Miracle is an old coat: New friends, Old friends.

By Puma Concolor

Nana had just entered the bar with three one gallon jugs of home made eggnog. Thomas was quick to relieve her of two and set them on the back bar as she was setting down the third.

"Puma! When did you get in?"She asked when she spotted me.

Edith O'Malley was Thomas's wife but every one knew her as Nana. She was an elderly Irish Setter of fuller figure with only a hint of graying about her muzzle. She was still very beautiful and graceful as she came around the bar with her arms open heading my way.

"Come here so I can get a hug!"

"Nana, still as lovely as ever I see," I said, setting the two pups down and standing to receive a much welcome embrace.

"Flatterer, you're the one who hasn't aged a day in five years," she said with a chuckle as she hugged me about the shoulders.

"Only on the outside, Nana." I lied.

It was my well kept secret that it was Coyote's magic that kept me young and vital. In actuality, I was over 160 years old. Whether this was a blessing or a curse I wasn't sure, but at times like these, around people I had a true affection for, it really didn't matter.

"Nogs on!" came Thomas's announcement as he started pouring from a specially segregated jug.

I turned and grabbed two, handing the first to Nana and the other to Teejh. Nana was the first to take a sip and made a yummy sound licking her lips. Teejh took a good swallow and about choked. He turned, looking first at me then at Thomas in disbelief.

"WOW! That's strong!" he gasped out.

"I should have warned you. Thomas always doctors his nog with the good stuff," I thumbed over my shoulder as Thomas held up a bottle of 50 year old cognac and dark rum. "You may want to just sip it," I added, grinning and sipping from my own glass.

We had been sitting about exchanging pleasantries for about twenty or thirty minutes when the door opened and a grinning Monty came in.

"Strike up the band mister! Monty has returned, and look who he brought with him!" he said as his eyes scanned over the occupants in the room.

As Monty stepped aside in an exaggerated flourish, a Snow Leopard timidly entered not sure of what exactly was going on.

Teejh had not been completely accurate in his description as Monty took her jacket and hung it on the peg next to my old coat. She was of shorter statue than Teejh, but had the stockier Leopard build. Her soft coat was a very pale gray with spots more common of the Clouded Leopard. A long, very fluffy tail that twitched with anticipation flowed from under the short dress she wore. Her head fur was worn in a short shaggy style and died blue with green highlights that matched her eyes. In short, she was a gorgeous creature who would capture any male's eye in a crowded room, especially one coyote with odd blue markings that started across the room towards her.

As their eyes met, her expression went from apprehensive to seductress as a sexy grin spread across her face. As he walked up to her, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Mmm, baby, aren't you a sight for sore eyes," she said with a rather sultry, raspy voice.

Then she pulled him down to her level and wetly kissed him. Her tongue drove deeply into his mouth, down his throat, while she began grinding herself against him. I chuckled, No, it didn't look like Teejh would be getting any sleep anytime soon, I thought.

Glenda, who had been passing out eggnog, absentmindedly stopped in front of me as she watched the two kissing. I heard a soft whimper and decided a bit of closeness would be good for her at this time. It also didn't hurt that the spiked eggnog was starting to warm me up a bit as well.

I reached out and hugged her back into my chest where she instantly relaxed accepting my embrace as if it were an every day occurrence.

"Still pining after the married ones?" I said softly as I rested my chin on her shoulder.

"She's so lucky, Puma. Besides, who would want an ugly, barren bar maid besides some one looking for a one night stand?" she whimpered.

"Who ever said you were ugly?" I said, wiggling my finger in her ribs to get a slight giggle out of her. "And why would you think you were barren?"

"Doctor said my tubes are too small and it would take a miracle if I could conceive naturally. With as many men as I've had, there is little doubt it's true."

"Well, you do live with a family who believes in miracles. You do still live here don't you?"

"Yes, silly. They gave me one of the top floor apartments. You do know Thomas owns the whole building? He says it's the only way he can make sure his best waitress makes it to work every day. You planning on coming up and seeing me? " she said, as she snuggled tighter in my arms.

"Maybe. Who knows, I just may have that miracle you're looking for," I said, kissing behind her ear and then blowing softly over the wet spot. The reaction was better than I had hoped as she shuddered throughout her whole body.

"Oooooooo your teasing meeeee..... "

"But you know you love it," I said, running my tongue over the spot again.

Seeing Teejh making gestures over my way, I knew I was about to be introduced to his wife so I release the poodle now withering in my arms, "You had better be back to your duty's before Thomas starts taunting both of us. Besides it looks like some one is going to want my attention." I said, as I gently squeezed the base of her tail causing her to jump and spin around looking at me with astonishment. She didn't say anything, but her look quickly turned into an excited smile as she hurried off to retrieve another round of drinks.

"Puma, I would like you to meet my wife, Aurora. Aurora, this is Puma, the guy who pulled my ass... tail, out of a snow bank and got me safely here tonight." Teejh said as he drug his lady cat up to me.

"Pleased to meet you, Puma," She said, offering her paw in friendship.

"The pleasure is mine, Lady Aurora. I now see why Teejh was so eager to make it home." I smiled as I took her paw in mine and made a bit of a show gently kissing the back.

"Oooooo, A knight in shinning armor, and a gentleman to boot!" she said, her other paw pressed to her chest. Her tail wrapped around her mate's leg the tip now tickling his crotch as he blushed and brushed it away. "You could take some lessons." She said teasingly as she grinned and winked at him.

"From what I hear you're something special," she said addressing me again.

"Not so much so, I just have a knack for being in the right place at the right time. But I'm sure you're going to hear a lot more before the end of the evening,"I said blushing.

"Yep, this cat is a bloody hero around this house hold. Here sweetie, have a nog, I made it just for you." Thomas popped up from over my shoulder handing a glass across the bar.

I took the glass and handed it to Aurora, "That old codger is Thomas O'Malley. You may want to go slow with this as he is notorious for getting every one smashed to the gills with his 'Special Drinks'. The Lovely lady behind the bar is Nana, his wife. This pretty one saddling up beside me is Kathrin and her husband Clancy. The sweet thing serving drinks is Glenda, and you've already met Monty. The rest I'll let introduce them selves. "

"It's good to meet you all." Aurora said just before taking a sip of her eggnog. She looked at the glass and then at Teejh who just shrugged. She upended the glass and drained it quickly as Glenda handed her another and gave me one of her "your mine!' grins and winks. I could hear Thomas chuckling behind the bar, "Never met a cat yet that didn't like cream."

"Be nice Thom!" Nana whispered with a slight chuckle of her own. "Where are we going to put them tonight?"

"They can have the big room on the third floor, it has the nicest bed and they won't wake the pups. I'm just puttin' enough rum in her drink to make sure they have a real good time."

"So what is it that makes every one think so much of you, Puma?" Aurora asked as I brought my attention back to her.

"Well, I had a bit of a hand in the birthing of the three pups running about here. But I'm sure my rendition of the story just won't do. Besides, I know Kitten is just dying to tell the story again," I said as I looked at the Irish setting next to me cuddling the wolf hound setting on her other side.

Kitten gracefully took her cue. Setting up and giving me a soft peck on the cheek before she began telling her story.

"Speaking of dying, that was exactly what we, Clancy and I, were doing when this big kitty came to our rescue.... "She began.

Kitten went thou the story again, but now that she had a female audience and aided by the nog she shamelessly embellished the fact that I have been the only other male to have ever been inside her most intimate place. She added a little pinch high on the inside of my thigh making me jump and blush deeply. Every one had a great laugh on that one.

Aurora listened intensely to Kitten's story and glanced at me several times as if studying me, trying to make up her mind if this was a fabrication or the truth. I did notice she took great interest in my embarrassment.

"So Puma, from what I've heard here tonight, you're either a saint or someone who likes to feel up pregnant ladies. Either way, what you did was a great thing. I want your phone number. When I get preggers, I want you as my midwife," Aurora said laughing as my ears went beet red.

"As for a midwife, I'm sure you'll not need my assistance. I'll leave the 'feeling up' part up to Teejh but I would be honored to be there when you two become parents." I said carefully composing my words so as to not entrap myself or betray Teejh's trust in me.

"Then it's a deal, I'll have two sets of hands to crush when I give birth." She added with a laughed.

With that, she stood up from where she had been sitting on Teejh's lap and came over to me. She bent over to put herself eye level with me while teasingly running her tail under her husband's chin making sure he got a good show.

"I do owe you this for saving my puppy and bringing him safely back to me. Doesn't matter if you're a saint or a sinner, in my book you are one good guy." She then took my cheeks in her soft paws and kissed me softly on the end of the nose.

Straightening up, she looked first at Monty then Thomas, "Is there anyone sober enough to take us home? It's not like we haven't had fun, but, well, I really need to go rape my puppy here and I'm sure using your pool table would not be exactly appropriate."

Nana was the first to speak up, "No need, it's already arranged, you get the bridal suite tonight and Christmas dinner with us tomorrow. No arguments either. You two can consider it our Christmas present," she said with a grin."If you're ready, I'll show you where it is."

"But...." Teejh started to protest, but Thomas cut him off.

"You heard Nana. If thirty five years of marriage has taught me anything, it taught me that you never argue with hard-headed women, wives, and Grandmothers. Here, you two will need this." Thomas said setting a chilled bottle of champagne and a couple of glasses on the bar.

"I didn't bring a thing with me," Aurora protested.

Kitten spoke up, "It's not like you are going to need much tonight. There are new tooth brushes, mouth wash, and shampoo in the room already and if you need anything else, I'm sure I've got something that will fit you, including a real cute little teddy with matching crouch less panties."She said winking at Teejh who was turning as red as I had been just moments before. "Come on you two. I need to put the pups to bed anyway."

The merriment went on for quite a while and it seemed like every female some how maneuvered me under the mistletoe, Nana included. Clancy suppressed me the most by waving me over, I staggered a bit as I went over to talk to him and as I came up he grinned, pointed up at the mistletoe then turned me around to face a very tipsy Kitten who planted a very deep and wet kiss on me. As I stood there in her embrace, I heard Clancy whisper, "If you're interested you can come sleep with us tonight. You are the only other male on this planet we would even consider asking. I wouldn't mind, really."

As I broke the kiss, I looked first into Kitten's eyes then Clancy's. "As honored as I am by your offer, the sanctity of your marriage is much more important than the pleasure you offer. You two are promised to each other and bound by your love. Please don't be offended, but I must say no. "

"We could never be mad at you Puma, you mean too much to us. Just promise us you will keep coming back. Maybe some day you'll change your mind" She said kissing me once more while running her shapely leg up mine.

I staggered back to the bar and quickly finished my drink as Thomas sat anew in front of me.

"You know she wants to jump your bones, don't ya? He asked.

"Kitten? I know," I said with a slight smile.

"Not going to are you?"

"It doesn't matter if you are her father, Thomas. There isn't a chance in hell I would do that to them."I said looking Thomas right in the eyes. "They are too important to me."

"I knew you had a good soul there Puma." He beamed.

"You know Thomas, some times it's even too good even for my own good. 'Nollaig shona duit!'" I said, raising my glass to my friend with a silly grin.

His eyebrows shot up as he looked at me a moment, then raising his glass tapping it to mine he added,"You never fail to amaze me cat, Happy Christmas to you as well." He smiled.