Chapter Text
Alana and Margot were perfectly good pets.
If asked, Hannibal would be forced to describe them as anomalies, for they were abnormally large, and mostly hairless creatures who shed their pelts with every passing sun. They also spoke in strange tongues only understandable to their ears, which through large efforts and studying on Hannibal’s part, became discernable enough for him to recognize when they were calling for his presence. Although both females were endlessly funny to look at due to the manner they walked on their two hind legs instead of their four paws, Hannibal had come to consider them something like kin. This made him come to believe that anomalies were a good thing, and interesting through their facetiousness.
Provided that, as Hannibal's pets, they made sure he never wanted for anything. They showed him access to a variety of places and crannies, all dedicated to his care and entertainment; from Let’s take him to the Groomer’s, the dreaded Vet, to his favorite spot at Hannibal get off the table. Hannibal’s life was never boring or without exploration. As such, Hannibal had very few complaints.
Indeed, there was nothing amiss with his life or a luxury that was not provided for Hannibal by his loyal underlings.
Except of course, that.
Hannibal watched as Alana and Margot touched their snouts to one another, purring at each other in their foreign Human language. It was an intimate gesture, and Hannibal expected no less from two mates.
And yet…watching them made Hannibal feel a tepid emotion that not even the most satisfying pat or scritch could fill. It was a type of hunger that made his chest hollow.
" Hannibal ," Margot called to him from his current spot by a box notorious for dispelling hot air from the wall.
Hannibal stretched his paws out in front of him and trodded up to them with his tail raised in polite greeting. Alana's mouth spread, flashing her odd fangs in what Hannibal now knew was a human's emote of happiness. (He never truly understood why the humans did this, seeing as their flashing teeth were rather ugly and flat. But he appreciated the gesture nonetheless).
Hannibal purred so as to be heard, his pets laughing in response. He nipped them both gently to remind them to be courteous.
" Do you think he gets lonely ?" Margot asked Alana as she ran her hand gently through Hannibal's elegant furs.
Hannibal's tail flicked in confusion, unaware of what they were discussing. “Should we get started on our speaking lessons?” he meowed to them. “Margot,” he said, addressing said human. “You’ve gotten better at recognizing when I require food. Alana I believe we can work on understanding when I say my fur needs trimming. Nonetheless, I am proud of both of your progress.”
" I've been thinking about that. Kade Prunell's hosting a playdate with the neighborhood house cats. Maybe we should take him ," Alana said.
Hannibal's eyes flashed in recognition at the words playdate and cat . The last time he'd heard them uttered, he'd ended up in another human nest dubbed the Fredevouix's house where a plump ginger cat named Franklyn had all but smothered Hannibal at every turn. Not even hissing had deterred the overly affectionate gib.
Hannibal looked to Margot in alarm, pleading with meows to the woman who typically most upheld his sensibilities and high standards. To his horror she only laughed. " He doesn't look too keen ."
" Oh hush, he's a cat . I'm sure it will do him some good to socialize ."
…
The sense of foreboding from four suns and moons previous was not misplaced. In fact, the situation was far worse than Hannibal could have predicted, as this nest housed not one, but several cat scents which took no qualms assaulting his nose upon arrival.
Alana leant down to let Hannibal loose from the portable nest they’d brought him in.
Once she'd flipped over the portable nest's entrance flap, Hannibal padded his way out to find several unfamiliar hairy faces approaching him with varying levels of interest. Not one for nervousness, Hannibal gazed around him somewhat dismissively before finding a comfortable spot to sit some ways ahead. Having seen his strutting, the other cats seemed more eager to follow him and sniff about him with their tails raised high.
"Hello again!" Chirped Franklyn.
"Hello," Hannibal returned politely, carefully avoiding Franklyn's body as the ginger attempted rubbing up against his flank.
A striped cat walked up neutrally, thankfully noninvasive in his approach. "My name is Jack, pleasure to meet you."
"Hannibal, likewise." Hannibal replied as he flicked his eyes about the room of strangers.
"This is Bedelia," Jack introduced the sandy cat with amused eyes. "The grey tabby is Chilton-" Said tabby puffed his chest up self importantly. "And the tuxedo cat, is Tobias."
Jack looked towards Franklyn who was purring rather obnoxiously. "And of course, you seem to know Franklyn."
"We met once," Hannibal clipped, curving his tail around his paws modestly. "For what reason have the humans brought us here?"
"We don't know. But they do it every twenty moons or so." Jack said, with a tad of pride in his stance, "I find it rather useful in checking in on the neighborhood activities."
"Jack likes patrolling every so often," Chilton said by way of explanation. "Making sure nothing is amiss and that those outside-cats don't cause any havoc."
"Outside cats?" Hannibal probed.
" Strays ," Bedelia said simply.
"Haven't you ever seen them?" Tobias asked with an intense amber stare. "They're rather classless, not at all of the same pedigree as we are."
Several murmurs of agreement echoed.
Hannibal's whiskers twitched in interest. "How so?"
"They're covered in fleas, they also don't get their claws trimmed and fight amongst each other like beasts," Chilton began, nose twitching as if he'd smelled something foul. "They have no humans of their own, and sleep out near the human waste disposals. Outside cats aren't 'fixed' either, so they breed simply for the sake of it. Don't even get me started on the disgusting things they eat-"
"Truly misfortunate creatures!" Franklyn interrupted, causing Chilton to lash his tail in annoyance at being cut off. "Speaking of, Matthew didn't come again! That damn halfie."
Hannibal found himself fascinated by their descriptions. He'd never imagined a life without Alana or Margot. Or even thought of sleeping outside for that matter. Those memories of winter and hunger as a kit from a dying litter were of Hannibal's past, left forgotten once he’d come into his humans’ care.
"Who's Matthew?" Hannibal asked.
"He's a halfie," Frankyln informed as if that meant anything to Hannibal. "He wasn't properly bred like the rest of us. His humans took him in as a stray, but he's rather ungrateful and frequently exits out the cat door to go try and hang out with Will."
There was a noticeable shift in mood at the name’s mention.
"That Will," Jack scoffed. "I offered him a place to stay at my human's nest but he refused. He hangs out with a gang of dogs , of all things! To each their own, I suppose. He would have made a great addition as a patrol partner."
"I don't see why you bother," piped up Bedelia who had stopped grooming herself just to speak. "You can't take the stray out of a cat once they've been one. Just look at Matthew."
…
When Hannibal went home that evening, it was with an uncharacteristic disquiet nature that had him pacing along the several burrows of his humans’ large nest. The outside world was something he viewed through the transparent barriers of car rides and homes, left best as something only meant for misfortunate humans without feline counterparts.
Yet now his curiosity ailed him.
Hannibal waited until long after the sun had gone to sleep and the moon had woken to leave the comfort of his nest's plush bedding. He treaded silently past the several nesting enclosures of his home until he arrived at the cat flap and into the large expanse of his play yard.
It was enclosed by strange tall grey barriers with infinite holes on all sides. Hannibal typically paid the hole-barrier no mind but was now deeply annoyed by it.
I suppose tonight's adventure is cut short. Around him he could spy a few small grass colored critters chirping their nightly serenade. While he typically enjoyed hunting them, tonight Hannibal simply closed his eyes and curled up on the grass-bed to enjoy the music.
His nap was not long after interrupted by the sound of hissing. Hannibal stood at alert at once. The noise was coming from the other side of the enclosure, rousing a curiosity in Hannibal as he calmly padded over to investigate. He looked through the holes of the barrier, and took a seat by it, already interested in the commotion unfolding in front of him.
It was a mangy brown-pelted cat, a rarity in of itself, who was hissing and flattening his ears threateningly at a raccoon standing a few pawsteps away. Though the lithe tom was primarily shorthaired, Hannibal noted that his dirty fur curled handsomely at certain ends.
Unlike Alana's strange friendly flash of fangs, these sharp kind revealed themselves through the cat's snarl with the clear purpose of making him look dangerous. But much more, Hannibal found they made him look dashing .
The racoon darted forward with wild eyes. Hannibal watched in fascination as the brown cat pounced immediately, watching the stray land his full body on top of the racoon's back to bite into its scruff and claw at its face. The animals became a flurry of savage scratching and bites until eventually the cat landed one tactful swipe at the racoon's eyes which sent the striped animal fleeing into the woods.
Grumbling, the strange cat turned his icy blue glare towards Hannibal, who still observed him from the other side of the thin barrier.
"What're you looking at?" The brown cat growled. Hannibal's eyes widened, having never heard this particularly strange accent in another cat. It sounded like the affliction of a bark, rather than the smoothness of a meow. Hannibal found he rather liked the cat's baritone.
"I’m a little unsure myself," Hannibal meowed. "I've never seen a dog wearing a cat's pelt before. Yet there you are, steadfast to bark as you are to use your claws."
The cat approached the barrier separating them with hunched shoulders and a lashing tail. "Don't be so presumptuous, you spoiled piece of dung."
"Spoiled?" Hannibal groused, somewhat affronted by other's crude language. "You're rather rude, Dog-Cat. What's to be done about that?"
"My name isn't Dog-Cat," the brown cat retorted. "And there's not much you can do." This he said with a disdainful laugh. "At least not from your cage ."
"Are you the rumored 'Will'?" Hannibal asked, not at all offended. "I wasn't expecting to acquaint myself with the visage of you blinding an enemy with little remorse. What a cunning feline you are."
The cat's lashing tail flared on end behind him. He seemed somewhat embarrassed despite his anger. "Get lost."
"I believe the one who is lost here is you, Will. This is my home, but I can tell the other side of this barrier is not yours." Hannibal replied with a careful lick at his paw. "I can't say I wasn't entertained by your show. Feel free to stroll by again, whenever you please."
Hannibal padded up closer to where Will's face was glued to the barrier, Hannibal's own giving credence to the phrase 'Cheshire smirk ' . Without further ado, Hannibal feathered his soft white tail teasingly around Will's face as he turned around in goodbye. Will balked, his long whiskers twitching.
"Goodnight, Will."
Hannibal began making his way back towards his home only to pause to toss a look over his shoulder, pleased to find Will still looking at him.
Will scoffed and jumped off into a bush.
…
" Who's my cute little Hannibal? " Margot cooed as she scratched between his ears. Hannibal purred in response.
" He's been hanging out in his yard more lately ," Margot said as she made her way back inside towards Alana while Hannibal stayed where he was laying on the grass bed.
" He probably just likes sun bathing ," Alana replied as she smoothed down the new flowy white pelt she wore today.
Hannibal napped peacefully for a little while longer. When he finally woke up the sun was just beginning to settle into its nest at the horizon. The tall hole-barrier cast long honeycomb-shaped shadows across the terrain.
Hannibal arched his back high, stretching his paws in front of him before finally leaning into a full stand on all fours. He was about to make his way inside when he heard a familiar hiss-bark.
Hannibal peeked over his shoulder and then looked high above, pleasantly surprised to find Will standing at the top of the hole-barrier, silhouetted against the afternoon sky.
"Hello Will," Hannibal called up in greeting, raising his tail. "Why don't you jump down here."
Will hesitated, his ear flickering in slight annoyance. Seemingly making up his mind, he made the huge leap into the grass bed beside Hannibal.
"I don't get how you can stand to be in such a small space," Will said as he looked around Hannibal's play yard. It was actually the length of an average sized human nest, which was rather big for a play yard, but Hannibal digressed.
"The rest of my humans' nest is far bigger, believe me," Hannibal replied in amusement. He studied Will's lithe body. "Would you like a morsel? The Edgar makes an excellent dish I'm sure will be to your liking."
"I just ate a mouse," Will mumbled.
"A mouse?" Hannibal tilted his head.
"You've never eaten a mouse?" Will asked in disbelief. His tail swayed lazily behind him, a sign of sudden interest.
"Can't say I have, perhaps you'll invite me to see your Edgar one day so he can prepare it for us?"
Will guffawed, "A mouse isn't something made by a human, it's something we hunt ."
"Oh?" Hannibal's eyes lit up. He recalled watching Will attack the racoon a few moons previous. If this mouse was anything like that beast Hannibal would love to see Will in action. "I must admit it's been a while since I last hunted. I mostly catch the singing critters and the tiny things with six skinny paws."
"Yeah, that makes sense. You are a pet after all," Will teased.
"You are mistaken," Hannibal corrected. "The humans are my pets. Why else would they serve me?"
"They spoil you, there's a difference. You still abide by their rules," Will clarified.
Hannibal considered this for a moment, attempting to stare properly into Will's sky colored eyes. "Not fond of eye contact are you?"
The lights inside the house lit up, its windows glowing like contained suns.
"Eyes are distracting," Will replied hastily. "I should leave."
Hannibal leaned in close.
"Did you just smell me?" Will's tail bushed up in alarm.
"Difficult to avoid, you reek of mutt." Hannibal rubbed his flank up against Will's. Will stood awkwardly while Hannibal continued rubbing himself against Will's sides. "There, that's much better."
"Whatever," Will gave his flank a few embarrassed licks and then proceeded to climb the fence.
"Goodnight, Will," Hannibal meowed in farewell.
…
Despite Will's initial reservations he returned the next day. And the day after that. And the one after that.
Hannibal would purr sweetly in greeting, and Will would tuck his chin in to avoid the other's croon, unsure of what else to do. All he knew was that Hannibal had a strange effect on him, rousing an instinct that he thought was long lost and buried after spending his time with his pack of dog friends for so long.
Hannibal was a rather beautiful cat, that much Will could admit. He was also larger than Will, with a pale cream pelt that was sleek and shiny. His maroon eyes were rather intense and yet somehow just as lovely as the rest of him.
With every visit, it wasn't long before Will gave in to Hannibal's attentive ministrations. He let Hannibal groom him and would sometimes even sleep curled up next to him, the latter purring contently.
Will had had his fair share of past seasonal mates. Always temporary. But he felt that whatever he had with Hannibal now should last forever.
" That's him! "
Will slid one eye open from his curled position on top of Hannibal. The other cat snoozed away, ignorant of his watchful humans.
" It's the cat that gave Hannibal fleas ."
Will lifted his head warily from Hannibal's flank, hissing defensively as the humans approached.
" What a strange hiss," one of the humans snickered. " Figures that Hannibal is just as gay as we are ."
" Alright buddy, we won't disturb you and your boyfriend anymore ," the woman with blue eyes assured kindly.