Kitty 18

I am participating in NANOWRIMO this year. I will attempt to post my daily ramblings in the hopes that eventually it will become a book which will entertain you as well as myself…

This is a work of fiction. No real people, places or events were used. Copyright ã 2011 Plot Roach.

Kitty Part 18

By Plot Roach

Kitty was still in her dark funk when Lucy padded up to her. The calico feline tiptoed around her, sniffing Kitty from a distance before she came to a stop and sat in front of the dog. She stared at Kitty with golden eyes that seemed to hold a lifetime's worth of mystery and mischief. Dog and cat locked eyes in what was not a battle of will or a show of hostility, but a subliminal message that spoke of the wisdom and equality of each animal.

After the moment had seeped into their souls, the cat approached Kitty and bumped the dog's nose with her forehead, purring loudly.

"You are not alone." she said, before padding off into the kitchen.

Kitty sat, dumbfounded by the moment of peace she had shared wit the cat, Lucy. Those were the same words that someone spoke in my head, Kitty thought. When the Max in my nightmares attacked me. I would have given up the fight against that undead monstrosity if it hadn't been for those words urging me on. Did the cat speak to me while I was dreaming? Or was it someone else?

The two other cats now jumped to the floor and watched Kitty with a wary eye. One was a Russian blue, fat and prosperous as a harvest moon. The other an angular Siamese, thin as a reed. Both padded forward on quiet paws. Yet neither of them had been as silent as Lucy. And while they came close enough to kitty to speak with her, they remained a respectful distance. It seemed to Kitty that these creatures, these cats, knew the unspoken rule of those of the wild: keep your distance unless you are invited. Shakes, having grown up with other domesticated animals, felt that everyone was “family” and “safe” and thought nothing of sharing someone’s personal space. But feral animals always need a few inches between one another, unless they consider their companions kin.

"She must really like you," said the Russian blue, grooming a paw. "She never head bumps just anyone, you know."

"It's a sign that she considers you family," said the Siamese. “It’s a great honor, you know.”

"I'm Blue,” said the Russian blue. "I know, it's not very original, but then again humans are not known for their creativity."

"But why do they call you blue when you are really more of a grey color?” Kitty asked.

"You can see colors?" the Siamese asked.

“Yes,” Kitty said. “As of late.”

“You weren't born that way?” asked Blue.

“No,” Kitty answered. “It happened quite recently. Around the time when the humans got sick and started dying off.”

"My name is Prudence,” said the Siamese cat. But call me Prue for short.”

“I’m Kitty.”

“Yes,” said Blue. “We heard.” The cats smiled to one another, as if sharing a private joke.

“Are you going to stand there all day and make fun of me?” Kitty growled.

“Oh no, it's not that,” Blue said. “We think it's quite cute actually. And it seems to fit you in mood if not in temperament.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Kitty asked.

“Just that most dogs seem to be rather calm around humans, since they are usually the ones in charge,” said Blue. “For a dog, having a human master is kind of like having the alpha of the pack constantly advising you on what to do, think and act.”

“For cats, a human is less a master and more a personal slave,” Blue continued. “They feed us, groom us and watch out for our well being and occasionally we let them know that they are doing a good job by purring.”

“A bad job and they get hisses and scratches,” added Prue.

“But I don't hiss or scratch.” said Kitty.

“No,” said Blue. “But you are withholding your affection, much like a cat does to get his or her way.”

“But that's not why I'm doing it,” Kitty said.

“Well, why are you doing it then?” Blue asked.

“What did Shakes do to make you so upset?” asked Prue.

“Look, I don’t mean to cause any problems here. I just want out and back into the wild from which I came,” Kitty said.

“Why?” Prue asked. “When there is safety and food here?”

“And petting,” Blue said. “Let' not forget about the petting.”

“Oh,” Prue said. “Petting is good.”

“It's not about the food and the safety and the petting,” Kitty argued. “It's abut being free to do what I want when I want to do it and not about being bossed around by someone else.”

“When you are in a pack doesn't the alpha dictate who you are and what you do?” Blue asked.

“Yes, but that is different,” Kitty said. “It's for the greater good of the pack. We can't all be alphas, or none of the work would get done and we would all starve.”

“What work?” asked Blue. “What do dogs do in the wild?”

“We decide who hunts the food, who gets to breed and care for the pups, who acts as a watch out when we hunt and who guards the den,” Kitty explained.

“That sounds like a lot of work.” Prude said, grooming her tail.

“I wouldn't expect a cat to understand,” Kitty said.

“And just what is that supposed to mean?” Prue asked indignantly.

“No, I don't mean in a bad way,” Kitty said. “It's just that I'm a dog and you're a-”

“What? a lazy cat?” Prue asked. “Talk about prejudice!”

“No, it's that, having been an indoor cat all your life, you couldn't possibly understand what my life ha been like,” Kitty argued.

“Oh really?” Blue asked. “And you think that I just came from the store this way with a pretty pink ribbon around my neck? I came from a bad situation as well, you know. As did Prue."

“I'm sorry,” kitty said. “I didn't know…”

“So let's set aside all of our prejudices, ignorance and assumptions and talk to one another like thinking animals instead of... of..."

"Humans?" Prue asked.

"They are not all bad." Blue said.

"That’s right, Craig is nice." Prue said.

Kitty rolled her eyes.

"Now what is that supposed to mean?"

"Uh, I'm sure he's nice to cats and to his 'service animal', but I think there will be an exception for me."

"Only if you bite him." said Blue.

"And you'd have to bite him awfully hard." Prue said.

"Yeah, when Lucy came here she was awfully feral. Wouldn't come out from under the chair, barely ate anything and wouldn’t even let us close enough to sniff her, much less help her groom,” Blue said. “It took at least a month before Craig could get close enough to pet her, ad she bit him for it.

“HARD,” said Prue.

“Very hard,” said Blue

“HE BLED,” said Prue.

“I think she gets the point, Prue,” said Blue.

“I’m just saying…”

“Well, in any case. He kept her in the apartment. He fed her just like us and hekept talking to her like she was the sweetest little kitten ever. And eventually she came around,” Blue said. “You will too. Craig has a way with those of us who think that the world is just there to chew us up and spit us out. he save us. And he'll save you too.”

Just then the sound of the can opener reverberated throughout the tiny apartment.

“Food time!” Prue squealed in delight.

“You should join us,” said Blue. “Craig makes sure that there is plenty enough for everyone. you won't have to fight it out with us like you did that heathen pack that laid you low. Blue said.

"How did?-"

"Word gets around. And I'm an old cat with big ears and a snake's way of keeping my head to the ground,” Blue said. “I hear things, but don’t worry. I don't judge on just what I hear.”

"Here kitty, kitty" Craig called form the kitchen. The two cats made a bee line off to their food bowls and Kitty had to stop herself from chasing after them. It was an old habit that was hard to break. And Kitty's heart sank when she realized that he was not calling her, per se, but his feline friends.