Chapter 75: Kingly Dreams

A sudden shierk of an elated child nearby made the kitten snap from her trance. Shaking off her thoughts of the upcoming competition, she instinctively crutch down again, worried she'd be seen.

When the squealing quickly dissipated, however, she couldn't help but peek through the leaves again- her small, hopeful smile only growing.

Tons upon tons of humans -including children of all ages- were beginning to gathered around the seating benches for the talent show, all getting ready for it just mintues away from begining. They appeared to be from different towns all over the state, traveling to the tiny city of Sugar Russia just to experience the Happy Paws fair and talent show.

The stunning array -and sheer ammount- of different humans that came each month never failed to aw the peering kitten. At the competition site today, there were strong, buff men and small, dainty women; smirking wives with large purses and chuckling husbands with pot bellies eating hotdogs; doting mothers and loving fathers tickling their squealing toddlers; screaming, giddy children running around; teenagers glued to their phones or laughing it up with their friends beside them.

Each person gathering around looked so different from the person right beside them...yet each and every one of them looked so happy, so loving as they smiled and laughed and enjoyed the fair with their families...

Making the kitten hiding in the bush melt a little in her place.

She could only silently hoped one -just one- of those loving humans out there in the live audience or watching in their homes elsewhere would like her tricks enough to adopt her...

Or, better yet, maybe I'll catch the eye of an entire family of humans, her mind wondered as it often did when picturing a new life. Maybe they'll fall in love with me and take me home with them...

Maybe it's be a big family, too, she smiled at the thought, one with so many children to play with, I'll be exhausted by the end of the day. Maybe they'll get a bed for me to sleep in during the day- but I'd get to take turns cuddling with them at night. Maybe they'll get brand new toys for me to pat around and chase and to make them laugh...

Maybe my new family would get a little food dish for me, filled with the best food in the state, her mind daydreamed on, her stomach growling at the further thought of food. And maybe, if I'm really good, they'd even give me that canned tuna stuff I heard that orange kitten talk about once...

Maybe I'd be the only pet they'd ever have...the only one they'll ever love...

Staring out at all the potential owners in the crowd, the kitten wiped rare tears away that were starting to pool at the bottom of her eyes. She was shocked at how emotional she was suddenly getting...

Before a new thought slammed into her mind- one of the best thoughts she'd had all day.

Maybe my new family would even get me a pretty collar to wear, showing everyone around that they loved and cherished their new little addition to the family...

A kitten they'd love and cherished more any other animal they knew...

Just the thought of such a happy prospect and hopeful outcome made the kitten tear up all the more...and get all the more nervous.

So much was at stake here, after all; one wrong move and she could blow her chance of getting winning. Of getting that extra screen time...

Of getting all she wanted, destorying her chance of a forever home...

And just make herself looked like a foolish, disabled kitten who'd never, never deserved to be loved...

Heaving a bit in renewed fear, the kitten forced herself to silent her thoughts. She couldn't afford to listen to them- and wasn't about to start now.

Stubbornly, she forced herself to look through the branches again- only this time to see something that sent a familar icy chill up her spine...and make her negative, bitter thoughts revamp in their revenge.

Not too far away from where she was hidding, some of the other animal contestants were practicing their unique set of tricks- and/or buttering up the audience before the competition even began.

That one calico kitten -Tafftya, was that her name?- was doing a backflip for a giggling little girl dangling a string in her face, clearly in awe of the beautiful kitten's flexibility. Nearby, a chuckling woman was holding the orange kitten -was it Rancis, perhaps?- and laughing as he swatted playfully with one paw at her wavy hair...

Making sure his claws weren't out so that he didn't accidentally scratch the woman, though...

And with a sudden strong, demanding bark and an loud eruption of claps and whistles being heard, the hidden black-and-white kitten deviated her eyes to regrettably land on the stage...where the main dog of the entire shelter of Happy Paws was now perched.

He was the very mascot of the adoption services itself, after all. The very happy-go-lucky face that was plaster on every poster, every flier, practically every single thing Happy Paws Animal Adoption Service produced.

The very dog that was so glorious, so talented, so poised that he was even dubbed the 'king' of the animals in Sugar Russia.

The amazing, spectacular, intimidating King Candy, to be exact.