Disclaimer – I only own The Cat – oh, and all the 'crawlies' under Red's (Raph's) bed. Maybe a few of the dust bunnies, too!

CHAPTER 4 – A Different Perspective.

I can always predict what the one wearing red will do. The moment he comes into my presence, he tries to stare me down. Now, this is only asking for trouble and I'm at a loss why he's too stupid to figure it out. Normally I would only look away and busy myself with some much needed grooming, but with the creature wearing red, he just seems to challenge me. He's become my personal angst, someone who seems always to get my fur to fly, a creature that likes to dare me.

Well, I never back down from a challenge…not from barkers, acorn eaters, dust-bunnies, or even flies! Skin-biters may be a different bother all together, but that's only because they're invisible. I can't find them to save my life, but they make my life so miserable sometimes I'd be willing to lose it if it would mean getting rid of them all together.

Still, the one in red seemed determine to ask for more trouble than he can handle.

I'm more than willing to answer him, too.

One of his biggest dares would be his room. He knows that any door left open is an invitation for me. If you don't want me in, close the door, right? Well, as I said, he's probably too stupid to figure it out because it seems he's always leaving his bedroom door open - and, I'm always going in. How can I not when the rewards for doing such are so great! If it weren't for the creature in red, I'd be bored tailless – not that it almost didn't happened a few times because of him. Thank goodness, I move faster than he does - fast enough to keep out of harms way, at least! I learned that it was quite important, too. If one wasn't quick enough, one could end up a doormat in no time flat! At least, that was what Red was always threatening to do if ever he caught me!

What exactly is a doormat, anyway?

Aside from being swift, I discovered a few other tips about living here in the sewers to be beneficial. I learned all the proper words for things that helped me to understand what was what. Doors, tables, chairs, kitchen – food! Yep, my best friend in this place – the Splinter – decided to take me on as his student. He actually tried to talk to me; not in my language, but he would point to things and utter sounds that, after a time, I would figure out what they were. Didn't I already say that I was smart! Well, I determined that the kitchen had food and the door let me out. In addition, chair or couch was what they all sat on. Sometimes I would sit on them, as well, but only if Blue, Orange, or Purple were there already. Red was not one I felt like curling up with, not after I accepted his challenge that one day.

I'd been here for a good week and was exploring a little more of the cage, or lair as they called it. Personally, if I couldn't come and go freely from the sewer to the lair, it was pretty much a cage to me. That was one thing that the Splinter did not teach me, how to open the main door. Maybe one day he will. I can only hope.

Anyway, I was exploring the many halls – another neat word - and found all but one door closed. I poked my head inside and found the room to be empty. Satisfied that I could snoop around unmolested, I ventured in and decided to check under the thing that they called a bed. I just knew there were crawlies beneath it, which I dearly loved. Although they crunched at first, their tasty insides nearly melted in my mouth. I could actually eat myself sick with them, I really could! I tried to share my stash one time with Orange, but all he did was throw it way. I was quite crestfallen, you can be sure. It was a gift and all he did was toss it. At least he could have given it back. I would have eaten it!

So, here I was under this bed finding to my delight a few snacks along the way, when Red waltzes in. Obviously, because of where I was, he couldn't see me, but I knew he was there. I was very quiet as I watched him, too. All I could see were his legs, but I knew it was he, no doubt. I had already tried to use them as a scratching post a few days before. My claws were itchy and he was standing so still and was so quiet, I didn't think he would mind. I guess I was wrong. Anyway, I recognized my work right away in the scratches I left behind that were now part of his legs.

As I lay there under the bed, I listened quietly. I never made a movement or a sound. I had found that, except for me, he and the others were the quietest creatures I had ever known. My other captors were so easy to find and they could never sneak up on me to scare me, either. I found them to be quite silly when they would try, too, but that's another story.

As I watched Red, I noticed that he hadn't closed his door yet. This was a bit of good news. The last thing I would want was to be stuck in the same room with him. For one thing, he had a worse attitude than I did. Second, I always made him mad and I knew that if I couldn't get out, I'd be a rat on a string - no offense to the Splinter, of course. Third, he didn't have any preferable food to eat – other than the crawlies under his bed. Like I said, I could eat myself sick with them, but he had a limited supply as it was – and I had pretty much depleted it already.

Needless-to-say, I was wondering how best to get out of his room. I waited until he was well into the paper thing he enjoyed looking at. I could hear him rustle what he called the pages, so I rightly figured he was playing with it again. I could never understand his fascination with it, either. I had noticed once before when I was in his room that on the front there were images of ones like my captors and creatures that were not unlike Red and his other friends. Inside were just bits of paper with scratches and more images on them that seemed to make sense to Red. Yet for the life of me, I didn't see its importance. Still, if it kept him preoccupied, I'd be happy enough to leave him to it.

However, just as I thought for sure I would make it out safely, he spied me.

Now, one has to understand the nature of me. I love a good back scratch. Don't touch my tummy, but feel free to scratch my back a good one. Well, at first that's what Red started to do. He had been on his bed when I slithered out from underneath. I was quite surprised that he had noticed me, too. He made some guttural sounds that humorously sounded as if he was sweet-talking me. Considering how he was around the others, I thought it all too hilarious. If only I could speak their language, I think I would have some mighty good ways of embarrassing him.

Anyway, his hand found my back and began to massage along my spine. The closer he came to the base of my tail, the happier I was. Maybe this would be the one time where he and I might actually get along with each other. I couldn't help but stand on my tiptoes as he continued to scratch the base of my tail; it felt so good.

However – and I did mention how stupid he was – Red did what everyone else learned quickly enough not to do. He suddenly picked me up.

Now, being picked up is not one of my favorite things to have happen. For one, I like to feel my feet on the ground, not dangling up in the air. Orange and Purple can carry me around, but they make sure to keep my feet on something solid, either their arm or their chest. Second, I'm not in control, someone else is and if there's one thing I can't stand is to not being in control! I have to say that Orange and Purple know when to put me down. It only took them one time to find out what happened when they didn't. Third, considering how loud and aggressive Red could get, I didn't have a clue what he was going to do. For all I knew, he might have had a less noble plan concerning me.

Well, I soon found myself on the bed with this creature. It all happened so fast I was sort of stunned. His scratching of my back had stopped and now, to add insult to injury, he was starting to rub my tummy. To me, that only meant one thing – attack. I've had my share of battles with my own kind and that's the most vulnerable spot I have! It only makes me want to shred whoever it is who's touching me there.

Case in point, I had reacted as I would have normally with any like challenge. I whipped around and found all four sets of my claws and my teeth embedded into his upper leg – or arm, as I've heard them call it. The next thing that happened I heard Red make a noise that would have received appreciative nods in the alleyway behind where I used to live. Many of my kind would often join up and try to outdo one another with as loud a yowl as they could muster. Red would have probably won the prize with his rendition. Then again, I doubt very much he would have cared the least bit in that moment.

The next thing I knew, he was tossing me about, while I was holding on to his arm for dear life. I wanted to let go, but his skin was so tough that, once my claws were unsheathed, they just wouldn't release. It wasn't my fault, either. The more he swung me around, the more I held on. For kitten's sake, I was scared and he only made it worse by flinging me about. I finally stopped biting him, hoping that would help, but as I found myself slipping down along his arm and dragging my claws with me, his noise just became louder. Now, I have to say that all of this took place in quick order. It may sound like it took minutes for all of this to happen. It didn't. I guess for Red that would be a good thing. Because I believe he was quite miserable. For that matter, so was I! Honestly, I don't think I'd ever been swung around so fast as what Red did to me. I almost felt like getting sick. Well, I did have a hairball that was ready to let fly, but I decided to wait on it for another time. Maybe after he calmed down – which wasn't going to happen any time soon, believe me!

Just as I hit the floor, I saw him whip out these metal fork things from his side – similar to what the Splinter and the others use to push food into their mouths. Only, Red's was bigger – much bigger, in fact. One of them 'accidentally' dropped right next to me, sticking into the wood box I think they call a dresser. It just missed me, too. That was when I decided that leaving would be a good idea. I raced out the room so fast that it took a minute for Red to recover from his shock. By the time I landed in the Splinter's lap, Red finally made it to the living room where I sat looking thoughtfully at him while the Splinter stroked me. All Red did was growl, which began some sort of discussion between him and the Splinter.

I honestly think Red is the dumbest one of the bunch. If the others can figure out not to touch me where they shouldn't, why can't he? I did notice, though, that I had made some rather nice bloody runs on his arm. I felt that even with all the shaking he had done to me, I had left behind a perfectly long-lasting reminder for him never to scratch my belly again. Yep, I'm quite certain he'll avoid repeating that experience any time soon!

Then again, I did say he was dumb!

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