1
One warm spring morning I was waiting outside by the door. The female biped stumbled out of the house sleepily, with the large smelly mop by her side. The biped froze the second I ran in the house. She must have seen my present.
“Wha. . . Ew. . . You little. . . Where did you go?” The biped’s words faded.
Entering my room and surveying my space, I turned around and searched for the other biped. Maybe he would like my present. The doors were firmly shut, the other biped was hidden behind them. Cutting my losses, I lurked at the entrance to the hallway.
The smelly mop came bursting around the corner, scrambling for purchase on the slick wooden floors. I allowed myself a grin of smug satisfaction. My (according to the bipeds) brother-from-a-different-mother, was such a dunce sometimes.
“Honestly? A bunny?!” The biped said as she entered the house and saw me.
“What?! You were the one that left me out there, what did you expect?” I stood my ground. Ok, so I nibbled on the present a little, I was hungry.
Instead of coming towards me, the biped went in a different direction. When she reappeared she had a long stick with a weird shape on the end, and her hands had changed color. She headed right back outside, and wouldn’t let me or the mop follow her.
I watched from the door. The biped picked up a white bundle and walked to the farthest corner of the yard. Tall grass blocked my view of her actions. When she was finished in the corner, the biped returned to the porch. Taking the dark color off of her hands, she left them outside with the stick.
The biped looked at me with anger while she walked in the house.
“A poor little bunny, really? Hold up, was it a bunny? Seeing as the head was missing, it was kinda hard to tell. I can’t believe you actually caught one.” The female shook her head and continued muttering under her breath as she headed to the food room.
I watched as she worked in the room. I got a little excited when she opened the cold box, but she didn’t bring out my food can. I couldn’t help myself. I had to speak. “But, I’m so hungry.”
“Oh, hush. You’ll get food after my coffee.” The biped said to the window in front of her.
I was starting to get impatient, so I moved closer to her legs. I wanted to show how hungry I was by rubbing against her, but she jumped at the feeling of my fur against her skin.
“Pony-Kitty! Don’t do that! You’ll get your food, just be patient. Not that I can see how you could possibly be hungry. You did have a midnight snack you know.” The biped stomped her foot.
I fled to my observation position in the hall. Waiting almost patiently until she came my way. The second she walked towards me I lifted my tail and led the way to my space. “Come on, it’s this way. My bowls are empty.”
The female walked to my food. Shaking the crunchies, the small pieces filled the bowl. She then picked up the small plate and left the room.
I tried to bump her arm with my head, but she moved too fast. Jumping back to the ground, I followed her from the room. Only to be stopped at the end of the hallway by an open door. I tried to peak in but the biped had started closing the door. Backing up to keep my whiskers out of the door, I continued following my biped into the main space.
She stopped briefly at the mop’s food, before continuing to the food space.
I heard the magical sound of cans opening and started purring, rubbing my body on the corners of the walls.
After fixing both bowls the biped came out of the food room. She dropped off the mop’s food while I waited by the hall.
Leading the way, I rushed back to my room, pacing by my crunchies. The scent of tuna and calamari wafted from the plate she set down.
“Oh, yum, yum, yummy,” I rubbed against my cat tree before hovering over my food and cleaning my plate.
After eating I took my bath, climbed onto the tree, and found my favorite spot to sleep.
Chapter 2
About a week passed before I tried to bring my bipeds another present. Remembering what the female said, I ate the rear legs so she could definitely tell it was a bunny.
But the biped went through the same process as last time, she wouldn’t eat it. The female changed areas of the yard though, and she was out of sight for a long time.
She walked through the door talking. “Can you stop killing the bunnies Pony? Please?”
I started washing my stomach as a response.
“Ah, figures.” The female muttered on her way to get my dish. She prepared our food the same way she always did, and delivered our meals to our respective areas.
I sat in my door after eating, something I did from time to time. Watching the hyper antics of the mop. As long as my sometimes-nemesis kept his distance, my claws stayed sheathed. But if he came too close… Well… What happens… Happens.
Today the imbecile was racing up and down the hall, chasing flying, squeaking toys. Growing bored with watching him shake the toys to death, growling his bravery to the world, I turned away from his exuberant display. I waited for a moment when he was occupied in the room next door, and I dashed for the other side of the house. Prowling through the food room, I was stopped by another door. Thumbs would really be useful. I slid a paw under the bottom of the door. Suddenly the door flew open, and I raced back to my room.
Leaping onto the tree, I climbed to my sleep spot. I tried to nap, but the constant buzzing noise coming through the open window refused to let me rest. Annoyed, I stood, stretching my back. Looking outside with distaste, I jumped from my platform to the floor. A loud thump announced my arrival as I headed for a quieter location.
Exiting my room, I looked for the mop. I saw his fluffy tail sticking out of the room next door. Ah, but the room in front of me was finally open. I knew a perfect sleeping place. I sauntered into the biped’s room, and slinked under the bed. I curled up in my favorite space - for a while.
My secure, comfortable, nest moved. I shot out from under the bed and glared at the female biped for disturbing my sleep.
She doesn’t notice, being too absorbed in looking through the space I was sleeping in.
“I swear kitty, you looked like a fuzzy black snake for a second. All I saw was your tail. Damn cat, gonna give me a heart attack.”
Ignoring the muttering biped, I headed for the big room, maybe I could nap and still look out the window. Jumping on the seat of the couch, I leapt up once more and landed on the top. I headed straight for a blanket draped over the back of the seats. Setting to work making it softer, I began massaging the blanket with rhythmic pushes of my paws.
I settled in, and was just drifting into slumber, when I suddenly started falling. The blanket was being pulled out from under me. Landing on my feet, I gave the biped a loathing look, and stalked away.
Returning to my tree to bathe in anger, I was contemplating where to go next, when the female biped appeared in the doorway.
“Little Queen of Sheba. Everything soft in the house is yours. Is that the way it goes?” The biped stalked off.
I stalked out of the room and waited at the door to the outside. I stood, stretching as high as I could, knocking the bells as I retracted my body.
The door opened and I dashed outside. Searching for a place to sleep, I made my way to the highest point I could find. It was black and warm from the sun. I settled in. How dare that human call me ‘Queen of Sheba’. Doesn’t she know that’s my mother’s title? I am Princess Baset, and I will return to claim my throne someday. But for now, I need my nap.
Chapter 3
“Hey! Hey!” Nothing. “I’ve got something for you. Come on! Check it out.” Man, these bipeds are so wrapped up in their own stuff, it’s really hard to get their attention. “Come on, I promise it’s still alive.” I hope that will peak their interest.
“What the… I need some light. What do you have Pony?” The male biped was the first to enter the hallway, while the female looked out of my room.
“See, I’m a good hunter. I brought you a present. You said you didn’t like it when they were dead.”
“What is it, I can’t see?”
“Let me get the light, you won’t believe it.”
The light flared in the hallway, I was exposed. Sitting on the rug with the baby bunny laid out in front of me.
“Oh, the poor thing.” The female swooped down and grabbed the bunny. Then the two bipeds conversed for a while before the female headed out of the hallway.
“Can I have a bite when you’re done?”
“No! You’re not getting it back. You don’t get to play with it.”
“Wait! What are you doing?” I watched in dismay.
“No, you don’t get a toy rabbit, I’m sorry Pone.” The female exited the house with the bunny.
“Why are you taking the present outside? I just brought it in from out there.”
The door opened again, but the biped made it in before I could sneak out.
“There, it’s gone.” The biped stared at me and shook her finger. “No more bunnies.”
I was out of there. How dare she release my present. The cool night air on my whiskers reminded me of the joys abounding in the dark. Unseen by the bipedal figures moving back to their own pursuits, I made my way to the back exit. It was still open from when I snuck in with the bunny, so I slipped out.
I glided through the gap in the fence, and rounded the corner of the house. The street was still. The bunny had escaped. “I don’t know what to do with these bipeds” I mewed in frustration as I returned to the backyard.
Leaping atop the box by the door, I waited. It had taken me weeks to find the bunny I brought them, and I was really careful NOT to kill it. Humph. Fine then, see if I bring them anything else. Wait, what’s that?”
I landed lightly on the grass, and stalked my way toward the movement in the grass. The chill from the concrete seeped into my paws. I eyed my target. Oh, nice. A little mousie to play with.
Pouncing I surrounded the mouse. A noise distracted my concentration. Turning my head, I noticed the male biped exiting the house. Returning my attention to the task at paw, I realized my snack snuck out. Finding it a short distance away, I attacked again. Batting it around for a bit, playing with my food, I noticed the man heading back to the door. Cutting my play time short, I quickly dealt the mouse a final killing blow. Rushing to the door, I was too late. The biped had entered the house, and the door was shut. I leaned against the chilly glass, staring inside, waiting to see a figure that possessed hands.
Hours later, I saw movement. “Hey! You forgot about me! Let me in!” The door opened, and I rushed in the house. “About time, it’s still cold at night.” I complained bitterly.
“Well, that’s what you get when you don’t come in.” The female biped seemed smug as she closed the door behind me.
“It’s not my fault, He’s the one that shut me out. I didn’t do it on purpose.” I don’t tell her about the mouse I left in the corner, she should find it soon enough.
I headed to my room, confidently finding my way through the dark space around me. Surveying my sanctuary, I am still feeling playful. Spotting some balls on the floor, I pounced, sending them in all directions, jingling as they went. I smiled, this was satisfying. I continued playing, until I heard the creak of the wooden floor. Ears perked, I abandoned my pastime, and raced for the source of the noise.
The male biped was walking around the house in the dark. He tends to leave the doors open to their room. If I follow him close enough, I may be able to sneak onto their bed tonight. Sticking to the shadows I followed him. To my delight he never noticed me. Leaping lightly to the foot of their bed, I curled up and fell fast asleep.
Chapter 4
Prowling the hall, I stop suddenly. My ears prick at the sound of rain. The noise is coming from behind the closed door. “Hey, who is in there? Hey! Can you hear me?” Tucking my tail around my feet, I settle in to wait. Eventually the rain stops, and I hear other noises, cloth swishing, and little jingling bells. I stood, and began rubbing my body on the door. I knew it was going to open any minute.
Impatient, I call out again, “Hey, when are you going to open this?” At that instant, the door squeaked open, and I scampered. The noise took me by surprise. Halting my flight at the door to my space, I looked over my shoulder. The male was stepping out of the open door, and heading the other way.
Quickly turning around, I caught up to him. Dodging his steps, I raced him to the door. He always let me outside, not like the female. Sure enough, he rounded the corner, and opened the door for me. I raced outside. Freedom.
Pausing a few feet from the door, I flopped onto my side, and began rubbing my back on the warm sun-drenched surface of the patio. A low chuckle came from the direction of the male biped. Affronted, I paused in my actions, and glared at him. He had the audacity to laugh at ME?!
Muttering under my breath, I continued rolling on the ground. Sometimes the bipeds I chose annoyed me, but that happened often when living close to another species. Ignoring the man, I continued soaking up the warm spring rays.
The door nearby opened again, and the mop came bounding outside. Moving away from the rambunctious canine, I jumped to the top of the box close to the patio. Mop watched me for a moment before becoming distracted by the bipeds.
I settled in a comfortable position to watch, while the humans threw something into the yard. Mop took off after it like a bullet, almost flipping head over heels when he couldn’t stop fast enough. Sliding in a circle, he returned to the thrown object, grabbed it in his mouth, and raced back to the porch. Stopping slightly out of reach, he began teasing the bipeds, urging them to chase him. “I got it, I’m a good boy. Here’s the ball. Do you want to throw it again? Can you get it from me? Come on, I’m right here. Come and get the ball. Come get me.” Mop lowered his front end to the ground, his tail wagging fast in the air as he growled his challenges to them both.
The male biped finally responded with a burst of speed as he took off after Mop. The female was a little slower to respond, but she eventually stood, and began circling the canine.
Mop had difficulty watching them both, so he grabbed the ball and ran to the other side of the yard. The bipeds worked together to corner him. They slowly approached, cutting off his escape routes. Maybe they don’t need me to teach them to hunt after all, they seem to be doing ok on their own. I watched as they pinned Mop in the corner, and moved in for the pounce.
Mop however, was faster than the two-legged humans. He dodged between the female and the bushes, gaining the freedom of the open yard. I could tell he was pleased with his escape, the bipeds could too. He tried taunting them again, but they ignored him and entered the house.
I stayed outside. The birds and squirrels called to me. I yearned to explore this new location. My tail started twitching, the urge was growing stronger. I couldn’t ignore it any longer. Standing, I stretched, and leapt off the box. Squeezing between the gate and the fence, I left the backyard.
Chapter 5
“Wait! That’s NOT Pony?!?!” The biped’s voices woke me from my nap on the chair.
I had just returned from exploring the neighborhood, and was looking forward to a long nap. Raising my head, I noticed a black and white shadow detach itself from the house, and disappear around the corner. Standing and stretching, I lept lightly off the chair, and headed to the front once again.
Circling the house, I slowly approached the last place I saw the interloper. Stopping a few feet away, I searched the area with my eyes. There, in the tree. Looking closely I tried to discern who had invaded my territory. The trespasser’s black mask covered most of their face. Their front legs were black to the toes, with only a faint blaze of white on the chest. The tail is what caught my eye though. Pure black to the tip.
If the Queen had sent a messenger, they would have a white tipped tail. This trespasser wasn’t from the Queen.
“Alright! Enough hiding!” I yelled to the strange visitor. “This is my home, my territory, my kingdom. What are you doing here?”
“I bring tidings from your brother, Princess Baset.” The messenger landed a few feet in front of me and licked her paws.
“And what could my STEP-brother, Prince Onca, want with me?” I replied.
“The Prince needs your help. Queen Sheeba has been abducted, we think. She went missing a week ago.”
“A week ago?! Why did the Prince take so long to send a messenger to me?”
“He had to remark the territory. Protecting the family comes first, Princess.”
“If he doesn’t need me to protect the family, what does he need me for?”
“The Prince would like you to return from your exile.”
“Why?” This conversation seemed endless, and circular. The messenger wasn’t forthcoming at all. I felt the need to ask leading questions just to get an answer.
“The Prince has asked that you consider a marriage proposal.”
“Between myself and whom?” Do I have to torture this messenger just to get the message from the Prince?
“Between yourself and the Prince. Your kits would rule after you both.”
“He means to prove his legitimacy by marrying me?! No way! I’d rather stay in exile forever.” No wonder the messenger danced around the subject. I could feel my anger rising as the urge to pounce grew.
The messenger’s tail began to beat a staccato rhythm against the ground. My own tail matched hers beat for beat. Before the messenger could react, I attacked. I refused to be used as a pawn for my step-brother’s ambition. Exiled or not, I loved my new kingdom, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
The fight was short lived, but brutal. After what seemed like hours, the beaten messenger crawled away, nursing bite and claw marks. Hobbling back to the door, I waited to enter the house. Protecting my territory was exhausting.
I did end up with a few marks of my own from the fight. The messenger tried to take my eye, and the bites around my neck took weeks to heal. I haven’t seen the trespassing messenger since.
I can only hope that Prince Onca accepts my rejection of his suit. He needs a younger wife. I don’t even have the possibility of having kits. Bipeds took that ability from me long before I found my current home. Not that I care, much.
コメント