Author: Pirate Turner
Rating: G
Summary: Buck's fur is ruffled when Chanu teaches him how to fish the native way, but then something Chris does makes Buck forget everything else.
Warnings: TM7 Cats Alternate Universe
Word Count: 437
Timeline: Follows "Learning the Native Way"; takes place during the time Buck and Chris are staying with the natives (along with Josiah and Nathan) before the Seven all meet up together
Disclaimer: Chris Larabee, Buck Wilmington, Nathan Jackson, Josiah Sanchez, Chanu, and The Magnificent Seven are & TM CBS, The Mirisch Group, MGM, and Trilogy Entertainment, not the author. Everything else is & TM the author. The author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Note: Any one who wants to play in this universe may do so with two exceptions: We ask that you give Queen Cindy and ourselves, Pirates Turner and Sparrow, proper credit for the creation of this AU and we require that you absolutely do not kill or greatly injure any of these characters, the latter being due to the fact that we do not want such a thing to come back and bite our sweet children. Yes, the beings who are mixed with the Seven to make this new breed of heroes, as well as the other characters, are very real and dear to our hearts. :-) They have all already been rescued from various dangers and perils in the world, and we do not wish to have to do so again nor would we ever wish such tragedy upon our loved ones. We have pictures of the kids used herein if any one would like to see.
The gathered group watched as Chanu waded out into the river. Though his bare, furry back was turned, Buck knew the native was focusing on him as he said, "You come out this far, catman."
Buck's black and white fur, including his mustache, bristled. "I've got a name, mouseman; it's Buck."
"Like the deer," another native whispered.
"Like the male deer," Buck clarified. He forced down a growl as he felt a gentle hand touch his shoulder. He looked up into Josiah's gray face.
Josiah smiled at Buck. He knew the tensions were riding high between the people he had adopted as his own and those of his own whose rescue he and his beloved Nathan had led and hoped they would ease soon. The interactions between Chanu and Buck seemed to be the worst of it, and Josiah hoped that if he could settle one of the two men down, the other might follow and relax the tension for every one. "It's okay," he told Buck. "They mean nothing by it but harmless fun." The white-ringed tip of his tail twitched.
Nathan quietly spoke up. "They joke just like us catmen."
Buck doubted his new friends, but he knew that he and Chris owed them their very lives. He hushed, though his fur still bristled and his throat ached to growl.
"You dip your fingers into the water," Chanu continued as though he'd not heard the exchange. He wriggled his brown fingers just below the surface. "And then you make this sound . . . " His intelligent words transformed into panicked, high-pitched squeaks.
"No fair!" Buck exclaimed, even as his spotted ears flattened against his furry head and his mustache almost popped off of his handsome face. "That's cheating! Catmen can't sound like that!"
"I don't know, stud," Chris drawled. Buck's fur relaxed against his body; he'd not realized how close the black tomcat had come up to him until he spoke. "I've heard ya make some sounds pretty close to it." Chris smiled.
Josiah wrapped a brotherly arm around Buck's shoulders as Nathan looked on with a grin. "It's better," Josiah mused, his gray tail swishing, "to lure the big fish to you rather than be its prey."
Rivulets cut through the water as something big sped at Chanu, but Buck was no longer listening or paying attention to anything but Chris. He gazed at him, his green eyes shining with happiness. All the embarrassment in the world was worth seeing Chris' smile again, but then Buck's heart sank pass his boots as Chris' smile vanished as quickly and abruptly as it had come and he looked away.
The End Author's Note: If you enjoyed this story, or any of my other writings, I hope you'll consider joining my friends and I at a brand new fan fic/art site called Ficcers Unite. At Ficcers Unite, we welcome all fandoms, pairings (slash and het), and even no pairings at all; hope to begin a Marvel/Disney RPG soon; and plan on issuing challenges every day of the week! This is a fic that has been produced by the Wednesday Magnificent Seven challenge. Come on over and check us out at today!