a/n: I want to thank everyone for their well wishes for my surgery in April. The surgery went well and I was stuck in an immobilizer, that I called a torture device for 6 weeks. Now I'm in physical therapy for a while, but I'm not allowed to pick up anything heavier than a water bottle. I also had cataract surgery on my left eye on June 1 and it's nice to be able to see clearer now.

While everyone was out, Cat tried to decide what to draw, but couldn't make up her mind. "What should I draw Grandpa? I can't decide."

"Why don't you try and draw Adam's chair? It looks simple and nobody is in it right now. Or, if you don't think you're ready for that yet, why don't you try and draw the table or the fireplace."

"Thanks Grandpa. If I can't draw Adam's chair, I'll try the table or fireplace."

"That's a good plan. Just remember, you're still learning how to draw so don't choose something that's going to be too difficult for you. If you do, you could get frustrated and give up, and that would not be a very good idea. When you're finished with your drawing, why don't you and I do a little bit of your school work? That way you won't have so much to do when you're well again." Cat gave Abel a funny look when he suggested doing school work so he added, "I'm only talking about your reading, history and grammar. We'll worry about the arithmetic when you're well again. Today is Monday, so maybe we can take a look at your new spelling words. I promise, we won't spend more than fifteen minutes working on anything. You are a very good reader so you can read the next chapter in your reader whenever you feel up to it. That means all you and I will have to work on for now is grammar and history. Since history is a lot of reading, maybe we'll just work on your spelling words when you finish your drawing and worry about the history lesson later."

While Cat was trying to draw Adam's chair, Abel took her list of assignments and spelling book out of her saddlebags. The Monday assignment was a pretest and the homework was to write any missed words ten times each. Abel decided to just give Cat the pretest and writing the missed words could wait until she was feeling better. Cat finished her drawing and gave it to her grandfather. Abel looked at it and praised her efforts. "That's very good for someone who's just learning how to draw. I'm sure Adam will think so also."

"It's not that good. I wanted it to be perfect, but it's not."

"You are just learning how to draw Sweetheart. Everybody makes mistakes when they're learning how to do something. When he was in college, Adam spent many hours redoing drawings he made for his classes."

"How come he did that?"

"Because he thought his teachers wanted the assignments to be perfect."

"Did they want everything to be perfect?"

"No. Teachers never expect everything to be perfect. They just expect their students to do the best they can. Now that you're finished with your drawing, let's do your spelling pretest and then it will be time for you to breathe some steam, drink some tea, and take a nap so you will get better. How does Miss Winter do your spelling tests?"

"She says the word, uses it in a sentence and then says it again."

"Then that is what I will do." Abel gave Cat her spelling pretest and said, "That is all of the school work we're going to do today. You can read the next story in your reader later if you feel up to it. I'll correct this while you're breathing the steam. I know you don't like it or the tea that Hop Sing gives you, but they're going to help you get well." While Cat was breathing in steam from the boiling water Hop Sing put on the table, Abel graded her spelling test. When he finished, he said, "I am very proud of you Granddaughter. You got all of your spelling words correct."

"Are you sure Grandpa?" asked Cat incredulously.

"Of course I'm sure little one. Why do you ask?"

"'Cause that never happened before."

Abel laughed. "Just because something never happened before, doesn't mean it never will. You may get all of your words correct on future spelling tests too. We never know what will happen. Now that you've breathed steam and finished the cup of tea Hop Sing brought you, why don't you take a nap for a little while? When someone is sick, they need a lot of rest so that they'll get well again."

Cat woke up when Ben and Mary returned from her parents' house. When Ben came back downstairs after putting her mother's hope chest in her bedroom, Cat asked, "Pa, would you please look at my spelling test? Grandpa says I got all of the words right, but I'm not sure he's right."

"Why don't you think you got all of the words correct?"

"'Cause it never happened before."

Ben and Mary laughed. "There's a first time for everything Kitten."

"I don't understand."

"Well, you never had a colt and puppies before, did you?"

"No."

"Well this is the first time for that. It's the same thing with your ice skates and sled. You never had them in Dodge, so this is the first time for them too. So this is the first time you got all of your spelling words correct. You've been reading a lot of books since you came to live here, so you probably saw them in one of the books you read. I'm sure that Hop Sing will make something special for dessert tonight to celebrate."

Adam, Hoss, and Joe returned home just before Hop Sing served dinner. "Mary, I think you had better plan on spending tonight here also," said Adam. "It's snowing pretty hard and the wind is picking up. I think we're in for our first blizzard of the winter."

Before Mary could say anything, Cat asked, "Can I go outside and watch it snow?"

"No you may not silly one," replied Ben. "You are a very sick little girl and need to stay warm. If I let you go outside to watch the snow, you could get even sicker and possibly die. Nobody wants that to happen, so you're going to stay right here inside the house where it's warm."

"I have an idea," said Hoss. "Why don't we wrap little sister up in some blankets and let her watch it snow from the dining room window? Ifn she's wrapped up in blankets, she'll still be warm."

"I don't know. What do you think Mary? It's been a long time since one of my children had bronchitis."

"That should be fine. Cat will get to watch it snow, but she'll still be inside and warm. However, I recommend waiting until after dinner. I'm sure that it's almost ready."

"Alright. Cat, after dinner, I am going to wrap you in two blankets and you will be allowed to watch the snow through the dining room window for fifteen minutes. I know that you want to watch it longer, but you need to be resting on the settee or in your bed. You won't get well if you're tired."

"I don't want to be sick anymore. I want to get better now."

"I know you do Sweetheart. Nobody likes being sick and you will get well. You will get well, but it's going to take some time."

"I hope that Susan Winter dismissed the children when the snow started. I'd hate to think of the children on the outlying farms and ranches riding home in this weather."

"I'm sure she did. The older students know how to read the weather and will have told her that a blizzard could be starting. Also, I'm sure that Roy, John, George, or Gerald went over to the school and told her to dismiss the children."

Ben was correct. Shortly before Adam, Hoss, and Joe returned home from feeding the cattle, Jeffrey raised his hand. "Miss Winter?"

"Yes Jeffrey?"

"You need to send everyone home now. It's starting to snow hard and it could turn into a blizzard. Some of us have a long way to go before we get home and if we get caught in a blizzard, we may not make it."

"Thank you for warning me about the weather. School is dismissed. Don't worry if you didn't complete the assignment you were working on. If this does become a blizzard, those of you who live outside of town can just do the best you can on it and the rest of us will go over it when school resumes. I want the older children to ensure that the younger ones reach home safely. Stay on the roads and do not take any shortcuts. I don't want any of my students getting lost in a blizzard. Quickly now. Gather your belongings and start for home before the weather gets worse."

Just then, Mr. Miller walked into the school room. "Oh good, you've dismissed the children. I was afraid you wouldn't realize how bad the weather could get."

"I didn't, but Jeffrey told me."

"Thank you Jeffrey. Children, listen to me. There are wagons outside waiting to take you home. If you live near Mr. Thomas, get in his wagon and he will take you home. If you live near Mr. Walters, get in his wagon. Just tie your horses onto the back of the wagon you're going to be riding in. If you live near the Ponderosa, there are four Ponderosa hands waiting outside who will make sure you get home safely. Go quickly children and stay with your group until you reach your home." Once all of the children were gone, he turned to Susan and said, "I'll start closing the shutters on the windows while you gather your things. Then I'll make sure you get home. The weather isn't too bad out there yet, but I don't want the best teacher we've had in a long time getting lost."

"Should I lock the doors?"

"No. Not in this weather. If it turns into a blizzard and somebody is caught out in it, they could take shelter in here until the weather improves. I'm glad to see so much wood in here for the stove. Now anybody who needs to take shelter from the storm will be warm. If you're ready, I'll escort you home and then I need to go home before my wife and children begin to worry."

After Cat ate her dinner, Hop Sing made her breathe steam and drink some tea before watching the snow. Ben put a chair by the dining room window and wrapped Cat in two blankets. "You have fifteen minutes to watch it snow. Stay wrapped in the blankets and send one of your dogs to get one of us if you need anything." Cat grumbled about only being allowed to watch the snow for fifteen minutes but Ben just chuckled, kissed her on top of her head, and returned to the great room.

Less than ten minutes after Cat started watching the snow, Silver Chief walked into the great room and tugged on one of Adam's sleeves. "I guess I'd better go and see what the princess needs." He walked into the dining room only to find his sister sound asleep in the chair. Before going back into the great room, Adam walked into the kitchen. "Hop Sing, you might want to get your big spoon. Cat is asleep in the dining room and I know my brothers are going to argue when I tell them they need to get off the settee so she can get some sleep where it's warmer."

"You tell brothers sit somewhere else. I get spoon and take care of them if they argue. Little sister need to sleep on settee near family and breathe steam when wake up."

Adam walked back into the great room and said, "Hoss, Joe, you need to get off the settee and sit somewhere else. Cat is asleep and I need to put her where you are."

"No," said Joe. "She's been sleeping on the settee for two days now and I'm tired of sitting in hard chairs. She's got a bed. Put her in it."

"Joe's right," said Hoss. "When we're sick, we gotta stay in bed. Why should Cat be any different?"

Before Ben, Abel, or Mary could say anything, Hop Sing walked up and hit Hoss and Joe with his spoon several times. "Missy Cat need to be on settee. She just little girl and need to be near family. Easier for her to breathe steam on settee." He hit them again and said, "You get no dessert tonight. Go sit in chairs or Hop Sing use spoon again and you no get dessert tomorrow." The threat of no dessert two days in a row was enough to make Hoss move, but Joe was being stubborn. When Adam walked into the great room carrying his sister, Joe was still refusing to move, so Hop Sing hit him again even harder. When Joe still refused to move even after being hit with Hop Sing's spoon eight times, Hop Sing did the one thing everyone knew would work. "Puppies, Little Joe be mean to Missy Cat. Make stop." Joe got up, but that didn't stop the dogs from biting him several times. Hop Sing petted the dogs and said, "Good puppies. Get steak for supper tonight. Little Joe get no desert rest of week."

Once Cat was tucked in on the settee, Ben said, "Eric, Joseph, get your coats and meet me in the barn. I need to talk to both of you." When Joe started to argue, his father said, "I would strongly advise against arguing about my instructions right now. I am very angry with both of you and would rather not discuss it in front of our guest!"

"But Pa, there's a blizzard goin' on out there," complained Hoss. "Ya don't really expect us to go out in it, do ya?"

"There are ropes tied between all of the buildings and the house. You have been out to the barn in blizzards many times to care for the horses and cow. Now get your coats and go out to the barn! Do not make me treat the pair of you as though you were ten years old and so help me, if you wake your sister with your whining, that is exactly what I will do!" When they reached the barn, Ben started yelling at them. "WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING WHEN YOU REFUSED TO GET UP SO YOUR NINE YEAR OLD SISTER COULD SLEEP ON THE SETTEE? SHE IS A VERY SICK LITTLE GIRL AND NEEDS TO SLEEP A LOT IF SHE'S GOING TO GET BETTER! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I HAVE RAISED TWO SUCH SELFISH SONS THAT THEY WOULD REFUSE TO LET THEIR LITTLE SISTER SLEEP WHERE SHE NEEDS TO!"

"We always have to stay in bed when we're sick, so why does Cat need the settee?" asked Joe. "There's nothing wrong with her bed."

Ben hit the roof. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU JOSEPH? WHEN DID YOU BECOME SO SELFISH? YOU ARE GOING TO BE TWENTY YEARS OLD THIS YEAR BUT YOU ARE ACTING LIKE A SPOILED TEN YEAR OLD! FIRST YOU WOKE CAT UP WITH YOUR COMPLAINING BECAUSE I WOULD NOT LET YOU GO TO THE PAIUTES. NOW YOU ARE WHINING BECAUSE SHE NEEDS THE SETTEE! IN CASE YOU'VE FORGOTTEN, YOUR SISTER HAS BRONCHITIS AND NEEDS TO BREATHE STEAM AT LEAST ONCE AN HOUR UNTIL SHE'S BETTER. WHAT IS SHE SUPPOSED TO DO IN BED, HOLD A BOWL OF BOILING WATER IN HER LAP WHILE SHE BREATHES THE STEAM?"

Both Hoss and Joe looked down at their feet at Ben's question.

"I HAVE HAD IT UP TO HERE WITH YOUR ATTITUDE LATELY! The two of you will be doing your sister's chores until the end of February. Then Joseph, you will be doing them alone until she returns from Dodge at the end of the summer. When she is well again, she will check to see if they are done correctly. Until then, Adam or I will. Both of you seem to have forgotten that when you were young and got sick or hurt, you spent a lot of time on the settee. Marie insisted on it so she could keep an eye on you while she worked around the house and did her sewing and needlework. After she died, Hop Sing insisted that you stay on the settee so he could keep an eye on you. Let me make something else perfectly clear. The next time either one of you decides to act like a spoiled ten year old child, that is exactly how I will treat you.

Joseph, you keep saying that you want to be treated like a man. Nobody will treat you that way until you start acting like it and that includes not chasing every pretty girl in town and staying away from Winnemucca's daughter! What do you think Sally Ann and her father would have said and done if they had been here to witness your attitude toward your sister? I can guarantee you that if he had been here, Amos Morgan would not let you anywhere near his daughter again! You need to grow up. If you want to be treated like a man, start acting like one. Now, before this storm gets any worse, I want the two of you to carry enough firewood into the house for the great room and all of the bedrooms. See if you can manage to do that without waking your sister up. Once that is done, start the evening chores."

While Ben was dealing with Hoss and Joe, Cat's temperature went up and she became very restless. Adam put his hand on her forehead and said, "Cat's temperature has gone up again. I'm going to get a bowl of cold water and a cloth so we can get it down again." He walked into the kitchen and said, "Hop Sing, Cat's temperature has gone up again. Would you please give me a bowl of cold water and a cloth?"

Hop Sing handed Adam a bowl and said, "Put snow in bowl. Make water very cold, bring Missy Cat temperature down sooner. No need go out in yard in blizzard. Plenty snow by back door."

Adam filled the bowl with snow and put water in it when he returned to the kitchen. Hop Sing handed him a cloth and he went into the great room to take care of his sister. Ben walked in a few minutes later and warmed his hands in front of the fire. "Are my brothers still alive?" joked Adam.

"Yes, but if they ever pull a stunt like that again, they may wish they weren't. Oh yes, both of them will be doing your sister's chores until the end of February and Joe will be doing them until she returns from Dodge in September. However, until she's well, I would appreciate it if you would continue taking care of Fury and Beauty for her." He turned around and looked at his son sitting on the table in front of the settee. "I guess Cat's temperature went up again? I know she's only been sick since yesterday, but I wish she were well again."

"She will be Ben," said Mary. "You just have to be patient and let the illness run its course. Breathing in the steam from boiling water with herbs in it will help, just not right away. The tea Hop Sing gives her is helping to keep her from coughing so much. I know it's not easy when one of your children is sick. Dan and I go through the same thing you do when one of our boys is sick."

Ben sighed. He knew Mary was right, but that didn't make Cat's illness any easier for him to accept. "Adam, your brothers are supposed to be bringing in firewood and then starting the barn chores. They should have been in here by now, with their arms full of wood. Would you please check on them and remind them what I said will happen if they keep acting like spoiled ten year old children? With ropes strung between every building and the wood stacked against the house, there is no reason for them to say the weather kept them from doing anything."

"Sure Pa. I'll check on them and remind them of your talk in the barn. I may as well start on the barn chores while I'm out there. We can't have little sister worrying about her colt while she's sick. Once she's well again, I'll take care of Fury and Beauty during blizzards since I know you don't want her out in one."

"Thank you son. I appreciate your help."

Adam went outside and found his brothers sitting on the porch swing watching the blizzard. "Have you two lost your minds? Pa told you to bring firewood inside and get the barn chores done before this storm gets worse. He's already angry at you for acting like spoiled little boys in front of Grandfather and Mary and if he catches you sitting here instead of doing what he told you to do, he's going to blow his stack. I wouldn't want to be in your shoes if that happens. In fact, I'm going to count to five and if you're not busy getting firewood, I'm going to go into the house and tell him what you're up to. I don't know what's gotten into you Hoss. You've never been selfish in your life and I don't understand why you're being that way now. I can understand Joe acting that way. Since he was so small, Marie and Pa spoiled him more than they should have when he was little, but you and I were never spoiled, so why are you acting like that now? I meant what I said. You have until the count of five to start getting firewood brought into the house or Pa will be told what you are doing. Both of you know how he feels about being deliberately disobeyed. Joe, I know that you've felt the sting of his belt at least once since Cat came to live with us. Do you want to feel the sting of his razor strop too? Because that's what kind of mood he's in when it comes to the pair of you." When his brothers made no attempt to move, Adam headed for the door.

"Alright, alright. We're gettin' the wood now." said Hoss. "Come on Shortshanks. We'd better get that wood into the house afore Pa comes lookin' for us."

"If Pa asks what the two of you were doing, I'm not going to lie to him," said Adam. "In fact, if it wasn't for the fact that Cat's temperature went up and he's putting a cold cloth on her forehead, he'd already be out here, they'd hear him yelling in Australia, and you'd end up doing both my and Cat's chores until she's eighteen. Joe, you keep saying that you want to be treated like a man. Act like one and you will be." He stepped off the porch and grabbed onto the rope leading to the barn.

"Where are you going?" asked Joe.

"I'm going to get my chores done. The cow, Sport, Beauty, and Fury won't feed and groom themselves. Nor will they muck out their stalls and fill their water buckets."

"Oh. I thought you'd help carry firewood into the house."

"Sorry little brother. Pa assigned that task to you and Hoss. I have other things to do. I highly recommend getting that wood into the house before Pa comes looking for you. Then you had better get your barn chores done before the storm gets much worse." When Adam returned to the house, his brothers were sitting in chairs drinking coffee. "You two had better get your barn chores done soon. The storm is getting worse and the horses won't take care of themselves."

"I thought you were going to do them," said Joe.

"I don't know where you got that idea from. I said I was going to do my chores and take care of Fury and Beauty for Cat. I didn't say a thing about doing your chores for you." He looked at his father and asked, "How's Cat?"

"It took a while but I got her temperature down. I hate to do it, but I'm going to have to wake her up so she can breathe steam before supper. Hoss, Joe, I just heard Adam say that you still need to do your evening chores. As I told you earlier, if you're going to act like spoiled ten year old children, that's how I'm going to treat you. If your barn chores aren't done before supper is ready, you will be going to bed hungry."

Mary made a mental note to have Mitch talk to Joe about his attitude and acting like a spoiled child instead of the man he wanted to be treated as. She figured that if anyone could get through to Joe, it would be his best friend.

Hoss stood up, stretched and said, "Now that I had some coffee, I'm goin' out to the barn. Come on Joe. Adam's right. Them horses ain't gonna take care of themselves. I swear, ifn I end up doin' yore chores, I'm gonna toss ya in the trough."

Hoss raised his voice a little too much and woke Cat up. "Why are you yelling Hoss? You woke me up."

"I'm sorry Punkin. I didn't mean ta wake ya up. Shortshanks here don't want ta do his barn chores."

Cat sighed. She was tired of being woken up because of Joe. "Lassie, Chief, Joe's being mean again. Make him stop."

Joe got up in a hurry and said, "I'm going out to the barn now. Call your dogs off Cat."

"No. I don't feel good and you keep waking me up. Lassie and Silver Chief can chew on you all night if they want to."

Everyone laughed as Joe tried to get his coat on and be out the door before the dogs got to him, but he wasn't fast enough. They bit him several times in the bottom and legs before he made it outside and slammed the door behind him.

"Cat?" asked Mary.

"Huh?" Since Cat was sick and had just been woken up out of a sound sleep, nobody scolded her about not answering properly.

"When Lassie has puppies, may I please have one?"

"Yes. Mike asked me for one the last time we went sledding but said he had to ask you and his Pa first."

"Well, he has my permission and I'll make sure his father gives his permission also. When do you think Lassie will have puppies?"

"I don't know. Probably next year. They'll be one in April and Mr. McLeod's brother said not to let Lassie have puppies until she was two. He also said not to let her have puppies every year."

"That's fine. We can surprise Mike for his thirteenth birthday by letting him pick out a puppy. I took a good look at Fury yesterday. He sure looks good and is growing up fast. You're doing a very good job taking care of him."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. I can't wait until he's grown up and I get to see his foals."

"Me too. I want to ride him now. I don't like waiting."

"I understand. If he was mine, I wouldn't want to wait until he was grown up before I could ride him either. If it makes you feel better about waiting, you'll probably be riding him before your eleventh birthday."

"Do you really think so?"

"Yes I do. Fury will be a year old in June. He's young and strong and you don't weigh much, so you'll probably be riding him shortly after he turns eighteen months old. So, you've got six months until he turns one and another six months until he's eighteen months old. If you break it up into pieces like that, it doesn't seem like such a long wait, now does it?"

"No it doesn't. I still wish I could ride him tomorrow."

"You are sick silly girl," laughed Ben. "Even if Fury was old enough for you to ride, you would not be riding him tomorrow. Let's get you sitting up. Hop Sing is bringing a bowl of boiling water with herbs in it so you can breathe steam for a little while."

"I don't like breathing steam and don't want to do it."

"You no breathe steam, you no get better," said Hop Sing as he put the bowl on the table and put a towel over Cat's head and the bowl.

Cat pulled the towel off and said angerly, "I don't want to do this! I said I don't like it!"

Ben started getting angry but Mary just shook her head at him and sat down next to Cat and hugged her. "I know you don't like breathing the steam Sweetheart, but if you don't, you won't get better. In fact, you will get a lot worse and could die and nobody wants that to happen. Mike and Mitch don't like breathing steam either when they get bronchitis, but they do because they know it will help them get better. You do want to get better, don't you?"

"Yes. I don't like being sick."

"Well then, you need to breathe the steam and drink the tea that Hop Sing makes for you because if you get worse, Dr. Martin will give your Pa some very bad tasting medicine that you'll have to take. My sons didn't like having to take the bad tasting medicine and I know you won't either. So let's put the towel back over your head and I'll sit here with you while you breathe the steam because I want you to get better too." Cat reluctantly sat with the towel over her head and the bowl and breathed in the steam until Mary told her it was time to stop. Mary showed her the small bowl she had been spitting into and said, "Do you see this bowl? All of that nasty stuff in it was in your lungs, which was making it hard for you to breathe. That's why you have to breathe in the steam because it makes you cough while you're doing it and coughing makes that nasty stuff come out of your lungs. The more you breathe the steam, the sooner you'll get well. Now here's Hop Sing with some tea for you. It will also help you get well sooner."

"I put more honey in tea. It not taste so bad now," said Hop Sing as he handed the cup to Cat.

Cat took a sip and said, "I can taste the honey and not the tea. Thank you Hop Sing."

"Missy Cat welcome. Drink tea. Supper be ready soon."

As Ben was getting ready to carry Cat up to bed, she said, "Hoss, we haven't read in Little Women since I got sick. Laura and Mary and Mike and Jas are going to be way ahead of me and I'm not going to know where they're at in the book."

Before Ben could say anything, Hoss said, "I tell ya what Punkin. You let Pa take you up and help you get into bed and I'll read two chapters to ya. Ifn this blizzard is still goin' tomorrow, we won't be able to get anything done outside, so's I'll read another two chapters to ya during the day and another two when ya go to bed. Then you'll be in the same place as yore friends."

"Thanks Hoss."

"Yore welcome Punkin. You go and get ready for bed and I'll bring yore pillow, blanket, and doll when I come up ta read to ya. I'm gonna let yore dogs out now so's they'll be ready for bed when you are." Cat barely managed to stay awake long enough for Hoss to read two chapters to her. When he finished, he kissed and hugged her goodnight, petted her puppies, and, noticing that her fire was getting low, put two more logs on it.

Once Cat was asleep, Mary said, "Ben, don't scold Cat when she doesn't want to breathe steam and drink the tea Hop Sing makes for her. I don't think she's ever been this sick before and doesn't understand that everything being done is to help her get well. Do like I did. Sit with her and talk to her. Help her understand that if she doesn't do what Paul said, she won't get well and will get even sicker. Abel, don't push her about her school work. If she wants to read the next story in her reader or chapter in her history book, fine, but don't worry about the spelling or anything else right now. She just needs to concentrate on getting well again."

"I understand," replied Abel. "I just don't want her falling behind."

"She won't. Susan will give her enough time to make up the lessons she missed. Also, with this weather, I don't think she'll be going back to school before March, if we're lucky enough to have an early spring. I'll be lucky if I can go home tomorrow."

"Don't worry about getting home," said Ben. "If the snow stops, we'll get you there."

"I know you will. I wasn't worried. Besides that, I'm enjoying mothering Cat. I love my boys but I've always wanted a little girl to mother and spoil."

Adam had just gotten into bed with the book he was reading when he saw lightning and heard thunder. He got up, looked out his window and thought, "Thundersnow. We haven't had that in a long time. I'd sure like to know what causes it." His door was pushed open a minute later and Cat walked in, holding her doll and followed by her puppies with a very frightened look on her face. "What's wrong Princess?"

"Something real bad is happening outside. It's snowing but there's thunder and lightning too."

He picked her up and hugged her. "It's ok and nothing to be frightened of. It's called thundersnow. I don't know what causes it, but it doesn't happen very often. It's been several years since we had any and it may be several more years before it happens again."

"Can I sleep with you?"

"Of course you can. Let's get you in bed and under the covers. Then I'll get your pillow and favorite blanket." Once Cat was asleep, Adam knocked on the other bedroom doors to let everyone know that she was in his bed and why.

"Do you want to put her in with me?" asked Mary.

"No, she's sleeping and I don't want to wake her. Thank you for your offer. She'll be fine. It's not the first time she's spent a night in my bed. There have been a few nights where she had trouble sleeping, so I put her in my bed and sang her to sleep. It worked with Joe when he was little and it's working with Cat too."

"You are fortunate to have been gifted with a fine singing voice."

"Thank you. It helps when younger siblings have trouble sleeping. It also helped when I was in college and missed Hoss and Joe. I'd better get back to my room before Cat wakes up and finds I'm not there. Poor kid. You should have seen the look on her face when she came into my room. This was her first experience with thundersnow and she was terrified."

"Yes, I can imagine that she was. Good night Adam. I'm very happy that you and Cat have resolved your differences and she feels comfortable enough to turn to you when she can't sleep or is afraid of something."

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a/n: Thundersnow which is also known as a winter thunderstorm or a thundersnowstorm, is a kind of thunderstorm with snow falling as the primary precipitation instead of rain. It is considered a rare and unusual phenomenon.

There are usually three causes of thundersnow such as a normal snowstorm that sustains strong vertical mixing which allows for favorable conditions for lightning and thunder to occur. It can also occur from the lake effect or ocean effect thunderstorm which is produced by cold air passing over relatively warm water; this effect commonly produces snow squalls over the Great Lakes.