Author's notes- This is Cori's child-hood not the present, he does not live in Victoria grove… Yet. You'll see where he lives next chapter. Tao and Holly are OC. The angst part of the story will start around the 3rd or 4th chapter if I have that many… I probably will. DICLAIMER- I do NOT own cats… or any characters… or any part… ~Sniffles~ WHY CAN'T I HAVE IT! Errrm just read the story… -.-

A Lost Memory

Summary- For so long I have forgotten a child-hood promise, to protect her. I long for the way to find her, and the way to greet so many people from my youth. Someday I know I'll find you, I promise with mind, body, and soul, I will keep all my promises and make it up to you, Tao. I won't let you down.

Chapter 1- The End, Begins Now

I lay awake; it's now 11:11. I always believed in the superstition, so I make a wish,

Please, make my mother healthy again.

For so long I have made these wishes every night, always believing that one day my mother will wake from her everlasting illness. Though I still have hope, I feel that wishing upon a tiny myth for what is now 300 days, is not going to help my mother get well again. I pick up my knife and etch another tally mark into the wall. I say to myself in a whisper, "300 days, it's useless." My voice faltered as I tried to hold back the tears. I get a grip and lay in my bed waiting for a better tomorrow.

I wake the next morning to my grandmother's voice, "Get up sweet-heart, you slept in." I lay motionless for a brief moment and stretched out my limbs to get ready for another day of school. "Mornin' grandma." I said in an innocent tone. I am a morning person, but sometimes I like to lie quietly listening to the T.V. out in the den. "Chop chop. You have to get ready for school." I hop out of bed and clap my hands in an up-beat way. "Mhm, so much to do, so little time." I go to the bathroom with a 'little' faster than normal pace. I pull out a comb and groom my hair. Then I take my toothbrush, Kitty Kleaner 07 to be precise, and brush my teeth efficiently, and then floss. I always make sure to do my one fang especially well. I caress my single tooth with the floss, and make it squeaky clean. "There we go!" I wasn't always this talkative, but today was my best friend, Tao's birthday party. I was usually much more quite, as well as content.

"Well, I already slept in, and I need to see Tao, so I better get going." I said very cheerfully.

"All-righty then, don't want you to be late. Have fun at school," said my grandmother. "And tell Tao I said happy birthday!" I ran to the bus stop where Holly Clevenger, Tao's best friend, stood. "Hey!" She waved at me.

"Hey!" I repeated. Her brown fur with with white marks and a splotch of black right around her eye made her almost blend in with the tree she was leaning up against.

"What did you get Tao for her birthday?" She smirked, and sounded very curious.

"This" I began to pull out the present from my pocket. Holly gasped, her eyes widened.