Of Hawkes and Cats

"Anders…"

"Yes?"

"It's staring at me…"

Anders lowered his book, glancing in the direction of their new roommate, "It's a cat Maeve, they do that."

"But it's creepy…" Maeve glared at the fluffy monster at the foot of the bed, growling in its general direction.

"Just ignore it love"

"I can't!"

Anders smirked, "I was talking to the cat."

"Sounds like a certain apostate wants to get a broken nose…"

The cat was one of the fluffiest creatures Maeve had ever seen. Its fur was reminiscent of a silver tabby, its eyes an interesting shade of blue/green. It was a beautiful cat…though Maeve didn't care.

The creature in front of them mewled, moving onto Anders' lap and continuing to stare at its mistress. It even cocked its head to the side and began to purr.

"Oh yes very convincing kitty." Maeve hissed, "You look all innocent, and fluffy, and adorable…but you're evil." She poked its nose, "You aren't fooling me."

"For the Maker's sake Maeve, it's just a cat." Anders chuckled, reaching out to caress her cheek.

"They are painful, vile little attention whores who only think for themselves." She pouted, though she couldn't help but lean into the mage's touch, biting his thumb as it brushed over her lips, "So what are you going to name this fur ball?"

Anders leaned over the cat, kissing her until it became difficult for her to remember why she was so annoyed, "Why don't you name him…"

"Really?"

"Sure, I'm interested to see what you come up with."

Maeve reached out hesitantly, slipping her hand underneath the kitten's fat belly and lifting him towards her face until they were eye level; it mewed in irritation as it was picked up.

How the cat had come to be in their house was a mystery…

Orana always insisted on keeping everything locked up tight, lingering paranoia that her masters would find her and take her back still firmly in place. Though Maeve had assured her that if a magister were indeed after her, a locked window wouldn't stall them for long.

Despite the foolishness, Maeve indulged the young elf. She loved Orana, and if it helped the girl sleep, then Maeve would put up with a stuffy mansion.

So it came as a great shock to wake up with a fluffy creature lying on her face…

She'd screamed, almost throwing the animal across the room, but Anders had instantly picked it up and began cuddling the little mewling thing. Scolding her for being so violent…

"Magi" She declared, lowering the cat away from her as if it were about to explode.

"Why Magi?" Anders asked.

"He's a mage…I'm sure of it." Maeve narrowed her eyes at the kitten.

Anders laughed, "What? How do you figure that?!"

"He just popped into existence!" Maeve cried, "How in the Void could he get in here Anders? All the windows are closed…and Marley! Marley barks and carries on when a leaf falls from a tree outside, how did he miss a kitten breaking in and making himself comfortable on my face?" Maeve glared at the cat, "It's magical I tell you…"

Anders rolled his eyes, "I'm sure there is a logical explanation love, maybe one of the latches broke and Orana didn't notice…"

"Nope, it's a cat mage."

Anders laughed, pulling her against his side as he kissed her neck, "Alright, Magi it is…"

Magi began purring, voicing his approval.

. . .

There were more bloody footprints in Hawke Mansion than anywhere else in Kirkwall, human bloody footprints. So it came as a shock when Maeve discovered kitten ones…

Oh shit…oh Anders is going to kill me…Maker damn it, WHERE IS THAT CAT?!!

She finally found the tiny animal behind a bookcase in the study, Magi curled up against the wall and watching her with a look that dared her to try and touch him.

"Bring it on flea bag" She hissed, reaching towards him. It was then the little ball of adorable fluff became a flying beast of terror.

"MAKER CURSE YOU!!" She cried, trying in vain to keep her face from getting scratched.
She would have just abandoned the cause right then and there…but it was obvious the cat was hurting, and if something happened to Magi she'd never hear the end of it.

Soon she had the beast cornered in her room, though it had finally gotten into a position where she couldn't reach it…

Maeve hissed at the furry demon in disguise under her bed. The thing had immediately raked its claws down her arm once she had released it and set to tearing the curtains to ribbons. Upon being thrown across the room for such behavior it had then retreated to under her bed, where it was now clawing the hell out of anything that passed by.

She had gotten to her knees, peering under the bed in a vain attempt to get the damn creature to reveal itself.

"Come on you blighted fur ball, I want you to be presentable for when Anders gets home…"

The thing hissed; its blue-green eyes flashing in rage as it batted fiercely at her outstretched hand. Hawke withdrew it immediately.

"You see this is why I prefer dogs…Mabari are nice creatures, not servants of Demons like you!" She spat as she cradled her newly wounded hand to her chest and glared daggers at the kitten.

"Um…perhaps this was a bad time; I'll leave you to your fight with the furniture…" Fenris's deep voice rumbled from the doorway.

"No, Fenris wait!" Hawke called, "It's Magi…the blighted thing is hiding under the bed, Anders is going to be back from the clinic soon, the kitten got injured somehow, and I want to make sure it's alright before he gets home. Can you help me get it out from under the bed?"

"Hawke, I do not think I could be of any assistance in this matter unless you want me to pull Magi's heart out…"

To his great surprise the warrior stood, flipping the stray strands of black hair out of her eyes, "You know that's not a bad idea…a quick death, we could bury him in the courtyard and I could tell Anders he ran away…" She glanced towards the bed, "No…no that is horrid, never mind I'll let it live."

"Andraste smiles upon you for your mercy…" Fenris murmured, smirking.

"Shut up, no word to Anders about my wanting to kill the cat understand?" Maeve hissed as she moved around the bed. The furry demon had scratched and bit all over her arms and hands whilst she struggled to find the wounded area through all the fur and she was sick of the sight of the creature…but it was still Anders' cat and he loved Magi so she'd let him live.

Fenris kneeled beside the bed, spotting the fluffy animal wedged as far back from the outside as possible. He held out a gauntleted hand, whispering in Tevinter and wiggling his fingers.

"What in the Maker's name are you doing?" Hawke chuckled.

Fenris stood, the cat nestled comfortably in his arms. The furry demon was purring away as if the world held no problems.

"How?" Was all she could muster.

"Well, the lack of swearing and growling probably helped, also I don't wish the animal dead like you do."

Maeve narrowed her eyes, "Can you find out where he's bleeding?"

Fenris examined the kitten, using the very tips of his clawed gauntlets to hold up the animal's paws, "I think one of his claws got ripped off…a minor thing, I don't think he's been fatally injured."

"No, not by that…Marley's had that happen before." Maeve fell into her desk chair, "Thank the Maker…at least Anders won't kill me for not looking after him."

They began walking down the steps, Fenris not releasing the kitten, though it seemed quite content in the elf's arms. Maeve would have chuckled at the sight, had her arms not been ripped to shreds…

"Thank you for the help Fenris, did you come over for any particular reason?"

"I finished Shartan…I was wondering if I could borrow one of your books."

"Oh sure! You know where the study is, just remember…the top shelf belongs to Isabela, think very carefully before you choose one of those…"

Fenris laughed and handed Magi over to his friend, "I'll be careful." He murmured, before moving towards the library.

Maeve stared down at the cat in her arms, "You're lucky Anders loves you so damn much…"

As if speaking of him conjured him out of thin air he walked through the front door, "Maeve? I'm home!"

He glanced up as he left the entrance hall, eyes widening in horror, "What happened?!"

Maeve smirked, knowing he was looking at her arms…which were beginning to burn, "This little monster's claw got ripped out and he put up quite a fight when I tried to see if he was okay."

"Oh you poor thing!" He cooed. Anders rushed over to her, eyes so filled with concern she felt her heart swell. She loved how much he cared for her, how much he…

"Oh my poor baby's footsy!" He scooped the cat out of her arms, cradling Magi to his chest, "Oh let Papa see, yes oh dear that's horrible! Oh it must have been so painful, let's go upstairs I know a spell that should heal that right up. Oh who's a brave little kitty, yes you are!"

Maeve couldn't believe it…could not fucking believe it.

Fenris approached, "You okay Maeve?"

She was sweaty, bloody, and covered in massive cat scratches…no…no she was not okay.

"You might want to leave now Fenris…" She whispered.

"Why is that?"

"Because I'm going to kill him and throw that cat into the fire."

. . .

Her shoulders were what relaxed first, Maeve's entire body soon loosened up as she continued to write. Penning her day's activities always soothed her, and sometimes she even wrote her own tales. Varric wasn't the only storyteller…though the dwarf didn't know that. It was her little secret, not even Anders knew…

All her other problems melted away as the quill glided across the parchment, there was nothing else…only her and her characters…and a cat.

"No…no no no…get off." Maeve swatted at Magi, the kitten mewing in anger as it stumbled. It stared at her for a few moments, waiting until her quill began to move again, and then began to lie down on the paper.

"Damn it cat! Get off!" She shoved him off the parchment, glaring daggers at the fluffy being before going back to work.

Once more Magi approached her…

"What do you want?!" Maeve growled, eyes narrowing to slits.

Magi cocked his head to the side, examining her closely. Seeming to like what he saw he began purring, pressing his forehead to hers.

Maeve's eyes widened, "I know what you're doing…and it's not going to work."

Magi flopped onto his back, wriggling his very fluffy belly in her face…

"Blight take you…" Maeve hissed, unable to resist reaching out and sinking her hand into the soft pelt, she gently stroked the cat's stomach…the purring increased.

"Well…maybe you aren't so evil…" Magi looked smug, "Don't let it go to your head cat, I still don't trust you…"

"See? I knew you two would get along!" Anders sang as he entered the room.

Maeve shoved the cat off her desk, "I don't know what you're talking about…I hate that little flea bag and I want him gone."

Anders smiled, not buying it for a second, "He is far too adorable isn't he? Though I must say he has nothing on Pounce…"

"He's not adorable, he's a menace." She growled.

Anders smirked as Magi rested on his chest, "Now don't you listen to the mean lady, she's just jealous."

"One more word out of you magey and you'll be sleeping on that cot in your clinic."

Anders shook his head, "I think we made her mad…" He whispered to Magi, the kitten mewing in amusement before leaping off the bed and trotting over to Maeve.

The cat stared up at her for a moment, watching her write, before jumping onto her lap.

"What the-!" Maeve yelped as Magi curled into a tiny ball and began to purr.

"Oh now that's so sweet! He loves you!" Anders cooed, smirking once more at her obvious displeasure.

"Shut up." She growled.

"Ugh, I'm exhausted, you coming to bed love?"

"In a moment, just have to finish this." She murmured, "I'll be there soon."

"Alright, love you." Anders turned over, soon falling into a light sleep.

"And I you" Maeve smiled as she went back to her writing, her hand soon falling onto the kitten, caressing its soft fur.

"Don't you dare tell him I like you…I'll never hear the end of it." She whispered.

The cat actually winked at her before falling asleep.

"You're creepy you know that?"

The purring increased in volume.

Maeve shook her head, smiling, "I still prefer dogs though…just saying."