Chapter 3
I just
wandered. I saw all of Paris, and nothing got in my way...until
nightfall. The dogs came out at night to find food. That is why a
vulnerable cat could no longer sleep at night; we were under constant
threat from dogs and people. I will always remember the butchers, and
my family...a tear wet my fur (A/N: Yes, cats do cry, if you don't
believe me you should have seen my cat Phantom after my bird Jingle
died...Those two were very close sniff) and I journeyed on, wary of
my surroundings. Howling in the distance set me off into a run,
looking behind me just to see the two bloodhounds from last night
gaining. Then I crashed right into a man, who looked down at me,
surprised. His face was covered in black, and he picked me up and
tucked me in his cloak. He carried me off, and I felt
strangely...safe. Safer then I had ever felt before. The man stopped
and looked around, then entered a building, quickly descending the
steps, and boarding a boat. Great. Boat means water, and water
means...
I fell in the water with a great hiss. The man fished me
out with his rowing stick and I gave him a look of great
detest.
"Well, I'm sorry you can't stand the water. Where I
live, we live right on a lake, so I think you should get used to
it!"
I growled low in my throat as he brought me back into
the boat. I started licking my paws because the water was just
filthy. The strange man just laughed and I gave him a glare. Then he
hopped out of the boat and reached back, picking me up whilst I was
in the middle of cleaning my face. I rolled my eyes as he carried me
into a house, setting me down on the floor, quickly getting up and
then leaving. Where was he going? I just pushed the thought away and
continued cleaning myself, when a big piece of meat was placed in
front of me.
"Eat up," he said, and I did not need telling
twice. I started nibbling at the meat, knowing that for a street cat
like me, these kinds of meals were once in a lifetime. The man
chuckled and went to the wall, where a trunk was located. He took out
a collar, encrusted with jewels like my mother had described that had
been worn by the royal cats in Persia, before she was smuggled away
by a traveler and left here in Paris. The man fastened the collar
around my neck, where it hung down, not fitting. I slid out of
it.
"It's a bit big for you now, little one. Do you like it? I
stole it in my days in Persia,"
I started to feel drowsy from so
much to eat.
"Here, little one," He said, picking me up, "Erik
will take care of you."
He placed me on the couch, and slowly
walked into another room. I slept soundly for what seemed like the
first time in my life. Now I hoped that I would not need to leave
again.
