27

"Can I help you?"

Three people stood in the middle of Main Street, one of them with a suspicious looking clipboard that bothered Ton from the moment he saw it. He knew immediately that they were Botherers and he didn't need those today. Hawks' birthday party was tomorrow and it was the day to start decorating his cake.

"Hello there son, is your daddy around?" one asked and Ton blinked slowly as he focused on him.

"I am 21 years old and I am pretty sure that I am not you son, you are not my dad as clearly as you just asked for him and you cannot ask for yourself" he reasoned with the idiot man "You really shouldn't have come here like this. Politeness does not cost a thing and sugar gets you the bees."

"Excuse me?" the man asked with confusion.

"Or is it… you get more bees with honey… I mix my metathingees. I mean … if you want help it's a funny way to ask."

"Sweetie" the lone woman in the trio decided to try "We just need help finding an address"

Ton nodded "OK. Shoot."

"Shangri-La"

"OK. You got it."

They stared at him and he shrugged "You are here."

"Which house?" the man with the clip board looked around "None seem to have name plaques."

"No. This is Shangri-la. The village itself" Ton knew for certain that they were thick now "The whole place, from the bridge you crossed to beyond the mountain behind us … is called Shangri-la."

"God" the man without the clipboard groaned "It could be any of these houses with all the cats."

"Cats?" Ton canted his head.

"Can I help you?"

They tuned to find a handsome black man standing there, his head tiled to one side and a child holding his hand.

"Curt. They are looking for here and don't believe this is here" Ton shrugged. "My brain can't handle their brains."

"This is the village of Shangri-La, like my brother-in-law there says" Curtis nodded.

"We are from the RSPCA. We are here about a property that has over thirty cats that recently needed vaccines and trapping, tagging and such. You know, any domicile with an excess of…." Her voice faded away as Curtis started to laugh at her but Ton was not amused.

"OK, you are clearly not getting me. This is Shangri-La. We own it. All of it. The WHOLE village is one property and all the kitties that live here are ALL in Shangri-La but as you can see… lots of houses." Ton waved his hand around "You should really think about things more. Do you go into the city of London and tell everyone there are too many pigeons? Hmmmm? Cardiff is only allowed a certain amount of doggies?"

"Ton had a point" Curtis nodded sagely "But he is blunt. DS. He is trying to explain that this is private property, the village is owned by a private Holding and you're kinda trespassing. The cats are loved and well cared for, there is not a single house with the cats filling it up until the seams burst and the roof pops off. They have all been vacated and seen to by the vet now. Thanks. The bridge out is this way."

Ton shook his head as he glared at the people Curtis was walking away with, still explaining to them the weirdness of this place. "Sort of like a hippy commune… but not. Protected."

"Bloody Botherers." Ton muttered to himself as he stroked a random kitty.