Chapter 3
Author's Note: If you can't tell, when I put down a dashed line(---- ), it's a change in views or much later than one paragraph change would lead you to believe. Like, if it's Mungo's view, then Teazer's. Or if it's in a basement then on the street. Yeah, I think you get it…
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The whole city was drenched. Everywhere a body went, the smell of growing mildew and general wetness reached their nose. It was one of those days when you are so thankful for electric heaters, ditches and leak-free roofs. But, when you are a street cat, the safest place to be is in some type of leaky, flooded, heater-free abandoned human settlement. After many hours, rain was still pouring into the city, re-drenching everything. Water ran out of gutters and mini rivers flowed down various Paths. Dozens of monsters had gone off their path and snubbed their nose or black paws. Puddles joined others, got to heavy, and began to flow.
As a bright red monster inched by, a kit flew into the street. To anyone watching, it would have seemed as if the monster spat the kit out angrily. But, no one was watching. The kit hit the side of the path hard and rolled a little bit. Instantly soaked and cold, the kit curled up and mewed pitifully. Monsters rolled by, splashing the kit with water. Most of them swerved to avoid it, but some were cruel and went over it. The kit just sat in a ball, occasionally going between the four paws of a monster. For what seemed like eternity in the pounding rain, the kit mewed and cried, in the middle of the street.
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A calico queen paced back and forth on the damp concrete floor of her shelter. She was now oblivious to the streams coming from the leaky roof, now that her kit was finally shutting up about not being dry. Her kit, a little tom, huddled in the driest corner. He watched his mom pathetically as she padded back and forth, from wall to wall. Yes, he was an older kit, just old enough to have a mate (which isn't old for a tom), but storms scare every cat.
"Where is he? We've got a kit to feed and I have the meeting…incompetent fool. Why? Why'd I get stuck with him? Why me…" the queen continued to mutter to herself. The tom was very confused, but knew not to ask questions. He knew Mama had a temper. His bottom was still sore from the last question he'd asked. As the tom listened, he got more and more confused. Didn't mama love Daddy? (And yes, he still called them Mama and Daddy). Didn't Mama love him? He wasn't "the kit". He had a name. Jeez.
No matter what excuse she brought to mind, the queen couldn't help but fell extremely worried. Not about her mate. The meeting. It was a really important one. She had to be there on time. But it would look horrible if she left her kit at home with a leaky roof and no food. No matter what, it was a lose-lose situation. Keeping the kits ears in mind, the queen barely suppressed her cursing.
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The tom being cursed was currently squinting through the rain and the water that poured off of his head and into his eyes. Luck was not with him today. Oh boy, would the missus be pissed. No food. Zip. But, what can you expect when it's raining oceans. Every sensible animal was inside, sleeping. Why did I get stuck wither her? the tom wondered to himself. Thanks to that over-demanding mate of his, he was frickin cold and had to lower himself to hunting on a Path. A total last resort. No honorable tom was pushed around by his mate, or had to sit looking or Path-kill. The thought of eating squished and smelly Path-kill sickened the tom, but it was better than fighting in front of the kit. Anything to help that poor tom grow up halfway normal.
The orange tabby scanned the path, saw nothing, and walked farther along, stopping every other step to search. He repeated this pattern until he saw something furry on the other side of the Path, motionless.
FOOD! the tom's mind screamed. In an ecstatic frenzy, the tabby raced under the bellies of slow moving monsters. He reached the animal and sniffed cautiously. Through the water, monster blood and dirt smells, the tom couldn't figure out what kind of animal lay before him. It was obviously barely alive and all in one piece, which was a whole lot better than dead and all over the place.
The tom bent his head and picked up the animal. It unrolled, half in his mouth, revealing that it was a kit. The tom almost dropped it in surprise, but managed to keep control of his jaws. There was a lot of frantic thinking going on in the tom's head. Eventually, he decided that his mate wouldn't kill him, maybe just torture him endlessly, if he brought the kit home. Maybe, since it was pretty much dead, he could convince her to save it. Occupy her. Get her to shut up…
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"Barley! Oh, Barley!" the calico queen shot out of her dry corner when she saw the orange tabby slide in one of the windows.
"What took you so long? Look, I gotta go. Watch the kit." She didn't even notice Barley's package. He dropped the kit and spoke up.
"Bri. Get back here." Angry at Barley's demand, the calico turned abruptly.
"Barley!..."her gaze fell to the shivering kit.
"It's not food? What is wrong with you? You bring home…a…thing? This is not a charity joint!" Cambriana spat at Barley. Hot anger ran through her veins, flashing in her eyes. Barley flinched and sighed.
"Bri, I've searched for hours…"
"I know! I've only had to sit with the kit this whole time. I don't need this shit! I've got to go! So shut up and let me!" Cambriana snapped.
"Bri, you need to shut up! And don't you use that trash language in this household!" Cambriana's eyes widened. The little tom in the corner dropped his mouth. This was almost as good as the street fights.
"There isn't anything out there. And this kit was in the roaring Path. I thought you'd act like every normal queen and try to save it," Barley finished, venting his previous anger. Cambriana glared at him. Barley added softly,
"You're late anyway. Just stay home." Cambriana thought about it. Barley could totally read her thoughts, her face was so open. He could see when and why she agreed.
"Fine." Cambriana sat down and glared at Barley. He couldn't believe it. She's doing it to look good at the next meeting Barley fumed. Luckily, Cambriana's maternal instincts kicked in. She pulled the wet dirty mudball of a kit towards her. It shuddered and mewed pathetically.
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"Mama? What is it?" Cambriana's kit stuck his head under his mom's belly. Sure, he'd heard it was a kit, but what was it? Queen? Tom? Younger? Older? Street cat? House cat? There was a bajillion more categories. Cambriana moved over a bit so he could see better. He noticed how much smaller it was than him. It had to be only days old, compared to his almost full year.
"Mungojerrie! Gee whiz, be careful!" Cambriana warned when her tom poked the kit. Mungojerrie wrinkled his nose in distaste, then smiled when the kit turned it's tiny head to look at him. He gasped and fell back in surprise when the kits sightless eyes reached his. He gasped as his mom turned the kit around.
"Oh, poor baby!" she cooed when she saw the kit.
"What's wrong with it?" Mungojerrie asked timidly.
"Blind…" muttered Cambriana as she walked over and dragged the sleeping rags to where the kit was. Mungojerrie felt relieved. All kits were blind at some time or another.
Barley rolled his eyes at his wife's sudden change. He curled up where he was and fell asleep.
"So, it'll get better right?" Mungojerrie asked as he helped his mother wrap up the kitten. Cambriana raised an eyebrow.
"No, I said 'blind'. Like, forever. Blind. No see." Cambriana explained wearily, as if she was talking to an idiot. Mungojerrie immediately felt sorry for the kit. He then joined his mother in curling around the kit in a n attempt to keep it warm and hopefully get it through the night.
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Chi: You know, I hate letting you read this, cuz you'll say you like it, and you actually mean it. Odd. You must be high on crack or something. J/K!!! Luv ya!!!
Roman: Yup. I do that. Actually, I just capitalize anything that's important to the characters.
Jemima-luvah: I just felt like doing one down here for you... HI!!!