved automatically, smoothing the ferret’s head with a thumb. “KodoPodo,” he answered, a faint, reluctant smile tugging at one corner of his mouth. “It’s ridiculous, I know but It stuck.” KodoPodo chittered once, as if objecting to being called ridiculous, then burrowed in again.

“Look… I get hungry too,” he admitted. “If she’s young and running on instincts I get it. But next time maybe keep her on your lap, or a short lead when you’re near the corridors? Feed first, wander second.” The words were firm, not scolding or harsh but practical, like he was laying down the ground rules for a quidditch match. “I’m not trying to be a jerk or make you feel awful. I just don’t want to have this happen again.”

He gave Daisy a brief, measuring look, then nodded once. Then he took a step back to give them space and said, “I appreciate you diving for her. Not everyone would have.”

He hitched his bag higher. “I’m going to get him somewhere quiet for a bit. If you see us out here again, just give a shout before you let her down, yeah? We’ll keep our distance.” He started to turn, then paused and looked back. “I’m Mikey, by the way.” Then he headed off into the castle.

date 12/09/25

word count 246

outfit ⁺₊ ☀︎ ⁺₊

speech #8C2626

mentions @Mikey Forville

notes xxx

The boy's words were no longer harsh. The atmosphere was tense, but it felt like there were no hard feelings between them. At least, not very many. Lucille offered an uncertain smile when he said his ferret's name. "It suits him," she said quietly, observing the little creature still clinging to the boy.

She nodded, no longer feeling defensive when he gave advice to prevent another outburst from Daisy like this. One thing was for sure: the cat was not going to be out at or near feeding time anymore. "It won't happen again," she repeated, her voice now having a certain, confident tone that it had lacked before. "Trust me, she won't be bothering you anymore," she said, trying to ease both the boy and his ferret's nerves, stroking Daisy May's little head. The boy's ferret still looked shaken, and he seemed to think so, too, preparing to leave. The ferret certainly needed to be taken away from the little creature that had sprinted after him, and its owner realized that, of course.

Finally, giving his name, the boy, Mikey, began to walk out of the courtyard, into the castle. Lucille gave a slight wave, although it was more her lifting her hand into the sky for a second. For a little while, she stayed in the courtyard after Mikey left, calming her nerves and, once her heartbeat had slowed down to a normal pace, she, too, got up and headed back into the castle.