based on the world of Firefly by Joss Whedon

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"Batha, hold still." Kitty tossed the bed sheet back over the big cat, who again sidestepped so it fell down beside her. The young girl huffed again, scissors in hand. "Don't you want to dress up like the rest of us?"

'No.' The big cat thought, her long pink tongue running over the large left paw and then to her face.

"But, think about how fun it will be." Kitty put the sheet over herself, its length dragging mostly on the floor of the ship. "See, you can be a ghost."

'I already am.' The cat chimed back, a harsh purr echoing off her thoughts. 'I smell Mal and Cat.'

"It's their sheet. Found it in the laundry folded after being washed. They won't miss it....much." Kitty shook her cloth adorned head. "So, if not a ghost, what are you going to be?"

'A 500 lb black cat...you'd think twice if I crossed your path.' Her mind chuckled as the big panther finished her bath and walked away, toward where she and Cat tended to think. It was also a great place to be free of everyone.

"You're no fun." Kitty shouted at the long tail as it disappeared from view.

"Hey, munchkin." Jayne spoke behind her and then stopped. "That is you, right?"

She giggled as he tickled her sides, causing the big sheet to wrap even further around her. "Yeessss..."

"What are you doing with Mal's sheet over you?" Helping her find a way out, Jayne smiled as she brushed her hair from her face.

"I was tryin to convince Batha to be a ghost for my party." She grinned wide and then yelled over the general direction the panther had gone. "But, she's being a spoiled sport."

"Let's not yell at something that can eat you," Jayne smiled, still a little nervous around the large feline, even though it seemed to shadow the little one's movements like that of a mother.

"Batha is just a big pussy cat, Jayne. I already told you that."

"Ain't a pussy cat I saw when she tore through those creepifying things we found when rescuing