"Razorpaw? What are you doing here?"

Razorpaw flattened his ears against his neck, and Felix suddenly realized that Razorpaw couldn't understand him.

Loki raised an eyebrow.

"You know this cat?"

"Yes, I mean, no, well... sort of."

Razorpaw didn't move any closer to Felix, but didn't run away yet either.

"Could you... could you give me a moment alone?" Felix enquired, and Loki's look said more than a million words.

Awww, he really HAS missed you!

"Please?" Felix begged.

Loki sighed, and turned around, walking off.

Felix narrowed his eyes, and searched the forest floor for a rock. He got a small one, and after a moment of taking careful aim, threw it at his father.

The illusion flickered as the rock passed through it, and the real Loki sighed in defeat, turning himself visible.

"Fine."

He walked away, and for a moment Felix wondered if it was some sort of triple bluff. Just in case, he threw another rock, which Loki caught without even looking.

"It's not nice to throw rocks at people, Felix," he scolded, tossing it back so that it hit C1, who beeped in indignation.

"You too Calypso1," Felix ordered, "follow him. I'll come in a moment."

If C1 had had eyes, she would've rolled them, but instead she rolled after Loki reluctantly.

Felix turned back to Razorpaw, breathed in, and concentrated. The next moment he had formed the illusion that he was a cat, and Razorpaw gasped.

"F-f-frostbite? What's happening?"

"It's complicated," Felix explained, listening carefully to hear if Razorpaw understood him.

"I can handle complicated," Razorpaw promised.

The illusion alters sound too right? Because when you were invisible nobody can hear you? So that could explain why he understands you now...

That's a reasonable theory. Which reminds me... who are you?

The name's Plague.

Because that's what you do? Plague people?

Very funny.

But seriously, why are you in my thoughts?

Later, 'kay? You have a little... cat-problem.

Why did you put emphasis on the word cat?

Nevermind.

Okayyyy...

"Well," Felix began, trying to remember what he'd been about to tell Razorpaw, "oh, right. I was going to explain... Where do I start? First of all, I'm actually a twoleg, as you might've noticed."

"But... but then how...?"

"I told you, it's very complicated," Felix went on, "a while ago, something went wrong when I was travelling with Ruepaw, Elfpaw and Samwise, whose real names are Rue, Valóra and Sam. And then we ended up here, where the four of you found us."

"I recognized that big round thing!" Razorpaw exclaimed, and it took Felix a moment to realize that he meant C1.

"Ohh, that was our friend, Calypso1."

"But earlier..."

"I know, that was an excuse so I could get away. We were working on a way to turn us back, with a few friends of ours."

"And who was that other twoleg, the big green one?"

Felix blinked twice, trying to recall when Razorpaw could possibly have seen the Hulk.

"He had black hair," Razorpaw went on when he saw Felix's confusion.

"That sounds like Hulk," Felix replied slowly, "but that shouldn't be possible."

"He was thin, for a twoleg, and had pale front paws and black rear paws."

Then it clicked.

"Ohhhhh, I think you mean my dad."

"Your... dad?"

"Yes," Felix nodded, "you mean the one that was here moments ago?"

Razorpaw nodded.

"Yep, that was my dad."

There was a silence.

"What... what now?" Razorpaw enquired.

Felix shrugged.

"I don't know," he replied honestly, "I suppose you could come with me..."

"And what, become a kittypet? Desert my clan?"

"No," Felix replied, "become my companion. I could use someone to talk to, I'm usually quite lonely."

"But what about Samwise, and Elfpaw, and... and Ruepaw?"

"They're... different. And I haven't known any of them for very long. And they're all girls."

"You've known me ever shorter," Razorpaw pointed out, "but I suppose the last is true."

"So?"

"What about my Clan?" Razorpaw asked, a guilty feeling still eating at him.

"They'll count you as dead, like your brother."

"What happened to Ravenpaw?" Razorpaw demanded, flattening his ears backwards again.

"He's fine," Felix reassured him, "he's going to go live with Barley, that old cat on the farm, because Tigerclaw wants to kill both of you."

Razorpaw seemed to be drained of colour as fear overtook him.

"T-t-tigerclaw?"

Felix nodded.

"Tigerclaw. Ravenpaw's gone into hiding, and everyone thinks he's dead except for Firepaw and Graypaw."

"So... I could join him, or..."

"...come with me."

Razor turned around, staring into the distance into the general direction of the farm.

"I... I don't suppose I could go say goodbye?"

"Not if you want to come with me now," Felix replied, and Razorpaw's tail drooped to the ground.

"...but I'm sure we could go visit sometime," Felix promised.

Razorpaw turned back, the look in his eyes determined.

"Then I'm coming with you."

Felix nodded.

"Okay. First of all, you're going to need a different name. Razorpaw is too long, plus I'd rather not have Sam know you're around."

"Well, what do you suggest?" Razorpaw enquired.

"Shortening it down to just Razor could work, or maybe... how about Raven?"

"Raven? I could get used to that," Razorpaw shrugged.

"It's ideal," Felix mused, "not too cliché or soppy, and a reminder of your brother too. And I think my dad'll accept it too. Not that I'll let him see you."

"What are you called then? Not Frostbite, I'm assuming."

"Nope. Just Frost, but I prefer to be called Felix."

"Felix..." Razorpaw repeated, "that sounds pretty cool. Okay. Anything else?"

"Yes," Felix nodded, "I'm going to need you to get into my backpack."

-

"Ah, you're here," Loki noted as Felix strode out of the forest, his backpack on his back, "you didn't feed that cat did you?"

"No," Felix replied honestly.

"Good. Otherwise it could've tried to follow us home."

It might just follow us home anyway....

"Where's Wanda and the others?"

"Stark is trying to get everyone to meet up in some shawarma tent."

"Oh. Do you want to go?"

"Well, not really, but if you want to we can."

Felix pursed his lips.

With Raven in your bag it's not ideal.

I know, and I'm not eager on crowds right now either. But for Sam's sake...

Can't argue with your crush.

Shut up, she's just a friend. That was a stage, okay?

Of course it was.

So do I go or not?

Up to you, buddy.

I... ehm...

"Not now," he decided, "I kind of just want to go home."

Loki hid his relief expertly, but Felix could feel it radiating off him.

"Well then Felix, let's go home."