Puss sat in silence. As if the memory of the day from his past was hard for him to remember. His audience remained quiet also. A clear image of young a young Puss and the small French maiden in the forest of Spain in there minds.

"Puss?" Shrek said softly. The cat jerked his head toward his ogre friend. "Hmm?"

"You know, you don't have to go on, if you don't want to" Fiona said gently.

"It's alright Princessa, I just haven't told this story before." Puss said.

"So, did you guys visit the secret tree everyday? Huh? Huh? Did you guys fall in love? Did you live happily-oh yeah you said you didn't never mind." Donkey said excitedly from his seat. "But go on! Go on!"

"Si, we went up to that tree everyday for the small ten days we had. I can't remember much from it, however I do remember the first time I heard her sing. It was a French sonnet, I think." He played a few notes on his guitar. That was all he could remember. "I think it had to do with a rose..."

Puss leaned against the wall. He was behind the "Bilton Inn" waiting for Joli. He had been waiting for about five minutes, but was getting impatient. Plus, the walls were thin and he could here the cooks talking about a body count. He decided to climb up and see if she had forgotten. There was an odd decoration on the corners of the building. It looked like lace, but it was made of plaster, or marble, or something. Puss discovered he could put his paws through the large swirls and climb up. It was easy work, and soon he reached the balcony connected to her room on the top floor. Joli had told him her room number the day before. Her parents believed in personal space very strongly, and had given her and her brothers each their own room. Joli was in her room, but she wasn't alone. There was another cat who sat on a bench in front of a huge piano. Puss peeked out from behind a piller on the balcony.

Joli was standing on a tall, white stool in the middle of the room looking bored. She was wearing her usual white and gold dress, staring at a large cat with her head tilted. Puss could hear that the older cat was speaking to her in English, and Joli nodded half-heatedly every so often. The cat had a large white and pink dress that seemed twice the size of her. The rest of the room matched Joli's dress, white with gold trimming everywhere you looked. Including on the piano.

"You sing too low child, no one wants to hear a lady sing a ballad in a low tone. You must sing high like a canary. Like a canary Joli! Do you understand me?" The older cat said. Puss could hear their conversation through the thick walls and see them through the clear glass door.

"Oui Mama." Joli sighed.

"And you must use your accent more cherie, it is a French ballad! Do you understand?"

"Oui mama, I understand." Puss could tell from her tone that she was growing impatient.

"Alright mon chere, we will try one more time and then you can relax." The older cat said gently. The cat turned toward the piano and started playing. Puss was pretty impressed by that, but the piano was drowned out by a voice. the voice belonged to Joli, it was a surprisingly big voice to come from such a small kitten. It was soft, like a wave splashing on the shore. And sweet like a church bell. Puss had no idea what she was singing, or what the words meant. But all he could do was listen in awe as she sang.

"Quand il me prend dans ses bras, Il me parle tout bas, Je vois la vie en rose. Il me dit des mots d'amour, Des mots de tous les jours, Et ça me fait quelque chose. Il est entré dans mon cœur, Une part de bonheur Dont je connais la cause. C'est lui pour moi, Moi pour lui dans la vie, Il me l'a dit, l'a juré pour la vie. Et dès que je l'aperçois, Alors je sens en moi Mon cœur qui bat."

Once she finished her song, her Mother patted her on the head. No compliment, just a mere "keep practicing" and left the room. Joli sighed with relife and fell onto the couch. Puss knocked on the balcony door, she looked up and then at the clock. Joli ran over and unlocked the glass door, letting the young tom in.

"I'm sorry Puss, my singing lesson ran over." She apologized.

"I uh-heard you singing." Puss said.

"You heard?" She said uncomfortably.

"Yes. You have a pretty voice." He said.

Joli's face brightened up. "Merci beaucoup." Puss scratched his ear, wondering if that was a "thank you" or "stop watching me from my window you creep".

"It's French for "thank you very much"" She explained. "So you really liked it?"

"Si. It was the most beautiful sound I have ever heard."

Joli smiled shyly. "Merci Puss. Your sweet."

"So what does that song mean?"

"I don't know all of it in English, but it's a ballad. It's about l'amour, that means-"

"Love?"

"Oui."

Puss didn't want to intrude on her family life, but couldn't help but ask a question that was bothering him. "How come your Mother didn't tell you good job?"

"She 'as...trouble expressing love to me." Joli said using the exuse she had heard a dozen times. She sighed. "All I want to do is please 'er." She said softly. "But she does not seem to be satisfied with anything. I try, but she just tells me "sing higher" "do better"" Joli mimicked her Mother's much higher voice. Puss looked at the affection-deprived girl saddly. He put his paw on top of hers. She looked up at him.

"I think your the best Joli."

Yay cute character development! Thanks to Pricat for reviewing. Hope you all have a nice weekend. There is a link to the song I used her on my profile.