The Ghost of You I Cannot Deny

~5~ The Mother and The Winner

~For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.~

-Sun Tzu

Kalia wasn't quite sure what it was that woke her up. What she did know was that she wouldn't be going back to sleep anytime soon; so with a groan she sat up, rubbing at her eyes blearily.

As she struggled to take in her surroundings a meow sounded next to her, making her jump in surprise before she looked down at the rumpled white bed spread that covered her legs. Upon seeing the small black and white kitten that laid beside her, Kalia smiled gently before reaching out to stroke Kiyoshi's smooth fur, her lips quirking into an amused smile as the kitten's mouth opened in a large yawn, showing off her small canines before she settled back down, closing her eyes as her tail wrapped around to settle on her small pink nose.

Looking up from the bed Kalia looked around dazedly, blinking in an attempt to focus on something other than the appealing option of laying back down before sighing as she pulled the covers back gently, trying not to disturb the small cat as she slid out of her warm cocoon before shivering as her feet hit the cold wooden floor, making goose bumps erupt over her bare flesh.

Padding across the room quickly to stop in front of the cherry wood door that stood just a couple paces from her bed, she opened the door, grumbling to her self as she went. 'Why was it that it was always so damn cold inside?' She mused grumpily as she pulled on a pair of fuzzy black socks that she had hardly ever worn. 'Guess they'll finally earn their keep, huh?'

She started towards the door before glanced indecisively at a simple red zip up sweatshirt that sat on one of the various wooden shelves before grumbling to herself and grabbing it. Shrugging into the soft material and zipping it up over her simple black tank top, she stepped out of the large closet, shutting the door gently behind her as to not wake up the still sleeping kitten that rested on the rumpled bedspread.

Taking a moment to take in the room she would be staying in for who-knows-how-long, Kalia sighed before walking over to the two curtain covered windows across the room. Pulling the heavy material back cautiously she squinted out into the sunlight before gasping softly at what she saw. A beautiful garden was laid out just in front of her window, full of roses and ferns and flowers she didn't even know the names of. A variety of trees stood in flower beds, and she stared in awe at the large willow tree that stood off in the distance.

'It had to be acres of land!' She thought dazedly, shaking her head at the sheer size of it. When Tom had said he took care of the garden, Kalia had expected... Well, she didn't know what she had expected. But it hadn't been this! She shook her head incredulously, wondering, once again, just how her Mother had managed to get this place, and she made a mental note to call her later; because as unbelievably undesirable that that was... Kalia knew that it would have to happen; after all, it could be her once-every-few-months discussion. She smiled bitterly at the thought.

Her stomach, always choosing the perfect time to announce its needs, chose to grumble loudly at that moment, pulling her from her thoughts; and she blinked, gazing down at said appendage gratefully, before pushing off from the window sill with a sigh.

She cast one last glance at the room, smiling at the still sleeping kitten before closing the door gently, leaving a small gap open for Kiyoshi to fit through.

Padding down the hallway, Kalia couldn't help but feel lost. She wasn't used to this new environment. She didn't know if she ever would get used to it, and she found herself longing for the little apartment she had lived in in the city before she shook it off with a sigh. 'Its no use longing for something you can't have,' Kalia reminded herself, 'it will only bring pain and disappointment.'