Let's be friends

Are they just too tired to care, or are they friends at last?
Strangely, the cat allows the puppy to lick out her ears, not something most of us would enjoy, and certainly not a cat you would think.
They have quite a strange relationship. The cat blocks the doorway and the puppy cries to come through, but when the cat strikes out with all claws flying, the puppy just ignores it and carries on with her teasing.
The old dog, Merlin, stays well clear!