CHAPTER 2 – A Tail to Tell
He wasn't quite sure what to do.
The 'thing' seemed to be in the same quandary as it stared back at him. The only part of its body that moved was its tail.
Oh, that tail! He found it quite compelling and hypnotic. He watched the tip of that hairless tail tap against the ground nervously. Was the thing nervous about him? He couldn't tell and he didn't really care. Because he was distracted by its tail, the thing grabbed very little of his attention now. Even though it looked very much like the one he had chased earlier in the stinky tunnel, this creature was way out of his league on size alone.
However, its tail seemed promising.
Looking up at the creature once again, he wondered if by attacking its tail he could make it run. He so enjoyed that romp earlier. With a creature as large as this one, he was certain it wouldn't be able to fit into any cracks, thereby making its escape.
Yet, maybe this thing would not run at all. It was quite possible that it could turn a mitten on him and chase him instead. That would not be good. From where he sat, it looked as if it could probably run faster, too.
Then he noted the stick it grasped in its one paw. Sticks were a mystery to him. They served no purpose other than to make the barkers that roamed the streets look silly when their captors would toss one away. The bakers seemed mindlessly agreeable in always bringing the sticks back, too. How foolish it seemed to him. It was truly a waste of energy and time as far as he was concerned.
Yet that thing's tail kept tapping; kept 'calling' for him to come and play. As he readied himself to pounce, he chanced one more look up at the thing. It was then that he noted its ears were pinned back a little. That meant it wasn't happy, based on his personal understanding of such expressions. Was it getting mad? That had him a little concerned. Considering its size, he was certain the 'thing' would be formidable.
He reconsidered.
As difficult as it was, he would let temptation slide this one time and ignore the tail.
However, that tail kept tapping even more now! He closed his eyes to will himself not to think about it, that tapping teasing tail. Blast it all, he thought, it still 'called out' to him. He could hear it mock him. He then squeezed his eyes tighter to concentrate, letting out a small cry in frustration. He trembled and then realized he just couldn't take it anymore.
Snapping his eyes open and ready to pounce – he noticed that the thing was gone?
Jumping around suddenly in shock, he visually searched the cage. Nothing, it was just gone. Where had it disappeared? He knew he hadn't been imagining it; he knew it was real. However, if it was real why didn't he hear it when it left? Its quick departure made him a little nervous. His back rippled in response.
Quickly confirming that the cage door was closed, he turned back around. It was then that he noticed a light coming out from a large opening in the far wall. It was just to his left where he had been sitting previously. As he focused on that opening, he soon realized that the smell of food, which had led him to this cage in the first place, was coming from there.
Cautiously he crept forward in that direction. His ears were ever mindful of 'things' that might be lurking behind the soft sitting boxes that were in the room. The 'thing' very well might have tried to hide there, sensing his desire for its tail! Well as long as it was locked the same cage as he, there would be plenty of time to chase its tail. Right now, however, he was hungry. Food was what he needed, not some romp with the thing. His stomach was currently growling louder than he could purr.
As he made his way into the lit open area, he stood stock-still. He stared once again. It stared back! There was the 'thing' with the tail and – with a bowl in its front paws. How odd, he thought. Who would have believed that such a thing could grasp a bowl in the same fashion as his captors could?
Grabbing things was one of the few qualities that had made his captors so special. Where he was unable to open doors and work bowls, his captors could. Yet here, standing before him in like manner, the 'thing' was holding a bowl. It was just plain incredible, that's all he could say to himself.
Then, to add more amazement to his already challenged understanding, the 'thing' spoke to him. However, it was not the 'squeak' that he had expected to hear. He considered the sound it made very carefully. After a moment, he discovered the language wasn't even that of his captor or of those creatures that left earlier. This one spoke words that were very short and precise.
He had absolutely no idea what it was saying, though. Therefore, he sat and waited. Maybe it would do something that he would recognize.
No sooner had he sat down on his haunches than the 'thing' placed the bowl on the ground. He telescoped his head up a bit, as far up as his stretching neck would allow. He noticed there was something inside the bowl, but from where he sat it was difficult to tell what it was. Looking back at the 'thing', who was now standing up straight again, he heard some more of the strange words. However, there was one word he recognized out of all of the ones he couldn't understand.
Only one word and the creature said it twice to him.
"Kitty, kitty!" the thing said.
Cocking his ears far forward, he knew that word! It meant that whoever said it might have something good to eat or to drink, maybe a scratch behind the ears or a good tummy-rub, too.
Considering what the 'thing' just placed on the floor, however, he had a good idea it concerned that bowl.
Carefully and not taking his eyes off of the thing – or its tail, for that matter – he edged his way slowly towards the bowl. The closer he came to it the stronger the scent that wafted up towards him. Just as he peered over the rim of the container, he immediately recognized its contents. The aroma hit his senses and a word came to his mind. Tu-na! He had learned that word from his captor who would always say it just before feeding him. He had learned to recognize that word with the food in that manner. Tu-na was one of several words his captor used that he had learned to understand – and it was one of his favorites, too.
He had to smirk to himself at how smart he really was.
Yet, this 'thing' knew just what he needed besides the food. It seemed to know how soothing it was to have one's back scratched and rubbed while eating. He never would have guessed it would possess such valuable knowledge. How incredibly strange and wonderful, he thought.
Unable to control himself while he ate and while the thing continued to scratch his back, he began to purr.
Oh, the sacrifices he was making just to get some food.
Maybe he'll put off chasing that tail for another day. Maybe, but he'd make no promises about it.
After all, it was a very long and tempting tail!
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Comments - To all who read and reviewed - a bit thanks! RAMICA - PRETENDER FANATIC
