"We should have never hired her," Cedarflame meowed, glaring at the brown furred psychologist. Feathershine huffed in return, gingerly licking her paws.

"I was trying to help," the she-cat meowed, her face scrunching up with hurt.

Sageleap only sighed in response, his normally frightened face appearing more irritated than normal for the first time that trip.

"Anyway," their leader meekly began, avoiding eye contact with his crew members, "we need to go inside the hub and bring back the rest of the suits so the rest of our crew members can come."

"Okay!" chirped Feathershine, the hub's automatic doors opened as she bounced towards it.

"Oh gosh," Cedarflame grumbled, "I better keep an eye out for her." He charged through the doors, easily catching up to the brown furred she-cat.

Greenface turned towards Sageleap, his white tail flicking from side to side. "Should we go together or spit up?"

"Umm...I don't see the harm to stick together, especially if the others are..."

"Okay," Greenface murmured, "then you lead the way to the airlock."

"We're pretty close to it," Sageleap said as an attempt to reassure the engineer, "don't worry. Although I think the others may have taken a wrong turn."

Indeed, the Astrophysicist had been correct. Feathershine had found the kitchens, with a groaning Cedarflame behind her.

"Are you a mouse-brain?" the tom demanded, "the rest of the spacesuits are in the airlock."

"I know that," Feathershine muttered, although he wasn't sure of that, "I just want a little snack before we go."

Cedarflame couldn't hide the disgust in his eyes but waited, his paws crossed.

Feathershine's yellow eyes met his green ones as she sensed his irritation. "You can leave if you want. I promise I won't stray far."

Cedarflame blinked, barely concealing his surprise. "I can't trust you."

"Then it's your loss." The brown furred she-cat gasped as she opened the drawers. "Ohh, look at this! We have space pizza! It comes in pepperoni, meat lovers, and eww vegetarian. We'll give those for the others." She grabbed a box that contained 8 thin slices and sliced into it with satisfaction.

"Oh no, you're not--" Cedarflame groaned as the box was shredded open. "I didn't know you possessed a huge appetite in addition to your annoyingness." 

Feathershine ignored him, plunging into the bacon and sausage pizza with an unnerving grin that suggested she had an overdose of catnip. "Mmm, SOO good. I missed this. Do you want one?"

Cedarflame sighed but took a piece, biting into it with hesitation. "Oh, this tastes like cardboard! I understand why you like real pizza but you're going crazy over this?"

Feathershine ignored him, the pupils of eyes dilating. She was in complete bliss over a slice of pizza. 

Cedarflame rolled his eyes. "Just follow me to the airlock. You can bring your pizza as long as you finish it."

---------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, Sageleap and Greenface had spotted the missing spacesuits and rushed towards them, Sageleap sighing in relief.

They skid to a stop mere inches away from the suits and looked at each other.

"Where are the others?" Greenface asked, breaking the silence.

Sageleap groaned. "I shouldn't have sent Feathershine here."

"She just wanted to help," Greenface spoke up, "and don't worry. I'll go to the control panel and call them in." Pawsteps sounded as the skinny white tom scampered away, leaving Sageleap alone with his thoughts.

Aside from Greenface's plastic stomach, Sageleap had to admit that having the experienced engineer on their team was a huge help. He should thank Greenface and the others later when they all made it safely and successfully home.

Greenface paused as the door to the airlock opened and Cedarflame and Feathershine stepped in, the later carrying a large box of...was that pizza? The engineer stared at them in belief and Cedarflame only shook his head before motioning to the space suits.

"You can't bring that--" Sageleap began but Feathershine thrust him the box.

It was practically empty, everything except for the crumbs--"How?" the brown tabby demanded.

"I like pizza," Feathershine responded, licking the crumbs off her paws. "Now, can we hurry up and get out of here? This is boring now." Cedarflame gave her a shocked look before shaking his head, hurrying to pick up a space suit. 

The others followed up, grabbing a few more just in case, and Sageleap sighed in relief.

He couldn't believe everything had gone so well--even Feathershine hadn't gotten lost. 

Sageleap gulped. Well, there was no time to mess up now. He vowed to raise his confidence on the trip and that was a promise he would never let go of, even if it meant stepping out of his comfort zone. And if that was a sacrifice he needed to make in order to keep these cats together, that was one he was willing to make.

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Written by Legend ^~^