I had this Idea this morning (while trying to get knots out of my own stubborn hair) and thought it would be really cute! Hope you enjoy!!
Summary- Clawdenia’s mane is finally coming in and still being fairly young she has no idea how to take proper care of it so her fathers, and a close firend, lend a paw.
It was a normal late spring day in London, the sky was filled with lazy gray clouds, the birds were singing, humans were going about their lives, and the cats of the junkyard were gathered together doing as they do. It was around early afternoon when Clawdenia, a young maine coon queen with sandy colored spotted fur and bright green eyes, joined the others. One look at the young queen and anyone could tell she was in a sour mood, from her hunched posture to her flattened ears the young queen radiated frustration, and it wasn’t very hard to see why.
Much like her father Clawdenia had a mane, it wasn’t as big or full as her father’s yet but it was enough for the inexperienced queen to struggle with taming it on her own. As a result the small collar of thick fur was currently wild and tangled leading to Clawdenia dragging herself from the den in search of her fathers.
Finally she found Tugger sitting on a tire with Calypso helping the other queen with her singing. Calypso, like her twin sister, had the same type of fur but somehow she lucked out on her mane being small and relatively easy to manage, neither of their fathers expected Calypso’s mane to get much fuller than it currently was at half a year old.
Tugger looked over at his other daughter and after taking in the state of her mane gave a sympathetic smile.
“Come here kit, I’ll give you a hand.”
Clawdenia gave a small smile going to her father’s other side and laying down. Tugger examined his daughter’s mane, chuckling a little seeing the spots she’d tried to fix herself and remembering learning for himself how hard it could be.
“You tried to get the tangled out?”
Clawdenia nodded giving a shy smile.
Tugger gave her a playful smirk.
“I’ll say it did kit. Okay, hold still.”
Clawdenia settled in letting him start working out the knots and tangles. Tugger had barely begun and Clawdenia was already hating it, she loved her father and all but he had never been the most gentle when it came to grooming, that was a job their papa too great pride and care in. Finally after an unintentionally rough tug at a tangle Clawdenia whined and shook her father off.
“Daddy you’re being too rough!”
Tugger looked worried for a moment before shaking it off with a small smile, he had to remember Clawdenia was still young, her mane while stubborn was still thinner than his own and didn’t need the firm hand his did.
“Sorry kit. You know your papa has experience taming manes with a gentler touch than this old cat, I saw him heading off to visit your aunt and brother.”
Clawdenia gave a relived smile seeing her father wasn’t upset she’d said he’d been too rough in grooming before she briefly pressed their foreheads together with a soft purr before heading off to find her papa. Just as her father had said she found her papa just leaving Bomba’s den smiling and promising to be back soon. Clawdenia went to the tuxedo tom and purred rubbing against him earning a chuckle before he placed his tail under her chin making her look at him.
“Finally decided to leave the den Denia?”
The female maine coon nodded giving a shy smile.
“I was trying to fix my mane, it didn’t go well.”
Misto smiled fondly looking over his daughter’s mane, he could see not only her handy work but also Tugger’s.
“I can see that, your dad tried to help didn’t he?”
“Yeah but he was being too rough.”
Misto nodded, licking his daughter’s head.
“He’s not used to being gentle, his mane is thicker than yours and needs a less than gentle touch. Come on, I'll give you some help.”
Clawdenia smiled thankfully and followed her papa back to their den. It took almost an hour but by the end of it Misto had groomed out all the tangles and dirt leaving the collar of fur looking perfect. Clawdenia beamed at her papa nuzzling his cheek.
Misto chuckled, licking her head.
“Of course kit. Now shall we join everyone else?”
The young queen nodded and followed her papa back to the gathering space. As they made their way to Tugger and Calypso Clawdenia heard someone calling her name making her pause and smile seeing Heidi, Rumpleteazer’s adopted kitten, walking over. The young queen stopped and once Heidi was close enough, gave the other queen a charming smile.
The other queen gave a bashful smile and giggle before clearing her throat, making Clawdenia raise a brow at her but wait.
“Umm w-well Denia I was..um...I was wondering if you’d l-like to go on a w-walk with me.”
Slowly the maine coon’s smile returned and she swished her fluffy tail moving to the smaller queen’s side earning a sheepish smile and a faint blush.
“Sure, I think a walk sounds nice.”
Heidi’s smile widened as she watched Clawdenia look at her fathers, getting a nod of approval from both, before the pair headed off on their walk. It was around sunset when the two young queens reached the south most wall of the junkyard, the stars were just starting to twinkle to life in the darkening sky while the setting sun looked like it was setting the horizon on fire. The pair sat watching the sky for a long moment before Heidi took a deep breath and faced the maine coon queen flicking her tail nervously.
“Denia, I w-wanted to ask you s-something.”
Clawdenia gave her most charming smile, she felt a small swell of pride seeing the other queen blush a bit before the white and orange queen shook her head and closed her eyes.
“Would you go to the ball with me?!”
Clawdenia blinked a bit surprised by the sudden question before she smiled softly curling her tail under the other queen’s chin making Heidi open her eyes and meet the soft green orbs looking at her.
“It would be my pleasure Heidi.”
Heidi’s eyes brimmed with tears before she gave a watery laugh launching herself at the other queen earning a laugh as they tumbled to the ground giggling and purring. After a moment Clawdenia looked down at her mane and pouted seeing it was messed up.
Heidi looked confused before following the other queen’s eyes and gave a soft smile.
“Your mane. Here sit up.”
Clawdenia raised a brow but did as she was told before her eyes widened as Heidi began softly grooming the messed up collar of fur easily clearing it of dirt and tangles without much pulling. Once it was done Heidi smiled proudly and Clawdenia gave her a completely charmed smile leaning down and licking her cheek softly.
Clawdenia couldn’t help but chuckle as Heidi’s eyes practically bugged out of her head and her face went bright red, she looked ready to faint making the maine coon queen chuckle and pull her close.
“Hey no passing out, we still have to go back to the others.”
Heidi took a moment before she relaxed and smiled with a nodd. With that the pair made their way back to the gathering area with bright smiles and twined tails.
