Sometime in the night, Rene Descartes had relocated to the hindpaw of the bed, curled up against Hazel's hindlegs. His dreams were filled with shadows and Smells, but were cut off abruptly by a horrible sound. In an instant, the kitten was awake, and it only took a moment to see that the choking noise was coming from his keeper. Knowing he could do nothing to help, he bolted to the closed door, ramming it with his small shoulders. It didn't budge, so he tried something else.
"Mom! Dad!" he cried, scrabbling his short claws against the wood. "Help!" When none came, his voice rose to a screech. "Hazel is in danger! Please, help!"
A loud but muffled cry of "No!" echoed through the house as Rene Descartes heard heavy pawsteps shaking the floor from afar. The cat was flung across the room as the door flew open, whacking him in the head. A louder, angrier "No!" vibrated through Rene Descartes' skull, which was already ringing from the blow. Mom and Dad had burst into the room, still in their sleep-clothes, eyes wide.
The kitten had hardly managed to struggle to his paws by the time the other two humans were carrying Hazel out of the door, silver cylinder and all. "Wait!" he called after them, his usual elegant tone having slipped. "Please, do not leave me!" He scrambled after them as best he could, tripping over his own paws every couple of steps. His head throbbed and stars swam across his vision. "Stop!" he cried again, running into the wall near the main door.
The main door. He hadn't passed through it since he had first entered the humans' home, just over a month ago. Now, Mom and Dad had left it wide open as they carried Hazel out of it and into the car.
Why are they taking her there? he wondered in a daze, before remembering what the shiny, metal contraption did. Oh, stars, he realized in alarm. They are taking her away.
As fast as his short legs could carry him, Rene Descartes bolted towards the car. "Wait!" he yelped, but the humans had already closed the doors.
"Do not leave me alone again..." His voice came out as a whimper, but the words were heard by nothing but dust. He sat down heavily, his small ears flattened against his still-aching head. "Please."
Nothing.
No one.
Rene Descartes contemplated chasing the car, but noticing the speed at which it sped down its smooth, black path, he was certain he'd never be able to catch up. Maybe they will return, he reasoned, eyes watching the clouds of dirt the car had stirred. Perhaps it is like Hazel had said days ago. The...water in her lungs must be drained. And then, she will return like nothing has happened. Deep in his tiny kitten heart, however, Rene Descartes knew that this was not the case.
Hazel was gone, and she wasn't coming back.
If cats were capable of crying, then Rene Descartes would have been. Instead, as he fell backwards onto the cold, hard ground, the kitten only let out a thin wail. What would happen to him now? He was alone, after all. Would he let himself be taken by another human? No, he couldn't. After a taste of what a good keeper was like, Rene Descartes couldn't handle anything lesser. Then, what? Could he handle the dangerous life of a street cat? Maybe, but definitely not anytime soon. He was only a kitten, after all. Should he go back to the Pound? No. He couldn't risk that if he had the choice. Whatever happened to the cats that were taken to the back, the tabby didn't know. All that was certain was that they never returned.
For the time being, Rene Descartes retreated back into the false safety of the house. He cast one longing glance behind him, but the dust in the air had settled. There was no one there.