Of Cats and Curiosity
Made by Meee!!!TIME |
DATE | 5/10/2025
INTERACTING | @Aisling Doyle
Dialogue/Thoughts
┃ Speech - #007514ℭaspian had never liked the courtyard at night. It looked… nice, sure, in that orderly, moonlit sort of way, but it didn't quite have the vibrancy of the morning — the way sunlight turned the stone golden and made the fountains sparkle. Night made everything too sharp, too quiet. Still, he had needed to get out, to stretch his legs and take in air that wasn’t warm and heavy from the common room.
So he found himself outside, hands shoved deep into his pockets, the chill biting pleasantly at his fingers. The air was cold enough to sting, but it felt good.
The courtyard was mostly deserted now, save for the rustling ivy and the faint trickle of water from the fountain. The air smelled of wet grass and stone — clean. He tilted his head back slightly, breathing it in.
And then — a sound. A meow.
Caspian straightened, brow furrowed. “You’ve got to be joking,” he said under his breath. The cobblestones muffled his steps as he crossed the open space, eyes scanning the shadows. It took a moment before he spotted it — a small, trembling shape crouched between the roots of a potted tree.
A cat.
It looked out of place: soft grey fur, one ear tipped back. The creature blinked up at him, eyes wide and luminous in the low light.
Caspian stopped a few feet away, uncertain whether to approach. “Alright,” he murmured quietly. “Not exactly what I expected to find out here.”
He crouched slowly, boots slipping slightly against the wet stones. “You lost?” he asked, tone dry but softer than usual. “Or just freeloading for attention?”
The cat didn’t answer, obviously. Instead, it moved closer, tail flicking once before it brushed against his knee. Its fur was cold and damp, and it smelled faintly of rain and dust. “Well, that settles it,” he muttered, his mouth twitching faintly. “I’m officially a magnet for strays.”
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Of Cats and Curiosity
Aisling couldn't sleep. While all the other Hufflepuffs seemed to be sleeping just fine, at least from what she could tell, Aisling spent most of the evening tossing and turning. She knew it was past curfew, but she doubted she would run into anyone. That's how she found herself here, in the vacant courtyard.
Well, mostly vacant. Aisling was further in the back of the courtyard when she saw a blonde boy on the other side. Considering he wasn't wearing his house robes, she couldn't tell whether he was in Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin. The only reason she knew he wasn't a Hufflepuff was only because she had never seen him in the Common Room before. But she could tell that he was at least a year ahead of her. And then there was the meowing. And it didn't sound like the chatty kind of meowing, but rather like it was asking, possibly begging, for something. Aisling frowned at the sound. Oh, the poor thing, she thought, they must be scared.
Aisling decided to approach the cat. She knew it was a possibility that the boy could report her for not being in the dorms to one of the professors, but her heart couldn't take the idea of a cat, or any animal, being stranded. Then again, she was sure he'd get himself into trouble if he did that. So the likelihood of that happening was low. As she got closer, Aisling noticed that the cat was beside the boy. Was it his? She couldn't tell. What she could tell was how small the gray cat was. She was almost certain it was no more than a year old. Had the boy not been there, she would've ran over to the cat. But she didn't know what to make of it. She swallowed as she felt her heart thump against her chest. Even when she wasn't in a crowded Common Room, her anxiety still found a way to sneak up on Aisling. "Hi, uh, um, ex ... excuse me," she stammered, her voice trembling like the cat was, "is ... is that cat yours?"
Well, mostly vacant. Aisling was further in the back of the courtyard when she saw a blonde boy on the other side. Considering he wasn't wearing his house robes, she couldn't tell whether he was in Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin. The only reason she knew he wasn't a Hufflepuff was only because she had never seen him in the Common Room before. But she could tell that he was at least a year ahead of her. And then there was the meowing. And it didn't sound like the chatty kind of meowing, but rather like it was asking, possibly begging, for something. Aisling frowned at the sound. Oh, the poor thing, she thought, they must be scared.
Aisling decided to approach the cat. She knew it was a possibility that the boy could report her for not being in the dorms to one of the professors, but her heart couldn't take the idea of a cat, or any animal, being stranded. Then again, she was sure he'd get himself into trouble if he did that. So the likelihood of that happening was low. As she got closer, Aisling noticed that the cat was beside the boy. Was it his? She couldn't tell. What she could tell was how small the gray cat was. She was almost certain it was no more than a year old. Had the boy not been there, she would've ran over to the cat. But she didn't know what to make of it. She swallowed as she felt her heart thump against her chest. Even when she wasn't in a crowded Common Room, her anxiety still found a way to sneak up on Aisling. "Hi, uh, um, ex ... excuse me," she stammered, her voice trembling like the cat was, "is ... is that cat yours?"
Reducio
@Caspian Villin
Outfit: https://mycomfypajama.com/products/ladi ... gJirfD_BwE
Aisling's Dialogue: #8a2dc8
Word count: 364
Outfit: https://mycomfypajama.com/products/ladi ... gJirfD_BwE
Aisling's Dialogue: #8a2dc8
Word count: 364
Last edited by Aisling Doyle on 17 Oct 2025, 19:47, edited 1 time in total.
Of Cats and Curiosity
Made by Meee!!!TIME |
DATE | 5/10/2025
INTERACTING | @Aisling Doyle
Dialogue/Thoughts
┃ Speech - #007514ℭaspian turned at the sound of a voice — quiet, hesitant. His gaze flicked to the girl standing a few yards away, younger maybe by a year or two, half-shadowed by the archway’s pale light. She was small, hands fidgeting like she was debating whether to run or stay put.
He didn’t recognize her. Not a Slytherin, then.
Caspian’s mouth twitched faintly, not quite a smile. “Mine?” he echoed, glancing down at the small grey bundle pressed against his leg. “No. I think it just claimed me, though.” He shifted his weight, one hand brushing absently through his hair. “Found it out here a minute ago. Or maybe it found me. Hard to tell.”
His eyes lingered on the cat for a moment, taking in its damp fur and the way it shivered against his boot, before returning to the girl. “Looks a bit cold, but otherwise… fine.”
“Poor thing,” he murmured under his breath, crouching again. His hand hovered for a moment before he carefully brushed the top of it's head.
He glanced back at the girl, tilting his head. “You’re not out here for a midnight stroll, are you?” His voice was low, edged with wry humor. “Because if you are… your timing’s terrible. It’s freezing.”
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Really sorry for replying late
Of Cats and Curiosity
Just the mention of the cold autumn weather sent a shiver throughout all of Aisling's body. She didn't think much of it when she left the Common Room. She just wanted to distract herself from the insomnia, knowing she'd pay for it by either getting in trouble for being outside during curfew or being incredibly fatigued during her Transfiguration class the next morning. She steeled herself. "Well, I ... I could say the same about you," she said, "I mean, you ... you're out in the cold with me, too." She glanced down at the stray cat. "I think the only one of us who's even remotely warm is this little guy," she added.
Aisling continued looking at the cat. She crouched down so she could be closer to eye level with it. She noticed how damp its fur was. "Hey little guy," she murmured as she left her hand out for the cat. The cat sniffed her hand before walking over to her for a moment. Her fair hand stroked the cat's back as it walked past her. Not only was the cat's coat damp, but it was also cold. Aisling frowned as the cat walked back to the Slytherin boy. The cat had to have been out here for a while now. "Hmm," she muttered, "they might be a bit colder than I thought." She looked at the Slytherin boy. "Do you think we could find some food for the little guy somewhere?" She glanced back down at the cat, still frowning. "I can't leave him here all alone and hungry."
Aisling continued looking at the cat. She crouched down so she could be closer to eye level with it. She noticed how damp its fur was. "Hey little guy," she murmured as she left her hand out for the cat. The cat sniffed her hand before walking over to her for a moment. Her fair hand stroked the cat's back as it walked past her. Not only was the cat's coat damp, but it was also cold. Aisling frowned as the cat walked back to the Slytherin boy. The cat had to have been out here for a while now. "Hmm," she muttered, "they might be a bit colder than I thought." She looked at the Slytherin boy. "Do you think we could find some food for the little guy somewhere?" She glanced back down at the cat, still frowning. "I can't leave him here all alone and hungry."
Reducio
@Caspian Villin
Aisling's Dialogue: #8a2dc8
Word count: 275
You're all good!
Aisling's Dialogue: #8a2dc8
Word count: 275
You're all good!
Of Cats and Curiosity
Made by Meee!!!TIME |
DATE | 5/10/2025
INTERACTING | @Aisling Doyle
Dialogue/Thoughts
┃ Speech - #007514ℭaspian huffed a quiet laugh through his nose, breath misting in the cold. “Food?” he repeated, arching a brow at her. “Bit late for a mission, isn’t it?”
The question wasn’t really meant to be an insult, but it came out drier than he’d intended. He couldn’t help it — sarcasm had always been his default defense, the easiest way to keep things at arm’s length.
He glanced down at the cat again, still curling itself around his boot as though claiming ownership of him was the most natural thing in the world. The absurdity of it nearly made him smile. The thing was ridiculous — small, half-soaked, and stubbornly unbothered by the cold stone beneath it. Poor thing must’ve been out here for hours.
It bumped its head gently against his leg, its fur brushed against his ankle, leaving a faint damp chill.
Caspian reached down, brushing a thumb lightly along its spine. The fur was colder than before. “Yeah,” he murmured under his breath, more to himself than to either of them. “You’re freezing.”
He straightened slightly, studying the girl — kind eyes, hesitant posture, a voice that sounded like it a apologised even when it didn’t need to. Definitely not a Slytherin. He didn’t know her, but then again, Caspian didn’t know most people outside his own circles. Though, occasionally, he did bump into a new face every day.
He drew his hand back and straightened, brushing dampness from his fingers against the fabric of his coat. “Closest thing we’ll find at this hour is the kitchens,” he said after a moment’s thought, his voice losing some of its dryness. He ran a hand through his hair “Unless you’ve got some emergency cat snacks hidden in your pockets.”
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Of Cats and Curiosity
Aisling cocked her head to the side. "Might be late," she said, "but who knows how long this kitten's gone without eating." She smiled as the cat curled up against the boy. "At least the little guy's taken a liking to you," she chuckled. She paused for a second. "Oh," she muttered, "I ... I don't believe we've met." She swallowed for a second. "I'm ... I'm Aisling," she said, "and I ... I'm guessing you must be from Slytherin. Or Ravenclaw. I ... I haven't seen you in the Common Room before, and you don't seem like the 'Gryffindor stereotype' to me," Aisling held her breath for a second. Hopefully, the boy wasn't actually a Gryffindor, or if he was, he'd get where she was coming from. Not that she had anything against Gryffindors, but the boy standing across from her did not come off as someone who was overly proud or rambunctious, like the stereotypes she had heard about before.
Aisling knew the boy was right about how they'd get hold of any food for the cat. Quite honestly, she wasn't sure she was allowed in the kitchen. Then again, it was late enough past curfew that she risked possibly losing house points. Maybe the professors would take pity on the two of them if they explained how they just wanted to help out the poor kitten. "I wish I had some cat food on me," she admitted. Aisling paused for a moment. "But the kitchens might be a good spot to look," she said. She looked to the boy. "Have you been in the kitchens before?" she asked.
Aisling knew the boy was right about how they'd get hold of any food for the cat. Quite honestly, she wasn't sure she was allowed in the kitchen. Then again, it was late enough past curfew that she risked possibly losing house points. Maybe the professors would take pity on the two of them if they explained how they just wanted to help out the poor kitten. "I wish I had some cat food on me," she admitted. Aisling paused for a moment. "But the kitchens might be a good spot to look," she said. She looked to the boy. "Have you been in the kitchens before?" she asked.
Reducio
@Caspian Villin
Aisling's Dialogue: #8a2dc8
Word count: 279
Aisling's Dialogue: #8a2dc8
Word count: 279
Of Cats and Curiosity
Made by Meee!!!TIME |
DATE | 5/10/2025
INTERACTING | @Aisling Doyle
Dialogue/Thoughts
┃ Speech - #007514ℭaspian’s mouth curved slightly — not quite a smile, more like the ghost of one — at her question. “Been in the kitchens?” he repeated, tone dry but amused. “Well, not yet, but I’ve always wanted to.” He tilted his head, eyes narrowing faintly in thought. “It’s probably not hard to sneak in anyway." He added, brushing a hand through his damp hair. His voice carried a note of mischief. He’d thought about doing this before, but he’d never had a reason to actually do it. There was always something easier, louder, more distracting to waste time on. Until now, apparently.
The thought made him almost smirk.
He shifted his weight, boots scraping softly against the slick cobblestones, and glanced down at the kitten, still circling his boots. Its tiny paws made no sound against the wet stone, just soft, uncertain steps. Caspian exhaled slowly, his breath misting in the night air. “Guess that settles it, then,” he muttered under his breath, more to himself than to either of them. He stared at the kitten, blinking up at him with wide, cute eyes, and something in him tightened unexpectedly — a small, uncomfortable tug somewhere behind his ribs. It was ridiculous, really. He wasn’t sentimental. He didn’t go around saving strays. Yet for some reason, walking away didn’t feel like an option.
When he glanced up again, Aisling was still standing a few feet away, her arms half-crossed like she wasn’t sure whether to move closer or keep her distance. She didn’t exactly strike him as the kind to sneak anywhere. For a moment, he almost chuckled at the ridiculousness of it all — out here in the dead of night, sneaking around with a stranger and a wet kitten.
“You know where the kitchens are, don’t you?” he said finally, rising to his full height and tugging the edges of his coat tighter around his shoulders as if to brace himself against the chill — though truthfully, the cold hardly mattered or fazed him.
“Because if not,” he added, the corner of his mouth twitching upward, “then we’re doomed.” The words came out in that dry, deadpan tone of his. A beat passed before he tilted his head slightly, the faintest smirk tugging at his mouth. “That was a joke,” he said, after a deliberate pause, voice dropping into something almost conspiratorial. “I know where the kitchens are. I’m not completely hopeless.”
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