17. SMUDGE THE STOLEN KITTEN

Chapter One

There was the sound of a whistle blowing.�Ben Williams and Rob Ford! Get down from there right now!�

Olivia looked up and groaned. Mrs Mackintosh sounded as if she�d yelled right in Olivia�s ear, even though she was on the other side of the playground.

�What have Ben and Rob done now?� her friend Lucie asked.

�Something awful, as usual,� Olivia muttered, as they ran across the playground to see what was going on. Her big brother Ben was always in trouble at school � which wasn�t fair, because all the teachers either thought that meant Olivia was naughty too, or that she ought to have stopped him. As if he�d listen toher! And his friend Rob was even worse.

�You�re very lucky you haven�t broken your necks!� the girls heard Mrs Mackintosh saying crossly. �What a stupid thing to do!�

�It isn�t in the playground rules that we can�t tightrope walk along the top of the fence, Mrs Mackintosh,� Ben said innocently, pointing to the poster on the side of the wall.

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�That�s because before you, Ben, no one had even thought of it!� the head teacher snapped. �We need to add an extra rule at the bottom of that list saying that whatever idiotic thing you two think of next isn�t allowed! You can miss the rest of play. Go inside and tell Mrs Beale that you�re to help set out the chairs for assembly this afternoon!�

Ben winked at Olivia as he and Rob went past on their way to the hall. He didn�t look as though he minded being told off at all.

Olivia sighed and Lucie gave her a sympathetic smile.�It�s probably better than having a brother who�s totally perfect � then everyone would ask you why you couldn�t be more like him.�

�I suppose,� Olivia sighed, kicking at a pile of leaves. �But I can�t wait till he goes to secondary school next year.�

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�Mrs Beale told me about what happened at lunchtime, by the way.� Mum eyed Ben sternly. She worked as a part-time teaching assistant at Olivia and Ben�s school.

Ben waved a forkful of spaghetti at her, looking hurt.�It�s so unfair! No one had ever said we couldn�t walk along the fence.�

�Sometimes I think we should just send you and Rob to join the circus.� Dad was trying to look cross, but Olivia could see that he was smiling.

�Excellent! No more school!� Ben grinned.

�It wasn�t at all clever, Ben.� Mum frowned. �I�m tempted not to tell you the special news I�ve got.�

Olivia looked up from her pasta.�What is it? Don�t be mean, Mum!�

Her mum stared up at the ceiling smiling, while Olivia and Ben begged her to tell.

�All right, all right! You remember a while ago we had a leaflet through the door about the Cat Rescue Centre?�

Olivia nodded eagerly.�With photos of all the cats they�d found new homes for! They were gorgeous. I wish we could have one. It said they were always looking for good homes for unwanted cats.�

Mum smiled.�I know, Olivia � you went on about it for days. Well, Dad and I have been talking, and we decided that maybe you�re both old enough to have a pet.�

�Really?� Olivia gasped. �We�re going to get a cat?�

�I�d rather have a dog, Mum,� Ben put in. �Dogs are more fun.�

Mum shook her head.�No. Dad�s at work all day, and you�re both at school, and so am I three days a week. A dog would get really lonely.�

Ben sighed and nodded, so Mum went on quickly.�I gave the Cat Rescue Centre a ring this morning. They�ve got some kittens at the moment, they said, and they�re ready for new homes now.�

Olivia jumped up, almost upsetting her pasta into her lap.�Let�s go!�

�Livvy, sit down!� Mum laughed. �The centre�s not even open right now. And anyway, before we can go and choose a kitten, we have to have a home visit. To check that we�re going to be suitable owners.�

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Olivia sat down, staring back at Mum worriedly.�Suitable? What does that mean? Do we have to know loads about cats? I only know a bit. But I�ve got lots of books about cats, and we could look things up on the computer��

�Slow down!� Dad patted her shoulder. �It�s OK. They�re just going to want to check that our road isn�t too busy. And that we�re happy to put a cat flap in the kitchen door, that kind of thing.�

�And that we don�t have children who won�t know how to behave around a cat,� Mum said, eyeing Ben grimly. �A lady from the centre is coming to see us this evening, and we�ll all have to show her that we�resensible, Benjamin Williams.�

Ben scowled, and Olivia looked at him warily. Ben wasn�t sensible at all. In fact, he was the least sensible person Olivia had ever met.

How were they ever going to convince the lady from the Rescue Centre that they were the right owners for a kitten?

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�I�ll give you this week�s pocket money,� Olivia said desperately.

Ben raised one eyebrow.

�And my Saturday sweets too! But you have to promise to be on your absolute best behaviour. Actually, don�t even talk! Or � or move!�

Ben zipped his lips with his fingers, and smirked at her, but Olivia wasn�t sure she could trust him.

�Oh, there�s the doorbell! Shall we go and answer it, or let Mum?� Olivia twisted her fingers together nervously. She so wanted to make a good impression.

�Mmmpfl.� Ben made a strange grunting noise, and Olivia stared at him.

He shrugged.�Well, you said not to talk!�

�That doesn�t mean make stupid noises! If she asks you a question you have to say something.�

�Something.�

�Fine, I�m keeping my pocket money.� Olivia marched down the stairs feeling furious. If Ben managed to mess this up, she was never going to forgive him. Ben followed her, sniggering.

Mum was just answering the door to a friendly-looking lady in a Rescue Centre fleece.

�Hi. I�m Debbie, from the Cat Rescue Centre.�

�Thanks for coming. I�m Emma and this is my husband, John, and this is Olivia and Ben.� Mum led Debbie into the living room, and Olivia and Ben followed behind. Dad went to put the kettle on.

�It seems like a fairly quiet area.� Debbie made a note on the sheet she was holding. �Not too many cars.�

�Lots of people around here have cats,� Olivia put in hopefully.

Mum laughed.�And Olivia is friends with all of them!�

Olivia perched nervously on the edge of the sofa. Ben was sitting on the sofa arm, and for once he didn�t look as though he was planning anything silly. Olivia crossed her fingers. �Are there really kittens at the Rescue Centre right now?� she asked Debbie shyly.

Debbie nodded.�Two litters, actually. One�s mostly ginger and white, and the other litter are a smoky grey. They�re all really sweet.�

Olivia�s eyes shone as she imagined sitting on the sofa, just like she was now, but with a tiny grey kitten purring on her lap.

Debbie went through a long list of questions, checking how much time the kitten would be left alone, and that Olivia�s mum knew they�d have to pay for vet�s bills. Olivia could see the list if she leaned over, and it mostly had ticks in the boxes. Hopefully Debbie would say yes!

Just as Debbie was handing Mum some leaflets about pet insurance and flea treatments, Dad came in with a tray of tea. He passed the cups round, then he sat down on the sofa next to Olivia. There was a sudden, very loud, very rude noise, and Dad jumped up, his face scarlet.

Ben practically fell off the sofa arm he was laughing so much, and Olivia pulled out a whoopee cushion from behind Dad.

�Ben!� Mum sounded horrified.

�I�d forgotten it was there, sorry,� Ben said, but he didn�t look very sorry at all.

Olivia looked over at Debbie, her eyes starting to burn with tears. Did having a stupid, rude big brother mean no kitten?

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But Debbie was giggling.�I haven�t seen one of those in ages. My brother used to do that all the time.� Then she looked serious. �A kitten really is a big responsibility, though. And everyone in the family has to be prepared to help care for it properly.� She was staring at Ben, who looked embarrassed.

�I will look after it, I promise,� he muttered.

Debbie nodded.�Right then.� She signed her name in swirly letters across the bottom of the form. �You can come and choose your kitten tomorrow!�

Chapter Two

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Olivia doodled on her reading record book, trying to think of the best name for a beautiful little grey kitten, or perhaps a sweet gingery one. She quite liked Esmerelda, herself. But then Dad had said at breakfast that it had to be a name that they didn�t mind yelling down the garden to get the kitten to come in for tea. Olivia giggled. She couldn�t really see Ben shouting, �Es�mer�el�da!�

Fluffy? Smoky? Whiskers? None of them sounded quite right. Olivia scowled down at the picture she was drawing. A kitten with big, sad eyes, just waiting for her to come and bring him home. She wished they�d been able to go to the Rescue Centre yesterday, straight after Debbie had approved them, but Mum said they needed to get everything ready first, and Olivia supposed she was right. They didn�t even have a food bowl!

Lucie elbowed her in the ribs.�Mr Jones has got his eye on you, Olivia!�

Olivia straightened up and tried to look as though she was listening. She loved history usually, but today she couldn�t think of anything except kittens. They were going to the pet shop after school to get everything, and then on to the Rescue Centre!

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The kitten finished his bowl of biscuits and licked his paw, swiping it across his nose and ears. Then he trotted over to the wire front of the pen and stood up on his hind paws, his front claws scraping on the wire. He scrabbled at it for a moment, hoping that someone might come and open it for him. Sometimes the Rescue Centre staff came to play with the kittens, when they weren�t too busy. But maybe they wouldn�t, now that it was only him.

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He unhooked his claws, and pattered sadly back to the cushion on the shelf in the corner. It was too big for just him� until yesterday, three small grey kittens had shared it, and now when he curled up he was lost in the middle. He missed his sisters. Even though the centre was kept warm, he still felt chilly all on his own.

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�The kittens are this way.� Debbie smiled at Olivia and Ben, and their mum and dad. �You haven�t changed your minds then? You�d still like one?� she teased.

�Yes!� Olivia nodded so hard her bunches shook up and down. �And we�ve got a cat basket and a litter tray and a grooming brush and some toys and two bowls!�

Debbie laughed.�All you need is the kitten then! Come on.� She led the way down the corridor, which was lined with wire-fronted enclosures. They were full of cats, all watching as Olivia walked past. She blinked, feeling suddenly sad. It wasn�t that the little pens weren�t nice � the cats all had a basket and toys, and most of the pens were built with a shelf, so the cats could be high up, where they felt safe. But they weren�t a proper home. She wondered how often they got cuddled or stroked.

�We do take them all out every day. At least once,� Debbie said quietly.

Olivia blinked. How had Debbie known what she was thinking?

�I know it doesn�t look very cosy, but it�s better than being out in the cold.� Debbie sighed. �I�d like to take them all home, but I already have five cats� I can�t really have any more�� She shook herself, and smiled firmly. �Look. The two litters of kittens are in the largepens down this side.�

�Oh�� Olivia crouched down in front of the wire pen.

Four ginger kittens were bombing around, chasing each other round a scratching post and up on to a shelf where a white cat, who Olivia guessed was their mother, was trying to sleep. They scrambled over her� she looked as though she was used to it by now, her ears didn�t even twitch � and then jumped down and did it all over again.

�Goodness,� Mum muttered. �They�re very energetic, aren�t they?�

Olivia looked up at her anxiously. She hoped Mum wasn�t changing her mind. �We�re only going to have one,� she pointed out, her voice a little squeaky with worry. �They only look bouncy because there�s so many of them.�

Debbie nodded.�Kittens are very energetic, but Olivia�s right. Just one won�t be quite so crazy. Look, we�ve got just one grey kitten left in the pen a little further down, he�s a bit calmer.�

Olivia had been so excited seeing the gorgeous ginger kittens that she�d almost forgotten there was one more.

�There were three in this litter, but two of them were rehomed yesterday. I think this little one�s feeling a bit lonely.� Debbie beckoned them along the corridor to the enclosure, where a small grey kitten was stretched out on his sleeping shelf, licking a paw and looking sad. He glanced up as Olivia and her family came closer, and Olivia laughed delightedly. His round green eyes gave him a permanent surprised look, and he had a dark smudge on his tail � almost as though someone had flicked a black paintbrush at him.

The kitten jumped down from his sleeping shelf, and pattered over to the wire front of the pen.

�He�s so beautiful, Mum,� Olivia whispered. �Look at him! He�s so cute, with his little smudgy tail!�

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�He is very sweet,� Mum agreed.

The kitten mewed hopefully. He liked Debbie, and he knew she usually came to feed him and fuss over him. And he liked the look of the other people too. Maybe they�d pick him up. They might even take him away with them. Someone had taken his sisters, so why not him?

�Where did he come from?� Dad asked. �You don�t have his mum as well, like the other kittens?�

Debbie shook her head, and sighed.�No�� She glanced at Ben and Olivia, as though she didn�t want to upset them. �These kittens were abandoned. A lady out for a walk by the canal found them. Someone had just left them in a cardboard box.�

Olivia stared at the kitten, who was pawing hopefully at the wire. How could someone just have abandoned him?

�They were lucky to be found so quickly,� Debbie added. �They were only two weeks old; they would have died if they�d been left much longer without food.� She patted Olivia�s arm, seeing how upset she was. �But the good thing about it is that the kittens were bottle-fed, which means they�re super-friendly. This one is a little love. He wants to be cuddled all the time.�

�Can we have him?� Olivia turned round. �Ben, don�t you think he�s gorgeous?�

�I suppose. The ginger ones were really fun, but he looks friendly, too,� Ben said.

�Let�s get him out so you can give him a stroke,� Debbie suggested.

�Oh, yes please�� Olivia gazed through the wire at the kitten. He was scrabbling at it now, looking as though he liked the idea too. Debbie opened the front of the pen, and laughed as he scampered out before she could catch him.

The kitten skidded to a stop in front of Olivia�s feet, and glanced up, suddenly shy. He looked at Olivia sideways, obviously wondering who she was and if she was friendly.

Olivia stretched out her fingers to him, and he sniffed them, and then rubbed the side of his face up and down her hand.�Ahhh. Do you think I could pick him up?� she asked Debbie.

�Give it a try. Don�t worry if he wriggles away, he�ll probably be a bit excited.�

But the kitten snuggled happily against Olivia�s school jumper, and purred. This was just what he wanted. So much better than being all alone in the pen, and the girl smelled nice.

Olivia stroked him gently behind the ears. His fur was soft and velvety, and he nuzzled a tiny, cold pink nose into her neck, making her giggle.�Oh, listen to him purring! He feels like a little lawn mower!�

The kitten closed his eyes happily, and kneaded his paws into Olivia�s shoulder.

Debbie smiled.�He�s definitely taken to you.�

Olivia�s eyes glowed as she looked up at her parents, kitten paws tangled in her jumper. �Please can we have him?�

�But what about the ginger ones?� Ben grumbled, but then he stroked the top of the kitten�s head. �I guess he is quite cute,� he admitted.

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Dad nodded, smiling.�So what are we going to call him then?�

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In the end, the name was obvious. Smudge just fitted. Olivia�s mum suggested Alfie, and Ben wanted to call him after his favourite footballer, but Smudge just looked like Smudge.

He fitted into the house too. Debbie had said that he was already house-trained. She�d also explained that Smudge had had all his vaccinations, and was safe to go outside, but it would be better not to let him out on his own for the first couple of weeks, while he got used to his new home. Dad was glad about that, as it gave him a bit longer to fit the cat flap.

On his first night, Olivia had left Smudge curled up in his new basket. She�d lined up all his toys next to him, and given him one of her old toy cats in case he was lonely. Then she�d refilled his water bowl, and given him a prawn-flavour cat treat as a bedtime snack.

�Olivia, it�s way past your bedtime!� Mum put an arm round her shoulders. �He�ll be fine. He�s used to the Rescue Centre. I�m sure our kitchen�s much nicer than that pen he was in.�

Olivia nodded.�Yes, but he doesn�t know our house yet, and he doesn�t understand what�s happening. What if he thinks we�re never coming back?�

�Come on. You�re not sleeping in the kitchen with him, Livvy.�

Olivia sighed and looked back sadly as Mum shooed her out. The light from the hallway gleamed in the kitten�s huge eyes. He looked sad too.

Upstairs, Olivia got ready for bed. But she couldn�t stop thinking about Smudge, alone in the dark kitchen. Perhaps she should just go and check on him?

Ben was lying on his bed reading, and he glanced up as Olivia went past.�Mum�ll hear if you sneak downstairs, Olivia. She always catches me.�

Olivia leaned round his bedroom door.�How did you know what I was doing?� she hissed. �I might just have been going to the loo!�

Ben shrugged.�I could tell by the way you were looking at the stairs.� He frowned. �Hey, is that Smudge making that noise?�

From downstairs came a faint but pitiful wailing, along with a scratching sound. The noise of kitten claws scrabbling at a kitchen door.

Olivia hung over the banisters, listening to the sad little howls.

Eventually Mum came out of the living room, frowning.�I hope he�s all right,� she said over her shoulder to Dad. �Oh, Olivia. Is he keeping you awake?�

�Can�t we let him come upstairs?� Olivia pleaded. �He sounds so lonely.�

Mum sighed and glanced at Dad.

Dad shrugged.�Well, he is house-trained.�

�Thank you!� Olivia smiled with delight, and ran down the stairs to open the kitchen door.

Smudge shot out, and she gathered him into her arms, cuddling him against her pyjamas.�Don�t worry, Smudge,� she whispered. �I�ll look after you.� She carried him upstairs, and put him down gently on her bed.

Smudge looked around interestedly, and padded up and down Olivia�s duvet, inspecting it carefully. Olivia tried not to laugh. He looked so serious. Then he marched over to her pillow, curled himself up in the hollow between the pillow and the duvet, and went to sleep.

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Chapter Three

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Smudge had only been there a few days, but Olivia�s house was definitely his home now. He had explored every possible hole and hiding place, and got stuck in several of them. But Olivia or Ben or their parents were always there to rescue him. Except for today. Dad was at work, Olivia and Ben had gone to school that morning, and as it was Thursday their mum had to go into school to work too. Smudge was all on his own for the first time, and he didn�t like it. He wandered around the house, his tail twitching. He�d already been into every room that was open, and he knew that no one was there, but he kept hoping that maybe if he looked again he would find somebody.

He padded back into the kitchen, and sniffed hopefully at the door. Olivia and Ben had taken him out into the garden when they got home from school yesterday. It had been his first taste of the outside world, and his ears flickered back and forth as he remembered watching the birds, and chasing after the little jingly ball that Olivia had rolled along the patio.

There it was, in the corner by the kitchen cupboards. Smudge trotted over and patted the ball with one paw. It rolled along, the little bell jingling, and he pounced on it. The ball slid along the polished tiles, and so did Smudge, rolling over on to his back, wriggling and clawing at it. But then the ball slid away from his paws and stopped against the kitchen table leg, and it wasn�t as much fun any more.

Grumpily, Smudge lay there on his back, licking his paws. He�d already had quite a long sleep in the recycling box on the kitchen counter. (Ben had emptied it that morning, and it was just the right size for Smudge to feel cosy in, much better than his basket.) Now he wanted someone to play with.

Perhaps by the time he got upstairs, Olivia would be back in her bedroom? He trotted through to the hallway and started to struggle up the stairs.

He was big enough to climb them, but it was an effort, and he had to scrabble and heave himself up each step. He sat down for a little while at the top of the stairs, his sides heaving, and then he crept along the landing and nosed his way round Olivia�s door.

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She wasn�t there. The room was empty.

Smudge crept under Olivia�s bed. He picked his way between two tottering piles of books, and pounced on the flex of Olivia�s hair-dryer. Then, yawning, he snuggled himself inside her gym bag. He liked small spaces, and climbing the stairs had worn him out. When he woke up, surely they would all be back?

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�I can�t believe it�s only lunchtime,� Olivia muttered, checking her watch for the hundredth time.

�Are you missing Smudge?� Lucie grinned at her.

Olivia nodded.�It�s the first time we�ve left him alone all day. I really hope he�s OK. He nearly climbed out of the living-room window yesterday. I caught him just as he was sticking his head out.�

�He still isn�t allowed out then? Isn�t he old enough?�

�He�s ten weeks, so he could go outside, but Debbie said it�s best if we wait until we�ve had him a bit longer before letting him out on his own. It already feels like he�s been with us for ages, though. He isn�t shy or nervous at all.� Then she shook her head. �Except for yesterday, when we took Smudge into the garden with us, and Ben got him with his water pistol. Hesaid it was an accident, but I don�t know��

Lucie sighed.�I�m so jealous. I love Tiger, but he�s really old and just sleeps all day. Can I come and see Smudge soon?� she asked hopefully.

Olivia nodded. She was desperate to show off how gorgeous Smudge was.�Do you want to come to tea tomorrow? Mum�s doing playground duty, we could go and ask her.�

They ran over to Olivia�s mum, who was turning the end of a skipping rope for a bunch of year one girls. �Mum, can Lucie come to tea tomorrow? She really wants to see Smudge.�

Mum frowned.�Oh, not Friday, Lucie, sorry. Ben�s already invited Rob. I�ll ask your mum about popping over at the weekend,� she suggested, and Lucie nodded, looking pleased, but Olivia was frowning.

�Rob�s coming? To tea? Mum, does he have to? Ben always plays up when Rob�s round, they�ll be awful! They might upset Smudge!�

�I�m sure they won�t, Olivia. Oh dear! Up you get, Sinead!� One of the year ones had tripped over the rope, and Mum went to pick her up.

Olivia sighed, and glanced at Lucie.�I bet they will. You know what Ben�s like. And with Rob there he�s three times as bad. I�ll just have to keep Smudge with me the whole time.�

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�Smudge! Where are you, puss?� As soon as Olivia got home from school, she dropped her bag, pulled off her coat, and dashed upstairs to search for him. Maybe he was having a sleep on her bed? As she pushed her bedroom door wide open, there was a little mew and Smudge wriggled out from under herbed. A pile of books toppled over as he shot out and scrambled into her lap. Olivia giggled. �Mum�s right, I really do need to tidy up, especially if you�re going to go exploring under there. Those books nearly squashed your tail!� She settled down to do her homework with Smudge purring on her knee. When she�d finished she carried him downstairs, and wandered into the kitchen to talk to Mum. Ben was out in the garden building a den in the apple tree.

�Mum, does Rob have to come to tea tomorrow?�

Mum looked up from the saucepan she was stirring.�Well, yes. It�s all arranged. What�s the matter, Livvy?�

Olivia shrugged.�I don�t want him to�� she whispered. �He does stupid stuff, and he makes Ben do stupid stuff too. They always get into trouble.�

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Mum sighed.�I know they�re a bit naughty. But Rob is Ben�s best friend. Can�t you just stay out of their way tomorrow, love?�

�But what if they upset Smudge? Can I take him up to my room tomorrow to keep him out of their way too?�

Mum looked at her seriously for a moment, and shook her head.�Olivia, Ben wants to show Smudge off to Rob. I know you really love Smudge, and he�s taken to you so well, but he�s not just yours, sweetheart. He�s Ben�s kitten as well.�

Olivia nodded miserably. She knew Mum was right, but it didn�t help. Smudgefelt like he was her kitten, and she didn�t want the boys anywhere near him.

�Hello, Smudge!� Olivia�s dad walked in, and tickled the kitten under the chin.

Then Ben flung open the kitchen door, and stomped muddy footprints across the floor.�Is it dinnertime yet?�

�Shoes off!� Mum grabbed him. �And then it is, yes.�

Olivia rolled her eyes at Mum.�You see?� she muttered. She let Smudge down to the floor and went to help pass the bowls of pasta round.

�What?� Ben asked, as he hopped around taking off his trainers.

Olivia folded her arms.�I just don�t think it�s a good idea for you to have Rob over tomorrow. Not when we�ve only had Smudge for three days. Rob�ll probably get Smudge to � to climb trees or something. You always do stupid things with him! Like that time you dug a tunnel and pulled up all Dad�s daffodil bulbs!�

Ben shook his head.�That so isn�t fair! For a start, we didn�t know they were there! And anyway, Rob loves cats. He�s been asking his mum and dad for one for ages. He can�t wait to meet Smudge.�

�Oh�� Olivia muttered.

�Actually, where is Smudge?� Mum asked.

Olivia looked down, expecting to see him by her feet, hoping to be fed. But he wasn�t there.

�I don�t know.� Olivia went to look in the hallway, but then there was a worried little meow from somewhere on the other side of the kitchen.

Mum frowned.�Where on earth is he?�

The meowing got louder.

�I think he�s behind the cooker!� Ben said suddenly.

�But it�s still hot from cooking dinner!� Mum cried.

Olivia dashed over to the cooker.�Smudge, come out of there!�

But Smudge only mewed louder.

�He�s stuck,� Olivia muttered, crouching down and trying to reach behind the cooker. �Ow, and it�s hot. I can�t get to him. I think he got trapped and now he can�t turn round!�

Dad shook his head.�What is it with that kitten? The smaller the space, the more he likes it. I�ll have to pull it out a bit.�

He dragged the cooker out from the wall, and Smudge darted out and ran to Olivia. He was trembling, and covered in dust balls� he looked even furrier than usual.

Mum shook her head.�I don�t think Smudge needs the boys to get him into trouble, Olivia. He can manage it perfectly well on his own!�

Chapter Four

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After school on Friday, Olivia ran into the house ahead of Rob and Ben, looking for Smudge.

The little grey kitten slipped round the living-room door, mewing excitedly, and purred as she picked him up. Olivia stroked him lovingly, and then took a step back as Rob came over to her. She was used to Rob racing around the playground with Ben, chasing people and getting into trouble. She wasn�t sure he knew how to be careful with a kitten.

�Hey! He�s really cute!�

Olivia nodded slowly.

�Can I stroke him? Will he mind?� Even Rob�s voice was gentler than usual.

�Um, OK�� Olivia looked on anxiously, but Rob tickled Smudge behind the ears � his favourite place, and Smudge purred and wriggled so that Olivia had to hand him over, letting him fasten his claws in Rob�s school sweater.

�He likes you!� Ben commented. �Come on, bring him up to my room.� He grabbed Smudge�s favourite jingly ball and a squeaky mouse.

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�But�� Olivia watched as the boys thundered up the stairs, taking Smudge with them. She started to run after them, but Mum called her back. �Leave them on their own, Olivia.�

�But they�ve taken Smudge up there. What are they going to do with him?�

Mum laughed.�Just play with him, like you do! Rob seems to really like him. Come on, Livvy. Come and make some chocolate-chip cookies with me, we can have them after tea.�

Olivia sighed. She supposed Mum was right. Maybe she was just feeling jealous because Smudge seemed to like Rob.

They were in the middle of cutting out the biscuits, when Ben and Rob and Smudge came down to watch TV. Olivia looked at Smudge carefully, but he seemed to be all right. The boys hadn�t trimmed his whiskers, or painted him blue, or done any of the other stupid things she�d been imagining.

A little later, Ben came into the kitchen.�Are the cookies ready yet? They smell fantastic.�

�The first trayful are nearly done, but they�re for after tea, Ben! We�re having fish fingers. And I can see you stealing the chocolate!� Mum waved a spoon at him, as Ben popped a handful of choc drops into his mouth, grinning.

�Where�s Smudge?� Olivia asked anxiously.

�Sitting on the sofa with Rob � calm down, Olivia! He�s fine. Rob thinks he�s great.�

Olivia stared out of the kitchen door, hoping Smudge might come in to see her. But he stayed with Rob.

[��������: _4.jpg]

Smudge yawned, and stretched out his paws. Rob was stroking him very nicely, but he wanted to go and see what Olivia was doing. He hadn�t seen her all day, and he wanted her to play with him. And he was hungry. There were food smells coming from the kitchen, good fishy smells, he thought. He stood up sleepily, getting ready to jump off Rob�s lap.

Rob looked down.�Where are you going, Smudge?� He tickled him under the chin and Smudge purred. Maybe he wouldn�t go just yet.

�Ben�s so lucky,� Rob murmured gently. �I wish I had a kitten like you.� He sighed, and picked up his school bag from the floor, rooting around in it.

Smudge peered over, and stuck his nose in. It smelled good.

Rob laughed.�I�m just looking for my Polos, but I don�t think they�re good for cats. Oh, I bet I know what you can smell. My leftover ham sandwich.� He laughed again as Smudge stuck his whole head in the bag. �Where are you going?�

Smudge could smell the delicious ham at the bottom of the bag, and he wriggled all the way in.

�Hey, Ben�s going to think I�m taking you home.� Rob grinned. But then his smile faded a little. Smudge popped his head out of the bag, licking round his jaws hopefully. �There isn�t any more, Smudge, sorry.�

The little kitten yawned widely, and ducked back into the bag, curling up at the bottom and closing his eyes.

[��������: _14.jpg]

Rob shook his head.�I can�t believe you�re asleep in my school bag.� He stared at Smudge thoughtfully and sighed. �I really could take you home��

[��������: _4.jpg]

�Mrs Williams��

�Oh, hello, Rob. Do you want to help with the cookies?�

Rob was standing by the kitchen door, looking shifty.�Um. No. I have to go home. Um, I feel sick.�

�Oh dear!� Olivia�s mum put down the tray of biscuits, and hurried over to him.

Ben and Olivia stared at Rob in surprise.�You don�t look ill,� Ben said.

�Has it just suddenly come over you?� Olivia�s mum asked. �Are you hot?�

Rob backed away from her, and nodded.�Yes. And I feelreally sick. Please can I ring my mum?�

�Of course.� She handed him the phone. �You poor thing.�

Rob took the phone out into the hallway, and they could hear him explaining urgently to his mum.

�He does sound very upset, poor Rob,� Olivia�s mum said anxiously.

�He was fine ten minutes ago,� Ben muttered.

Olivia frowned.�I bet he�s broken something. And he doesn�t want to get into trouble. Did he mess anything up in your room?�

�Don�t be silly, Olivia. The boys have just been watching TV. How could he have broken anything?� Mum glared at her crossly. �You mustn�t be mean.�

�She�s coming.� Rob stood at the kitchen door, holding out the phone to Olivia�s mum.

Rob�s mum arrived a few minutes later, and Olivia�s mum chatted to her, while Rob lurked impatiently by the door. �I�m really sorry. I don�t think it�s anything he�s eaten � we hadn�t even had tea.�

Rob�s mum shook her head. �It�s probably just something going round � I only hope he hasn�t given it to Ben and Olivia. At least he�s got the weekend to recover. Anyway, I�d better get him home. Thank you for having him!�

Rob darted into the living room and came out carrying his school bag. He was holding it against his tummy, hunching over, and his mum looked at him worriedly.�Oh dear, you do look as though you might be sick. Come on, let�s get you home.� She led him down the path to the car.

Mum closed the door and hurried into the kitchen.�I�d forgotten about the fish fingers with all of that going on; I�m afraid they might be a bit crispy��

�Can Smudge have one of Rob�s ones?� Olivia asked. �I bet he�d love a fish finger.� Then she jumped up suddenly. �Where is Smudge?� she asked, her voice a little panicky. �I haven�t seen him in ages. Rob was cuddling him in the living room.�

�Perhaps Rob shut the living-room door?� Mum suggested, as she served up tea. �He�s probably stuck in there.�

But the living-room door was open and there was no Smudge on the sofa, or hiding behind it to leap out at Olivia as she searched around. She darted upstairs to look in her room.

�Smudge! Smudge! Mum, he�s not in there, and I�ve checked upstairs, and I can�t find him anywhere!� Olivia ran back into the kitchen.

[��������: _15.jpg]

Ben was sitting at the table eating a huge pile of fish fingers� his and Rob�s. �He�ll be under your bed or something. I�ll come and help you look.� But Smudge wasn�t in either of their rooms, and he hadn�t climbed into the bath and got stuck. He wasn�t in the airing cupboard on the towels either.

�Could he have got out somehow?� Ben asked when they came back downstairs.

Mum frowned.�I�m sure all the windows were shut. After he nearly got out yesterday I was a bit worried he might try that again.�

Olivia nodded.�I checked all the windows this morning, before we went to school.�

Mum sighed.�Smudge must be hiding somewhere, like he always does. He�ll pop out at us in a minute, I�m sure.�

Olivia turned to Ben, her hands on her hips.�Did you and Rob let him outside?�

Ben stared at her, wide-eyed.�He was just watching TV with us, Olivia. We didn�t evengo out, so how�s it our fault suddenly?�

�I bet that�s why Rob wanted to go home.� Olivia sat down on a chair as her knees suddenly felt shaky. �He was scared he was going to get into trouble. You let him out. I can�t believe you�d do that!� she yelled.

�Olivia!� Mum warned. �You�re just jumping to conclusions.�

�We didn�t let him out!� Ben stood up angrily. �How many times do I have to say it?� He stomped out of the kitchen, muttering. �I�m going to look for him upstairs. He must be here somewhere.�

Olivia slumped on her chair, feeling tears welling up in her eyes. However much Ben denied it, she was sure the boys had let Smudge get out� either by accident, or as part of some stupid game. Smudge was so little! He�d only been outside once, and he�d had her and Ben there to make sure he didn�t escape from the garden, or get himself stuck somewhere. Just thinking of all the places where he might hurt himself made her feel sick.

Chapter Five

[��������: _2.jpg]

Smudge woke up, and was surprised to find that everything was dark, and the bag was bumping around. The little kitten swayed from side to side, mewing with fright. Where was Olivia? Why was he stuck in here? He needed Olivia to let him out!

�Hey, ssshhh. I�m going to get you out of there.�

The bag opened, and Smudge could see Rob peering inside. He gave a soft little mew. This wasn�t right. He had thought that Olivia would come and find him. He cowered back against the bottom of the bag, and hissed as Rob tried to open it up a bit more. The boy had been kind before, stroking and cuddling him, and feeding him sandwiches, but now Smudge was confused, and he wanted Olivia.

�Hey, Smudge. Don�t you want to get out? Come and see my bedroom,� Rob said, gently reaching in to pick up the kitten.

Smudge spat crossly as a warning, and when Rob didn�t take his hand away, he clawed at it, hard.

[��������: _16.jpg]

�Ow!� Rob sat back, sucking at the bleeding scratch. Then he sighed. �OK. I suppose I�d scratch if I got shut up in a bag and bounced around all over the place. Maybe I�d better get you something else to eat.� He smiled at Smudge. �You liked that ham sandwich, didn�t you?�

Smudge saw him stand up.

�I�ll go and see what�s in the fridge, but I might be a while. Mum still thinks I�m sick, so I�ll have to wait till she�s not looking. Back soon. Here, you can play with this ball, it�s got spikes, look! That�d be fun, wouldn�t it? See you in a minute, Smudge.�

The bedroom door clicked, and Smudge waited, his heart thumping. Had the boy gone? Was it safe to come out?

Slowly, cautiously, he wriggled out of the bag.

[��������: _4.jpg]

�I can�t find him anywhere.� Ben was standing in the doorway, and his voice had changed. He wasn�t angry any more, he sounded frightened.

�I told you so!� Olivia swiped a hand across her eyes. �You must have opened a window, or let him out of the kitchen door, or something!�

�We didn�t! You and Mum were in the kitchen the whole time, how could we let him out of here?�

�Ben�s right, Olivia, you�re not being fair.�

�Even if Ben didn�t let him out, his stupid friend did!� Olivia sobbed. �And now Smudge is lost!�

�I didn�t let him out, I promise I didn�t, and Rob didn�t either. He would have said if something had happened.� Ben�s voice was shaking now.

�Both of you calm down. Olivia, try and stop crying, sweetheart, it�s only making you feel worse. Come on. We�ll all do another proper search round the house. Look at yesterday, when Smudge got himself stuck behind the oven! He�s around somewhere, I�m sure of it.�

Olivia shook her head.�Then why can�t we hear him? If he was here and stuck, he�d be meowing, Mum. Wouldn�t he?�

Mum got up.�Maybe you�re right. If Smudge was shut in somewhere, we�d hear him. We�d better go and check outside. Maybe there�s a window open that we�ve missed.�

�I told you!� Olivia wailed. �Rob let him out, he must have done.�

Even Ben was looking less certain now.�Rob wouldn�t just let him out � I told him Smudge wasn�t allowed outside on his own yet��

They hurried out into the garden, calling and calling, but apart from next-door�s cat, Lily, who looked very curiously at them, the garden was empty. It was starting to get dark, and cold. Olivia shivered, thinking of Smudge outside in the chilly wind.

[��������: _17.jpg]

�What about the garden shed?� Mum suggested, trying to think of places a kitten might find interesting. �Could he have squeezed himself in there somehow?�

The shed door was tightly shut, but they checked anyway. And under the patio furniture, and behind the pile of flower pots, and even up the cherry tree.

Smudge was nowhere to be found.

�You two stay here, I�ll just go and ask Sally next door if she�s seen him,� Mum said. �Why don�t you go and have another look inside?�

�I�m sorry I said you let him out,� Olivia muttered, as they peered behind the sofa. �I know you wouldn�t really.�

�Do you think he�ll be all right?� Ben asked miserably. �I just don�t see where he can be!�

Olivia stood up again, and went to check behind the curtains, but then she stopped.�Rob forgot his lunchbox,� she said slowly, pointing at a Star Wars lunchbox down by the side of the sofa. �And a load of his books, look. His reading record and everything��

[��������: _18.jpg]

Ben frowned.�Why would he take all that stuff out of his bag?�

�His bag� He was carrying it in a funny way.� Olivia stared at Ben, her eyes wide. �Ben, he didn�t let Smudge out, hestole him! Rob put Smudge in his school bag and took him home!�

�Don�t be stupid,� Ben said, but he was chewing his thumbnail worriedly. �He wouldn�t�What�s he going to do, hide Smudge in his room? I know he really wanted a pet, but he wouldn�t steal our cat��

�I bet you he did,� Olivia told him grimly. She heard the sound of the key in the lock, and rushed out into the hallway. �Mum! We think we know where Smudge is!�

Chapter Six

[��������: _2.jpg]

Smudge gazed around the room. He had no idea where he was, but he knew this wasn�t home and he wanted to get away. His ears were laid back, listening for footsteps. But no one was coming. He had to get out and find Olivia. He shook his head, feeling dazed from bumping around in the bag. His nose was still full of the smell of ham sandwich, and the musty scent of the inside of the bag, but there was something else�

The window was open! Smudge�s eyes widened a little.

Rob�s bed was pushed up against the wall. If he could jump on to that, it was only a little climb to the windowsill. But the bed was very high up. Much higher than the steps on the stairs he�d struggled with. Smudge glanced anxiously round at the door. He was sure the boy would be back soon. He had to be quick. With a huge effort, he ran at the bed, hooking his claws into the duvet cover and scrabbling upwards furiously. From the top of the bed it didn�t look such a small climb to the windowsill after all, but Rob had nice long curtains. Smudge raced up them, his heart hammering, leaving apattern of little hooked loops all the way up. And then he scrambled up on to the windowsill.

[��������: _19.jpg]

He peered out of the open window, his nose twitching, trying to see where to go next. But below him was only a straight wall down to the garden. Smudge teetered on the edge of the window, his tail flicking anxiously back and forth. He had to get out, and this was the only way. He edged a little further, on to the outside windowsill. He could see all the way along the garden, and he was sure that if he could get down there, he could find his way back to Olivia somehow. But it was a long way to jump� He paced up and down, mewing pitifully. He was cold, out there on the windowsill. The sky was darkening, and there was a chill wind ruffling his fur. It shook the branches of the tree in the corner of the garden, and they kept tapping against the wall and scraping the windowsill.

Smudge crouched on the windowsill, shivering, and watching the twigs brushing against the wall. It was the only way down, but the branches were like thin little fingers. He had never climbed a tree, and certainly never climbeddown one.

Suddenly, Smudge whipped round. He could hear the door handle turning. He had to go now! He sprang on to the nearest branch that looked strong enough to hold him, and mewed with fright as it wobbled and dipped underneath him. He clung on desperately, digging his claws into the bark, and wailed as a gust of wind shook the tree again.

He scrabbled his way along the branch towards the tree trunk, and skidded and bumped down to the fence, where he perched, mewing with fright. It was a very narrow fence, but at least it wasn�t shaking � or not as much as the tree had been.

[��������: _20.jpg]

Smudge teetered, trying to work out which way to jump. Back into the garden? But then the boy might come and find him. So, down the other side of the fence? There was long grass down there that looked soft enough to jump on to. But he had no idea where the alley went, or if it would lead back to Olivia. There were only a few battered-looking garages.

He jumped, bouncing down the side of the fence, and landing in a flurry of paws on the soft grass. Now where should he go?

[��������: _4.jpg]

�Yes, Rob�s here, I�ll just get him, Ben.�

Ben put his hand over the phone receiver and nodded to Olivia and Mum.�He�s coming.�

Olivia sat forward on the sofa, trying to listen, and Ben rolled his eyes and pressed the speakerphone button. Rob�s voice echoed out into the room.

�What is it?� He sounded jumpy and worried.

�Where�s Smudge?� Ben demanded.

�What do you mean?�

�He knows!� Olivia hissed. Rob was trying to sound as though he didn�t understand, but he wasn�t very good at it.

�We found all your stuff. You took him away in your school bag, didn�t you?� Ben said angrily.

�I�m sorry�� Rob muttered finally. �It was all a mistake. Smudge was sniffing around my bag, and then he climbed in and went to sleep. I just wanted to have him for a bit to see what it would be like��

�You stole him!� Olivia yelled down the phone. �Bring him back now!�

There was silence. Then Rob whispered,�I can�t��

�What do you mean, you can�t?� Ben asked.

�He�s gone.� Rob sounded almost like he was crying.

�You�velost him!� Olivia cried.

�I think he got out of my bedroom window,� Rob gulped. �He must have done. I searched my whole room, and he just wasn�t anywhere. I�m sorry.�

Mum reached out for the phone.�Rob, can you get your mother for me, please.�

Olivia didn�t even hear as her mum and Rob�s tried to sort out what was going on. She was slumped on the sofa, her hands squashed into her eyes to stop herself from crying.

Eventually Mum ended the call, and put one arm round Olivia, and one round Ben.

[��������: _21.jpg]

�It looks like Rob did take Smudge,� she said slowly. �His mum said she couldn�t believe he�d do something so stupid. He hadn�t told her what had happened. She�s really sorry.�

�What are we going to do?� Olivia wailed. �Can we go round to Rob�s house and look for Smudge?�

�Rob�s dad just came home, and he�s going out to look, and ask all the neighbours,� Mum explained. �I don�t think there�s much point in us going over there, it�s almost dark. Rob�s mum said he thinks Smudge must have been gone for about half an hour, he could have got away down the road.�

�But it�s so cold,� Olivia whispered. �Smudge is out there all on his own!�

Chapter Seven

[��������: _2.jpg]

Smudge was still hiding in the long grass, wondering what to do. He was dreadfully hungry. If he was at home, he was sure it would be teatime. A bowl of crunchy biscuits, or perhaps some of the meaty stuff he really liked. The thought of food made him more determined. He had to go home. He crept out of the clump of grass, and looked around the alleyway worriedly. He had no idea if he was close to Olivia�s house or not.

Perhaps he could call for Olivia? But then, he was still very close to the house. What if that boy heard him?

He took a few steps down the alley, his fur prickling. The air felt strange, and it was making him edgy. He carried on, hoping desperately that he would see some sign of Olivia. Wouldn�t she come and look for him? Now he was further away from Rob�s house, he risked mewing hopefully. But no one was around to hear him.

A large raindrop landed suddenly on his nose, and he jumped back in surprise. It was followed by another and another, and in seconds Smudge�s fur was soaked and clinging to him. The rain was followed by a strange eerie flash that seemed to split the dark sky and then a rolling boom of thunder. Smudge shot across the alley to the tumbledown garages, looking for a place to hide. They were all locked up, but he spotted a hole, where a brick had come loose, and squeezed himself inside. There was another crash of thunder. Startled, he jumped back, bumping into a pile of boxes and paint tins, which fell clattering all around him.

Smudge scampered away with a terrified squeak. When he looked back, he saw that a heavy wooden box had fallen right in front of his hole. He was trapped.

He sprang forward, frantically mewing and clawing at the box, but it was far too heavy for him to move.

At last he stopped scrabbling, and sat back, exhausted. He wove his way through the dusty darkness, round the piles of boxes and bikes and all sorts of rubbish that was stored in the garage, hoping to find another hole. But he couldn�t find even the tiniest gap.

[��������: _22.jpg]

Miserably he settled down on a pile of old dust sheets. It was cold, and he was starving, and he wanted to be on Olivia�s lap on the sofa. Sadly, he snuffled himself to sleep.

[��������: _4.jpg]

�Look at the rain,� Olivia whispered, peering out of the living-room window.

Mum came up behind her, and hugged her.�I�m sure he�s tucked himself away somewhere safe. We�ll find him tomorrow.�

�He�s only ever been out in the garden with us.� Olivia turned to look at Mum, her eyes wide and worried. �He�s never been out in the rain! And the thunder�s so scary, he must be terrified.�

�Like you,� Ben muttered from her doorway. But he didn�t seem to be putting much effort into teasing her. He sounded too miserable to bother. He came over to the window, and stared at the rain. �Rob�s dad phoned just now. He�s asked all the neighbours to look out for Smudge, but he had to stop looking and come back inside � he said he couldn�t see anything, it was raining so hard.�

Their dad came in, carrying the phone.�Olivia, it�s Lucie on the phone for you.�

Olivia took the phone reluctantly. She wasn�t sure whether she wanted to talk to Lucie or not. She desperately wanted to tell someone how angry she was with Rob, but at the same time she didn�t want to have to say that Smudge was missing.

�Hi, Olivia! Mum says I can come round to yours tomorrow, if you like. Would that be OK with your mum?�

�I don�t know�� Olivia whispered, her eyes prickling with tears.

�Oh, are you going out?� Lucie�s voice was disappointed. �I was hoping we could play with Smudge. I really want to see him!�

Olivia sniffed, and then sobbed.�He�s gone!�

There was a confused silence on the other end of the line.�You mean, he had to go back to the Rescue Centre?� Lucie said at last.

�No. You know Rob was coming for tea with Ben � he took him.�

�Rob Ford stole your kitten?� Lucie sounded as though she didn�t quite believe it.

Olivia gave a cross little laugh.�I know it sounds stupid, but he really did! He even owned up to it. But then Smudge tried to get away from him and climbed out of his bedroom window, and now we don�t know where he is!�

�What are you going to do?� Lucie whispered in horror.

�We�re going to look for him tomorrow � Mum says it�s too dark to go round there now. But he could be anywhere, Lucie. And it�s a horrible night.�

�Can I come and help you look? I bet my mum will come too. The more people the more chance there is we�ll spot him,� Lucie suggested.

For the first time since she�d realized Smudge was gone, Olivia felt a little bit better. �Would you really help look?�

�Call me tomorrow and let me know when,� Lucie told her firmly. �We�ll find him.�

�OK,� Olivia whispered. �Thanks, Lucie. See you in the morning.� She put the phone back in its cradle. �Lucie�s going to come over and help us look,� she explained to Mum and Dad.

Dad nodded.�That�s nice of her. Look, I think you should go to bed. You�re only sitting here making yourself feel worse. And we want to get up early and go and look for Smudge.�

[��������: _23.jpg]

Olivia nodded, and went up to her room, but she didn�t think she�d be able to get to sleep. And when she did, she was sure she was going to dream about Smudge all night. Smudge lost and all alone, and wondering why she hadn�t come to find him.

She lay in her warm bed, listening to the rain drumming on the roof outside her window, and hoping that Smudge was tucked away somewhere safe. But he could be anywhere, she thought worriedly, turning over, and huddling under her duvet. What if they never found him? What would they say to the people from the Rescue Centre? Debbie had said they would call in the next few days to see how they were getting on, and whether Smudge was settling in. They would have to tell her that they had lost him! Or actually, that a stupid, selfish, idiot boy had stolen him.

Olivia thumped her pillow. At least being angry with Rob had stopped her wanting to cry. She wondered if someone could be sent to prison for stealing a kitten. Rob certainly deserved it. Dreamily, she imagined Rob in handcuffs, and herself standing there, with Smudge purring in her arms, watching as the police led him away.

It seemed so real. For a moment, she could hear Smudge purring, she was sure. But it was only the rain, beating against her window.

Chapter Eight

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Smudge woke up, shivering. Although he had huddled himself into the pile of dustsheets, it was freezing inside the garage. He felt so cold he could hardly move. At last he stood up gingerly, stretching out his paws and fluffing up his fur to keep himself as warm as possible. He was sure that he was colder because he was so hungry. The last food he�d had was the sandwich in that boy�s bag yesterday afternoon, and now he felt horribly empty.

It was getting light. There were dirty, greyish windows at the top of the walls, just under the roof, and a little watery sunshine was fighting its way in. Somehow it made Smudge feel more cheerful, even if it wasn�t making him much warmer. In the light he could see that the garage was full of piles of old junk � bits of cars and bikes, piles of pots of paint, and lots of dust. Last night it had just been strange shapes that wobbled when he scurried past them. It was all a lot less scary in the daylight.

He jumped down from his pile of dust sheets, his legs still stiff and achy from the cold, and started to search for a way out. Last night, with the rain pouring down, the garage had at least been a shelter. Now it was stopping him going home to Olivia, and he was determined to escape. Surely now it was lighter he would be able to find another hole somewhere? Smudge made his way along the wall, sniffing and nudging at the concrete blocks.

Edging round the side of a large box, his whiskers twitched hopefully as he spotted a little light coming through a crack at the bottom of the wall. He nosed at it eagerly, and then his whiskers drooped again. It was such a very small gap. But he had to try. The rest of the walls were made from solid concrete blocks, but here one of the blocks seemed to have broken, and it had been patched up with a metal sheet on the outside. If he wriggled into the dark gap between the blocks, there was a tiny hole. Perhaps if he clawed at it for a while, it might give way?

[��������: _24.jpg]

Smudge scrabbled hopefully, his tiny claws making an eerie screeching noise against the rough metal sheet. He scratched and scraped for what seemed like ages, till his claws ached, but when he stopped and pressed his nose against the hole, it didn�t seem to have got any bigger at all�

[��������: _4.jpg]

�Olivia! What time is it?� Dad moaned.

�Um, half-past five. You said we�d get up early and go straight round to Rob�s!�

�I meant more like seven�� Dad murmured wearily.

�Go back to bed until half-past six,� Mum added. �We can�t go and wake up Rob�s family this early.�

Olivia sighed. She supposed Mum was right. But she had been lying awake since five, watching her bedroom get lighter and lighter. As soon as it seemed to be light enough to search for a kitten, she had got up.

She mooched back into her room, and lay down on her bed. She wasn�t going to be able to go back to sleep. Instead she grabbed a notebook from her bedside table, and started to make a list of things it would be useful to take with them on the search.

A torch, in case they had to look anywhere dark, Olivia thought. Under a shed or something like that. Smudge�s favourite snacks. He really liked the little heart-shaped chicken ones. Olivia had done a taste test on five different sorts, and he always went for the chicken ones first. If he was stuck up a tree or anything like that, he would definitely come down for them.

What else? Olivia chewed the end of her pencil. A ladder? She wasn�t sure Dad would want to carry one around.

�Oh, you�re awake!� Mum put her head round Olivia�s door. Olivia gazed up at her. Of course she was! How could she go back to sleep?

�Can I get up?� she asked eagerly.

Mum nodded.�Yes. But we�re not going anywhere until you�ve had some breakfast. Just a quick bowl of cereal, that�s all,� she added, seeing Olivia was about to moan. �If you eat, you�ll be able to hunt for him better.�

Olivia dressed quickly, and then ran downstairs to gulp down the bowl of cereal that Mum insisted on. Then she fetched the torch and the snacks, and stood by the front door, waiting impatiently for Mum and Dad and Ben.

�What about Lucie?� she asked Mum, who was putting on her coat.

�I�ve texted her mum. It�s still only seven-thirty, Olivia, I didn�t want to get her out of bed. But I�ve told her where we�ll be; she can call my mobile if she and Lucie want to come.�

Dad gave an enormous yawn.�Everyone ready?�

[��������: _4.jpg]

They met Rob�s dad halfway down Rob�s road, crouching down to look under a big wheelie bin.

�No luck yet then?� Mum asked.

He shook his head.�Not yet. But he can�t have gone far. I�m really sorry about this. Rob feels terrible. He�s looking further up the road with his mum.�

So he should! Olivia thought. But being furious with Rob didn�t really help.

She and Ben and Mum and Dad set off up the road, calling and peering over fences. Olivia kept shaking the treats, hoping to see a little grey kitten dash eagerly towards her, like he did at home.

Half an hour later, they were back outside Rob�s house, and everyone looked rather hopeless. Especially Rob. It seemed as though he�d been crying, and Olivia almost felt sorry for him.

�Not a sign,� Dad said, frowning. �And none of the people we asked had spotted him.�

�Should we go further? The next street?� Rob�s mum asked doubtfully.

�Oh, look!� Mum pointed down the road.

�What is it? Can you see him?� Olivia gasped.

�Sorry, Olivia. It�s Lucie, down at the end of the road, with her mum.�

Lucie came runninng up the road as soon as she spotted Olivia.�We�ll find him,� she promised, seeing her friend�s miserable face and hugging her tightly.

�I�m sure we will,� her mum agreed, as they reached the little crowd outside Rob�s house. �There�s lots of us looking now.�

Everyone was still discussing where to look next.

�He couldn�t still be in your garden, hidden away?� Olivia suggested.

�We looked. We really did,� Rob mumbled.

But his mum nodded.�We did, but if Smudge was frightened, he might have hidden himself. Maybe if Ben and Olivia went and called him? It�s worth a try, anyway.� She led them down the side of the house and into the back garden, and went inside to make some tea for everyone.

�Smudge! Smudge!� Olivia shook the cat treats again and again, and Ben jingled Smudge�s favourite ball. Lucie walked around the garden searching under all the bushes. But Smudge didn�t appear. The garden was so quiet and empty.

I don�t think we�re ever going to find him, Olivia thought, staring sadly at the house. She knew Smudge had been here just last night, but he hadn�t left even the tiniest clue. �Is that your window?� she asked Rob, who was lurking on the patio. She could see football stickers on a window that looked desperately high up. Had Smudge really climbed out of there?

Lucie gulped.�That�s so high!�

Rob nodded miserably.�I think he must have jumped into that tree.�

The girls went over to look at it. It was a plum tree� they could see the odd fruit still left at the top of the branches. It filled the gap between the house and the fence, and some of the branches spilled over the other side.

�What�s over there?� Ben asked, trying to scramble up and grab the top of the fence.

�Just some old garages and stuff. There�s an alley that runs from the road behind ours,� Rob said. �But the fence is really solid. He couldn�t have got under it. He must have gone round the side of the house and out the front.�

But Olivia stared at the tree and the fence, thoughtfully.�What if he didn�t go under the fence? Couldn�t he have goneover it?�

�Of course not, look how tall it is�� Ben trailed off. �Oh! From the tree!�

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Olivia nodded.�How do we get round there?�

Rob lead them round the side of the house, and Ben popped his head through the back door to explain they were going to look in the alleyway.

�We�ll just be five minutes,� he said quickly, and they vanished into the alley before anyone had time to stop them.

�Why didn�t we think of it before?� Rob muttered, as they hurried off. �We just thought he must have gone out the front way.�

The alley ran along halfway between Rob�s house and the one next door, but they had to go into the next street to get into it. It was very narrow, with a row of tumbledown old garages � and lots of hiding places for a kitten.

�Smudge!� Olivia tore the treats packet open with her teeth, and shook out a handful.

Inside the garage, Smudge was pacing up and down by the hole in the wall. He had to keep trying� he had to get out! He scraped determinedly at the metal sheet, ignoring his sore paws. Then his ears pricked up suddenly as he heard the sound of a familiar voice. Was that Olivia? Had she come to find him? He scrabbled furiously at the wall again, trying to show her where he was.

�Hey, what was that?� Lucie said suddenly. �Something scratching!�

Everyone froze, holding their breath, waiting for the sound again.

�I can�t hear anything!� Ben hissed.

�Shh! Listen, there it is again!� Lucie whispered.

Olivia jumped, dropping half the treats on the ground.�I heard it too! It must be him. Smudge, where are you?� she called.

There was silence for a minute, and then a loud, desperate meow.

�It is! It is! Where is he? Smudge, we�re coming to find you!� Olivia called, running towards the garages.

Inside the garage, Smudge scrabbled at the metal again. He could hear Olivia! She�d come to find him. Furiously he scraped and scratched, mewing as loudly as he could. He had to make them hear him!

�Which one is it?� Ben asked.

�The one at the end, I think,� Rob said, smiling for the first time that morning. �He must be stuck somehow, he�s trying to get out.�

Olivia pushed her way past him, and crouched down by the garage wall.�He�s here somewhere. Smudge� Smudge��

A little grey paw suddenly stuck out from a hole in the concrete wall, where it had been patched together.

�He�s there! I saw him. Oh, Smudge, we�ve missed you!� Olivia stroked the grubby little paw. �Look, his claws are all torn where he�s been trying to get out.� She sniffed, choking back sudden tears.

�How are we going to get him out?� Ben asked. �That hole isn�t nearly big enough.�

�What about this?� Rob held up a thick stick, which he�d found lying on the grass. �Couldn�t we use it to pull that metal away a bit more?� He banged gently on the metal sheet, and the paw shot back inside as Smudge jumped back in fright.

�Don�t scare him!� Olivia snapped.

Rob shook his head.�I had to, Olivia. If he was right behind the metal, I might hurt his paws with the stick.�

�Oh.� Olivia nodded.

Rob hooked the stick into the hole, and pulled. There was a creaking noise, and the thin metal bent a little.

�It�s getting bigger! Here, I�ll pull too.� Ben added his weight to the stick, and Olivia knelt down by the hole.

�Don�t be scared, Smudge, you�ll be out of there in a minute.�

�There!� Ben said triumphantly. �That must be big enough. Good plan, Rob!�

Inside the garage, Smudge blinked at the hole, his whiskers quivering excitedly. He could hear Olivia. He edged forward, squeezing himself tightly against the concrete block, and suddenly tumbled forward out of the hole, and into Olivia�s hands.

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�Oh, Smudge, we�ve been looking everywhere.� Olivia snuggled the kitten up against her chin, laughing and crying at the same time.

�Hey! You�ve found him!� Olivia�s dad came running up the alley, with all the others hurrying behind him.

�He�s fine,� Olivia told them. �Just a bit dirty. He was stuck in that garage.�

�We moved that bit of metal,� Ben explained. �It was Rob who thought of it.�

�But he wouldn�t have run off and got stuck if I hadn�t taken him first,� Rob muttered. �I�ll never do anything that stupid again, I promise.�

�You�re just lucky that you found him,� his dad pointed out grimly.

�I know it was all my fault,� Rob muttered. �I said I�m really sorry, Dad.�

�I think you�d better give some of your pocket money to the Rescue Centre by way of apology,� his mum suggested, and Rob nodded.

Olivia looked over at Rob.�He only did it because he really wants a cat of his own,� she murmured.

Rob�s dad sighed. �Well, maybe when he proves he can be sensible enough to look after a kitten, he can have one. Which will take a long time!�

Olivia turned to Rob.�Rob, do you want to stroke Smudge too?�

Rob ran a gentle finger down the back of Smudge�s head.

�Thanks,� he whispered.

Now she had Smudge snuggled up and purring in her arms again, Olivia felt like she could forgive anything. Smudge pressed closer against her, looking nervously at Rob.

�It�s OK, Smudge.� She tickled him under the chin. �Rob�s not going to hurt you.� She smiled at Rob, only a small smile, but she got a huge one back.

Lucie reached out to rub Smudge�s ears. �He�s gorgeous. You�re so lucky, Olivia!�

Olivia smiled. She was. Lucky to have Smudge � and even more lucky to have him back safe.

19. THE KITTEN NOBODY WANTED

Chapter One

�Oh, Mia, look! I told you Mrs Johnston had a new cat. Isn�t she gorgeous? So fluffy!� Mia�s mum stroked the little black cat, who was sitting proudly on Mrs Johnston�s front wall.

Mia�s best friend Emily tickled the purring cat under the chin. �She�s so lovely!�

Mia�s mum looked over at Mia hopefully, then sighed. She hadn�t even glanced up as Mum and Emily petted the cat. She was staring firmly at her school shoes as she marched on down the road. It was as if she hadn�t heard.

Mum and Emily exchanged worried looks, and hurried after her. Emily lived a few doors down from Mia, and the girls usually walked to school together. Their mums and Mia�s gran took it in turns to go with them, now that Emily�s big sister Leah had started secondary school. Gran lived in a little flat at the side of Mia�s house, and looked after Mia when her parents were working. She�d moved in with them a few years ago, when she�d been ill and it had been difficult for her to live on her own.

�See you tomorrow, Mia!� Emily called, as she turned into her drive.

�Bye! Call me if you get stuck on that homework!� Mia was very good at maths, and Emily wasn�t. Emily had been moaning about their maths homework all the way back from school.

Mia flung off her coat and hurried upstairs before Mum could start going on about Mrs Johnston�s gorgeous cat again. She could hear her mum asking her if she was OK, if she wanted a drink or a chat, but she ignored her.

Mia just didn�t want to hear. She�d never realized before how many cats there were in her road, or on the way to school. Now that she couldn�t bear to see them, there seemed to be cats everywhere.

She slumped down on her bed, and looked sadly at the navy blue fleece blanket spread over her duvet at the end. It had a pattern of little cat faces scattered over it� and there were still ginger hairs clinging on to it here and there. Sandy had slept on it every night, for as long as Mia could remember. She still woke up in the middle of the night expecting her old cat to be there � sometimes she even reached down to stroke him, waiting for his sleepy purras he felt her move. It was so hard to believe that he was really gone.

She looked at the photo on her windowsill. It had been taken a couple of months earlier, at the beginning of the summer holidays, just a few weeks before Sandy died. He was looking thin, and they�d taken him to the vet�s, but that day he�d been enjoying the late summer sun in the garden, and Mia had been sure he was getting better. Looking back now, she realized that he hadn�t been jumping and pouncing and chasing the butterflies like he usually did, just lying quietly in the sun. But she hadn�t wanted to believe that there was anything wrong with him.

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Tears stung her eyes as she stroked the glass over the photo, wishing she had the real Sandy snuggled up on her lap.

How could Mum keep pointing out other cats, and expecting her to want to stop and stroke them? Dad had even suggested going to the cat rescue centre to look for a kitten! Mia didn�t want a kitten, ever. She was never going to replace her beautiful Sandy.

Mum was calling her from downstairs, asking if she wanted a snack. Brushing the tears away, Mia carefully straightened Sandy�s blanket, and went down to the kitchen.

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She could tell that Mum was watching her worriedly as she ate her apple. It only made her feel worse.

�Shall I go and fill up the bird feeder?� she asked, wanting an excuse to leave the room. Mia knew Mum was only trying to help, but she really wasn�t, and any minute now she was going to start talking about kittens again, or getting a rabbit, like she�d suggested yesterday.

Mia grabbed the bag of bird food from the cupboard, and let herself out of the back door, taking a deep breath of relief. A blackbird skittered out of her way as she went over to refill the feeder, and she murmured to it soothingly as she unhooked the wire case.

�It�s all right, I�ll be gone in a minute. And I�ll probably drop bits, you can come and peck them up.� She poured in the seed, and then hung up the feeder and perched on the arm of the bench, shivering a little in the autumn sun. She didn�t want to go back inside just yet.

All of a sudden, a damp nose butted her hand, and Mia jumped, a strange, silly hope flooding into her.

But when she turned round, it wasn�t her beautiful Sandy playing tricks on her. It was a pretty, plump white cat, with blue eyes, and Mia recognized her. Silky, her friend Emily�s cat.

�Hi, Silky,� she whispered. �You look a bit round, pusscat. Emily needs to stop giving you so many treats.�

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Silky rubbed up against her affectionately. Cats always liked Mia, and Silky knew her anyway, as Mia spent loads of time over at Emily�s house. Sandy had known Emily too, although he�d always chased Silky if she came into his garden.

This garden.

Mia swallowed and gently pushed Silky away, then walked swiftly back into the house.

Her mum was standing by the kitchen window� she�d been watching, and she sighed, very quietly, as Mia hurried back inside.

�Are you OK, sweetheart?� she asked.

�I�m going to do my homework,� Mia muttered, trying not to sound tearful. She was so sick of people worrying about her. Dad had talked to her for ages at breakfast that morning about Sandy. But she was perfectly all right! Why couldn�t everyone just leave her alone?

Chapter Two [��������: i_002.jpg]

Mia and her gran called for Emily on their way to school the next morning. Emily waved at them through the front window as they walked up, and then she disappeared, and flung open the door.

�Guess what!� Emily shrieked.

Mia shook her head, laughing, as Emily came running down the path.�What? You finished the maths homework and it was easy?�

Emily shuddered and made a face.�No, it was awful, I don�t even want to think about it. I�ll have to tell you � you�ll never guess. We think Silky might be going to have kittens!�

Gran smiled delightedly, and Mia gasped.�What, really? Kittens? When will she have them?�

�We�re not quite sure. Mum�s going to take her to the vet�s today to check. We were looking at her last night, and we just realized how big she�d got round the middle! Mum�s a bit annoyed though� Well, she�s excited, but she says it�s going to be a big fuss, and we�ll have to find homes for all the kittens.� Emily frowned. �But me and Leah are going to work on Mum to let us keep one of them.�

�Oh, wow�� Mia murmured. �You know, Silky came into our garden yesterday, and I thought she was looking a bit plump. But I didn�t realize she was having kittens!�I only looked at her for a moment before I pushed her away, Mia added in her head, feeling a bit guilty.

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Emily chattered on happily about the kittens all the way to school, wondering how many there would be, and whether they�d be white like Silky.

Mia joined in with a comment here and there, but thoughts were buzzing around inside her head. She still loved cats, of course she did. But it was definitely hard to be around them right now, when every cat seemed to remind her so much of Sandy. It wouldn�t be so difficult if her mum and dad weren�t so keen for them to get another pet � they seemed to think Mia needed another cat to get over Sandy properly. And now Emily was all excited about kittens as well�

�What�s the matter, Mia? You�ve gone all quiet,� Emily asked, as they waved to Gran and went in through the school gates.

Mia smiled and shook her head.�I�m fine. I�m glad I�m walking home with you and my mum today � can we pop in and see Silky, and ask your mum what the vet said?� She was trying hard to sound excited, like she knew she should, and it must have worked, because Emily beamed at her.

�Of course you can!� Emily said, giving her a hug. �I can�t wait to tell everyone about Silky having kittens! I just hope it�s true!�

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Emily told Mia�s mum the news as soon as they came out of school. She�d come straight from work to pick them up and hadn�t spoken to Gran, so it was a total surprise.

�Oh, Mia, isn�t that lovely? Kittens!�

�Mmm.� Mia tried to sound enthusiastic. She really didn�t want to spoil things for Emily. �Can we go and see Silky on the way home?� she asked. �Emily�s mum took Silky to the vet, so she should know for certain by now � maybe she�ll even know when the kittens might be born.�

Mum nodded.�Of course!�

They hurried back to Emily�s house, and Emily burst through the door, racing ahead and calling for her mum. �What did the vet say? Is she definitely having kittens? When will they come?�

�Sooner than we thought!� her mum said, laughing. �Could be only a couple of weeks, the vet said. And she felt Silky�s tummy, and she thinks there are at least three kittens, possibly more.�

�Three!� Emily breathed, crouching down next to Silky, who was curled up in her furry basket. �That explains why she�s so fat!�

Mia sat down next to her friend, and stroked Silky gently. She was very well-named� her fur was beautifully soft and smooth. She wasn�t asleep, but her pretty blue eyes were half-closed, as though she was tired. She probably was, Mia thought.

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�Three kittens to find homes for,� her mum sighed. She looked thoughtfully at Mia�s mum. �I don�t suppose��

Mia saw her mum smile, and glance over at her, raising her eyebrows. Emily�s mum glanced at her too, and nodded understandingly. Mia could tell exactly what Mum meant �Maybe, but I�m not sure about Mia.

She gave Silky one last gentle stroke. It was odd to think that there were tiny kittens squirming around inside her.

�Mum, I�ve got loads of homework,� she pointed out, getting to her feet. �We�d better go.� They didn�t really need to leave that minute, but she didn�t want her mum and Emily�s exchanging any more of those secret looks.

The subject didn�t go away, though. Dad was full of questions at dinner time, wanting to know when the kittens would arrive, and what Silky had looked like.

�Silky�s such a sweet cat,� he said, looking at Mia. �She�ll have cute kittens, Mia, don�t you think?�

Mia nodded.�But they won�t be as gorgeous as Sandy,� she said, eyeing her dad firmly. �We�ll never find another cat like him.�

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He shook his head, with a sigh.�No, I suppose not. But different can be good too, you know, Mia.�

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When she went up to bed that night, Mia lay there for ages, hugging Sandy�s blanket and thinking. She�d never actually had a kitten of her own. Sandy had been older than she was, he was about two when she was born. Gran had a lovely photo of him that she kept in her little living room, one that Mum and Dad had sent her when she still lived in her old house, before she came to live with them all a few years later. It was a photo of Mia as a baby, sitting up in her bouncy chair, and reaching out a fat little hand for Sandy�s tail as he strolled past.

Mum had photos of Sandy as a kitten, too, in her photo album. He�d been super cute � with round green eyes that looked too big for his little whiskery face, and apricot pink pads to his paws. They were darker by the time Mia knew him, from going outside and roughening them up. But he was still beautiful, and his eyes were like emeralds.

Mia gulped, and buried her face in the blanket. It still smelled of him. She really wanted to be excited for Emily, but even the thought of kittens made her miss Sandy so much. She wasn�t sure she could bear to see them for real.

Chapter Three [��������: i_002.jpg]

�I wonder if there�s any news yet!� Emily said excitedly, as they put on their coats at the end of school. �Mum�s picking us up today � I can�t wait to ask her. Silky�s been a bit shy and weird all weekend, then she went off and snuggled herself up in the hall cupboard this morning.I�m sure that means she�s �nesting�, getting ready for her kittens to come.�

It was Monday, two weeks since Emily had found out Silky was having kittens, and she had been getting more and more impatient every day.

Mia smiled. Even though the thought of kittens made her miss Sandy, she could see how happy Emily was. They hurried out into the playground, looking eagerly for Emily�s mum. But she wasn�t there � instead, Mia�s gran was waving at them from by the gate.

�Gran! What are you doing here?� Mia called in surprise.

Gran smiled.�Silky�s having her kittens! Your mum didn�t want to leave her on her own, Emily, so she called me. My legs aren�t so bad today, so I was glad to come out for a walk.�

�She�s having them right now?� Emily squealed in delight, whirling her schoolbag around. �Ooooh, how many are there?�

�Four so far, apparently, and your mum thought that might be it, but she wasn�t quite sure.�

�Four kittens!� Emily said blissfully, and even Mia felt her stomach squirm with excitement. �Can Mia come in and see them, Mrs Lovett?� Emily asked Mia�s gran.

�Better not today,� Gran said thoughtfully. �They�ve only just been born, and Silky will be tired and very protective of her new babies, I should think. She won�t want lots of visitors. You can tell Mia about them tomorrow.�

Emily walked home so fast she was practically running, and she dashed in at her gate with a wave, leaving Mia and her gran to walk on to their house.

�You�re looking serious, Mia,� Gran commented. �Aren�t you excited about the kittens?�

Mia was silent for a moment. The walk home and Emily�s happy chattering about Silky�s babies had brought back that strange, miserable feeling again, even worse than before. It seemed so unfair that Emily should have her beautiful Silky and four lovely little kittens, too. She wasn�t jealous of Emily, exactly � just sad.

�I was,� she admitted. �When you told us they were coming, I thought it was wonderful. But then Emily started talking about how sweet they�d be, and how she was looking forward to cuddling them and playing with them. And it just made me miss Sandy so much!� She leaned her face against Gran�s arm. �I�m not even sure I want to go and see them,� she whispered.

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Gran nodded thoughtfully.�I wondered if that was it. Poor Mia.� She gave her a hug as they reached their drive. �Come on, let�s go and make some hot chocolate. Perhaps that will cheer you up a little.�

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Emily was full of news of the kittens the next day at school. Their friends Libby and Poppy rushed up to her, desperate to know what had happened. Mia did her best to join in and sound enthusiastic, but it was hard.

�There�s a black one, and two tabbies, and the last one to be born was a tiny, tiny little white one, with the most enormous set of whiskers!� Emily beamed at Mia. �Do you think you can come and see them after school?�

Mia hesitated. She could� but she was worried she�d do something awful like start crying. �Um, I�m not sure,� she said slowly. �Gran�s picking me up, and she said something about going shopping.�

�Oh.� Emily looked a bit surprised, as though she�d been expecting Mia to be more excited, and Mia felt guilty.

�Did you learn those spelling words?� she asked quickly, to try and distract Emily from the kittens.

Emily pulled a face.�Well, I looked at them� But then the kittens were so lovely to watch � they�re all just nosing around each other and Silky and squeaking, it�s so funny. I probably haven�t learned them properly.� She sighed. �Can you test me?�

Mia nodded, feeling relieved. She�d got away with it for today, but she wasn�t going to be able to keep on making excuses. Sooner or later, she was going to have to go and see the kittens.

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By the end of the week, Mia had run out of excuses to say to Emily, and Emily was running out of patience. On Friday at lunchtime, she told Mia that her mum said she could come over at the weekend to see the kittens if she wanted.

Mia�s mind went blank. What could she possibly say, except that she didn�t want to? She couldn�t pretend to be busy for the whole weekend.

�So will you come?� Emily asked, staring at her and frowning slightly.

Mia opened her mouth, and then closed it again helplessly.

�You don�t want to, do you?� Emily said. Her voice was flat, and Mia could see that she was really hurt. It made Mia feel terrible.

�Sorry�� she whispered.

�Is it because of Sandy?� Emily said. She sounded as though she was trying to be cross, but she couldn�t manage it. Emily was useless at arguing. When she and Mia had a fight it usually only lasted two minutes before Emily cried.

Mia nodded.�It�s not that I don�t want you to have them� I just miss Sandy, and you having all those kittens��

�I know you miss Sandy,� Emily said, her voice getting sniffly already. �But you�re supposed to be my best friend, and you ought to at least try and be happy for me! I really wanted to show them to you.�

Mia nodded. She felt like she might cry now, too.�I know! I really am trying! I just can�t make myself stop being sad about him. I can�t be happy about the kittens. I can�t do it!�

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Emily stared back at her, tears welling up in her brown eyes, and then she gave a huge sniff and raced off to hide in the corner of the playground behind one of the benches.

Mia stared after her sadly. She knew she ought to go after her friend and say sorry, and promise that of course she�d go and see the kittens. But her feet just wouldn�t move.

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It was a very strange walk home. Mia and Emily didn�t talk to each other, and Mia�s gran, who�d come to fetch them, could hardly get them to talk to her either. For Mia, it was a relief when Emily ducked into her garden.

�What on earth�s the matter?� Gran asked, as they took off their coats in the hallway. �Have you two had a row?�

�Sort of�� Mia admitted.

�Well, I hope you�re going to make up, Mia. You both looked so miserable. Can�t you talk to her about it? Why don�t you give her a call?�

Mia shook her head.�It wasn�t really that sort of fight. We didn�t shout at each other, or anything. It�s mostly my fault, and Emily won�t be my friend unless I can sort it out. But I can�t�� She sniffed. She�d spent the whole afternoon feeling awful, and now she was at home with only Gran to see, she felt like just letting herself cry.

Gran hugged her.�Oh, Mia. Why don�t you tell me? Maybe talking to someone else will help.�

Mia shook her head.�I don�t think it will,� she whispered. But she let Gran lead her into her little sitting room, and sat down on the sofa with her.

Gran gave her a tissue.�Go on, Mia. What happened?�

�She wants me to go and see her kittens.�

�And you can�t?�

Mia leaned against her shoulder.�It makes me too sad,� she murmured. �Mum and Dad keep talking about us getting another pet, a rabbit, or even another cat. It�s like everyone�s forgotten Sandy.�

Gran sighed.�I don�t think that�s true, Mia. Your mum and dad are trying to cheer you up, that�s all. We all loved Sandy, you know that. He was your special cat, though, I do understand.�

�I really, really miss him�� Mia said tearfully. �Mum and Dad won�t listen to me. They think I ought to have got over it by now, and I�m just being silly!�

�Oh, Mia, they really don�t think that. They just want you to be happy.�

�But it was August when he died, and it�s only October now. I haven�t stopped missing him yet.� Mia sniffed. �I can�t imagine not missing him! And now I can�t even say anything about it to Emily, because she�s so excited about her kittens. I tried to explain, but she didn�t understand.�

�It�s such a special time for her,� Gran said, stroking Mia�s hair. �She can�t help being happy about it, can she?�

�I suppose not. I just wish I could be happy with her, that�s all.�

�Are you sure you want to be happy?� Gran said thoughtfully, and Mia sat up and stared at her.

�Of course I am! I don�twant to be miserable!�

�But I think you�re hanging on to being sad, Mia. At least if you�re miserable, someone�s still missing Sandy. It�s as if he�s still here. Do you see what I mean?�

Mia shook her head.�It isn�t like that�� But her voice trailed off. Maybe it was, a little bit.

�Look.� Gran got up, and fetched a little photo album from a shelf. �I�ve been making this for you, Mia, but I wasn�t going to give it to you yet, in case it just made you more upset.�

�Oh, Gran! All these photos of Sandy�� Mia turned the pages, laughing as Sandy turned from a little gingery fluffball into the big, handsome cat she remembered. �He was so special,� she said sadly.

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�Do you know what I noticed most of all about these photos?� Gran asked, smiling at a photo of Sandy last Christmas, lying in a pile of wrapping paper, a ribbon wrapped around his paws. �He was always such a happy cat.�

Mia smiled. It was true.

�Except those last couple of weeks, when he was ill. He was so tired, he wasn�t really himself any more. He�d purr if we stroked him, especially for you. But most of the time, he just slept.�

Mia nodded.�He didn�t even want to eat.�

�Exactly. And this was Sandy, he loved his food!�

Mia giggled. Mum was always getting cross with Sandy� if she left anything lying around in the kitchen while she was cooking, she only had to turn her back for a second, and a sneaky ginger paw would have swiped it. He even ate mushrooms, which was very unusual for a cat.

�He wasn�t happy, was he?� she murmured.

Gran shook her head.�No. And he loved you so much, Mia. He hated it when you were miserable about something, didn�t he?�

�Like that time I fell over.� Mia closed her eyes, remembering. She�d fallen down the stairs and banged her arm � not actually broken it, but it had still really hurt. She�d been moping around the house with it all bandaged up, until Sandy had come and sat on her while she was lying on the sofa. He sat on her chest and stared at her, dangling his big white whiskers in her face and purring like a lawnmower. It was as though he was determined that she had to cheer up. And of course it worked!

�You�re right.� She turned to the last picture in the album. It was her and Emily, both holding Sandy � he was big enough for two girls to hold. They were both grinning at the camera, and Sandy looked so pleased with himself.

�Emily�s your best friend, Mia. You have to make an effort for friends, even if it�s hard sometimes.�

Mia nodded.�I know. I�ll call Emily and say I�m sorry, and I�ll go and see the kittens soon. Maybe on Monday. And I�ll try to stop missing Sandy so much, Gran. I really will.�

Chapter Four [��������: i_012.jpg]

Gran must have told Mum about the talk she�d had with Mia, because on Monday morning Mum said she�d walk Mia to school, and they�d stop and call for Emily on the way.

�Maybe you can just nip in and see the kittens,� Mum suggested. �Not for long though, because you and Emily can�t be late for school. OK?�

Mia nodded, and gave her mum a quick hug. She could see what Mum was doing. She was giving Mia a chance to see the kittens for just a couple of minutes. If it made her too sad, they could say they had to get to school.

Emily and her mum were waiting for them at the door. Mum had probably texted Emily�s mum, Mia decided, feeling a sudden rush of love for Mum and Gran, worrying about her and trying to make everything OK again. The fussing had got on her nerves before, but they were only being nice.

�Come and see, come and see!� Emily grabbed her. �We came down this morning and they�d opened their eyes. They�re so cute!� She stopped pulling Mia along and looked at her worriedly. �You still want to see them, don�t you?�

Mia nodded.�Of course. And I�m sorry I�ve been such a grump.�

�Oh, you weren�t!� Emily hugged her.

Mia was still anxious as she followed Emily into the warm kitchen. Silky and the kittens had a little sort of pen that Emily�s mum had made out of bits of old bookcase. It was close to the radiator to make sure the kittens stayed warm.

�Just look at them,� Emily said proudly. �Aren�t they the most beautiful things you�ve ever seen?�

Mia glanced at the pen, and Silky yawned hugely and stared back at her. She looked as though she agreed with Emily entirely, and she expected Mia to agree too. There was a definite look of smug pride on her pretty white face as she gazed down at her new family.

The kittens were wriggling about next to their mum. Just as Mia leaned closer, the black kitten, who seemed to be the biggest, although it was hard to tell, climbed right on top of the tiny white one, who gave an indignant squeak.

�Oh no! Is he OK?� Mia asked anxiously, but Emily only giggled.

[��������: i_013.jpg]

�I�m sure he is. They do that all the time! I wondered if it would get better when they opened their eyes, but they still just walk all over each other. And they�re so greedy and pushy about getting to Silky for their milk.�

�He�s the boy, isn�t he? The little white one?� Emily had told Mia that they�d worked out there were three girls and one boy.

Emily nodded.�He�s cute, isn�t he?�

�They all are.� Mia crouched down by the pen, glancing at Silky first to check she wasn�t bothered. But the white cat looked as though she was enjoying showing off her babies. The two tabby kittens were suckling, and the black one was trying to reach Silky�s side too. But the little white kitten stayed curled up near his mum�s front paws. He yawned, and then gazed up at Mia with dark, dark blue eyes.

Mia knew that he was so small he probably couldn�t see her very well, but somehow he seemed to be looking straight at her, and he wrinkled his nose and mewed a tiny little mew.

[��������: i_014.jpg]

Mia smiled, and reached out her fingers for the kitten to sniff. How could she have thought anything so lovely would make her sad?

[��������: i_004.jpg]

Somehow after that, Mia found that the thought of the kittens didn�t upset her any more. Maybe it was because none of them was ginger, like her Sandy. They were themselves instead, and although she still missed Sandy, the kittens were so cute they mostly just made her laugh. Especially the white kitten, who seemed so loving. He always nuzzled at her and licked her fingers.

One Friday afternoon, a couple of weeks after they were born, Mia went to tea at Emily�s house. She was really looking forward to it. She�d popped in to see the kittens quite a few times since her first visit, but only quickly. Somehow there hadn�t been a chance to spend proper time with the kittens.

Mia followed Emily into the kitchen. It was two or three days since she�d seen the kittens, and she gasped as she got closer to their pen.

�They�re so much bigger!�

Emily laughed.�I know! It�s amazing, isn�t it?�

Mia shook her head.�It�s like someone�s blown them up, like little furry balloons�� She crouched down to look more closely at the four kittens in their pen. One of the tabbies was stomping determinedly across the soft blankets on the floor, while the other three were feeding. �They look more cat-shaped, somehow. Do you know what I mean? They were just tiny fluffy balls before, but now they�re mini-cats. Oh, look��

The white kitten seemed to have heard her talking. He stopped feeding, and looked around curiously, trying to work out where her voice was coming from. Then he stumbled towards her, uttering that tiny squeak of a mew she�d heard before.

�Hello, sweetie,� Mia whispered, and the kitten mewed back, trying to scrabble his way up the side of the pen.

�Wow! He�s never done that before!� Emily murmured, her eyes wide.

[��������: i_015.jpg]

�Can I pick him up?� Mia asked hopefully. �Would Silky mind?�

Silky was still feeding one of the tabbies and the black kitten, but she had her head up, and she was watching Mia and the white kitten carefully.

�It should be OK, don�t you think, Mum?� Emily asked. �We�ve picked them up before, and you can see he wants you to!�

Very gently, Mia reached into the pen and scooped up the white kitten, snuggling him carefully in her lap.

The kitten let out a little breath of a purr, padding at her school skirt with his paws. Then he curled up with a contented sigh. This was what he had wanted.

�He�s so soft!� Mia whispered. �And I�m sure his whiskers have grown since I last saw him. Just look at them!�

The kitten stared up at her. He liked her voice. He recognized it from when she had come before, and the girl�s smell. She had stroked him, and he�d wanted her to cuddle him. He yawned and his waterfall of white whiskers shimmered.

�None of the others have whiskers like that!� Mia laughed. �You should call him Whiskers, Emily. You haven�t named them yet, have you?�

Emily shook her head. She had a huge smile suddenly.�Well, we�ve only named the black kitten, because we�re keeping her! She�s going to be my birthday present!� She picked up the black kitten, who seemed to have fallen asleep while she was feeding. �I�m calling her Satin, to go with Silky, you see?� She snuggled the kitten under her chin lovingly.

[��������: i_016.jpg]

�You�re so lucky!� Mia smiled, but her stomach turned over. Of course. The kittens would have to go to new owners. She sighed, and the white kitten made a little grumbling noise as his comfy lap shifted. She�d only known Whiskers � she couldn�t help calling him that, even though she knew it wouldn�t be his real name � for a couple of weeks, but already she knew she would miss him.

Chapter Five [��������: i_012.jpg]

Whiskers wriggled himself further into the cosy fold of the blanket. He was still only very tiny, but he was starting to understand more about the world, and today the world feltcold. He didn�t like it. Usually he would have snuggled up next to his mother, but she had disappeared. Now that he and his sisters were a bit bigger, nearly four weeks old, she did that every so often.

Something soft landed in the pen next to him, and Whiskers twitched and woke out of his half-doze. It was a big, round, bright pink thing. He had no idea what it was. Neither did his two tabby sisters, who prowled towards it together, hissing fiercely. They were very good at being fierce. Whiskers and Satin watched worriedly as one of the tabby kittens dabbed a paw at the pink thing. It bounced a little. She tapped it again, and it wobbled in an interesting sort of way, so she jabbed at it with her claws out, this time.

[��������: i_017.jpg]

The balloon burst with an enormous bang, and the tabby kittens jumped back in surprise, eyeing the shrivelled bit of pink rubber that was left. Whiskers cowered back in the corner of the pen, mewing with fright and wishing his mother would come. He had no idea what had happened! How had the round pink thing disappeared, and why had there been that terrible noise?

Silky shot back into the room, convinced that someone was hurting her babies, and leaped into the pen, checking them all frantically. Whiskers pressed up against her, shivering.

�I�m sorry, kittens.� Emily crouched down by the pen. �I didn�t mean to scare you. It was only a balloon � I�m blowing them up for my birthday party, and that pink one must have rolled off the table.�

Whiskers mewed again, eyeing the other strange round pink things he could see on the kitchen table. Did that mean there were going to be more horrible noises? When Emily tried to give him a comforting stroke he let her, but he was trembling, and showing his tiny little teeth.

�Oh no�� Emily said sadly. �It really scared you, didn�t it? Never mind, I�ve got some good news. Mia�s coming later, and she�s staying the night. That�ll be nice, won�t it? You love Mia, don�t you?� She sighed to herself, almost crossly. �And Mia loves you too, she just doesn�t know it yet.�

Mia had been visiting the kittens almost every day, and she always made straight for Whiskers.�I wish she�d just hurry up and work out that she should take you home,� Emily told Whiskers sadly. �Mum�s already talking about looking for new homes for you in a few weeks� time. I�ve given Mia loads of hints, but she doesn�t get them at all, and I don�t want to come out and sayit in case it makes her miserable about Sandy again.�

She tickled Whiskers behind the ears.�You want to be Mia�s kitten, don�t you, Whiskers? You never play as nicely with anyone else. And you�re always sad when she goes home. You mewed after her yesterday, and you looked really lonely, even though you were cuddled up next to Silky.� She sighed. �Anyway, you�ll all have to be super-cute tonight for my sleepover,� she told the kittens, half-seriously. �Mia�s coming, and Libby and Poppy. At least, they are if it doesn�t snow before then. It�s so cold now! You�d better groom your babies, Silky. Put their party fur on!�

�Oh, did you do all the balloons, Emily? Good. I�ll hang them up in the hall, you go and get changed. Leah�s just putting the birthday banner on the front door.� Emily�s mum hurried into the kitchen, and gave her a quick hug. �Are you excited about your party?�

Emily nodded, laughing.�Course I am. But it�s so chilly! I�m not sure about sleeping on the living-room floor now!�

Her mum nodded.�I know, I hope it doesn�t get too much colder before Christmas, it�s still only November.�

Leah came in, rubbing her fingers.�I�m frozen,� she moaned, but then her eyes widened. �Hey, look at Satin!�

[��������: i_018.jpg]

The black kitten was teetering on the edge of the pen, and as they watched, she half-jumped, half-fell on to the kitchen floor, where she stood up and shook herself, trying to look as though she meant to do exactly that.

�Oh, my goodness�� Mum muttered. �We�re in for it now. They�ll be everywhere. We must remember to keep the kitchen door closed. They would choose today of all days!�

The two tabby kittens were now standing on their back legs, peering over the top of the pen and staring at their sister with huge, round eyes, as though they couldn�t believe what she�d managed to do. Satin had set off to investigate the kitchen and was sniffing thoughtfully around the table legs.

�Shall I let her explore for a bit?� Emily asked, and Mum nodded.

�I expect she�ll wear herself out quite soon. Go and get changed � they�ll all be here in a minute! Just make sure you shut the kitchen door!�

[��������: i_004.jpg]

Mia looked at the kittens a little anxiously. Libby and Poppy had just arrived, and the kitchen had suddenly got very noisy. She hoped Silky and the kittens wouldn�t mind.

But Satin and the two tabby kittens were loving the attention. They put on a beautiful performance of stalking a piece of wool, and then climbed all over Libby and Poppy. Satin then snuggled up on Libby�s knee, while the tabbies fought each other for the wool. Only Whiskers was still in the kitten pen, hiding behind Silky.

�The little white kitten�s so cute!� Poppy said, reaching into the pen to pick him up. Whiskers shied away from her, but she didn�t seem to notice � she grabbed him, and took him out of his lovely safe pen, dangling him in front of her.

[��������: i_019.jpg]

�Don�t scare him�� Mia said worriedly. She was itching to snatch Whiskers away from Poppy � it wasn�t that Poppy meant to frighten him, she just didn�t know how to hold him properly. But Whiskers wasn�t hers. She couldn�t boss Poppy around. And if Mia grabbed him, he�d only be even more scared. Emily was out of the room, helping her mum put everyone�s coats away, or Mia knew she�d have said something.

Poppy sat down on the floor, placing Whiskers on her lap and stroking him. But he was upset now, and he hissed and dug in his claws as he scrambled to get away from the loud, scary girl.

Poppy squeaked.�Ow, he scratched me!� She jerked her leg, and Whiskers slipped off her lap, landing on the floor with a worried mew.

�Sshh, sshh�Come here, Whiskers.� Mia stretched out a hand to him gently, and he gladly crept over to her, burrowing into her skirt as she put him on her lap.

�He didn�t mean to scratch you,� she told Poppy. �He�s just a bit shyer than the other kittens.�

Poppy nodded.�He�s sweet, but I like the tabby ones more. They�ve got such cute tricks! Oh, look, that one�s got wool all wrapped round her paws!�

[��������: i_020.jpg]

Mia stroked Whiskers and sighed. He had cute tricks too, like the way his huge whiskers wobbled when he yawned, and the way he always put his front paws in the food bowl, now that the kittens were starting on solid food. It was just that Satin and the tabbies were so much bouncier, everyone always noticed them first.

�You need to be a bit more friendly,� she whispered to Whiskers. �You won�t find an owner if you keep hiding in your pen. People will be coming to see if they want to take you home, a few weeks from now. You�ve got to show everybody how gorgeous you are.� She smiled, rather sadly. She wanted Whiskers to have a lovely home of his own, but if he stayed at Emily�s, it meant she�d be able to carry on seeing him. Emily�s mum kept saying they were only keeping Satin, but if they couldn�t find a nice owner for Whiskers, she might change her mind�

Whiskers didn�t know what Mia was saying, but he liked listening to her, and she made him feel safe. He purred, very quietly, and nuzzled her hand.

[��������: i_004.jpg]

�Shall we watch the film in our sleeping bags?� Emily suggested, as she took a bowl of popcorn out of the microwave. �Oh, this smells fab.�

�Definitely sleeping bags,� Poppy agreed.

�Can we bring the kittens?� Libby asked hopefully.

Emily�s mum looked thoughtful. �I suppose for a bit. But they�ll probably want to be back with Silky soon. And after the film, girls, you need to go to sleep! It�s getting late.�

The girls all nodded angelically, but Emily winked at Mia behind her mum�s back. �I�ve got a secret chocolate supply,� she whispered. �Are you bringing Whiskers?�

Mia nodded.�If you think he won�t mind. He prefers being in his pen, doesn�t he?�

Emily shook her head.�Not if it�s you cuddling him.�

Mia went pink.�Do you think he likes me that much?�

Emily rolled her eyes.�Of course he does! Come on!�

Mia went into the living room, and snuggled up in her sleeping bag� even with the heating on high, it was still chilly. Emily�s mum had said they�d better all sleep in a huddle to keep warm, like penguins, and she�d found loads of extra blankets. Whiskers sat on Mia�s tummy, purring quietly to himself. He was happy. He hadn�t been sure about the loud girls, and people grabbing him, but now he had Mia, and she didn�t seem to be going anywhere, like she usually was. He could even put up with the noisy girls if Mia was there too.

[��������: i_021.jpg]

Mia hardly paid attention to the film at all. She was watching Whiskers, snuggled up on her sleeping bag and stroking him gently. His fur was so soft� and he was such a little cat, so different from Sandy.

As the film went on, the other kittens padded back to the kitchen, looking for Silky and their pen. But Whiskers curled up on top of Mia, and fell fast asleep� and he was still there the next morning.

Chapter Six [��������: i_012.jpg]

�Oh, Mia!� Dad laughed. �How did you get him to do that?� He�d just arrived to pick Mia up from the sleepover. Libby and Poppy had already gone; they had to hurry off to a dance class.

Mia shook her head, very, very carefully.�I didn�t, Dad. He just climbed up there. I think he�s eyeing my toast.�

From his place on her shoulder, Whiskers purred loudly, and Mia giggled as his long whiskers tickled her cheek.�I wish I didn�t have to go home and say goodbye to you!�

Her dad exchanged a thoughtful glance with Emily�s mum. �When will the kittens be ready to go to new homes?�

�Well, I was looking it up, and it seems that about ten or twelve weeks old would be best. Ours are four weeks now, so they�ll be ten weeks old about halfway through December. So I thought around then. It�s a bit close to Christmas, that�s the only problem. Everyone�s so busy, and I don�t want to be encouraging people to give kittens as presents.�

�Why not?� Mia asked. She thought a kitten would be a lovely Christmas present. Emily was having Satin for her birthday, after all.

�Well, people sometimes get a kitten for their children at Christmas, and don�t really think about them growing up into big cats who need looking after. Then sometimes they�re abandoned,� Emily�s mum added sadly. �Luckily, most kittens get born in the spring or summertime. Silky was a bit late!�

[��������: i_022.jpg]

Mia reached up and tickled Whiskers under the chin. She could feel his purrs buzzing against her neck.

I could take you home, she thought to herself, just for a second. But then she remembered. She didn�t want another cat � not after Sandy. Very gently, she reached up, and lifted Whiskers off her shoulder, and took him over to the pen. �Sorry, sweetheart, I have to go.�

Whiskers stared after her in surprise. Had Mia not liked him sitting on her shoulder? Why was she going? He wailed� a loud, sad kitten wail that made Mia flinch as she scuttled into the hallway to grab her stuff.

She said goodbye to Emily quickly. She felt bad, rushing off, but she just couldn�t stay any longer. She was almost silent on the walk home, even though Dad kept trying to ask about the party.

�Mia, have you thought�?� Dad started, as they carried her things into the house. �Emily�s mum talking about homes for the kittens made me wonder. You seem to get on so well with Whiskers��

He trailed off when Mia looked up at him with her eyes full of tears.

�I can�t,� she whispered. �I thought I could, but what about Sandy? I�m not going to forget him! I never, ever want another cat again!�

�You don�t have to forget him, Mia�� Dad tried to say, but Mia raced off upstairs to her room and slammed the door behind her.

[��������: i_004.jpg]

Over the next few weeks, Emily kept Mia updated as they started to look for new homes for the kittens. Her mum had put an ad in the newsagent�s, and the other local shops that had noticeboards. A couple of people had rung about coming to see them already.

�Someone called Maria is coming over on Saturday to see them all,� she told Mia, as they ate their packed lunches. �I�m sort of half-excited, half-sad. I really want them all to have nice homes.� Emily shook her head. �And at least we�re keeping Satin.�

Mia nodded. She wanted them to have good homes, too. Especially Whiskers. He needed a home with somebody who could love him properly, without always remembering another cat. It was no use Emily and Mum and Dad giving her all those hopeful looks. Sandy was her forever cat. She couldn�t replace him, not even with Whiskers.

[��������: i_004.jpg]

Emily�s mum showed Maria into the kitchen, where Emily and Leah were playing with the kittens.

�Oh, aren�t they sweet! How many are there?� Maria asked, laughing as one of the tabbies sniffed her boots.

�Four, but we�re keeping Satin � the black kitten. There are two female tabbies, and the little white boy. Did you want just one kitten?� Emily�s mum asked. �We�re thinking that the tabby girls might want to stay together � they�re such a team.�

�I was only planning on getting one,� Maria said. �I can�t see a white kitten��

�He was here a minute ago!� Leah looked around the kitchen. �Now that they can climb out of their pen they�re all over the place.�

�He�s a little shy,� Emily�s mum explained. �But he�s very sweet once he gets used to you. Look, there he is!� She smiled, and pointed to the pen, where a little white head was poking out under the fleecy blanket. �I�ll get him out.� She picked him up and tried to pass him to Maria, but Whiskers squeaked in fright and then hissed, his paws all sticking out rigidly, and his tail fluffed out to twice its usual size.

[��������: i_023.jpg]

�Oh dear, don�t make him if he doesn�t want to,� Maria said worriedly. �Poor thing, he really is nervous. There are a lot of cats round where I live, and I�m not sure this little one would cope very well if he�s so shy. I�m sorry � I�m sure you�ll find lovely homes for them all.�

Emily�s mum followed her to the door, and Emily and Leah looked down at Whiskers, who was now huddled in Leah�s arms.

�Oh, Whiskers,� Emily muttered. �No one�s going to want you if you do that every time. It�s so stupid! He wants to be Mia�s kitten, I know he does.�

Leah nodded.�I know. But we can�t make her have him. Maybe she�ll come round to the idea.�

Emily sighed.�I wish she�d hurry up about it.�

[��������: i_004.jpg]

A couple of weeks later, Mia and her gran popped in on the way home from school, and found that only Whiskers and Satin were left.

�I�m not surprised Whiskers didn�t like them. The two little boys were quite noisy,� Emily�s mum was saying to Gran. �They thought Whiskers was lovely, and they were all set to choose him, but it was just like with Maria. They tried to cuddle him, and he actually shot out of the kitchendoor, and went and hid in the cupboard under the stairs! So they decided they�d take the tabbies instead.� She laughed. �And they�re going to call them Molly and Polly. I don�t think they�ll ever be able to remember which is which!�

�So it�s only Whiskers now?� Mia asked, as Emily�s mum made Gran a coffee. Mia sat stroking the little ball of white fur curled up in her lap.

[��������: i_024.jpg]

Emily nodded.�At least he�s still got Satin to play with. But Mum�s determined we�re only keeping one. We have to find Whiskers a home, and no one wants an unfriendly kitten.�

�He isn�t!� Mia said indignantly. �He�s a sweetheart. He�s just shy.�But maybe that�s a good thing, she admitted to herself.I really don�t want him to go�

Whiskers yawned, and wriggled himself comfortable again. Mia and Emily had been rolling balls of newspaper for him and Satin to chase, and he was exhausted. The kitchen was covered in shredded paper, though. Whiskers and Satin had done a thorough job� He rolled over on to his back, all four paws in the air, showing off his fat pinkish tummy. He was liking solid food more and more now, and after he�d had a meal, he was practically circular.

�But he�s so different with you�� Emily sighed. �He doesn�t mind playing with me and Leah, and he�ll let us stroke him. But I don�t think he�s ever gone to sleep on me. And definitely not upside down! That means he really trusts you, you know.�

Mia nodded. She didn�t dare say anything, but she looked up at Gran. She was smiling, and nodding as if she agreed with Emily. Maybe she was being silly. Was it like Gran had said when the kittens were born, that she was still holding on to missing Sandy? Was she making herself sad on purpose? Maybe it was finally time to let Sandy go�

Chapter Seven [��������: i_012.jpg]

�I�ll come and fetch you at about six then, Mia,� Gran said, one day after school. Gran gave her a kiss, and Mia waved goodbye. Whiskers was already weaving himself happily around her ankles, purring. His purr had definitely got louder as he got bigger, Mia decided. He was twelve weeks old now, definitely old enough for a new home. But no one seemed to want a rather shy, nervous little white cat. Mia didn�t mind. She was looking forward to spending lots of time with Whiskers over the Christmas holidays. It had even started to snow that morning, although the flakes hadn�t really settled. She was sure that Whiskers would look gorgeous if they took him out to play in the snow. He would be invisible, except for his round blue eyes!

Whiskers patted at her leg with his paw, asking to be picked up. Mia came to see him almost every day now, but he still missed her when she wasn�t there. One day maybe she would take him with her?

�Hello, Mister Whiskers.� Mia picked him up and cuddled him. �What shall we do, mm?�

�Homework!� Emily said, grinning and waving the sheet Mrs Jones, their teacher, had given them for the project they had to do over the Christmas holidays. It was the last week of term and neither of the girls really felt like working, but Mrs Jones was known as the scariest teacher at their school. The project had to get planned, even if it was only a little over a week till Christmas Day. �We have to sort this project out, remember? Come on, bring Whiskers with you.� She scooped up Satin, leaving Silky alone in the hallway, looking quite relieved. Whiskers and Satin were so much bigger now, and so bouncy that they wore Silky out.

[��������: i_004.jpg]

�I can smell fishfingers,� Mia said, a while later. �So can Whiskers and Satin, look at them!� The kittens were prowling up and down by Emily�s bedroom door, their tails twitching eagerly.

[��������: i_025.jpg]

�I think our plan sounds quite good,� Emily said, looking down at what they�d written. �Animals in the time of Queen Victoria. I bet no one else will have thought of that. It�s a brilliant idea, Mia.�

Mia laughed.�I�ll have the ideas, you do the writing. You almost finished the whole plan while I was just cuddling Whiskers. Do you think tea�s ready? The smell of those fishfingers is making me hungry, too.�

�Must be. Let�s go and see.� Emily opened the door, and the kittens shot out on to the landing and eyed the stairs uncertainly. They wanted to be down there with the delicious fishy smell � but they weren�t really sure about stairs yet�

Whiskers looked at Mia pleadingly, and she laughed and picked him up. She carried him down to the kitchen, while Emily followed with Satin.

Emily�s mum smiled as they came in. �Look at those kittens! I�ve never seen them look so hungry. We�d better find the fishy-flavour kitten food.�

�I think they�d rather just have the fishfingers,� Emily said, going to the cupboard for the tin, and spooning out the kitten food. �Uurgh, this one smells the worst!�

But Satin and Whiskers raced for their bowls, and gulped down the food eagerly.

Emily�s mum had just passed Leah, Emily and Mia their tea, when the phone rang. She went to answer it, fighting with her oven gloves. �Hello? Oh, yes� That�s right. There�s actually only one kitten left now.�

Mia smiled, pausing with her fork halfway to her mouth. A paw was patting her knee. Whiskers must have wolfed down his kitten food already, and now he was on the hunt for something even nicer. She scooped him up on to her lap, and fed him a tiny bit of fishfinger. Emily�s mum wasn�t looking, she was concentrating on the phone call.

�Oh, you�ve been looking for a white kitten? That�s wonderful. He is a little bit shy though, that�s the only thing. He�s very friendly once he knows you, but he may not want to be picked up.�

The person on the other end of the phone didn�t seem to mind this. Emily�s mum was nodding and smiling.

Whiskers stared up at Mia, hoping for some more fishfinger. His whiskers shook with excitement as he reached up a little white paw to pat Mia�s hand.

But she didn�t give him any. She put down her fork, very slowly and quietly, and stared at him. The kitten�s whiskers drooped. Mia�s face had changed; she didn�t look like the girl who�d been sneaking him scraps a moment before. She was pale and miserable. Whiskers mewed, his ears flattening against his head. What was wrong?

�Tomorrow evening? Yes, that would be great. See you then.� Emily�s mum put down the phone, smiling. �Someone wants to come and see Whiskers! Her name�s Miriam, and she says she�s rehomed a nervous cat before, so she doesn�t mind if he�s shy. And she�s always wanted to have a white kitten. It�s perfect!�

Emily nodded, but she was looking worriedly at Mia.

Mia gulped. It was. Whiskers was going to have a perfect home� and it wasn�t with her. She�d let this happen. If only she�d been brave enough to say that she wanted him to be her kitten � that she still loved Sandy, but she�d said goodbye to him.

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She stood up jerkily, huddling Whiskers against her tummy, and passed him to Emily.�I�m sorry, I�m not feeling very well. I have to go home,� she said, hurrying to the front door.

�Mia, wait! I�ll call your gran,� Emily�s mum said worriedly.

�It�s OK, I�ll be fine,� Mia called back, tears already stinging her eyes as she wrestled with the front door catch. At last it gave, and she dashed down the path.

Mewing frantically, Whiskers made a flying leap off Emily�s knee and chased after her. Where was she going? She hadn�t even tickled his ears and scratched under his chin, like she usually did when she left.

He shot out of the front door, on to the path, and looked around. He�d never been out at the front of the house, only on carefully-guarded trips into the back garden. The garden was frozen over with a layer of frost, and snowflakes were flurrying down from the darkening sky. If Mia had been with him, Whiskers would have chased the strange fluffy things, but now he hardly noticed them. He had no idea where Mia had gone. He sat down on the path and wailed for her.

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But Mia couldn�t hear him. She was almost home now, and she could hardly see for tears, let alone hear a heartbroken kitten halfway up the road. She pressed the front door bell over and over till Gran came, looking worried.

�Oh, it�s you, Mia! But I was coming to fetch you� Mia, what�s wrong?�

�Whiskers,� Mia sobbed. �I was too late for Whiskers. I should have said I loved him, and I didn�t. How could I be so stupid? You were right all along, Gran, and now I�ve lost him!�

Gran hugged her.�Oh, Mia. I�m so sorry. Has someone taken him?�

Mia nodded.�A lady�s coming to see him tomorrow, and she�s going to love him, I know she will.�

�Tomorrow?� Gran drew her inside, and shut the door. �But Mia, why don�t you go back to Emily and her mum and explain? Tell them you want him.�

�But I can�t!� Mia wailed. �I kept saying no, because of Sandy. They�ll think I�m just going to change my mind again. And I told Dad that I never ever wanted another cat. Dad and Mum would never let me have Whiskers now.� She sat down on the bottom of the stairs with her chin in her hands. �Miriam � the lady who phoned � she knows all about nervous cats, and she really wants him. Whiskers deserves to have an owner like that.� She sniffed. �I should have been braver before.�

Gran sat down next to her, rather carefully.�I do see what you mean, Mia, but I think you�re being too hard on yourself � and that poor little cat.� She stared thoughtfully at the front door, and a small smile curved up at the corners of her mouth.

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Mia didn�t see it � she had her fingers pressed against her eyes now, to stop herself crying. She could see white speckles against her eyelids, and they reminded her of kitten fur.

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�Are you sure?� Emily wrinkled her nose anxiously and glanced up, checking that Mrs Jones hadn�t seen them talking. �Won�t it just make you feel worse?�

Mia shook her head.�No. I really want to say goodbye to him. I have to. I probably will feel horrible, but it would be awful to never see him again.�

�I suppose you�re right.� Emily sighed. �Miriam sounded really nice, from what Mum said.�

�I know,� Mia whispered. Then she shook her head, trying not to think about saying goodbye to Whiskers. �We�re supposed to be writing about Victorian animals. Did you bring that book from the library?�

They got on with their work� Mrs Jones had said their project idea sounded excellent. But every time she stopped writing, Mia felt sad again, remembering Whiskers�s soft white fur and those amazing whiskers! He was so different to Sandy, but he was special too. The way he always wanted to climb all over her, and his clever trick of perching on her shoulder.

He�ll be too big to do that soon, though, she thought. She�d never see what he looked like as a grown-up cat! Mia swallowed miserably.

She wasn�t sure if the day raced by, or if it crawled. All their lessons seemed to last for ever, but home time came so quickly. It seemed all of a sudden she was putting on her coat and grabbing her stuff, and following Emily to meet Leah outside the gates. And the walk home seemed to vanish in seconds.Mia felt almost sick as they went into Emily�s house.

She expected Whiskers to bounce up to her purring, as he usually did, but the house was very quiet� Silky and Satin were curled up together in Silky�s old basket.

Mia swallowed.�Where�s Whiskers?� she asked Emily�s mum.

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She looked around, hoping that he was hiding, and he was going to jump out and surprise her. But really, she knew that he wasn�t. �He�s gone, hasn�t he? That lady�s already come and taken him?�

Emily�s mum was starting to say something, but Mia couldn�t bear to listen. She was too late � even to say goodbye!

Emily rushed over and tried to give her a hug, but Mia gently pushed her away and ran off home.

Gran answered the door, looking excited, but Mia hardly saw her. She didn�t even stop to listen to what Gran was trying to say. She simply raced up the stairs to the safety of her bedroom, flinging herself on to her bed and hugging Sandy�s old blanket.

Now she had lost both of them.

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Chapter Eight [��������: i_012.jpg]

Whiskers sniffed around the strange room worriedly. He didn�t understand what was going on. He had been carried here in a box, and he hadn�t liked it, his claws catching and scratching on the cardboard as he slid around, mewing and hissing. Then he�d been let out in this strange new place. He was sure he�d never been there before, but it smelled familiar somehow, and there was a bowl of his favourite food, and some water. The old lady had watched him, but she hadn�t tried to pick him up. She�d just sat, very quietly, and every so often she murmured gently to him. He knew her. She came to visit with Mia sometimes � so why was she here,when Mia wasn�t?

It was all very odd. He�d hoped that Mia might come and see him, after she disappeared so quickly the day before. But what if she didn�t know where he was? He needed to get back home so Mia could find him.

The old lady had gone away now. She had hurried off when that doorbell rang. She�d closed the door behind her, Whiskers noticed, as he sniffed at it. Or almost, anyway. The latch hadn�t quite caught. Whiskers nosed it, and it swung open a little more. The curious kitten poked his whiskers round the door, and then his nose, and then the rest of him � and set off to searchfor Mia�

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Whiskers pattered down the hallway, his nose twitching. He felt confused. Maybe Mia had come to find him after all. He was sure he could smell her. Or was he imagining it? He looked from side to side, wondering where to go. Food smells were coming from behind him, but from the noise it sounded like there were people upstairs. Stairs�

He trotted over, and looked up the flight of stairs. They were very steep. Luckily, they had carpet, or he would never have been able to get his claws in to struggle up. Whiskers scrambled up on to the first step, feeling proud of himself. He licked his paw and brushed it over his ears to settle his fur before he tackled the next step. And the next�

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It took him a good few minutes to heave and claw his way up to the landing, and he rolled on to the last step, panting exhaustedly. His claws ached. But he was up! And he could hear voices coming from behind a door at the top of the stairs. His ears flattened back. They were not good voices. Someone was upset. The second voice was the old lady who had been with him downstairs. She was doing that gentle, soothing talking again.

The door was open a crack, and he peered cautiously round it. The old lady was sitting on the bed, with a girl lying face down beside her, patting her hair while she cried. Whiskers sniffed again. He�d never heard Mia sound like that before, but he was sure it was Mia. Would she be glad to see him? What was the matter with her? He hesitated by the door, uncertain what to do.

Then the old lady looked up and saw him. She looked surprised for a moment, but then she smiled and held out her hand to him, rubbing her fingers together, her face hopeful. She wanted him to come closer.

�Mia, sweetheart, listen. I�ve got something to tell you. I�d have told you straight away, if it hadn�t taken me so long to get up those stairs.�

�Sorry, Gran. I know you�re not supposed to use the stairs. Oh, I should have told Emily�s mum ages ago that I wanted Whiskers to be ours�� a muffled voice sobbed.

That was his name. It was Mia� it had to be. She smelled right, and she�d said his name, even if her voice sounded all strange.

Whiskers bounded across the bedroom and looked up crossly at the bed. How was he supposed to get up there? The old lady stretched her hand, and scooped him up, smiling.�Mia��

He had been right! Whiskers stumbled along the soft duvet until he was next to Mia�s tangle of fair hair, standing on a blue fleecy blanket. He nudged her with his nose, but she didn�t notice, so he did it again, harder this time.

Mia raised her head. Her eyes were blurry and sore from crying, so for a moment she didn�t understand.

Then Whiskers purred at her proudly. He had found her!

�Whiskers!� Mia gasped. �What are you doing here? Why aren�t you at your new home! Did you run away? Emily�s going to be so worried about you.� She struggled to sit up, and gazed at the little white kitten sitting contentedly in the middle of her bed.

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�That�s what I was trying to tell you,� Gran said gently. �When you came home so upset last night, I had a talk with your mum and dad, and we all agreed. Your dad had been convinced that you should have Whiskers anyway. He wanted to bring him home ages ago, but your mum was worried it wouldupset you again. So Dad and I went round to Emily�s house, and talked to her mum, after you�d gone off to school this morning. We arranged for Whiskers to be your kitten. Well, and a little bit mine, for some company while you�re at school. I know you shouldn�t give animals as presents, butthink of him as an early Christmas gift.� Gran smiled at her, a little anxiously. �Your mum was so cross she had to be at work this afternoon. She wanted to see your face when you found out.�

�But what about the lady who rang? Miriam?� Mia murmured. Her mind was whirring, trying to take all this in.

�Emily�s mum called her to explain. She was very sympathetic, apparently. She lost a cat recently too; she said she knew how hard it could be.�

�So Whiskers is really ours?� Mia looked down at the kitten, who was sniffing the cat blanket interestedly, his whiskers looking remarkably white against the navy blue fleece. She reached out, and tickled him under the chin, with just one finger. She didn�t dare do more. She felt like there was a dream kitten in her bedroom and if she touched him, he might disappear, like a bubble.

But he didn�t. He purred loudly and gazed up at her with big blue eyes. He looked very, very pleased with himself.

�Yes, you are a clever little cat, finding your way up here,� Gran said, smiling. �I thought I�d shut him in my sitting room, Mia, I didn�t want him wandering all over the house, feeling lost. But he obviously found a way out. He wanted to come and find you.�

Mia nodded.�He�s sitting on Sandy�s blanket,� she whispered suddenly, a strange sharp feeling clutching at her chest.

Gran nodded.�Yes.�

Mia took a deep breath. Whiskers nudged her knee with his nose and stood up, turning round a couple of times before settling himself into the perfect position, nose touching tail tip, like a little white fur cushion.

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Mia let the breath out again, shakily. There were white hairs on the blanket now, mixed with the ginger ones.

Whiskers opened one eye and yawned, showing a raspberry-pink tongue. Then he snuggled down further into the blanket, and went to sleep.

Just like he belonged.

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Mia yawned and rolled over, and felt Whiskers sigh in his sleep beside her. She�d had to move the fleece blanket now, to the side of her bed. Whiskers liked to sleep jammed between her and the wall, even though Mia sometimes worried that she would accidentally squash him.

She buried her head in her pillow and sighed happily. It didn�t feel like time to get up yet. Then her eyes snapped open. It was Christmas Day!

�Whiskers! Look, my Christmas stocking.� She sat up, and eyed the bulging red-and-white striped stocking happily. She could see a packet of her favourite toffees sticking out of it. �And cat crunchies, look! Your favourite fishy ones!�

Whiskers purred with pleasure. He didn�t know why Mia wanted to wake up early, but he would do anything for fishy crunchies. He patted happily at the ribbons as Mia unwrapped her stocking presents.

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�It�s nearly seven o�clock,� Mia said at last. �I wonder if Mum and Dad would mind being woken up yet? Or Gran?�

She climbed out of bed, and shrugged on her dressing gown, then padded out on to the landing, with Whiskers following her. She peeped in her mum and dad�s bedroom door, but they were both still fast asleep. Dad had said last night that his best Christmas present would be a lie-in, so she scooped Whiskers up before he could go and leap on to the bed. He�d only been with them a week, but already he had a thing about Dad�s feet. He liked to pounce on them, and Mia thought that probably wouldn�t be Dad�s ideal way to wake up.

She crept down the stairs. Gran always woke up early; she said it was to do with being over seventy� she didn�t need as much sleep any more.

�I can hear you, Mia! Happy Christmas!� Gran called, as Mia hesitated outside her door.

Mia slipped into Gran�s little annexe. �You�re up already!� she said, in surprise. Gran was sitting in her armchair, with a magazine and a cup of tea.

�Yes, and I�m glad you�re here. I�ve got a special present for you.� Gran reached over to her little table and picked up a flat, rectangular parcel, wrapped in shiny Christmas paper with a big ribbon bow. Gran liked wrapping presents.

��For Mia, with lots of love this Christmas � and for being brave,�� Mia read from the gift tag. �I don�t understand.�

�Open it, Mia, you�ll see.� Gran nodded eagerly.

Mia put Whiskers down on the floor, then started to undo the bow, and peel off the paper.

�Oh, Gran! It�s lovely!� It was a sort of box, with a beautiful painting of a cat on the lid.

�Ah, you haven�t seen inside it yet, open it up.�

It wasn�t actually a box, Mia realized, as she opened it. It was a hinged photo frame, made to take two photos, one beside the other.

As though it was made for two very special cats.

Mia smiled, her eyes blurring a little with tears, but only happy ones. On the left was Sandy, staring out at her, with his ears pricked up. Gran must have taken it just as he spotted a butterfly to chase, Mia thought. Sandy loved to hunt butterflies�

And on the right was a picture of her little Whiskers, sitting on Gran�s windowsill. The winter sun was shining on his gorgeous whiskers, so that they sparkled.

�Thanks, Gran, it�s the loveliest present.� Mia hugged her, and laughed as there was a sudden rustling sound. Whiskers had jumped on to the discarded wrapping paper, and was pouncing backwards and forwards, chasing an imaginary something. Maybe when he was bigger, Whiskers would chase butterflies too�

21. THE FRIGHTENED KITTEN

Chapter One

�Make sure you wrap it up carefully,� Kate told Maddy, stuffing an armful of bubble wrap into her best friend�s lap.

Maddy nodded, smoothing it out and starting to wind it round the photo frame.�Ben looks gorgeous in this picture,� she said, her voice a bit wobbly.

Kate nodded.�He always does. But that�s my favourite photo of him.�

Maddy stared down at the photo� she was in it too. It had been taken last summer, and showed her and Kate, with Kate�s huge black cat Ben sitting on the picnic rug between them. He was almost as tall as they were, when the girls were sitting down.

She laughed with surprise as a hard head butted her arm, and Ben stomped his way on to her lap to see exactly what she was doing. He�d been asleep at the end of Kate�s bed, but he�d obviously decided something interesting was happening. He was the world�s nosiest cat.

�Do you think he�ll mind moving?� Maddy asked, watching Kate fill a big cardboard box with books and her ornaments, all carefully wrapped up.

�I don�t know.� Kate shrugged. �The new house has got a big garden, but he likes it here. Like me.� She sighed miserably. �I keep hoping Dad�s going to come home and say it was all a mistake, and he doesn�t have to go and work in Yorkshire after all. But we�re leaving tomorrow. It�s getting a bit late for that.� She sniffed, and sat down next to Maddy and Ben on the bed.

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Maddy put an arm round her, and Ben bounced on to Kate�s lap, standing up on his hind legs to wrap his front paws around her neck. It was his party trick. Kate always told people she had a cat who hugged, although he didn�t do it to very many people. Mostly Kate, but he would do it to Maddy sometimes, especially if she�d given him a cat treat. He�d even done it to Maddy�s dad once, when he came to pick Maddy up and stopped for a cup of tea. Her dad had been taken by surprise, but Maddy had noticed that he always looked for Ben whenever he came to Kate�s now. As though he was hoping that Ben might do it again.

Maddy had been working on her mum and dad to let her get a cat of her own for ages. She was pretty sure that Ben had won her dad over that day. Now she just had to persuade her mum�

Kate sniffed again.�What if he doesn�t like the new house, Maddy? He might even try and find his way back here. You read in the papers about cats who do that.�

�Yorkshire�s probably too far for him to try it,� Maddy said. It was meant to be comforting, but it didn�t work. She didn�t want to think about how far away her friend was going to be. And she was going to have to start a new school, of course. Maddy couldn�t imagine having to do that.

Kate frowned.�I hope there aren�t too many other cats near the new house. Ben�s the top cat round here, none of the other cats would put a paw in our garden. But the new garden might be another cat�s territory already.�

Maddy looked down at Ben, now sitting comfortably on Kate�s lap. He yawned and stretched, and then stared up at her with huge green eyes.He didn�t look like he was worried.

�Even if the garden is another cat�s territory, I don�t think it will be for long,� Maddy said, stroking him.

Kate nodded, laughing.�Maybe. He doesn�t fight very often, but when he does, I think he just sits on the other cats and squashes them.� She sighed. �I suppose I�d better get on with packing. Mum says I should have had it finished yesterday.� She pushed Ben gently off her knee, and he slunk away to hide amongthe boxes.

Maddy went back to wrapping up the photo. She was going to miss Kate so much. She knew Kate would miss her too, but her friend was a bit like Ben, Maddy thought. She was so strong and bouncy and confident. She�d have a new gang of friends in no time � and she�d be showing off her famous hugging cat to them instead.

�Pass me that tape, Maddy, so I can seal this box up.�

Maddy handed her the parcel tape, and wrapped another photo frame.�Where did Ben go?� she asked, a few minutes later.

�He�s under the bed, isn�t he?� Kate said, peering down.

But he wasn�t. There was a sudden thumping and then a muffled yowl. �He�s in the box!� Maddy giggled.

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Kate stared at the big cardboard box she�d just taped up. �He can�t be�� she murmured, but she didn�t sound very sure. She ripped off the tape, and the flaps came up, followed by a large black head, with cross, glowing green eyes. Ben scrambled out, hissing grumpily.

�Well, you shouldn�t have been in there!� Kate laughed. �Nosy boy!�

Maddy was laughing too. But even as she laughed, she was thinking,I�m going to miss them so much�

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Kate and her mum walked Maddy home� it was only five minutes away, and it was warm and sunny. Perfect Easter holiday weather. If Kate hadn�t been leaving tomorrow, they�d have spent loads of time in the park, or maybe gone out somewhere for the day.

�Those cats that live next door to you are nearly as big as Ben,� Kate�s mum commented, as they came up to Maddy�s garden.

�They�re sitting on Mum�s daffodils again,� Maddy sighed, as she hurried into the front garden and tried to shoo the two big ginger cats off the stone pot that her mum had planted full of bulbs. For some reason Tiger and Tom had decided it was a really good place to sit, and the daffodils were looking a bit squashed now.

Maddy�s mum opened the front door. �I heard you coming, girls. Oh, no, not those horrible cats again!�

Tiger spat crossly at Maddy as she tried to get him off the daffodils, and yowled. He was so different to lovely, sweet-natured Ben. At last, he jumped down, and the pair of them stalked away, glaring back at Maddy.

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As the mums chatted, Kate flung her arms round Maddy.�Promise you�ll call me every day! Tell me everything that�s happening at school, OK?�

Maddy nodded.�And anyway, you�re coming back to visit at half-term.�

�We�d better go,� Kate�s mum said. �It�ll be a long day tomorrow, and there�s still some packing to do.�

And that was it. Kate and her mum went back down the path, waving, and Maddy was left on her own.

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�I�ve finished,� said Maddy, pushing away her half-eaten dinner. Mum had made her favourite pasta, but she just wasn�t hungry.

Her dad leaned over and put an arm round her shoulders.�Do you think we could tell her the news? To cheer her up?� he suggested to Maddy�s mum, and she nodded.

�What news?� Maddy sniffed sadly.

�Do you remember me telling you that my friend Donna�s cat had kittens a couple of months ago?� Mum asked.

�Oh, yes. You showed me a photo on your phone. They�re gorgeous. There were some tortoiseshell ones � my favourite kind!�

�Good. Because one of them is going to be yours!�

Maddy blinked.�I�m getting a kitten?�

�You can choose which of the litter you�d like. Donna needs to find homes for them all, and we thought it would be nice for you to have a cat, as you�ve wanted one for so long. Especially as you�re bound to miss Kate � getting to know a kitten might make the Easter holidays a bit less sad.� Her mum looked at her anxiously. �We�re not trying to take your mind off missing her, Maddy. It�s a really sad thing for a friend to move away.�

�It just seemed like a good time,� her dad added.

Maddy nodded.�It is a good time,� she whispered. She couldn�t help still feeling sad about Kate, of course, but at the same time, inside she was jumping about and squeaking.A kitten! A kitten! I�m getting a kitten!

Chapter Two

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Maddy�s mum showed her some more photos of the kittens, but it was hard to see them in the pictures on her phone. Three of them were ginger and the other two were tortoiseshells, beautiful black, white and orange cats. They were all coiled and snuggled around each other and their mother, who was blacklike Ben. Maddy was pretty sure she would like a tortoiseshell kitten � Tiger and Tom had put her off ginger cats.

�When can I see them?� Maddy asked the next morning at breakfast.

Mum smiled.�I�ve arranged for us to visit them this afternoon. And if you�re sure which kitten you�d like, you can even bring it home today! We can go to the pet shop on the way to Donna�s house to get everything we�ll need.�

As it turned out, they needed an awful lot of things. A basket, Maddy had thought of that. And a food bowl. But she hadn�t realized there was so much else. A collar. Grooming brush. Food. Special treats that were good for cleaning kitten teeth. Toys�

They were just about to go and pay for everything when Mum stopped.�Oh, I�m so stupid! I forgot that Donna said to bring a cat carrier to take the kitten home in.�

Maddy smiled.Home! She loved the idea of their house being a home for a kitten.

�If you get anything else, we won�t have room for the kitten in the car,� Dad muttered, but Maddy knew he was only joking.

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�Can we go to Donna�s now?� she said hopefully, as they stowed all the things in the boot a few minutes later.

Mum nodded, and hugged her.�I�m really excited.�

Maddy threw her arms round her mum�s neck. �I bet I�m more excited than you.�

Dad got in the car and tooted the horn at them.�Come on. I�m so excited I actually want to go and see these kittens some time today!�

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�Oh, look at them!� Maddy breathed, stopping in the kitchen doorway and staring. The kittens were all asleep in a large basket in the corner of the room. It was by the radiator, and the floor had been covered with newspaper.

�They�re doing pretty well with their house-training; the newspaper�s just in case they miss the litter tray,� Donna explained. �We�ve been keeping them in the kitchen up till now, but this last week they keep on escaping!�

�How old are they?� Maddy asked. They looked so little. She couldn�t believe they were ready to leave their mum.

�Ten weeks yesterday. I bought a book about raising kittens when we found out that Dilly was pregnant, and it recommended keeping them with their mum until then, so she can teach them what they need to know. Also, that way they get to spend more time with their brothers and sisters, and learn howto get on with each other.�

�So did you mean for her to have kittens then?� Maddy�s dad asked.

Donna sighed.�No, it was a total surprise. We were planning to have Dilly spayed, but we left it too late. As soon as she�s recovered from having these, we�ll take her to the vet. I love the kittens, but I don�t want any more!�

�Are you going to keep any of them?� Maddy asked, as she knelt down by the basket. �I can�t imagine how you�re going to let them go, they�re so gorgeous.�

Donna nodded.�I know. I�d love to keep a couple, and it will be sad for Dilly to lose them all, but we only ever meant to have one cat! We�ll have to see. Quite a few people seem interested in adopting one.� She smiled at Maddy. �But you�ve got first choice. Your mum booked you a kitten weeks ago!�

Maddy looked up at her mum gratefully.�Thanks, Mum!�

�Well, it seemed like a perfect opportunity � you�re old enough to help look after a pet now.�

�I�ll be really good, I promise,� Maddy said. �I�ll even clean out the litter tray.� She wouldn�t mind, she thought, peering into the basket. The kittens had heard their voices, and were starting to wake up. Dilly was watching Maddy carefully, obviously guarding her babies.

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One of the ginger kittens popped its head up and stared curiously at Maddy. She laughed, and his eyes widened in surprise.

�Oh, sorry!� Maddy whispered. �I didn�t mean to scare you.�

All the kittens were awake now, gazing at her with big green eyes. Maddy sighed.�How am I ever going to choose one of you?� she murmured. She hadn�t thought she�d like a ginger kitten, but they were cute too � their pink noses clashed with their orangey fur.

One of the tortoiseshell kittens put its paws up on the side of the basket, and nosed at Maddy�s hand. Its nose felt chilly and tickly, and Maddy stifled a laugh. She didn�t want to make the kitten jump.

�Is this a girl kitten?� she whispered to Donna. She�d guessed that the ginger kittens were boys and the tortoiseshells were girls, but she knew it wasn�t always that way round.

�Yes, she�s a sweetie. Very friendly, she loves to have her head rubbed.�

[��������: img_9]

The kitten looked at Maddy hopefully, and Maddy gently scratched the top of her head. Ben had always liked that. The kitten purred, and turned her head sideways, nestling into Maddy�s hand.

�She�s lovely,� Mum said quietly.

�Could we have her?� Maddy breathed. The kitten was still purring and cuddling up against her hand. She was so little and perfect. Maddy was desperate to pick her up, but she wasn�t sure she should.

The kitten solved the problem by clambering over the side of the basket� it was a soft, squashy one, and the sides were so high that she looked like she was trying to climb over a bouncy castle. There was a lot of scrabbling, but eventually she landed on the kitchen floor, looking very proud of herself, and set to work mountaineering up on to Maddy�s lap.

�Oooh, claws.� Maddy giggled, and carefully scooped a hand under the kitten�s bottom to give her a bit of a lift. The kitten finally reached her lap, looking quite worn out by the effort, but she purred delightedly when Maddy made a fuss of her.

�Well, it looks like she wants to be ours too,� Dad said, reaching out a finger to scratch behind the kitten�s ears. �What are we going to call her?�

Maddy looked down at the kitten, who was busily curling herself into a neat little ball.�See that orange patch on her back. It�s completely round. Don�t you think it looks just like a biscuit?�

�Biscuit?� Mum laughed. �That�s a really cute name for a cat. It does look like a little ginger biscuit, against that white fur.�

Maddy nodded.�It�s the perfect name for her.�

[��������: img_5]

Maddy had the whole of the rest of the Easter holidays to get to know Biscuit, and play with her. Her mum and dad were right� having her kitten did mean she spent less time worrying about going back to school without Kate. She also did a lot of reading � they�d bought a book on cat care at the pet shop, and she got a couple more out of the library, too.

�Did Donna take the kittens to have their first vaccinations?� she asked Mum at breakfast, the day after they�d brought Biscuit home.

Biscuit was sitting on her lap, looking hopefully at Maddy�s breakfast. The cereal looked quite like her cat biscuits, she thought, but it didn�t smell the same. She reached up, stretching her neck, and sniffed harder. Definitely not cat biscuits, but a very good smell all the same. She put her front paws on the edge of the table, and darted her raspberry-pink tongue at a drop of milk that Maddy had spilled.

It was sweet and cold, and Biscuit gave a delighted little shiver. Maddy was checking her cat book and didn�t notice when Biscuit edged a little further forward, and stuck her tongue in the bowl to lap up her leftover cereal. She got in a good few mouthfuls before Maddy spotted her.

[��������: img_10]

�Biscuit! You shouldn�t be eating that! Oh, Mum, look, she�s got milk all over her whiskers!�

Biscuit settled back on to Maddy�s lap, licking her whiskers happily. She liked her food better, but it was nice to have a change�

�Oh dear! I suppose a little bit won�t have done her any harm. You�d finished, hadn�t you? And yes, Donna gave us the vaccination certificate.� Mum looked in the folder she�d left on the countertop. �She had them done about three weeks ago.�

Maddy checked the book again.�Then we need to take her to the vet soon! She�s supposed to have the second vaccination three weeks after the first one. And then in another three weeks, she�ll be allowed to go outside.�

�Actually, yes, that�s what Donna�s put in this note. She said we should probably have Biscuit microchipped at the same time.�

Maddy nodded. Her book mentioned that, too. The tiny microchip went under the skin on the kitten�s neck, and it would have a special number on it, so that Biscuit could be easily identified by any vet if she got lost.

�I�ll call the vet tomorrow, Maddy. They won�t be open on a Sunday.�

Maddy nodded.�That reminds me! Can I call Kate, Mum? I have to tell her about Biscuit!�

[��������: img_5]

Luckily, the vet�s had a cancelled appointment on Monday afternoon. Maddy wanted to get Biscuit�s vaccinations done as soon as possible, so that she would be able to play with her in the garden. She knew that the little cat would love it. She was so adventurous inside the house. She kept climbing things, and she loved to tunnel under Maddy�s duvet and then pop out at her.

For the trip to the vet�s, Maddy put the cat carrier next to her on the back seat, and Biscuit peered out at her worriedly. She had only been in the cat carrier once, and that was to come to Maddy�s house. Were they going back to her old home again? She did miss playing with her brothers and sisters, but Maddy was just as much fun to play with � and she didn�t jump on top of her and try to chew her ears, like her biggest ginger brother had done. Biscuit definitely preferred Maddy�s house. She let out a miserable wail as Maddy lifted the carrier out of the car � but then she realized that it wasn�t herold home they�d come to after all.

The place smelled very odd; sharp and chemical to her sensitive nose. But at the same time, it was slightly familiar. Had she been here before?

Maddy put the carrier down on the floor, and Biscuit sniffed suspiciously. There were other smells, too. A strange, strong, worrying smell. It smelled like a dog. A dog had visited her old home once, and she hadn�t liked it. She shifted nervously inside her carrier. It was coming closer!

[��������: img_11]

Biscuit gave a horrified squeak as a furry face loomed up in front of her carrier. The puppy peered in curiously and nudged the wire door with his nose.

The kitten bristled, her fur standing on end and her tail fluffing up to twice its size. She hissed furiously at the dog. This washer carrier! She lashed her claws at his nose, but they scraped harmlessly down the wire.

�Barney, no!� his owner cried. �Oh, I�m so sorry, I hope he didn�t frighten your kitten.�

Maddy�s mum laughed. �Actually, I think she tried to fight back; she�s a determined little thing.�

Maddy looked anxiously into Biscuit�s carrier. �Are you all right? Sorry, Biscuit, I was helping Mum fill in the forms. I didn�t see what was happening.� Then she smiled with relief. Biscuit was sitting in the carrier with her tail wrapped smugly round her legs. She wasn�t afraid of some silly dog!

Chapter Three

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�She�s going to miss me while I�m at school,� Maddy said worriedly. She had her coat and her rucksack and her lunchbag � and a kitten sitting on her shoulder, sniffing with interest at the rucksack. �It�s the first day I won�t have been here to play with her.�

�I�ll be here though,� her mum pointed out. Maddy�s mum worked part-time at another school, but she didn�t go in on Mondays or Fridays. �I�ll play with her lots, Maddy, I promise. And your dad�s working from home tomorrow. She�ll gradually get used to being left. It�ll be fine.�

Maddy nodded doubtfully. She�d spent the whole holiday playing with Biscuit and fussing over her. Now she just couldn�t imagine a whole day at school without seeing her. And without Kate�

�Come on, Maddy. We�d better go.�

Maddy sighed and then carefully unhooked Biscuit�s claws from her coat. She put her down gently and rubbed her ears. �Be good,� she told her. �I�ll be back soon.�

Biscuit stared up at her. She didn�t understand what was happening, but she could tell from Maddy�s voice that she wasn�t happy. The kitten gave an uncertain little mew and patted at Maddy�s leg with a paw, asking to be picked up again.

�Maddy, now,� her mum said firmly, seeing that Maddy was close to tears. She shooed her out of the door, leaving Biscuit all alone in the house.

Biscuit sat by the front door for a little while, hoping that they�d come back, but she couldn�t hear any footsteps heading up the path. She was very confused � she just didn�t understand why Maddy had gone away. Eventually, she padded back into the kitchen. She had seen Maddy and her mum and dad use the back door, even though she wasn�t allowed out of it yet. Perhaps they would come in that way?

She waited for what seemed like a very long time, but no one came in by that door, either. So she wandered through the house, mewing every so often. Where had they all gone? Were they ever coming back? She looked at the stairs for a while, but she still found them very difficult to climb. Maddy had carried her up there a couple of times, but it took her ages to manage a whole flight of stairs by herself.

Sadly, she trailed into the living room, and clawed her way up the purple throw that Maddy�s mum had draped over the sofa. It already had quite a lot of little claw marks in it � Biscuit had quickly discovered that the back of the sofa was an interesting place to sit. She sat down, peering out of the window, hoping to see Maddy coming up the front path.

Instead, she saw a large gingery face staring back at her.

[��������: img_12]

Biscuit was so surprised that she jumped backwards with a miaow of fright, and fell on to the seat of the sofa.

What was that? Another cat? In her garden? Biscuit had never been out in it, but she was quite certain that it was hers. She sat shivering on the sofa, not daring to climb up and look again. The other cat had been a lot bigger than she was. What if it was still there? At last, Biscuit scrabbled her way up the throw again, and peeped over the back of the sofa.

The big ginger cat had gone.

Biscuit was so relieved that she curled up on the back of the sofa, and went to sleep.

[��������: img_5]

�She was fine, Maddy!� Mum said, as they walked home from school. �When I got home from dropping you off and doing the shopping, she was asleep on the back of the sofa. And then the rest of the day I fussed over her every so often, and she was perfectly all right.�

Maddy nodded, looking relieved.�I wonder if she was watching for us coming home, and that�s why she was on the back of the sofa.�

�Maybe.� Her mum laughed. �Actually, I think she�s just nosy. She likes watching people go past. Anyway, how was school?�

Maddy could tell that her mum was trying not to sound worried about her. She shrugged.�OK.�

�Who did you sit with?�

�Lucy. And Romany.�

�And it was all right?�

�Mmm.� Maddy didn�t want to tell her mum that she�d felt miserable and lonely all day, and that even though Lucy and Romany had been nice, she�d hardly talked to them. She couldn�t help thinking that they were Kate�s friends, not hers, and they didn�t really want to hang around withher. Luckily it had been netball club at lunch, so she hadn�t had to mooch around on her own in the playground. But she didn�t have a club every lunchtime. She sped up, hurrying home to see Biscuit.

�Oh, look, she�s there, watching out for us!� Maddy beamed. She ran up the garden path, watching Biscuit leap off the back of the sofa. She could hear a little scuttle of paws, and then frantic mewing and a scrabbling noise as the kitten clawed at the door. As soon as her mum opened it, Maddyswept the kitten up to hug her.

[��������: img_5]

School wasn�t any easier the next day, or the day after that � but at least Maddy had Biscuit to cheer her up at home. And she was really looking forward to Saturday � the vet had said Biscuit could go out in the garden then, even though it wasn�t quite three weeks since her vaccinations. He�d said it would be fine as long as she wasn�t around any other cats.

Maddy didn�t give Biscuit as much breakfast as usual on Saturday morning. And just in case Biscuit did wander too far, Maddy made sure she had a full bag of the kitten�s favourite chicken-flavour treats.

Biscuit was still staring suspiciously at her food bowl, wondering why breakfast hadn�t seemed to take as long to gobble down as usual, when she realized that the back door was wide open. She�d seen it open before, of course, but only when someone was holding her tightly, and even then they always whipped it shut before she could wriggle free and go investigating. She crept over to it, keeping low to the ground, expecting any minute that Maddy or her mum would catch her.

But Maddy was outside! She was standing by the door, calling her! Biscuit hurried so fast out of the door, she almost tripped over the step. She shook herself crossly and pattered down the path to where Maddy was.

There were so many smells! She sniffed curiously at the grass, and patted it with one paw. It was cool and damp, and taller than she was!

[��������: img_13]

�Have you got the treats?� Her mum appeared in the doorway. �In case Biscuit goes running off. She could get under the fence if she really tried, remember.�

Maddy waved the foil packet.�It�s OK. Oh, look, Mum! She�s seen a butterfly!�

The orange butterfly was swooping carelessly past Biscuit�s nose, and she watched it in amazement. Maddy had dangled pieces of string for her, and feathery toys, but she had never seen anything like this. She reached out her paw and tried to bat at the butterfly, and then tried again with the other paw, but it flew behind her, and she almost fell over trying to chase after it.

�You can�t have it, Biscuit,� Maddy laughed. �I don�t think butterflies are very good for you. And they�re all legs and wings; I bet they don�t taste nice.�

Biscuit stared after the butterfly, which was flittering over the fence to next door�s garden. She thought it looked delicious. But there was no way she could get over the high fence to follow it.

[��������: img_14]

Chapter Four

[��������: img_2]

Maddy and Biscuit spent so much time playing in the garden that on Friday evening, Maddy�s dad came home with a surprise. He put the big box he was carrying down in front of Biscuit�s cat basket with a flourish.

�What is it?� Maddy asked, peering round to see the front of the box. Biscuit blinked at it sleepily. She was worn out from racing round the garden with Maddy after she had got back from school.

�Oh, a cat flap! Thanks, Dad!�

�We can put it in tomorrow. It�s over three weeks since Biscuit had her vaccinations now, so we can let her out on her own.�

Maddy nodded.�I suppose so. But she�s still not quite fourteen weeks old. She�s only little.�

�I think cats like to explore though,� Dad pointed out. �She�ll be able to climb trees. Chase more butterflies��

Biscuit suddenly perked up, bouncing up in her basket and staring at him, ears pricked. Dad laughed.�You see!�

[��������: img_5]

Maddy had been worried that Biscuit might find the cat flap hard to work, or that she just might not like it� Kate had told her that Ben had taken ages to get used to his. He preferred to have someone open the back door for him. But as soon as Biscuit understood what the cat flap did, she took to it immediately. She spent most of Saturday afternoon popping in and out of it, coming back into the kitchenevery five minutes to make sure that Maddy was still there.

[��������: img_15]

Maddy had been a bit anxious that Biscuit might try going into one of the next-door gardens, but even though she�d sniffed at the holes under the fence, she didn�t seem to want to crawl through them. There was plenty in Maddy�s garden to keep her busy.

[��������: img_5]

Maddy was doing her homework at the kitchen table on Sunday morning, with Biscuit curled on her lap. Her science worksheet seemed to be taking ages. It was probably because she kept thinking about her science lesson on Friday. She�d had to pair up with Sara, a girl she didn�t really like, and Sara had kept on making mean little comments throughout the lesson. So now every time she tried to write about the differences between solids and liquids, she just started thinking about how much she missed having Kate to work with. Kate would have said something really funny about Sara, Maddy was sure.

At least she�d seen Becky, one of the girls who sat on the table behind her, making faces at Sara. She�d rolled her eyes at Maddy in an �Ignore her!� sort of way, and Maddy had smiled back.

Now Biscuit yawned and jumped lazily off Maddy�s lap, making for her cat flap. She was bored with sitting still, and Maddy didn�t seem to want to play. Biscuit had tried chasing her coloured pencils across the table, but Maddy had put them away instead of rolling the pencils for her to chase.

The garden was full of interesting smells, and some bees were buzzing around the lavender bushes. Biscuit watched them, fascinated, her tail tip twitching. She was watching so closely that she didn�t see Tiger and Tom sneaking under next door�s fence. It wasn�t until the two big ginger cats were right behind her that Biscuit heard them creeping through the grass, and whirled round. She was sure it was one of these cats who�d been staring in at her through the window.

The ginger cats had their ears laid back as they snuck towards her. Biscuit backed away from them into the lavender bush. She didn�t quite understand what was happening, but she knew the two cats weren�t friendly. Her tail bushed out, and she darted a nervous glance towards the door. Could she make a run for her cat flap? But one of the big ginger cats, the one with the torn ear, was between her and the house, his tail swishing from side to side.

Tiger, the one with the darker stripes, was almost nose to nose with her now, hissing and staring. Biscuit was practically squashed into the lavender bush� she couldn�t retreat any further.

Tiger cuffed her round the head with one enormous paw, sending her rolling, and Biscuit wailed miserably. What was she supposed to do? Why were they attacking her?

[��������: img_16]

Inside the house, Maddy was still gloomily eyeing her homework. She glanced up as her mum came into the kitchen, looking confused.

�Maddy, can you hear a strange noise? It almost sounds like a baby crying. A sort of howling.�

Maddy yelped and suddenly pushed her chair away from the table, racing for the back door. She hadn�t been paying attention to the noise, but now she was sure it was Biscuit.

She flung open the door, and Tom jumped round, hissing at her, but Tiger and Biscuit hardly seemed to notice. They were in the middle of the lawn now, and Tiger was about three times the size of Biscuit with all his ginger fur fluffed up. They were making strange wowling noises still, circling round each other. As Maddy watched, Tiger leaped on Biscuit again, and the two cats seemed to roll over and over, twisting and scratching.

�Stop it!� Maddy yelled. She raced over to them, shoving at Tiger, ignoring the hissing and scratching at her hands. She snatched Biscuit up, and yelled at Tiger and Tom, sending them scuttling away under the fence.

[��������: img_17]

�Maddy, are you all right?� Her mum came running out. �It all happened so quickly, I didn�t realize what was going on. Is Biscuit hurt?�

�I don�t think so, but she�s shaking.� Maddy carried the kitten inside. �Those horrible cats!�

Her mum sighed.�I suppose they�re used to coming into our garden. They think Biscuit�s in their territory.�

�Well, she isn�t!� Maddy snapped. �It�s our garden and she�s our cat!�

�Yes, we know that, but I bet the cats don�t. Give her to me, you need to run your hands under the tap. They must hurt, you�re all scratched!�

Reluctantly, Maddy handed Biscuit over to her mum.

�She�s so scared,� Maddy said, her voice shaking as she washed her hands. �Tiger�s so much bigger than she is. He could have really hurt her.� Then she laughed a little. �I saw Biscuit scratch his nose, though, before he ran off.�

�Did they go under the fence?� her mum asked. �Is there a hole we could block up?�

Maddy dried her scratched hands and made for the door.�I�ll go and see.�

Biscuit gave a worried little mew as she saw Maddy opening the door, and Maddy stopped to stroke her.�Don�t worry. I�m not going to let those ginger bullies anywhere near you.�

She hurried out into the garden, checking the fence. There were holes all the way along� not huge ones, but big enough for a cat to squeeze through.

It was going to be difficult to block them all up. And the fence wasn�t that high, either. She was pretty sure that Tiger and Tom could climb it without too much effort.

�What are you doing?� someone asked in a sneery sort of voice.

Maddy straightened up from the flower bed. It was her next-door neighbour Josh, who owned Tiger and Tom. He was a couple of years older than she was and went to secondary school, so usually Maddy was too shy to say much to him. But not today.

�I�m looking at the fence! Your cats just came into my garden and beat up my kitten!� she snapped at him.

Josh shrugged.�Sorry. But cats fight. It�s what they do.�

[��������: img_18]

�Don�t you care? She�s terrified!�

�There isn�t anything I can do, cats chase each other and they fight. There�s loads of cats round here. Your kitten�s going to get into fights, Maddy, stop being such a girl.�

�OH!� Maddy huffed, and she stomped back inside. Biscuit was not going to fight, because Maddy wasn�t going to let any other cats hurt her. She didn�t care how scratchedshe got.

But as she shut the kitchen door, slamming it hard enough to set the cat flap swinging, Maddy had a sudden, awful thought.

She could protect Biscuit now, but what about tomorrow, when she went back to school?

[��������: img_5]

�Perhaps we shouldn�t have got a cat flap�� Maddy said worriedly.

Her dad scratched his head thoughtfully. He�d been out running when Biscuit got into the fight, and had missed the whole thing. �I can�t exactly put that chunk of door back. Anyway, Biscuit�s getting bigger all the time. She won�t be such easy pickings for those two next door soon.�

�I don�t think Biscuit�s ever going to be as big as they are,� Maddy said. �But it�s good for her to be able to go out. She loves being in the garden! Or she did, anyway,� she added sadly.

Biscuit hadn�t been outside again since the fight that morning. She�d retreated into the dining room. There was a lovely patch of warm sun coming through the glass doors at the back of the room. Biscuit lay in it, feeling the soft warmth on her fur. It made her feel better � not so jumpy and scared.

She stretched out on the carpet lazily and gazed out of the big window through half-open eyes, hoping to spot some butterflies.

Instead, the next time she blinked, Tiger and Tom were there. In her garden, staring at her, just on the other side of the window.

Biscuit�s tail fluffed up and she hissed in panic. For a moment, she forgot that there was glass there and they couldn�t reach her through it. She was sure that Tiger was about to knock her over again. She raced out to the kitchen and Maddy, mewing in fright.

�Oh! They�re back in the garden!� Maddy picked Biscuit up, cuddling her.

Dad quickly filled up a glass that was by the sink and headed out into the garden. But he came back shaking his head.�I was going to splash them � cats don�t like getting wet � but they�d gone already.�

�If they keep doing this, Biscuit�s going to be frightened all the time,� Maddy said anxiously. �It�s so unfair.�

She was still worrying when she went to bed that night. She�d left the kitten snoozing in her basket in the kitchen, after putting some of Biscuit�s favourite chicken crunchies in her bowl, in case she woke up needing a midnight snack.

It took Maddy ages to get to sleep. She tossed and turned, thinking about Tiger and Tom, and then about school tomorrow and how lonely it was going to be. Somehow it all got wound up into her dreams when she finally fell asleep, so that she was sitting doing numeracy with Tiger and Tom (in school uniform) on either side of her. Tiger was just telling her that she was stupid and she�d got her multiplication wrong, when Tom started wowling in her ear. Maddy twitched, turned over � and woke up. That wasn�t in her dream � the sound was coming from downstairs!

She flung herself out of bed and dashed down the stairs. The noise was louder now and it was coming from the kitchen. Maddy couldn�t understand � it sounded like more than one cat, but only Biscuit was meant to be in there. She shoved open the door, and saw Tiger and Tom by Biscuit�s food bowl, gobbling down the chicken crunchies she�d left out.

[��������: img_19]

�Go away!� Maddy yelled. �Out! Bad cats!� Tiger and Tom hissed at her, but hightailed it out of the cat flap. The cat flap � of course. That�s how they�d got into Maddy�s kitchen!

�What on earth�?� Dad appeared in the kitchen doorway, looking sleepy.

�The cats from next door! They came in through the cat flap, Dad; they were eating Biscuit�s food!� Maddy crouched down by Biscuit�s bed. She looked terrified, and as Maddy gently picked her up, she could feel how tense the kitten was, as though she was ready to leap out of Maddy�s arm and run away at any moment. Her whiskers were twitching, and her little face seemed all frightened eyes.

Mum had been worried that Biscuit might end up making a mess in Maddy�s room if she slept upstairs, but Maddy couldn�t bear the thought of leaving her on her own.

�Dad, please can I take Biscuit upstairs to sleep with me?� she begged. �I know Mum said she should stay in the kitchen, but she�s so scared.�

Dad sighed.�I suppose she is very well house-trained now. And she�s got pretty good at the stairs, hasn�t she? She�ll be all right to come down if she needs her litter tray. I�m going to put a chair in front of the cat flap, in case Tiger and Tom come back.�

Maddy nodded. Biscuit was relaxing into her arms a little now, but she was still looking around nervously. Maddy hurried upstairs and fluffed up her duvet into a cosy kitten nest at the end of the bed. It didn�t leave much duvet for her, but she didn�t mind.

Biscuit stepped cautiously into the warm nest and padded at it with her paws. Maddy was here. She was safe. Tiger and Tom wouldn�t be able to come upstairs, she was sure. And if they did, Maddy would chase them away.

Maddy slid into bed and sighed. She�d wanted Biscuit to sleep on her bed ever since she�d got her, but she wished it hadn�t happened like this.

Maddy was just falling asleep again when she felt determined little paws padding up her tummy, and a soft wisp of fur brushed across her cheek as Biscuit curled up next to her on the pillow. Maddy giggled. Biscuit�s tail was lying across her neck and it tickled.

�We�ll sort those horrible cats out,� she told Biscuit sleepily. �It�ll be OK.�

[��������: img_20]

Chapter Five

[��������: img_2]

�Time to get up!� Maddy�s mum pulled open the bedroom curtains.

�Mmmm. Oh!� Maddy suddenly remembered that Biscuit was upstairs with her, although she was no longer asleep on her pillow.

�Your dad told me he�d let you bring Biscuit up here. I suppose it isn�t doing any harm, as long as you make sure she doesn�t get shut in. We don�t want her weeing on your bedroom carpet!� She looked around. �Where is she? Has she gone downstairs already?�

Maddy sat up.�She was sleeping next to me.�

�She�s here!� Her mum was crouching down, peering under the bed. �It�s all right, Biscuit, I�m not scary. Oh dear, Maddy, she looks very nervous.�

�Maybe she heard you coming in and thought it was Tiger and Tom again.� Maddy hopped out of bed to look underneath.

Biscuit was squeezed as far back as she could go, pressed against the wall. Maddy could see her whiskers trembling.�Biscuit! Come on, it�s OK.�

Very slowly, Biscuit crept out and let Maddy pick her up. But she flinched when Maddy�s mum tried to stroke her.

�She�s usually so friendly,� Maddy�s mum said sadly. �Perhaps she�ll feel better after some food.�

[��������: img_21]

�I hope so.� Maddy carried Biscuit downstairs with her once she�d got dressed. She could feel Biscuit tensing up as they came down the hall into the kitchen. She was practically clinging on to Maddy�s cardigan, and she didn�t seem very interested in eating even when Maddy filled up her bowl.

�Don�t worry, I�ll keep an eye on her while you�re at school,� Mum said. �How are things going, anyway?�

Maddy shrugged.

�I know you�re missing Kate, but I�m sure there are lots of other people in your class that you could chat to,� her mum said persuasively.

But none of them are as nice as Kate, Maddy thought.And none of them want to chat to me. It just isn�t that easy�

[��������: img_5]

�It�s a month till Sports Day,� Mrs Melling, Maddy�s teacher explained, as she led everyone out on to the school field. �So we�re going to be doing some athletics � running, hurdles, relay races, that sort of thing.�

Several people sighed grumpily, but Maddy smiled. She loved to run. And she was pretty good at it, too. The sun was shining, and she could feel it on her hair and her arms. She�d been worrying about Biscuit all morning, even though Dad had left the cat flap blocked up, in case Tiger and Tom tried to get in again. Maddy knew Biscuit should be fine, but she couldn�t stop thinking about her, and how frightened she�d been. Hopefully some running would shake off the jittery, miserable feeling inside her.

The school field had a big oval track painted on to the grass, and after they�d warmed up, Mrs Melling divided them into groups to run heats. Maddy won her first heat easily � none of the others were really trying � but she was surprised when she beat a couple of boys in the next race. Some of the girls even started cheering for her at the end.

[��������: img_22]

�Well done! You�re so quick!� Becky came over and patted her on the back.

Maddy laughed, a little nervously. She�d always liked Becky, but she was really popular and had lots of friends. She was nice to Maddy, but they�d never hung around together much.

�Beat Joe in this last race, please!� Becky begged. �He�s so full of himself, look at him!�

Joe was talking to a couple of other boys and doing show-off stretches. He obviously thought he was bound to win.

�OK.� Maddy grinned. She wasn�t tired at all. As they lined up for the last race she bounced on her toes, staring at the finish line. As soon as Mrs Melling blew her whistle, she shot away, sprinting as fast as she could, and crossed the finish line a whisker ahead of Joe.

�Yay! Maddy wins!� She could hear Becky yelling above all the others. It felt fantastic.

With Becky and the others hugging her and telling her she was a star, it was easy to laugh off Joe growling about girls always cheating. And Becky�s table in class was behind hers, so Maddy could see Becky grinning at her every so often as they did their literacy after PE. It was the best time she�d had in school all term. She couldn�t wait to tell her mum and dad about it. They kept asking how school was going � it would be nice to be able to say she�d had a fun day.

�How was Biscuit?� Maddy asked hopefully, as she rushed up to her mum after school.

Mum made a face.�She�s been scratching the sofa! I had to shut her out of the living room.�

�Oh�� Maddy frowned. Biscuit had never done that before. She hoped Mum hadn�t been too cross with her.

When they got home, Maddy put her bags down, expecting the kitten to bounce up to her, wanting to play, like she usually did. But Biscuit didn�t come running.

�Biscuit!� Maddy looked round anxiously.

�Try upstairs,� her mum suggested. �She seems to like it there now.�

Maddy ran up the stairs and into her room. She couldn�t see Biscuit, but she had a horrible feeling she knew where she was. She knelt down, looking under the bed, and sighed. She was right. Biscuit was curled up in the corner again, looking at her with wide, worried eyes.

[��������: img_23]

�Oh, Biscuit�� Maddy whispered. �It�s all right, sweetie, come on out��

[��������: img_5]

�I don�t think we can keep the cat flap blocked up like that,� Dad said, looking down at his ice cream thoughtfully. �Biscuit needs to be able to go out.�

�But she doesn�t want to,� Maddy explained. �She�s scared.�

�It isn�t good to keep her in � she should be out sharpening her claws on trees, not the sofa,� Mum sighed. �And it would be nice not to have to keep cleaning out the litter tray!�

�I�ll do it,� Maddy said quickly. �I don�t mind. She�s too frightened to go in the garden.�

She licked her ice-cream spoon, but she wasn�t really hungry any more. She could feel Mum and Dad both looking at her. And she was pretty sure they thought she was fussing too much.

�I think Biscuit might just need to toughen up a bit,� Dad said gently.

�She�s definitely getting bigger,� Mum pointed out. �She�ll be as big as Tiger and Tom soon.�

�I bet she won�t,� Maddy said. �And however big she is, there�s still only one of her. Tiger and Tom work as a team, Mum! Like wrestlers!�

Her mum frowned, and glanced meaningfully at her dad. Maddy knew what that look meant. They thought she was fussing about Biscuit because of school. Because she was feeling nervous and worried too. Mum and Dad reckoned Maddy needed to toughen up a bit, and make some new friends.

�I�ll go and look on the net for some ideas,� she said quickly, wanting to get away before they started asking about school again, and if there was anyone she wanted to invite to tea.But maybe I could ask Becky over? she thought for a second, and then crushed the idea firmly. Becky was far too popular to want to hang around with her.

[��������: img_5]

�You want to do what?� Josh made a snorting noise.

�A timeshare�� Maddy repeated, wriggling to keep her elbows on top of the fence. She was standing on a bucket to see over the fence and it was a bit wobbly. �You keep Tiger and Tom in some of the time, so Biscuit can go out without them scaring her.�

After tea, she�d turned on the computer to search her favourite pet advice websites, and found an email waiting for her from Kate. Maddy had sent her a message a couple of days ago, asking if she had any advice. The timeshare idea was something Kate had read about once, and it sounded perfect.

Maddy took a deep breath. She didn�t like talking to Josh; he always made her feel stupid. But she had to. �Please can you think about it? Biscuit�s getting really twitchy and nervous. It wouldn�t have to be long. Maybe only for an hour a day? Just until she�s bigger and she can stand up for herself.�

Josh shrugged.�How am I supposed to keep them in? Tiger and Tom have a cat flap. They go in and out whenever they want to.�

�But couldn�t you�� Maddy began.

[��������: img_24]

�I�ve got football, I need to go,� Josh interrupted. And he disappeared through his back door, leaving Maddy peering over the fence after him.

Maddy sighed. The timeshare had seemed like such a good idea. Except that stupid Josh couldn�t be bothered!

She trailed back into the kitchen, and found Biscuit sitting on one of the chairs, staring anxiously at the cat flap� Maddy had moved the chair blocking it so she could get out.

�We�ll have to think of something else,� she told Biscuit, tickling her under the chin.

Biscuit rubbed her head against Maddy�s hand and purred.

She really trusts me,Maddy thought. I have to sort this out somehow�

Chapter Six

[��������: img_2]

Biscuit didn�t go out on her own at all for the rest of the week. Maddy took her out into the garden a few times, as she was pretty sure Tiger and Tom wouldn�t come into the garden if she was there. But as soon as she put Biscuit down, the little tortoiseshell would race for her cat flap. And even when shewas inside, she spent most of her time hiding under Maddy�s bed. She even weed on the floor a couple of times, which made Mum cross.

�I know it isn�t her fault, Maddy,� Mum told her on Friday morning, as she scrubbed at the landing carpet. �But the smell is horrible!�

�You don�t want us to give her back to Donna, do you?� Maddy asked anxiously.

Mum shook her head.�No� But we need to sort this out. Anyway, we�d better get off to school now.�

Biscuit watched them from under the bathroom towel rail. She liked it there. It was warm and dark, and the bathroom didn�t have any windows she could see other cats from. She hadn�t gone downstairs to eat yet. She wasn�t sure she was brave enough. What if Tiger and Tom came back into the kitchen again?

As the front door banged behind Maddy, Biscuit crept out to the top of the stairs. She was so hungry, she would have to risk the kitchen. She hurried down the stairs and peered round the kitchen door. No sign of any strange cats. Gratefully, she hurried in, and started to gulp down her food, stopping every few seconds to glance around worriedly.

About halfway through her bowl, she began to relax a little, and slowed down enough to enjoy the food.

Then the front door banged and she leaped away from the bowl in fright. Was it Tiger and Tom again? Panicking, Biscuit shot into the corner of the kitchen, trying to hide. She was so frightened that she weed all over the floor.

�Oh, no! Biscuit!� Maddy�s mum said crossly, as she got back and saw the mess. �What on earth did you do that for? It�s only me.� She went to the cupboard under the sink to get some spray and a cloth. �Go on, shoo. I�ve got to wipe it up now.� She flapped the cloth at Biscuit grumpily.

Biscuit was so jittery that the flash of the white cloth scared her, and she shot out of the cat flap to get away from it. Maddy�s mum had gone to fetch the mop, and she didn�t notice that the kitten had gone.

Biscuit sat on the back step, staring around the garden. She hadn�t been outside for a week, and there were so many tempting smells. And there were bees, buzzing about by the lavender bushes. And butterflies� Cautiously, she padded out on to the lawn, shivering deliciously as the sun hit her fur.

She didn�t even see Tiger before he leaped out from under the fence, and spat at her. She turned to race for the cat flap, but he chased her, knocking her sideways and clawing her ear. Biscuit looked around for Tom, wondering if he was about to jump out at her too, but Tiger seemed to be on his own for once. Not that it mattered � he was still more than twice as big as she was and horribly fierce. Biscuit mewed with fright as Tiger pounced at her again. She was never going to be able to get away. Unless� She tried to scratch him, shooting out a sharp-clawed paw, and he retreated a little, hissing. It gave her time to think.

If she couldn�t beat him running, perhaps she could go up over the fence? Anything was worth a try. She jumped at Tiger suddenly, clawing him again, and then raced past him, heading for the fence. She scrambled up it, scrabbling and fighting for the top.

[��������: img_25]

Then she perched there, wobbling, and looked down at Tiger, who stared back up at her.

Biscuit gave a frightened little squeak, and jumped off the other side of the fence�

[��������: img_5]

�Mum, where�s Biscuit? I thought she�d be under my bed, but I can�t find her anywhere. I�ve looked in all the places she usually goes.�

Mum frowned.�I haven�t actually seen her much today. She weed on the kitchen floor this morning� But I�m not sure when I saw her after that. I had to go and do some shopping, and then I came straight back from town to pick you up.�

Maddy looked at Biscuit�s bed, as though she might suddenly appear from underneath it. Then she noticed the cat flap. �Oh! You moved the chair!�

�I had to,� Mum said grimly. �I was wiping up cat wee round it. I see what you mean though, she might have gone out. But that�s good, Maddy! We want her to start going outside again.�

�Not if those two thugs from next door are around,� Maddy muttered. �I�m going to check outside for her.�

But there was no sign of Biscuit in the garden either, even after Maddy called and called.

[��������: img_26]

�Can�t you see her?� her mum asked, leaning out of the kitchen door. She was looking slightly worried now too.

�No, and we normally feed her about now.�

�I�ll look upstairs again, perhaps she got shut in somewhere,� Mum said.

Maddy knew she�d already checked everywhere, but she nodded anyway. �Biscuit! Biscuit!� she called again.

�Have you lost your kitten?�

Maddy jumped. She hadn�t realized Josh was out in his garden. �Yes, you haven�t seen her, have you?�

�Nope.�

Maddy sighed.�Could you look out for her? Please?�

�Yeah, all right.� But he didn�t sound very bothered, Maddy thought.

She ran back inside.�Mum, do you think we should go and look for her? Oh, but we can�t!�

�Why not?� Her mum looked confused.

�If your cat gets lost, it�s best to leave someone they know in the house � otherwise they might not think it�s their home if they come back. My book said so.�

�Really? OK, well, if she�s not back when Dad gets home, you and I can go and look for her then.�

The hour before Maddy�s dad got home seemed to crawl past. Maddy kept searching the same places over and over again, just in case she�d somehow missed Biscuit the first five or six times she�d checked.

As soon as she saw her dad at the gate, Maddy was out of the front door and running down the path.

�Biscuit�s lost! We�re going to look for her, you have to stay here!� she gasped.

Her dad stared at her, and then at Mum, dashing down the path after her.

Maddy�s mum looked at him worriedly. �I said we�d go and look round the streets. I don�t think she could have gone far.�

Maddy was already hurrying down the road, peering under the parked cars.�Come on, Mum!� she called.

[��������: img_5]

Biscuit peered miserably out at the strange garden. As she�d jumped off the fence, she�d been trying to look behind her at the same time, and she�d landed badly, jarring one of her front paws. It hurt, and so did the scratches. But she�d kept going, desperate to get as far away from Tiger as she could. She�d crawled under fence after fence, hurrying on and on, until at last she felt as if she might be safe. She�d smelled several other cats and even seen a couple, but none of them had chased her yet.

[��������: img_27]

Eventually she�d stopped to rest behind a garden shed. She didn�t feel like she could go any further, her paw hurt so much. She�d huddled there for the rest of the day, unsure what to do. She couldn�t go home, could she? Tiger would chase her again. She�d have to wait until she was sure Maddy was back,then it would be safe.

[��������: img_5]

They searched for ages. Maddy kept looking at the road and hoping that Biscuit hadn�t been so scared she�d run out in front of a car.I should have taken more care of her. I ought to have made Josh do something about Tiger and Tom, she kept thinking.When I find Biscuit, I�m going to tell him!

They were halfway down the next road and Maddy was hanging over a garden wall staring into some tall flowers, when a surprised voice said,�What are you doing?�

Maddy jumped. She hadn�t even noticed anyone approach. Becky from school was standing behind her, while her mum locked up the car. She was wearing a cardigan over ballet clothes, and peering over the wall to see what Maddy was looking at.

�Oh! Hi, Becky. I�m looking for my kitten.� Maddy gulped and swallowed. �She�s lost�� It was so horrible to say it.

�Oh no! The cute little tortoiseshell one? You�ve got her photo in your locker, haven�t you?�

Maddy nodded. She was surprised Becky had noticed.

�Want me to help look? Can I, Mum? We were just coming back from ballet,� Becky explained. �This is our house. I didn�t know you lived so close to us.�

[��������: img_28]

Maddy went red.�Sorry about looking in your garden,� she said to Becky�s mum.

�Don�t worry,� she replied with a smile. �You can help Maddy look up and down our road, Becky. But only until it�s dark � you�ve probably got another half an hour, that�s all.�

Maddy looked around anxiously. Biscuit had never even been out at night! She hated the thought of her being all alone and scared in the dark.

The two girls went on up the road, calling for Biscuit, and Becky�s mum joined in too, asking their neighbours if they�d seen a kitten. But no one had.

�We have to stop, it�s too dark,� Maddy�s mum said eventually.

�We can�t!� Maddy said pleadingly.

�I�ll come and help you look first thing tomorrow,� Becky told her, giving her a hug. �Don�t worry. We�ll find her.�

[��������: img_5]

At last, as it was starting to get dark, Biscuit decided she could leave her hiding place. Maddy must be home by now. As long as she could get back in through her cat flap before Tiger spotted her, she would be safe.

She crawled out of the dark space behind the shed, wincing as she tried to put her weight on the hurt paw. It seemed to be getting worse. She limped across the garden, and squeezed under the fence, only to see a pair of glinting amber eyes, glaring at her from under a bush. She backed away nervously. Her first thought was that it was Tiger, but it didn�t smell like him. It was a strange smell � strong and fierce. And the creature it belonged to was big�

The fox darted forward, and snapped at her, his teeth huge and yellow.

Biscuit ran blindly. She didn�t know where she was going � just away. She darted down the side passage, under a gate and out on to the pavement, where she stopped and glanced quickly behind her. The fox wasn�t following. But now she had even less idea where she was, and her paw was throbbing after her panicked dash. She limped on, hobbling down the kerb. She needed to rest, and there was a garden on the other side of the road that looked like a good hiding place, overgrown, with bushes spilling over a low fence. Biscuit set off across the road, not understanding the low growl of the car turning the corner.

She was halfway across when she noticed it� the huge machine that seemed to be towering over her, its lights dazzling her. The car braked sharply, its tyres squealing on the tarmac. Biscuit wailed as she dived forward out of the way, her injured paw collapsing underneath her, so that she half-dragged herself across the road. She struggled through the gate of the overgrown garden and flung herself down under the dark bushes, her breath coming in terrified gasps. She was so tired, and everything seemed to hurt.

[��������: img_29]

Biscuit lay there, gazing into the dark night. She had no idea where she was, or how to get back to Maddy. What was she going to do?

Chapter Seven

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Becky�s mum dropped her round first thing on Saturday morning. �It�s not too early, is it?� Becky asked. �Mum said it might be, but I told her you�d want to get looking straight away.�

Maddy half-smiled.�I�ve been up for ages. I�m just waiting for Dad. It�s really nice of you to come.�

Becky shook her head.�I said I would! I want to help you find her.�

Maddy�s dad appeared behind her. �Ready, girls?�

As they came out of the gate, Tiger and Tom prowled down Josh�s front path and leaped on to the wall, staring at them with round green eyes.

Maddy clenched her fists.�Look at them! They�re so mean!�

�Are they the ones who scared Biscuit?� Becky asked. Maddy had told her how frightened Biscuit had been.

Maddy nodded.�They�re horrible.�

Becky pushed open Josh�s gate, glaring at the ginger cats. �Come on! Don�t you think we should make Josh help us look?�

�I suppose so,� Maddy faltered. She shook herself. �Yes, he should.�

�Come on then,� said Maddy�s dad.

Maddy stomped up the path and rang the doorbell hard. She was a bit shocked when Josh�s dad answered the front door. She�d been expecting Josh.

�Um� We wondered��

�Your cats chased her kitten away,� Becky put in, over Maddy�s shoulder.

Maddy�s dad nodded. �She�s lost, I�m afraid. We haven�t seen her since yesterday morning.�

Josh�s dad looked worried. �Josh did say something about Tiger and Tom having a fight with a new cat��

Maddy nodded.�We think they had another fight, and she ran off.�

�Oh dear. Look, Josh has got to get to his football match, but can we come and help you look afterwards?�

�Thanks,� Maddy told him, and the girls set off to search again.

[��������: img_5]

Biscuit twitched and wriggled in her sleep, then woke up with a jolt, her fur all on end. She stared around the thick bushes, searching for the strange creature that had been chasing her. It had been even bigger than Tiger and Tom. But the gloomy space under the branches was empty� just her and a few beetles. She�d only been dreaming.

[��������: img_30]

She peered out from under the bushes into the overgrown garden, her whiskers twitching.

The house had been abandoned, and the garden was covered in brambles and weeds. Biscuit shivered in the early morning chill. She was stiff all over. She wasn�t used to sleeping outside. She hadn�t meant to, either, she�d been planning to hurry home to Maddy. But the car had frightened her so much, she�d crawled into this safe little hole and fallen into an exhausted sleep.

Now she had to get home to Maddy. And Maddy would feed her too. She was so hungry, it seemed ages since she�d last had anything to eat.

Biscuit stood up, ready to creep out of her hiding place, but then she collapsed, mewing with pain as her paw seemed to double up underneath her. She�d forgotten. She tried again, putting her weight on her other front paw, but she could hardly move. She was so stiff, and her injured paw was dragging painfully as she limped through the damp grass. She had to stop and rest every few steps, and her paw was hurting more and more now. Finally, Biscuit sank down at the edge of the weedy gravel path. She couldn�t go any further for a while. She was frozen, her fur was soaked through from the dew, and she was aching all over and so very tired.

[��������: img_31]

How was she ever going to get home?

[��������: img_5]

�If we don�t find her soon, maybe we ought to make a poster?� Becky said. They�d searched all down Maddy�s road again, and gone round the park, and the maze of little streets between the park and school. Now they were going back down Becky�s road.

Maddy swallowed.�Yes,� she whispered. It made sense. They�d been searching all morning. But it seemed like admitting that Biscuit was properly lost.

[��������: img_32]

Lost Cat posters always made her so sad. She couldn�t imagine seeing Biscuit�s photo stuck up on all the lamp posts.

�Let�s keep calling her for a bit longer,� she whispered. She rubbed her eyes to wipe away the tears, then shouted, �Biscuit! Biscuit!�

Curled up by the garden path, Biscuit was startled out of her cold half-sleep. That was Maddy, she was sure! She struggled to get up, but she couldn�t stand on her hurt leg at all now. What if Maddy didn�t see her? The garden was so overgrown, Maddy might easily miss her. Biscuit wailed desperately, a long heartbroken meow.

On the other side of the road, Maddy stopped suddenly, almost bumping into Becky.�Did you hear that?�

�Yes! Do you think it was Biscuit?�

Maddy�s dad came running up the road. �Maddy, I think I heard��

�I know! We did too! Come on!� Grabbing Becky by the hand, she hurried across the road. �It sounds like Biscuit�s in that tangly old garden!�

Becky nodded.�I think you�re right. No one lives in that house any more, it�s really quiet. And spooky. I don�t like walking past it. But it would be a good place to hide if she was scared.�

Biscuit could hear Maddy getting closer. She called again, mewing desperately, and scrabbled her way down the path, dragging her useless leg.

�She�s here!� Maddy flung the gate open. �Oh, Biscuit, you�re hurt! She can�t walk, Dad.�

�Has she been hit by a car?� Becky asked anxiously.

Maddy picked up Biscuit, as gently as she could.�I�m not sure. Her paw�s hanging a bit funny, but it�s not bleeding. She�s scratched, though, all round her ears and nose. I knew Tiger and Tom had been after her again!�

�We�d better get her looked over by the vet,� said Dad, taking out his phone.

[��������: img_33]

Biscuit lay in Maddy�s arms, purring faintly. Maddy had found her. She should have known. She rubbed her chin lovingly against Maddy�s jumper. She wasn�t leaving her, ever again.

Chapter Eight

[��������: img_2]

�Is she going to be all right?� Maddy asked, exchanging an anxious look with Becky. Becky had begged to be allowed to come to the vet; she was desperate to know if Biscuit was going to be OK.

The vet nodded slowly.�I think she�s just torn a muscle in her leg. She probably jumped and landed badly. She just needs to rest it. And I�ll clean up these scratches and give her an injection of antibiotics, just in case. You said she�s had trouble with the neighbour�s cats? Looks like she�s had a hard time.�

Maddy nodded.�She won�t go outside, she�s so scared. They even came in through her cat flap. I think that was the worst thing. I�m not sure she feels safe even inside the house now.�

The vet glanced at his computer screen.�She is microchipped, isn�t she?�

�Yes, we had it done with her vaccinations,� Dad said. �Why?�

�There�s a new kind of cat flap you can get � it�s a bit expensive, but it works off the microchip. So only your cat will be able to use it, you see.�

Maddy looked up at Dad hopefully.�Can I have one of those for my birthday, just a bit early? Please?�

Dad was grinning.�Two months early? We might be able to stretch to it.�

�You can program it, as well, so you can keep Biscuit in at night, if you like,� the vet added.

Maddy nodded.�Then if Josh and his dad agree to keep Tiger and Tom in some of the time, we could tell the cat flap only to let Biscuit out when we know they�re inside!�

�Was it two tomcats who were fighting her?� the vet asked. �Are they neutered? Boy cats can be rough, if they haven�t been. It might be worth suggesting to their owner that he gets them done. I�ll give you a leaflet.�

�We�ll talk to Josh�s dad, Maddy,� Dad promised.

As Dad drove back home, Maddy cradled Biscuit in her lap. They�d gone off to the vet�s in such a rush, they hadn�t had time to put her in her travel crate.

�I�ll drop you two off, and then I�ll go and see if that big pet shop by the supermarket has those special cat flaps,� Dad said, as he pulled in.

�Look, there�s Josh and his dad!� Maddy got out, carrying Biscuit.

�You found her!� Josh�s dad hurried forward. �Is she OK?�

�She�s hurt her paw and we had to take her to the vet,� Maddy explained.

�She�s really scratched, too�� Josh�s dad peered at Biscuit�s nose. �Was that our two?�

Maddy nodded.�I think so. Um, are Tiger and Tom neutered? The vet said maybe that would help. He gave us a leaflet.�

[��������: img_34]

Becky pushed the leaflet into Josh�s dad�s hand. �Probably not,� he said. �We didn�t have them done � they were strays, you see. They turned up at work, about three years ago now, and I brought them home. They were only tiny � about the size of your little one.� �Ohh�� Somehow, knowing that Tiger and Tom hadbeen stray kittens made Maddy feel less cross with them. And Josh and his dad. It wasn�t as if they�d asked to be cat owners, and they�d never realized how important it was to have the cats neutered.

�We can try and keep them in sometimes as well, like you said,� Josh put in suddenly.

�That would be brilliant,� Maddy said gratefully. She brushed her cheek lightly over Biscuit�s soft furry head. It was all going to be OK�She should ring Kate to tell her what had happened, she thought suddenly, smiling. It was a nice thought. It didn�t make her feel teary, like it would have done a couple of days ago. She missed Kate loads, still. But it wasn�t as bad any more, somehow�

�I suppose I�d better get home,� Becky said, as they reached Maddy�s.

�Would your mum let you stay for a bit?� Maddy asked hopefully. �That�s OK, isn�t it?� she added to her mum, who had come to the garden gate and was looking anxiously at Biscuit. �It�s good news, Mum, the vet says she�s probably just torn a muscle.�

�Of course you can stay, after all your help. Ring your mum, Becky. Is she really all right?� Maddy�s mum stroked Biscuit gently. �Oh, she�s purring.�

Maddy beamed.�She is! She must be feeling better, now she�s home.�

[��������: img_5]

�Maddy!�

Maddy looked round, and saw Becky come racing across the playground.�How�s Biscuit?�

�Loads better,� Maddy said happily. �She walking again now. She�s got a bit of a limp, but it�s not too bad.�

�I bet you�re fussing over her like anything.� Becky laughed.

�I love spoiling her,� Maddy admitted. She looked at Becky shyly. �Mum said I could ask you over, so you can see how she is.�

Becky beamed.�Really? Yes, please! Can I come today? Just to pop in and see her on the way home?�

[��������: img_35]

�Yes, of course.� Maddy could feel her face going pink. She hadn�t been sure if Becky would be as friendly at school as she had been over the weekend.

�Do you think Mrs Melling would let you move tables, now that Kate isn�t here any more?� Becky asked thoughtfully. �There�s space for you to sit with me and Lara and Keri.�

�I suppose we could ask,� Maddy said, going even pinker.

�Cool.� Becky pulled her over to the little group of girls she�d been chatting to. �Have you got a photo of Biscuit in your bag to show everyone?�

[��������: img_5]

�She looks different,� Becky said thoughtfully, later on that afternoon as the girls sat in Maddy�s kitchen, watching Biscuit sleeping in her basket.

�The scratches don�t look as bad,� Maddy suggested.

�No, it isn�t that. I think she just looks happier. I suppose she must have been feeling really miserable on Saturday.� She glanced at the door. �Did your dad get that special cat flap?�

�Yes. And then he went round and worked out the times Biscuit gets to go outside with Josh�s dad. He told Dad he�d already rung the vet. Tiger and Tom are booked in for Wednesday. Once they�re neutered, the vet said he was sure they�d be less fierce.�

�That�s amazing.� Becky grinned. �Aren�t you glad I made you go and ring their bell? Oh look, Biscuit�s awake!�

Biscuit opened her eyes and yawned, showing her raspberry-pink tongue.Then she looked lovingly at Maddy, and stepped out of her basket and on to Maddy�s lap. She gave Becky a curious stare.

�Can I stroke her?�

Maddy nodded.�She doesn�t seem as jumpy as she did before. It can�t really be the new cat flap, because she hasn�t even been out yet.�

�Maybe she�s just glad to be home,� Becky suggested.

Maddy smiled down at Biscuit. She seemed to be going back to sleep again, just on a warmer, cosier sort of bed.

Biscuit burrowed deeper into Maddy�s school cardigan, and purred softly with each breath. She was safe now. And she wasn�t frightened any more.

24. THE MISSING KITTEN

Scarlett looked around her new bedroom with delight. It was huge! And as it was up in the roof of the cottage, it was a really interesting shape, all ups and downs. There was a gorgeous window as well, with a curly handle to open it, and a big, wide windowsill she could sit on. Her old bedroom had been tiny, and a very boring squarish sort of shape.

�Good, isn�t it?� Jackson, her big brother, put his head round the door. He had the bedroom next to hers, which was basically the other half of the roof space. Mum and Dad had said that their bedrooms used to be the attic.

�I love it,� Scarlett said happily. �The window�s the best thing! I love seeing all the fields and trees, and look! Cows! Out of my bedroom window!�

Jackson chuckled.�Cows not cars. Nowthat makes a change! Yeah, it�s really good. Except everything�s a bit far away.�

Scarlett nodded slowly.�Thereis a shop in the village,� she reminded him.

Jackson made a face.�Yeah, one shop! And a blacksmith. How weird is that?�

�And the school�s in the village too,� Scarlett added, very quietly. �I wish we didn�t have to change schools.� That was the thing she was least happy about with their move to the countryside. She was really going to miss her old school, and her friends. Lucy and Ella had said they�d come and stay in the next holidays, but that was a long time away. And meanwhile, she was going to start at a school where she didn�t know anyone, and she certainly didn�t have any friends.

�It�ll be all right,� Jackson told her cheerfully, and Scarlett sighed. He wasn�t worried. He never was. Jackson was really sporty, and he found it very easy to make friends. And yet he didn�t show off, so people just wanted to hang out with him. Scarlett wished she knew how he did it.

�Did you hear that rustling noise?� Jackson pointed up at the ceiling. �I bet there are mice in all that thatch. Remember to tell Mum and Dad about that, Scarlett. You need to start working on them again about a kitten, now that we�re here. They said maybe after we�d moved, didn�t they?�

Scarlett grinned at him.�I know! I thought I�d maybe give them a day though, before I started asking. Let them get some boxes unpacked first�� She looked up too. �Do you really think there are mice?�

Jackson gazed thoughtfully at the ceiling.�Probably. It sounds like it to me. Unless it�s a rat, of course.�

�Uuurgh! OK, I�ll ask Mum now. No way am I living in a house with a rat!� Scarlett shuddered.

�I�m with you on that,� Jackson grinned. �Rats can be pretty big, you know. Bigger than a kitten, anyway.� He made a ratty face, pulling his lips back to show big ratty teeth.

�Stop it!� Scarlett cried. �Maybe we can get a grown-up cat then. I don�t mind if it isn�t a little kitten. I�d just love to have any sort of cat, and they did say maybe we could. You�ll help, won�t you? You�ll ask too?�

Jackson nodded.�Yeah. Although I don�t fancy coming down in the morning to find a row of dead mice on the doormat. That�s what Sam says his cat does.�

Scarlett looked worried.�I think I�d rather have a cat that just scares the mice away��

[��������: img_3]

Scarlett started her kitten campaign while everyone was sitting down eating lunch. It felt really odd seeing their old kitchen table in a completely different kitchen.

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�It�s so quiet,� Mum said happily, looking out of the open window. �I don�t think I�ve heard a single car since we got here. I love it that we�re down at the end of the lane.�

�I keep thinking there�s something missing,� Dad admitted. �But it�ll be great once we�re used to it. And the air smells amazing.�

Jackson sniffed loudly.�That�s cowpat, Dad.�

Scarlett made a face at him. She didn�t want him distracting Mum and Dad � this was a great opportunity to mention a kitten. She took a deep breath. �It�s not a bit like Laurence Road, is it?� she said, thinking about their old home. �With all the busy traffic�� She swallowed, and glanced hopefully from Mum to Dad and back again. �You wouldn�t worry about a cat getting run over here, would you?�

Dad snorted with laughter and turned to Mum.�You win, Laura. She lasted more than an hour.�

Scarlett blinked.�What do you mean?�

Mum reached out an arm and hugged her round the shoulder.�Dad and I were talking about it last night, Scarlett. We wondered how long you�d be able to wait before you asked about a cat. I said that I thought it would be once we�d settled in a bit, and Dad said you�d ask the moment we got here. So I won, and now he has to cook dinner tonight!�

�Simple. Fish and chips,� Dad said, taking a huge bite of sandwich.

Mum smiled at him.�You do realize it�s a twenty-minute drive to the nearest fish and chip shop now, don�t you?�

�You mean you were just waiting for me to ask? So can we have one?� Scarlett said hopefully, eager to get back to talking about kittens.

Mum nodded slowly.�Yes. But we can�t go off to an animal shelter tomorrow � we need to do some unpacking, and besides, I haven�t a clue where the nearest one is.�

�I could find out!� Scarlett said eagerly. �It�s just � it would be really nice to have time to get to know the kitten before school starts. We�ve only got two weeks, and then me and Jackson won�t be at home for most of the day.�

Dad nodded.�I know, Scarlett, but I don�t think we�ll be able to find you a kitten right now. I know it would be lovely to have one while you�re still at home. But it won�t be a huge problem if you�re at school. Mum�ll be at work, but I�ll be at home working, so the kitten won�t be lonely. And your new school�s really close. You�ll be home in ten minutes.�

Scarlett nodded. That was another thing that was different, being able to walk to school. Mum and Dad had even said she and Jackson could walk on their own, if they wanted, as it was all along footpaths.

�I suppose.� Scarlett nodded. �So we can really have a cat? You actually mean it? We can look for one?�

�Promise,� Dad told her solemnly.

Scarlett beamed at him. She could come home from school and play with her cat. Her own cat! She�d wanted to have one for so long, and now it was going to happen.

[��������: img_3]

�Scarlett! I�m off to the village,� Dad yelled up the stairs.

Scarlett shoved an armful of T-shirts into the drawer, and dashed out of her room.�I�m coming!�

She really wanted to walk there. They�d seen the village a couple of times before. The first time was when they came to look at the house. Mum had got her new job at the hospital, and Mum and Dad explained that they would need to move, as it was too far for her to drive every day. Scarlett had really missed her for those few weeks when she�d been leaving early, and not getting back until it was almost time for Scarlett to go to bed. Now they�d moved, the hospital was only half an hour away, in Leaming, the nearest big town to their tiny little village, which was called Leaming Ford. Once they�d made the decision that Mumwould take the job, and agreed to buy the cottage, Scarlett and Jackson had gone for a day�s visit at their new school, and seen the village again. But Scarlett had been so nervous about the school, she couldn�t remember what it was like.

�It�s so pretty,� she murmured, as they walked along the footpath. �Look at all the flowers. I saw a rabbit last night, Dad, did I tell you?�

�Only about six times! I nearly had a heart attack when you screamed like that. I thought you�d fallen out of the window.�

�Sorry! I was excited! I�ve never seen a rabbit in my garden before!� Scarlett giggled. �Can we go down here? Is it the right way?�

Dad nodded.�Yup, this is the quickest path down to the village, the way you and Jackson will go to school, probably.�

[��������: img_5]

Scarlett swallowed nervously. She was still worrying about the school. It was tiny, which was nice, she supposed. There wouldn�t be that many people to get to know. But they�d probably all been together since playgroup. They might not want a stranger joining their class at all.

Dad nudged her gently with his elbow.�You had a good time on your visit, didn�t you?�

Scarlett looked up at him, surprised.

�It was pretty obvious what you were thinking, sweetheart.�

�I suppose. Yes. Everyone was nice. But that was just one morning. I�ve got to go there every day��

�It�ll be great. You�ll be fine, I�m sure you will.�

Scarlett nodded. She didn�t really want to think about it. �Look � is that the village? I can see houses.� She ran on ahead. �And there�s the shop, Dad, look.�

�I�d better find the list,� Dad muttered, searching his pockets. �We definitely need bread. Can you be in charge of finding that for me? Now where on earth did I put it?�

But Scarlett wasn�t listening. She had seen something � a noticeboard in the shop window. It was full of advertisements � exercise classes in the church hall, someone offering to make celebration cakes, a nearly new lawnmower for sale�

And a litter of kittens, three black-and-white, one ginger, ready to leave their mother now, free to good homes.

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�Dad! Look!� Scarlett was so excited, she couldn�t keep still � she was dancing from foot to foot, pointing madly at the notice.

�What?� Her dad hurried up, peering into the window. �Oh! I can see why you�re so excited. �Ready now�, hmmm?� He read the advert through thoughtfully, and then got his phone out.

�Are you going to call them?� Scarlett squeaked excitedly.

�No. I�m going to put the number into my phone, get some bread and milk, and go home and talk it over with your mother. Can you imagine what she�d say if we went out for shopping and came home with a kitten?�

Scarlett sighed.�I suppose you�re right. It would be funny though.� She giggled. ��Hi, Mum, here�s the milk�� And we take a kitten out of the bag!�

�It might have been here a while, this notice,� Dad pointed out. �The kittens might all have gone. Don�t get your hopes up, OK?�

Scarlett nodded. But as they paid for the shopping, she took a deep breath and smiled at the lady behind the counter. She hated talking to people she didn�t know, but this was important. �Excuse me, but you see the notice in the window about the kittens? Has it been up for long � I mean, do you know if they still have any left?�

The lady beamed at her.�After a kitten, are you? Julie Mallins will be pleased. She only put the notice up earlier this week, and I know she�s still looking for homes for them all.�

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�Really?� Scarlett was dancing around again, she just couldn�t help it. �Oh Dad, can we go home and talk to Mum about it now, please?�

�All right, all right!� Dad grinned, raising his eyebrows at the lady.

Scarlett ran all the way home� in fact, she went twice as far as Dad did, because he wouldn�t run too, so she kept having to turn round and run all the way back to him to tell him to hurry up. When she raced in through the front of the cottage, she was completely out of breath.

�Mum! Mum!� she gasped, running from the living room to the kitchen and back to the bottom of the stairs.

�What�s the matter, sweetheart?� Her mum backed out of the understairs cupboard, where she�d been putting coats and wellies away. �Scarlett, you�re scarlet!� It was an old family joke.

�Ha ha. Mum, there�s someone in the village who�s got a litter of kittens they want to give away!�

�Really?�

�There was a notice up in the village shop.� Dad came in, holding out his phone. �I�ve got the number, what do you think?�

Scarlett bit her lip to stop herself shrieking�please, please, please�. Her mum was very firm about not whining, and she really didn�t want to get on the wrong side of her right now.

�Well, I suppose we could ask to go and look at them�� her mum said, rather doubtfully. �I�m just a bit worried that the house is all upside down right now while we�re still unpacking. Wouldn�t that be stressful for a kitten?�

Scarlett�s face fell. Mum was right. �Maybe we could wait?� she whispered. �Maybe we could just choose a kitten and ask them to keep it for us a bit longer?� She really wanted to have a kitten now, but she didn�t want their new pet to start out scared by all the boxes everywhere.

Dad hugged her.�Well, let�s see what Julie says � that�s the owner,� he explained to Mum. �She might not think it�s a problem. To be honest, we�ve done most of the unpacking in the kitchen already. We could keep it in there for the time being � I think you have to keep new kittens in one room tostart off with anyway.�

Mum nodded.�I�d forgotten that. We used to have a cat when I was little,� she told Scarlett, �but it�s ever such a long time ago. We�ll all have to learn how to look after a cat together.�

�What?� Jackson put his head round the kitchen door. �Are we getting one? What�s happening?�

�Scarlett found a notice about a litter of kittens needing homes,� Dad told him. �We should have known � if there were kittens around, Scarlett was bound to find them! Shall I call this lady then?�

Mum nodded, and Scarlett flung her arms around her. She held her breath and listened as Dad made the phone call.

[��������: img_8]

�Hi, is that Julie? We saw your advert about the kittens� Mmm� We wondered if we�d be able to come and see them? Uh-huh. Well, now�s great, if that�s really OK with you. Fantastic. Kendall�s Lane. Oh, off the main road? See you in about ten minutes then.�

Scarlett gasped. Ten minutes! Ten minutes till they saw their kitten!

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�Here they are.�

Julie turned out to be a really sweet lady, who�d adopted Goldie, the kittens� mum, after finding her eating scraps of bread under her bird table, because she was a stray, and so terribly hungry.

�It took weeks to even get her to come inside,� Julie told Scarlett, as she led them through to the kitchen. �But she�s settling down now. I think she knew she needed to let someone look after her, so she could have her kittens somewhere nice and warm.�

�How old are the kittens?� Scarlett�s mum asked as Julie opened the kitchen door.

�Ten weeks � the vet said they should be fine to go to new homes,� Scarlett heard Julie say. But she wasn�t really concentrating. Instead, she was staring at the basket in the corner, where a beautiful brownish tabby cat was curled up, with four kittens mounded around and on top of her.

[��������: img_9]

�Goodness, she looks tired,� Mum murmured.

�Yes, I think she is, poor thing. She�s been a really good mum, but she was so thin to start with, apart from her huge tummy full of kittens. I was worried that she wouldn�t be able to feed them, but she�s done very well. They�re all practically weaned now � they love their food!�

Woken by the voices, one of the kittens popped his head up, his big gingery ears twitching with interest.

�Oh, look at him!� Scarlett whispered. �His ears are too big for him!�

Julie nodded.�I know, he�s cute, isn�t he? He�s got massive paws too; I think he�s going to be a really big cat.�

The kitten gently biffed the brother or sister next to him with the side of his chin, and the rest of the kittens popped up in a line, staring at Scarlett and Jackson.

The other three were black and white, very pretty, without the massive ears. They had enormous whiskers instead� great big white moustaches of them.

�I like the ginger one,� Jackson said. �That one�s a boy, right?�

Julie nodded.�Yes, and the three black and white ones are all girls.�

�I like him too,� Scarlett agreed. �Will they let us stroke them? Is that OK?�

�They�re usually very friendly. Especially Ginger.�

�Oh, is that what he�s called?� Scarlett tried not to sound disappointed. She would have liked to choose a name together for their kitten � Ginger was what all ginger cats were called!

�Oh no. I�ve tried not to give them names � I�m hoping to find homes for them all, and if I name them I�ll just want to keep them. But it�s hard not to think of him as Ginger.�

The ginger kitten was standing up now, arching his back and stretching as he climbed out of the basket. He looked sideways at Scarlett with his big blue eyes, to check that she was admiring how handsome he was as he stretched. She was watching him eagerly, and she gave a little sigh of delight as he stepped towards her, gently rubbing himself against her arm.

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�Oh, he�s got boots!� Scarlett looked over at Jackson and her mum and dad. �Look, he�s got furry white boots on!�

Mum laughed.�He does look like he has,� she agreed. �Those are very cute.�

�I know lots of cats have white paws, but I�ve never seen one where the white goes that far up before.� Scarlett stroked the ginger kitten lovingly, and his black and white sisters followed him out of the basket, looking for some attention too. Their mother stared watchfully after them, then seemed to decide that Scarlett and the others weren�t dangerous to her babies. She gave a massive yawn, and curled up for a sleep.

The girl kittens let Scarlett�s mum and dad pet them, then they set off chasing after a feathery cat toy, racing round the kitchen and patting it ahead of them with their paws. The ginger kitten watched them, but he didn�t join in. Instead he placed a hopeful paw on Scarlett�s knee, and she looked back at him, just as hopefully. Did he want to be picked up?

�He�s very cuddly,� Julie said quietly. �He�s a real people cat. Try and put him on your lap.�

Scarlett gently wrapped her hands around his gingery middle. Even though he was the biggest of the kittens, he still felt tiny� so light, as though there was nothing to him.

The kitten gave a pleased little squeak, and padded his fat white paws up and down her jeans as though he was testing how comfy she was. Scarlett found herself smoothing her jeans, wanting him to think she was nice to sit on. He padded all the way round in a circle a couple of times, and then wobbled and flopped down, stretching his front paws out, and flexing his claws gently in and out of the denim fabric of her jeans.

�That tickles!� Scarlett giggled, stroking him under his little white chin.

The kitten purred delightedly. That was the best place, the spot he was always itchy. He pointed his chin to the ceiling and purred louder, telling her to keep going.

Jackson joined in, stroking one finger gently down the kitten�s back. �His fur�s really soft. And look at his paws! They�re bright pink underneath!� The kitten was enjoying the stroking so much that he�d collapsed into a happy heap on his side, purring like a steam train.

Scarlett looked down at his paws and laughed� they really were pink. A sort of pinkish-apricot colour, and so soft and smooth-looking.

�They�ll probably get a bit darker once he starts going outside,� Julie explained. �They�ve only been indoors so far. He�d need to stay in for a bit longer if you decide to take him.� She looked at Scarlett�s mum and dad.

[��������: img_11]

Scarlett and Jackson got up, then both turned to look at them too, and their mum laughed. She turned to Julie, and asked hopefully,�I don�t suppose you could lend us some cat litter, could you? The shop in the village would have cat food��

�You mean we can take him now?� Scarlett gasped.

Her mum shrugged.�Why not?�

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�Dad, we�re nearly out of Bootle�s food. There�s only the salmon flavour left, and I don�t think he liked that one very much.�

Bootle wrapped himself lovingly round Scarlett�s legs. He knew quite well what was in those tins, and he didn�t see any reason why he shouldn�t have a second breakfast.

Calling him Bootle had been Jackson�s idea. Scarlett had suggested Boots, but it was like Ginger � a little bit too everyday for such a special cat. Bootle was much better.

Jackson looked up from his huge pile of toast.�We could go to the shop,� he said. �I�ve nearly finished the bread, and there�s not a lot for lunch.�

�I�ve got a work call in a few minutes,� said Dad. He looked at them thoughtfully. �Though I suppose you guys could go if you like.�

�On our own?� Scarlett stared at him.

�Why not? You were going to try it when school started next week, weren�t you? If you�re careful, and you stick together.�

Scarlett shut her eyes for a second at the mention of school. She was trying not to think about it.�Will you look after Bootle while we�re out?� she said seriously.

�Scarlett! You�ll only be gone half an hour!� Dad grinned.

�But he�s not used to me not being here!� It was true. Scarlett had spent all of her time with Bootle since they�d brought him home, only leaving him at night-time, when he was safely tucked up in his cardboard box, padded out with an old towel, and a hot water bottle to feel like his mother and the other kittens. Just until he got used to them not being next to him.

�I think it would be good for him to see you go out,� her dad said gently. �I know you don�t want to think about school, Scarlett, but you do go on Monday. Bootle�s had a whole week of you around all the time. He needs to learn to be without you.�

�But he�ll be lonely,� Scarlett said worriedly.

�It�s only for half an hour,� Dad reminded her.

�When we�re back at school it won�t be!�

�Then he�ll have me for company while I�m working. And you know how he loves the computer.�

Scarlett smiled. It was true. Bootle was fascinated by Dad�s computer. He seemed to love the way the keys went up and down. He would sit watching Dad type for ages, just occasionally putting out a paw to try and join in. Then he would look miffed when Dad told him no. Secretly Scarlett was planning to let him try one day when she was using the laptop she shared with Jackson. She wanted to see what Bootle would write � she knew it would probably be a string of random letters, but she was hoping for a secret message!

�Come on then.� Jackson stuffed the last of the toast into his mouth. �Can we get some crisps as well while we�re at the shop, Dad?�

�Mmm-hmm. Here.� Dad gave Jackson some money. �But I do want change. Be back by half-ten, all right? I don�t want to be pacing up and down outside looking for you.�

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�Are you really worried about school?� Jackson asked Scarlett, as they wandered down the footpath in the direction of the village.

�A bit.� Scarlett sighed. �What if nobody talks to me?�

�Why wouldn�t they?� Jackson asked, shrugging.

Scarlett shook her head. He was trying to be nice, but he just didn�t get it.

�You had loads of friends at your old school,� said Jackson. �Why do you think you won�t make friends here?�

�It�s such a little school,� Scarlett tried to explain. �Only one class in each year, and not that many in each class, either. They�ll all know each other so well. Like I know Lucy and Ella.� She wished she was as confident as Jackson. He�d already managed to go out for a walk and found a couple of boys playing football. He�d joined in, and then he�d gone back to their house. Scarlett wasn�t sure how he did it.

Jackson rolled his eyes.�Come on. We�re nearly there.�

They went into the shop, and Jackson went to look at football magazines, while Scarlett found the cat food. Then she realized that there were a couple of other girls standing behind her.

�Who�s she?� one of them whispered.

�Don�t you remember? It�s that new girl. The one who came to school for a morning.�

�Ohhh! What�s she called?�

�Something weird. Amber or something.�

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Scarlett felt like her stomach was squeezing into a tiny little knot inside her. That was her they were talking about. The one with the weird name. She wanted to scream,�Scarlett!� But she didn�t. She grabbed a couple of tins of cat food, and scuttled over to where Jackson was.

School was going to be a disaster. It was so obvious.

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Scarlett lay in bed, watching her clock creep closer to seven. She�d been awake for ages, worrying about their first day at school, and now she just wished it would hurry up and be time.

A throaty purr distracted her, and a soft paw patted her chin. Bootle liked her to be paying attention to him, not the clock.

�I�m glad I went downstairs and fetched you before breakfast,� Scarlett said, tickling him behind the ears. �I know I look miserable, but you�re making me feel a lot better.�

Bootle closed his eyes happily, and purred even louder. Scarlett knew all the places he liked to be stroked, and how he particularly liked being on her bed. It was much cosier than his basket.

�I�m really going to miss you today,� Scarlett murmured. �I hope you�ll be OK. Dad�ll look after you.� She sighed, a huge sigh that lifted up the duvet round her middle, and Bootle�s ears twitched excitedly. He wriggled forward, and peered down under the duvet. It was like a dark little nest, and he wriggled into it, just his tail sticking out, and flicking from side to side.

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�What are you doing?� Scarlett giggled. �Silly cat! Oh, Bootle, you�re tickling my legs!�

Even the tail had disappeared now. Bootle was a plump little mound travelling around under the duvet. Then he popped out at the other end of the bed, his ginger fur looking all spiky and ruffled up. He shook himself, and ran a paw over his ears.

Scarlett twitched her toes under the duvet, and he stopped washing and pounced on them excitedly, jumping from side to side as she wriggled them about.

�You�re awake!� Mum put her head round the door. �Time to get up, Scarlett. Hello, Bootle.� She came in and patted him. �Are you worried he�ll miss you while you�re at school?�

Scarlett nodded, and Mum hugged her.�It�ll be fine, sweetheart. Now he�s allowed in the garden he�ll probably just go out and try and chase butterflies again.� She looked at Scarlett. �And you�ll be fine too. Honestly. Try not to worry about it.�

Scarlett nodded. But she wished she felt as sure as everybody else seemed to.

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Bootle sat on the back doorstep, next to his cat flap, staring around the garden. He was confused, and a bit bored. Scarlett had gone somewhere. He�d known that she was going � she had picked him up and made a huge fuss of him before she went, and her voice had been different to normal, as though something was wrong. But he hadn�t expected her to be gone this long.

He stalked crossly down the garden, sniffing at the grass, looking for something interesting to do. He sharpened his claws on the trunk of the apple tree, and tried to climb it, but he wasn�t all that good at climbing yet, and he only got halfway up before he got worried and jumped down again. Then he had to sit and wash for a while, pretending to himself that he�d never meant to climb it in the first place.

[��������: img_15]

Where was she? Jackson had gone too� he preferred to play with Scarlett, but Jackson was very good at inventing games with sticks, and bits of string to jump at.

Why had they gone away and left him? And when were they coming back?

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�Bootle! Did you miss me?� Scarlett picked him up, and hugged him lovingly, and Bootle rubbed his head against her cheek.

Dad had come to meet them from school, as it was the first day, but tomorrow they were going to walk there and back by themselves.

�Come and have a biscuit,� Dad suggested. �Then you can both tell me what it was like, now there�s no one else around.� When he�d asked Scarlett at the school gate how her day was, she�d just muttered, �Fine,� but he could tell she was only being polite.

�It was all right.� Jackson shrugged, munching a chocolate biscuit. �Played football at lunch. The teacher was a bit strict. Shouted at people for talking. But it was fine.�

[��������: img_18]

Dad looked over at Scarlett, who sighed.�It was OK. This girl called Izzy got told to look after me, and she was nice. She took me around with her at break and lunchtime. But � well, it was only because she had to.�

�She might really like you!� Dad pointed out.

Scarlett ran one of Bootle�s huge ears between her fingers, and sighed. �Maybe� It wasn�t as bad as it could have been,� she admitted. The two girls she�d seen in the shop hadn�t said anything else about her weird name, which was what she�d been worrying about. They�d been on the same table as her and Izzyat lunch, and they�d been quite friendly, and asked her where she lived, and if she�d had to catch the bus to school. It turned out that lots of the children did � they came from several different villages, and a school bus went round and picked them all up.

�It�s nice we can walk to school,� she said to Dad, who was still looking worried about her.

Bootle rubbed himself against her red sweater, leaving gingery hairs all over it, and Scarlett stroked him again. Whatever happened at school, at least she could come home and play with him. She couldn�t imagine being without him now.

[��������: img_3]

�You�re sure you wouldn�t like me to come with you?� Dad asked, for about the fourth time.

�No!� Jackson said. �Honestly, Dad. We�re fine. It takes about ten minutes to get to school, and we don�t even have to cross a road. Stop fussing.�

Bootle was sitting on the bottom step of the stairs, watching disapprovingly as Scarlett and Jackson got ready. They were going again, just like yesterday! Why was he being left behind? He let out a tiny, furious mew, but Scarlett only kissed the top of his head, and went out of the door, leaving him with Dad.

Dad picked Bootle up, and tickled his ears, before rubbing the top of his head. But then he put him back down on the stairs, and headed into the room where his computer was. He was going to be too busy to play, again.

Bootle stalked into the kitchen, and inspected his food bowl, which was empty. He had a little water, and looked at his basket. He didn�t really feel like sleeping. And if this was anything like yesterday, Scarlett and Jackson would be gone for hours.

He didn�t see why he couldn�t go with them. Until yesterday, he�d been with Scarlett almost all the time.

Bootle walked over to the cat flap and sniffed at it, carefully. They hadn�t been gone long. Perhaps, if he was quick, he could follow them. Bootle shot out of the cat flap, and dashed into the back garden. Scarlett and Jackson had gone out of the front door, so he hurried around the side of the house, and on to the little patch of front garden. He nosed his way under the blue gate, flattening himself down underneath the wooden panels, and coming out into the lane, next to the car. His whiskers twitched excitedly as he tried to work out which way Scarlett had gone. He could follow her scent, he was sure. He sniffed busily at the grasses, and set off running.

[��������: img_19]

[��������: img_3]

Scarlett and Jackson were halfway to school, walking down the footpath along the side of the big field, which was planted with green wheat� Scarlett hadn�t known what it was, but Dad had told her.

�Can you hear a meow?� Scarlett asked suddenly, and Jackson turned round to stare at her.

�Don�t be silly. Come on!�

�No, I can. I really can. It�s Bootle, I�m sure.� Scarlett peered along the track behind them, and laughed. �It is! Look!�

Bootle was running after them, mewing happily, and as Scarlett crouched down to say hello, he clambered up into her lap and sat there, purring wearily. He�d had to run faster than he�d ever done before to catch them up.

[��������: img_20]

�What�s he doing here?� Jackson shook his head. �Yes, you�re very clever, Bootle,� he admitted, running one hand down the little ginger kitten�s back. �But now we have to take you back home, and we�re going to be late.�

�Oh, do we have to take him back?� Scarlett said sadly.

Jackson rolled his eyes.�Yes, of course we do! We can�t take a cat to school, Scarlett!�

�I suppose so.�

�And we have to run, because we�re going to be late.�

Scarlett swallowed anxiously. She didn�t want to be late, to have to go in after everyone else, and explain what had happened. They hurried back down the footpath and across the lane before bursting through the front door.

Dad came out of his office, looking worried.�What�s happened? Why are you back? I knew I should have gone with you!�

�Don�t worry, Dad. It�s fine.� Scarlett held out her arms, full of purring ginger kitten. �Bootle just followed us. He caught up with us as we were going past the big field � the one with wheat in it. We had to bring him back.� She put Bootle into Dad�s arms, and he stopped purring and glared at her. He�d gone to find her, and brought her back, and now she was going again!

�Sorry, Bootle. I�d much rather stay with you.� Scarlett stroked his head as she went to leave.

�Come on, Scarlett,� Jackson yelled from the door.

�You�d better run, sweetheart,� Dad said. �I�d drive you, but by the time we�ve gone all round by the road, it�s longer than the short cut. I�ll ring the school and explain why you�ll be a bit late, don�t worry.�

�Thanks, Dad,� said Scarlett.

When Scarlett and Jackson hurried into the playground, the head, Miss Wilson, was standing at the main door watching out for them.

Scarlett was worried. Luckily, Miss Wilson didn�t look cross. She just smiled at them as they raced towards her, and patted Jackson�s shoulder. �Don�t worry. I used to have a dog that followed me to school. Still, I�ve never heard of a cat doing it. He must be very fond of you.�

Scarlett nodded proudly. She hadn�t really thought of it like that.

[��������: img_21]

�I�ve explained to your teachers, so just slip quietly into your classes, all right?�

�Thanks, Miss Wilson.� Scarlett crept, mouse-like, along the corridor. It was all very well to say to slip in quietly, but everyone was still going to turn and stare at her. She eased open the door of her classroom, wincing as it creaked.

But her teacher, Mrs Mason, just smiled at her, and waved her over to her table, and went on pointing out something on the whiteboard.

�I wondered where you were!� Izzy whispered to her. �I thought you might not be coming back!�

�It wasn�t that bad yesterday,� Scarlett muttered.

�Are you OK?� said Izzy. �Did you oversleep?�

Scarlett shook her head.�No. It sounds really stupid, but I had to take my kitten home. He followed us to school.�

�Your kitten did?� Izzy stared at her. �Oh, I didn�t know you had a kitten! I�ve got a cat. He�s called Olly. But he�s never followed me anywhere! He�s far too lazy. What�s your kitten called?�

�Bootle.� Scarlett smiled proudly. �We�ve only had him two weeks, and he isn�t used to us leaving him. Mrs Mason�s giving us a look. I�ll tell you more at break, OK?�

Izzy grinned.�You�re so lucky having a kitten.�

Scarlett nodded, and stared at the whiteboard. Izzy was right, she realized. She really was lucky.

[��������: img_22]

�I�ll keep Bootle inside until after you�ve gone,� Dad said at breakfast the following morning. �If I don�t open the cat flap for an hour or so, and I pay him lots of attention, I�m sure he�ll stay put.�

�I hope so,� said Mum anxiously. �We don�t want him to wander too far. If he starts going out in the lane and along the footpaths, he could easily get lost.� She glanced up at the clock. �I�d better get going. Have a lovely day, all of you. Scarlett, do you want to invite that nice girl from your class round after school one day? What was she called? Izzy? I can call her mum. She could come tomorrow, perhaps.�

Dad nodded.�I can pick you all up from school.�

Scarlett smiled. Dad had been so pleased when she�d come home the day before and said she�d actually had a good day at school. She would really like Izzy to come over.

�I�ll ask her,� she agreed, tickling Bootle behind the ears. He was sitting on her lap, hoping for bits of toast. He particularly liked toast with Marmite, so Scarlett made sure she always had Marmite on at least one piece now. She tore off a little corner, and passed it down to him, watchinghim crunch it up and lick at his whiskers for crumbs.

[��������: img_23]

�Do you really think Bootle will be all right?� she asked Dad anxiously. �I don�t want him to be lonely.�

A cautious paw reached up on to the table, aiming for more toast, and Dad snorted.�He�ll be fine. He knows how to look after himself very well. Don�t you?� he added, scratching Bootle under his little white chin. �Yes, you�re very lovely. Even if you are trying to steal yourself a second breakfast.�

Bootle drooped his whiskers, and stared at Dad, his blue eyes round and solemn.

Scarlett giggled. Bootle made it look as though he was starving to death and even Dad was almost convinced. He glanced down at his own plate of toast, and then shook his head firmly.

�That kitten is a shameless liar,� he told Scarlett.

[��������: img_3]

Bootle prowled up and down the hallway, his tail twitching crossly. Scarlett had left him behind again, and now his cat flap was closed. He didn�t understand what was happening. Why did she have to keep going away?

�Hey! Bootle! Cat crunchies!� Scarlett�s dad came out of the kitchen with a foil packet, and Bootle turned round hopefully. He loved those crunchies, especially the fishy-flavoured ones. �Good boy. Yes, Scarlett said some of these might cheer you up.�

Bootle laid his ears back as he heard Scarlett�s name, and stopped licking the crunchies up out of Dad�s hand. Scarlett! Was she about to come back? He looked at Dad hopefully.

�Oh dear. You really do miss her, don�t you?� Dad eyed him worriedly. �She�ll be back later, Bootle, I promise. Come on, yummy fish things.�

Bootle ate the rest of the crunchies, but rather slowly. He liked them, but he would have liked them much more if Scarlett had fed them to him. She had a game where she held them in front of his nose, one at a time, and he stretched up to reach. They didn�t taste the same out of Dad�s hand.

�Good boy, Bootle.� Dad picked him up gently, took him into the office, and put him down on an old armchair. �Why don�t you have a sleep?�

Bootle walked round and round the seat of the chair, stamping his paws into the cushions, till eventually he slumped down and stared gloomily at the door. He didn�t feel like sleeping, but he couldn�t think of anything else to do.

[��������: img_3]

Bootle sat in front of the cat flap, staring at it hopefully, and uttering plaintive little mews. It was still locked. He knew because he�d tried it, over and over, scrabbling at the door with his claws. But it just wouldn�t open.

[��������: img_24]

�Do you need to go out?� Dad asked, coming into the kitchen, and looking at him, concerned. He crouched down next to Bootle, who gave his knee a hopeful nudge. �I suppose it can�t hurt, it�s more than an hour since Jackson and Scarlett left for school.� Dad turned the catch on the cat flap and pushed it, showing Bootle that it was open. �Off you go.�

Bootle mewed gratefully, and wriggled through the cat flap, trotting purposefully out into the back garden, and straight round to the front of the house, just as he�d done the day before. Next, he was squeezing under the gate, and out into the lane. This time he didn�t run as fast. He knew that he�d been shut in the house a long time, and he wouldn�t be able to chase Scarlett the way he had the day before.

So he padded down the path, sniffing thoughtfully here and there. It was difficult to follow the traces of Scarlett and Jackson� the cottage smelled of them too, much more than the path, which made it confusing. But he was pretty sure they�d gone this way. Bootle bounded happily along, hoping that they would be in the field again, perhaps sitting down, waiting for him.

But no one was there. Bootle walked up and down the edge of the huge field, staring anxiously into the green stalks. Was Scarlett in there? She might be, but he couldn�t smell her, or hear her. He slipped in between two rows of wheat, pushing his way through the green stalks, and mewing.

Then his ears twitched. There was a scuffling noise ahead of him, and a small bird fluttered out of the wheat, making Bootle leap back in surprise. He�d seen birds in the garden, but never up close. He hissed at it crossly, but the bird was already half-hopping, half-flying away. Bootle followed it sadly out of the wheat stalks. He didn�t think Scarlett was here.

[��������: img_25]

Glancing around the narrow path at the edge of the field, he tried to remember what Scarlett had been doing when he ran after her yesterday. They had been walking along here, away from him, as though they were making for the hedge at the end of the field.

Determinedly, Bootle padded along, hopping over the ruts and big clumps of grass, and keeping a hopeful eye out for Scarlett. At the corner of the field there was a gap in the hedge, and then a short muddy lane, leading out on to a road with a pavement. Bootle had never really seen a road, and he jumped back, his whiskers bristling, as a car roared past. He had been in a car when he left his mum to come to Scarlett�s house, and then when he�d had to go to the vet for his vaccinations, but both times he had been in a basket. From kitten height, the cars going along the road were enormous, and terrifyingly noisy.

He crept into the muddy lane, eyeing the opening out on to the pavement. His ears were laid nervously back, but at the same time Bootle breathed out the faintest little purr. The cars weren�t the only noise he could hear. There was shouting, and laughter � the sort of noises Scarlett and Jackson made. He wasn�t sure it was them, but it was worth looking. The sounds were coming from very close by. If he was brave enough to go out on to the pavement, close to those cars, he was sure he could find the place.

Bootle dashed out, scurrying along low to the ground, and pressing as far into the hedge as he could go. Every time a car went past� which wasn�t very often, thankfully � he buried himself under the prickly, twiggy bits at the bottom of the hedge, and peered out, his blue eyes round and fearful.

The school was only a couple of hundred metres along the main road through the village, and on the same side as the lane. Bootle squirmed under the metal fence at the side of the playground, and scuttled behind a wooden bench, where he sat, curled up as small as he could, and watched the children racing around the tarmac square.

It was very noisy. He had thought Scarlett and Jackson were loud, but there were so many children here. And they were all wearing the same red cardigans and grey skirts, or shorts. He couldn�t see Scarlett at all.

He shrank back behind the bench as a loud bell shrilled, and the children streamed back into the building on the far side of the playground. Then his ears pricked up, and he darted forward. That was Scarlett! Racing past him, with another girl. He mewed hopefully at her, but she�d already disappeared inside the white building.

[��������: img_26]

The door was still open.

Bootle padded out into the empty playground, and hurried over to the door. The noise of the children still echoed around the corridor, and he shivered a little. But if he wanted to find Scarlett, this was where he needed to be. He pattered along the chilly concrete floor, peeping in at the doors when he found an open one. The first classroom he looked into was full of children who were smaller than Scarlett, he thought. A little boy stared at him, and pointed, his eyes widening delightedly. Bootle whisked out of the door as fast as he could. He had a feeling that he wasn�t meant to be in here, and he didn�t want to be caught before he�d found Scarlett.

The next couple of doors were shut, but then he found one ajar, and looked round it. These children were more the right size. He sidled round the door, and then he saw her, facing away from him, but at the nearest table. The children were all looking away from the door, towards something at the other end of the classroom, so it was easy for Bootle to race across the carpet and hide under the table� right next to Scarlett�s feet. He purred quietly to himself. He had done it! He�d found her!

Very gently, he rubbed the side of his head against Scarlett�s sock.

Scarlett gave a tiny squeak, and Izzy stared at her.�What�s the matter?�

�Something under the table�� Scarlett whispered, her eyes horrified. It was furry. What if it was one of those enormous furry spiders? There were definitely more spiders in the country. She�d found a huge one in the loo at the weekend. Very slowly, she peered under the table, and Izzy looked too.

�A cat!�

�Bootle!�

Mrs Mason looked round sharply, and Izzy and Scarlett tried to look at the board and pretend there wasn�t anything under their table.

Bootle purred louder, and patted at Scarlett�s leg with a velvety paw.

�What�s he doing here?� Izzy whispered, as soon as Mrs Mason had turned back to the board.

�He must have followed us again.� Scarlett was grinning. She couldn�t help it. She wasn�t quite sure how she was going to sort this out, but she loved it that Bootle wanted to be with her so much that he followed her all the way to school.

Bootle scrambled up on to her lap, and sat there, purring, and nudging at her school cardigan.

Sarah and Millie saw a small ginger head sticking up over the edge of the table, and gasped. Scarlett put a finger to her lips, and stared at them beseechingly.�Don�t tell!� she whispered.

[��������: img_27]

Sarah and Millie shook their heads, to say of course they wouldn�t. But Mrs Mason had seen them anyway.

�Scarlett, what�s going on?� She came over to their table. �Oh, it�s a kitten. What�s he doing here?�

�He followed me from home,� said Scarlett. �I�m sorry, Mrs Mason. He was under the table, I didn�t even know he was here till a minute ago.� She sighed, a very tiny sigh. She�d hoped to keep Bootle a secret for a bit longer.

Mrs Mason smiled.�Well, he�s very sweet, but I�m afraid he can�t stay in the classroom. You�d better take him up to the office, and get Mrs Lucy to call home. Is there someone at home who can come and get him?�

Scarlett nodded.�My dad.� She stood up, with Bootle snuggled against her, and the rest of the class whispered and aahed admiringly, reaching out to stroke him, as she went out of the classroom.

�You�re such a star for finding me!� Scarlett whispered, and Bootle purred.

[��������: img_28]

[��������: img_29]

�I can�t believe you followed me all the way, Bootle!� Scarlett told him again, as she cuddled him in between putting her shoes on for school the next day. �Everybody wanted to know about you. Even people in the year above came to ask who you were � they saw me carrying you up to the office, on their way back from PE.� She sighed, and placed him down on the stairs so she could put on her other shoe. �But Miss Wilson made Dad promise he wouldn�t let it happen again. He said Miss Wilson was really scary. You�re going to hate being shut up for the whole day.� She stroked his head, looking at him worriedly. �I suppose in a few days you�ll stop wanting to follow me. But I sort of wish you wouldn�t. I love it that you�re so clever!�

Bootle clambered up a couple of steps� it took a little while, as his legs were still quite short � so that he could rub his chin on to Scarlett�s hair while she did up her shoe. He wasn�t sure what she was saying, but it was definitely nice. She was fussing over him, and he liked to be fussed over.

Jackson came stomping down the hallway, and Scarlett turned round and dropped a kiss on the top of Bootle�s little furry head. �I�ve got to go. Be good, Bootle!�

[��������: img_30]

Bootle sat on the steps and stared at her crossly as she slipped quickly out of the front door, pulling it closed behind her. She had done it again! How many times did he have to follow after them before she decided it would just be easier to take him with them? He jumped down the stairs in two huge leaps, and made for the cat flap at a run. But it was locked. He scrabbled at it furiously, until Dad came and picked him up.

�Sorry, Bootle. Not happening, little one.�

Bootle wriggled out of his arms, and stalked away across the kitchen. He was going to follow Scarlett� somehow.

He would have to get out of the house a different way. Bootle prowled thoughtfully through the different rooms, sniffing hopefully at the front door to see if it might open. He could smell outside, but the door was very firmly shut. And so were all the windows.

But when Scarlett had taken him upstairs to play the day before, her window had been open. Bootle sat at the bottom of the stairs, and gazed upwards doubtfully. They were very big. But he could do it, if he was careful, and slow.

Determinedly, he began to scrabble and haul himself up, stopping every little while for a rest, until at last he heaved himself on to the landing. His legs felt wobbly, but he made himself keep going, on into Scarlett�s room, where the door was open just a crack. As soon as he pushed his way around the door, his ears pricked forward excitedly. The window was open! Just as he had remembered it!

Forgetting how tired his legs were, Bootle sprang up on to the bed, sniffing delightedly at the fresh air blowing in.

The windowsill was too far above the bed for him to reach though. His whiskers drooped a little. How was he going to get up there? He padded up and down the bed and stared at Scarlett�s pile of cuddly toys. She liked to tease him with them, walking them up and down the bed for him to pounce on. But why shouldn�t he climb up them instead? He put out a cautious paw, testing the back of a fluffy toy cat. It squashed down a little, but it was still a step up, and then on to theback of a huge teddy, and the stuffed leopard � and the windowsill!

[��������: img_31]

Bootle pulled himself up, panting happily as he felt the cool breeze on his whiskers.

Now he only had to get down again on the outside�

[��������: img_3]

�No kitten today?� Sarah asked Scarlett, a little sadly.

Scarlett shook her head.�Miss Wilson made my dad promise he�d keep him in. Poor Bootle. He�s going to be so cross.�

�He�s the cleverest cat I�ve ever seen,� Sarah told her admiringly. �Imagine coming all that way! And he�d never even been to the school before � I don�t know how he worked out where to go!�

Scarlett smiled.�It�s amazing, isn�t it? I think he must have heard us all in the playground.�

�You ought to stop in at the shop and buy him a treat on the way home,� Izzy suggested. �I�ve got some money, if you haven�t any on you.�

Scarlett nodded.�It�s OK, I�ve got some. That�s a really good idea.� She grinned at Izzy. �You can help me choose.� It was so nice having a friend back for tea � it felt like being back at her old school. Izzy�s mum had been fine about her walking back with Scarlett � Izzy usually walked back home too. She had a big sister in Jackson�s class.

�He might just about speak to us, if we bring him cat treats��

[��������: img_3]

Bootle scrabbled frantically at the branches of the creeper. It had looked so solid, and easy to climb. But it turned out to be much harder to get down than up. It was also more wobbly, and he didn�t like that. The first bit had been easy, just a little jump to that sloping bit of roof, then across the tiles. It was the drop down from the roof that was the problem. His claws were slipping. Bootle gave up trying to cling on, and leaped out, as far away from the wall as he could, hoping thathe remembered how to land.

He hit the ground with a jolt, but he was there! In the front garden, right by the gate and the lane. Bootle darted a glance behind him. Then he scrambled under the gate, and set off to find Scarlett, trotting along jauntily. He knew the way now, he didn�t have to sniff and search and worry.

He was halfway down the field when it started to rain. A very large drop hit him on the nose, making him shrink back. It was shortly followed by rather a lot of others, and in seconds his fur was plastered flat over his thin ribs. He hid in the hedge, his ears laid back.

He would wait for it to stop, Bootle decided, gazing out disgustedly. He certainly didn�t want to go anywhere in that. But it went on, and on, and he needed to find Scarlett. He put his nose out cautiously, and shivered as he felt the drops on his whiskers. It was horrible. But he couldn�t stay here all day�

At last he slunk out from under the hedge, plodding through the wet muddy ruts, and hoping that Scarlett would have something warm and dry to rub him with when he got to the school. He scurried down the pavement, through the puddles, so miserable that he didn�t even bother to dart into the hedge to avoid the car going past. The driver of the car didn�t see the soaked little kitten, and even if he had, he probably wouldn�t have been able to avoid the huge puddle that splashed up over Bootle like a wave.

[��������: img_32]

There was so much water that he staggered back, letting out a mew of cold and dismay. Then he flat out ran for the school, racing across the playground towards that lovely, warm, open door.

But it was closed.

It had been wet play, and no one had wanted the rain blowing in. All the doors were closed, every single one� as the soaked, mouse-brown-striped kitten found when he ran frantically all the way round the building.

Remembering the window he had climbed out of at home, Bootle looked up to see if there were any he could get through. There was a bench up against the wall, with a window right above it, and he jumped for the seat, scrabbling desperately until he could heave himself up. Then it was a little hop on to the arm, and then again on to the windowsill. But the window was shut, and everyone was gathered together at the other end of the classroom, looking at something and talking excitedly. They didn�t hear him scratching hopefully at the window, and at last he jumped down.

[��������: img_33]

Bootle sat under the bench and mewed miserably, calling for someone to come and let him in. He didn�t care if they took him back to the cottage again, as long as he was out of the rain. He would stay at home, and never try to follow anyone, if only he was dry.

No one came. No one heard him over the hammering and splashing of the rain, and the bench was dripping all over him. Bootle crawled out, looking around for another place to shelter. There were trees, over on the edge of the path to the field. Perhaps it would be drier there. He ran through the wet grass, shivering as the stems rubbed along his soaked fur, and shaking water drops off his whiskers. He was so cold. Sitting still under the bench had made him shiver, and now he couldn�t stop.

Then something made his ears flick up a little. There was another building. Just a little one, a shed, and he could see that the door was open!

Bootle made one last effort, forcing his shaky paws to race to the shed, and struggle over the step and into the dusty dryness. He was so relieved to be out of the rain that he hardly noticed the sports equipment piled up all over the place� just the heap of old, rather tattered mats that he could curl up on for a rest.

It was while Bootle was fast asleep that the caretaker remembered he hadn�t locked up the shed when he�d got out the spare chairs, and came grumpily back through the rain with his keys.

[��������: img_34]

�Bootle!� Scarlett called happily, as she opened the front door to let herself and Izzy and Jackson inside. �Bootle, come and see Izzy!�

Dad hurried out of the kitchen, a worried expression on his face.�You didn�t see him in the lane then?�

Scarlett stared at him, not understanding.�What?� she asked, with a frown.

�Bootle! He�s not out there? I wondered if he�d slipped out somehow. He must have done, I can�t find him anywhere.� Dad glanced distractedly up and down the hallway, as though he thought Bootle might pop out from behind the wellies.

�You can�t find him?� Scarlett stammered. �You mean � he�s lost?�

�I�m sorry, Scarlett.� Dad ran his fingers through his hair till it stood up on end. �I had a long phone meeting all morning, it finished about an hour ago. Then I went to find Bootle and check that he was all right, but he�d disappeared. I just don�t understand how he can have got out!�

�Maybe he didn�t?� Izzy suggested shyly. �He could be shut in somewhere. Olly�s always doing that. He climbed into a drawer once and went to sleep, and my mum didn�t see him and she shut the drawer. Then she got a real shock because her wardrobe was meowing.�

�Maybe�� Dad murmured. But he looked doubtful. �Let�s check again.�

Scarlett grabbed Izzy�s hand and pulled her up the stairs, while Jackson hurried into the living room.

�Bathroom,� Scarlett muttered. �Not in here. The airing cupboard, maybe?� She pulled the door open, but no indignant kitten darted out. �Jackson�s room�� She peered in, and called, �Bootle! Bootle! He isn�t here, Izzy. I�m sure he�d come if he heard me calling. Or he�d meow to tell me where he was.�

�He could be asleep. Try the other rooms, just in case.�

Scarlett peered into her mum and dad�s room, opening the wardrobe, and all the drawers, but there weren�t even any gingery hairs. �This is my room,� she told Izzy, pushing the last door open. �Bootle!� Scarlett caught her breath. She�d been hoping to find him asleep on her bed, but he wasn�t there.

�Your window�s open�� Izzy said slowly.

�Oh, but he couldn�t get out through that.� Scarlett shook her head. �It�s really high.�

Izzy frowned.�It depends how much he wanted to.�

The girls climbed on to the bed so they could look out of the window.

�You see? He could jump on there.� Izzy pointed out the low bit of the roof. �And there�s all that ivy stuff. That�s like a cat ladder.�

Scarlett stared at her.�You think he really could have climbed down that?�

Izzy looked down at the grass, which was an awfully long way away.�He might have done.�

Dad came in, with Jackson behind.�He isn�t in the house,� he said grimly. �Was that window open, Scarlett?�

�Yes!� Scarlett nodded, her eyes filling with tears. �I�m really sorry, Dad, I didn�t think Bootle would try to climb out of it! He can hardly get up the stairs, and the windowsill�s really high.�

[��������: img_35]

�It isn�t your fault.� Dad put an arm round her. �I should have checked on him earlier. None of us realized he would be able to climb out of the window.� He leaned over to look out. �I think he did, though. Some of that creeper�s been torn away.�

�Can we go and look for him?� Scarlett asked. �He might have tried to get to school again, and got lost� Oh, Dad, what if he�s gone on the road?�

Dad hugged her tighter.�Don�t panic, Scarlett. I don�t think he would, he�s scared of the car noises. Remember how he meowed when we got him out of the car at the vet�s? Even though he was safe in his basket he didn�t like it when the cars went past. And why would he get mixed up about the way to school, whenhe made it yesterday?� He let go of Scarlett, and made for the door. �I�m just going to call the school and see if he�s turned up there.�

Scarlett sank down on her bed, staring up at Izzy.�I can�t believe it. Everyone�s been telling me today how lucky I am, and how gorgeous Bootle is, and now he�s gone. I�ve only had him a couple of weeks, Izzy! How can I have lost him?�

[��������: img_3]

It was starting to get dark. Bootle scratched at the door with his claws again, but they were starting to hurt. He�d hoped that he could make that little thin strip of light and fresh air bigger, maybe even big enough to squeeze out. But all he�d managed to do was scratch off some of the paint. Miserably, he sank down, mewing faintly. No one seemed to hear him, and it had been quite a while since he�d last heard anyone outside.

Maybe he would have to stay here all night, he thought anxiously. Scarlett wouldn�t know where he was. Perhaps she was looking for him? He stood up again quickly, even though his paws felt sore, and meowed as loud as he could. Scarlett would look for him, he was sure of it.

[��������: img_36]

But even though he called and called and called to her, she didn�t come, and at last he had to give up. He was worn out with scratching and meowing, and he dragged his sore paws back to the pile of mats. Then he curled up into a tight little ball, and lay there in the gathering darkness, wondering how long it would be before anyone found him.

[��������: img_3]

�We can make some �lost� posters,� Izzy suggested the next morning. �If we ask Mrs Mason nicely, I bet she�ll let us use the ICT suite. We could put them up all round the village on the way home.�

Scarlett nodded. She should have thought of that the night before. After Izzy had gone home, she and Jackson had searched the house all over again, and then Scarlett had gone to bed, and cried herself to sleep, knowing that her little kitten wasn�t curled up in his basket in the kitchen � he was out there in the dark, and she had no idea where.

�We could go round the houses between here and school, and ask if anyone�s seen him,� she suggested, shivering at the thought of poor Bootle wandering around lost somewhere.

�Ooh, yes,� Izzy agreed. �We could get people to check their garages. Don�t worry, Scarlett, I can help with that. I know almost everybody in the village, and it�s scary if you don�t know people.�

�That would be great,� Scarlett said. She�d do anything if it meant finding Bootle, even if she had to talk to hundreds of grumpy people.

A couple of the Year Six girls came past Scarlett and Izzy on their way in.�Hey, Scarlett! Did you get into trouble with Miss Wilson yesterday?� one of them asked.

Scarlett stared at her in bewilderment.�W-what?� she murmured, suddenly shy.

�When your kitten came back! I thought your brother said Miss Wilson had told your dad off? That he had to keep your kitten at home?�

Scarlett forgot all about being shy.�You mean you saw Bootle? Are you sure it was yesterday?� she asked the older girl eagerly.

�Yeah, definitely�� The older girl � Scarlett was pretty sure she was called Eleanor � frowned. �I saw him looking in the classroom window, but then he ran off. Why? What�s the matter?�

�Bootle�s lost,� Scarlett explained. �Dad had him shut in, but he climbed out of an upstairs window. We think he must have tried to follow us. We weren�t sure he had made it to school, but if you saw him, then he was definitely here!�

�You�re not mixing up the days?� Izzy asked Eleanor doubtfully.

Eleanor shook her head.�Nope. I�m certain. It was yesterday when it was raining. And your kitten was soaked, Scarlett. His fur was actually dripping. I saw him out of the window; he was in the playground. Before break, I think.�

�He must have got out of the window really soon after we left,� Scarlett murmured. �Thank you, Eleanor! I have to go and look for him!�

[��������: img_37]

There was sunlight coming in from somewhere else, Bootle noticed, as the shed grew slowly lighter that morning. It wasn�t just the space around the door. Where there was light, perhaps there was some sort of hole, or another window that might be open, so he could climb through it.

It was up at the top, near the ceiling, he thought. Very high up. Much higher than Scarlett�s window. But then, there were a lot more things to climb in here. Piles of chairs, some benches and more of those mats. He�d just have to find a way to reach it.

Bootle was sure that Scarlett was looking for him� almost sure, anyway. But the shed was all the way across the field from the school, he�d realized, as he lay curled up on the mats. What if Scarlett didn�t know about it? He couldn�t wait for someone to let him out. He would have to do it for himself.

He stretched out his paws, which felt a little better this morning, though they still ached from all that scrabbling and scratching. Then he padded across the pile of mats, and made a wobbly jump on to an old wooden bench. That was the first step�

[��������: img_3]

�Where do we start?� Izzy asked, as they hurried across the playground.

�I don�t know. Maybe we should find Jackson and tell him that those girls saw Bootle,� Scarlett suggested, but she couldn�t see her brother anywhere, and she wanted to get started searching. �My dad rang up yesterday, remember? And he spoke to Mrs Lucy in the office, and she went and asked in the staff room. No one had seen Bootle. So he wasn�t just hanging around school looking for us.�

Izzy frowned.�I know I keep going on about him being shut in somewhere, but��

Scarlett shook her head.�No, I think you�re right! It�s the only thing that makes sense. But where?�

Izzy shook her head.�I don�t know. Maybe the classroom cupboards? Do you think if we asked Mrs Lucy we could go and look? Oh no! There�s the bell.�

Scarlett looked anxiously round as everyone began to collect their stuff and head into school.�I can�t go into school now! I can�t! Bootle�s here somewhere, I know he is!�

Izzy patted her shoulder.�It�s OK. Look, we�ll tell Mrs Mason that Bootle might be here. We have to go in, Scarlett. We�ll get in trouble otherwise.�

Scarlett almost didn�t care, but she supposed Izzy was right. Maybe they could ask the head teacher what to do? She�d said her dog used to follow her to school. She�d understand.

But Miss Wilson was talking to one of the other teachers, and she just waved the girls past when Scarlett tried to hover in the doorway and talk to her.

Mrs Mason was late coming into their class, and when she finally arrived she had her arms full of different coloured PE bibs, and she didn�t look as though she wanted to hear about kittens, even though Izzy tried her best.

[��������: img_38]

�Oh dear� Well, I�m sure you can have a look at break,� she said distractedly, when the girls tried to explain. �Sit down, please, you two.�

Sit down! Scarlett opened her mouth to argue, but Mrs Mason wasn�t even looking at her any more.

�Once we�ve done the register, everyone, I�ve got some exciting news � we�re going to start practising for Sports Day. We�ve scheduled in a couple of extra PE sessions, and the first one is this morning. So let�s just mark everyone in�� She moved names around on the whiteboard. �Where�s Keisha? Is she still not well? OK.�

�I don�t want to do PE,� Scarlett whispered frantically. �I have to go and look for Bootle!�

�PE!� Izzy nudged her. �I�ve just thought! Shut up in a shed, Scarlett, we said he might be!�

�What are you talking about?� Scarlett was biting back tears.

�There�s a little shed at the end of the field, where Mr Larkin, the caretaker, keeps stuff that doesn�t get used all that much. He was definitely carrying chairs in and out yesterday; I heard him complaining about how wet he�d got.�

�So the shed was open?� Scarlett breathed, her eyes widening.

Izzy nodded.�It must have been.�

�Now go and get changed, please, everyone,� Mrs Mason called. �Then we�ll go up to the hall, as it�s still a bit too wet on the field.�

�I�m not getting changed,� Scarlett said, glaring at Izzy as though she thought her friend might tell her off. �I�m going to find Bootle.�

Izzy shrugged.�Uh-huh, and I�m coming with you. Come on.�

They hurried out of the classroom, ahead of everyone else, and Izzy grabbed Scarlett�s hand. �It�s this way. There�s a side door, come on.� She pulled Scarlett down the corridor, and pushed open a door Scarlett hadn�t even known about. �Quick way out to the field.�

�Hey, Izzy!� someone called. �We�re in the hall, not the field! And you aren�t changed!�

But Izzy and Scarlett were already running across the damp grass.

[��������: img_3]

Bootle wobbled on the old chair. He was almost there� he could see the narrow wooden windowsill and the dirty pane of glass. The wind was shaking it, as though it was loose. If he could only get to it, maybe he could push his way out, somehow?

He balanced himself again, teetering on the edge of the chair. He�d scrambled his way up the whole pile, and it had taken so long. If he misjudged his jump to the window, he wasn�t sure he�d have the strength to climb up all over again. He was so hungry, and tired, and his paws hurt.

His whiskers flicked and shook as he tried to work out how he could make the jump. It was much further than he�d ever jumped before. And the strip of wood along the window was so very small. But if it meant he could get out� Then he would go back home, and wait there for Scarlett. He would see if he could get back in through the cat flap.

He tensed his muscles to spring, and crouched there, trembling a little, trying to summon up the courage to leap.

Then his ears twitched. He could hear someone! People, talking!

[��������: img_39]

�Bootle! Bootle, are you in there? Is the door locked, Izzy?�

That was Scarlett!

Bootle let out a shrill desperate meow, and forgot to worry about how narrow the ledge was. He just went for it, scrabbling madly with his paws as he almost made it, and then heaving himself up on to the windowsill.

Then he batted his paws against the glass, mewing frantically.

�I can hear him! He is in there, Izzy, you were right!�

�It�s locked. I�ll go and get Mr Larkin.�

Bootle heard feet thudding away, and cried out in panic. They hadn�t heard him! They were going!

�It�s OK, Bootle. Where are you?�

There were noises outside and Bootle banged his nose against the grubby window, trying to see what was happening.

Scarlett pulled herself up on to the little tiny ledge on the outside of the window.�I can see you! It�s really you, Bootle. Oh, I�ve been so worried. I can�t believe you climbed out of a window.� She giggled with relief, and sniffed. �And now you�re trying to climb out of this one, aren�t you, silly kitten.�

Bootle mewed and scraped, but the window wouldn�t open. How was he going to get to Scarlett?

[��������: img_40]

�Oh! Mr Larkin! The keys!� Scarlett�s face disappeared from the window, and Bootle wriggled himself round as the door rattled and shook. And then it opened.

With a joyful yowl, he bounded back to the wobbly chair, and took a flying leap to the mats, and then Scarlett was there, hugging him.

Bootle purred and purred, and rubbed his face against hers, and purred louder.

�Izzy! Scarlett! What are you doing out here? Oh! Oh, no, has he been shut in here?� Mrs Mason peered worriedly into the dusty shed.

�All night,� Scarlett told her, shivering. �Can I call my dad, Mrs Mason, please? Can I take him home?�

Mrs Mason nodded.�Yes, you�d better take him up to the office again. I hope he doesn�t keep doing this, Scarlett.�

Scarlett stroked Bootle, who was pressed against her cardigan like he never meant to let go.�Me too.�

�Well, he got soaking wet and trapped in a shed, so maybe he�ll stay at home now,� Izzy suggested.

Scarlett nodded.�He looks like he wants to go home,� she agreed, feeling the sharp little points of Bootle�s claws hooked into her cardigan. �I promise I won�t ever let you get lost again,� she whispered to him, feeling his whiskers brush across her cheek. �I�ll look after you always.�

[��������: img_3]

�I�m really glad my mum said I could come back with you.� Izzy sighed happily and blew on her hot chocolate.

Scarlett nodded, stroking Bootle, who was curled up on her lap, with his claws hooked determinedly into her school skirt. He wasn�t letting her go. �We might never have worked out where he was if it wasn�t for you! He could have been stuck in there for ages � until Mr Larkin had to put the chairs away again.�

Bootle purred as Scarlett gently rubbed behind his ears. He was finally starting to feel properly warm again.

[��������: img_41]

Scarlett�s dad had lit the fire in the living room, and the girls were huddled in front of it � it was raining again, so it had been a wet walk home. They�d splashed through the puddles as fast as they could, anxious to see Bootle again, and check that he was OK.

�Do you want any more hot chocolate, girls?� Dad asked. �Jackson�s after another cup.�

Scarlett shook her head.�No, thanks.�

Izzy smiled at him.�No, that�s OK, thanks. It was lovely. It�s a pity cats can�t have hot drinks, though, Bootle must have been frozen after a night in the shed.�

�I�ve had him on my lap ever since I picked him up,� Dad told them. �Apart from when he was wolfing down a massive dinner and breakfast in one. He definitely wanted company, and since he couldn�t have you, Scarlett, I was the next best thing.�

�I hope he�s not going to follow us again tomorrow,� Scarlett said, looking down at him anxiously. He didn�t look very adventurous at the moment�

Dad shook his head.�No, I�m sure he�ll remember being trapped. He won�t want that to happen again. But I promise I will make sure every window�s closed. I�ll even let him play with the computer, Scarlett.� He grinned. �I�ll find him one of those homework websites, then he won�t need to go to school.�

Bootle stretched out his paws and stared up at them in surprise as they laughed, and then he huddled himself back into the front of Scarlett�s cardigan. It was lovely and warm inside. And dry. He hadn�t realized how damp and miserable it could be, following people. For the moment, he was going to stay right here.

26. THE KIDNAPPED KITTEN

�Laura! Laura!� Tia waved, as she rushed down their street on the way home from school.

Her neighbour stood up and waved back. Laura was planting something in her front garden and her beautiful cat, Charlie, was sitting next to her, staring suspiciously at the turned-over earth.

Tia ran up and leaned over the wall, and her little sister, Christy, followed, panting,�You went too fast for me!�

�Sorry,� said Tia, taking her sister�s hand. �Laura, guess what?�

Laura smiled.�What? Something good, it sounds like.�

Tia nodded.�The best. Mum and Dad say we can have a cat!�

Christy did a twirly dance.�A cat! A cat!� she sang.

[��������: img_4]

�Oh, that�s so exciting.� Laura beamed at them. �You�ll be brilliant cat owners. You were great when you came with your mum to feed Charlie while I was away. He looked quite grumpy when I got back � I don�t think I was fussing over him as much as you two were.� She looked up in surprise as Charlie suddenly pounced on the pile of earth. �Oh, Charlie! Stop it! You don�t want it, you silly cat.�

�What is it?� Tia tried to see what Charlie was patting at with his paw.

�A worm. No, don�t eat it! Euurrgh!� Laura picked up Charlie and dusted the soil off his paws, and the worm made a quick getaway.

�He eatsworms?� Christy peered over the wall at Charlie.

Laura grinned.�He eats everything. Especially things that wriggle. Bengals are a bit like that. Really nosy.�

�Charlie�s a special breed of cat then?� Tia asked thoughtfully. �I�ve never seen another cat that looks quite like him. He�s like a leopard.�

�Exactly.� Laura nodded and put Charlie on top of the wall so the girls could admire him. He sat down with his tail wrapped around his paws and his nose in the air, posing. �Bengals are bred from leopard cats � little wild cats that live in Asia. Leopard cats are spotty like big leopards. But you can get Bengals with swirly stripes as well.�

Tia reached out her hand to Charlie and made kissy noises at him.

Charlie gazed back at her. He had his eyes half-closed, which made him look very snooty, but Tia thought it was actually because he was a bit embarrassed about not being allowed to eat worms.

He eyed her thoughtfully for a few more seconds, then stood up and stepped delicately along the wall to allow her to stroke him.

[��������: img_5]

�You�re the nicest cat ever,� Tia murmured. She glanced up at Laura. �You know, his fur�s almost sparkly when you look at him in the sunshine.�

�It�s called glitter.� Laura nodded. �Lots of Bengal cats have it.� She rubbed Charlie�s ears. �It�s actually because some of his fur is see-through, but it looks like he�s covered in gold dust. He�s a precious boy.�

�Hi, Laura! I hope the girls aren�t bothering you.� Tia and Christy�s mum hurried up.

�No, it�s fine. They were just telling me their exciting news.� Laura smiled. �If you get a cat, then they can both sit in our front windows and stare at each other!�

Tia giggled, imagining it. Laura�s house was just across the road from theirs, so the two cats really would be able to see each other. Charlie liked to sit on the windowsill and look out. Tia always waved at him on her way past.

Tia ran her hand down Charlie�s satiny back again. �Mum! Could we have a cat like Charlie?�

Her mum reached out to scratch Charlie under the chin.�I�m sorry, Tia, but I don�t think so. Charlie�s beautiful, but he�s a pedigree cat. He must have been really expensive.� She glanced at Laura, looking a bit embarrassed. �Sorry!�

Laura made a face.�No, don�t worry. Hewas expensive. But I�d wanted a Bengal cat for ages. I just loved the way they looked, and I�d read about what funny characters they are. So I saved up for him.�

�We�ll probably go to the Cats Protection League and see if they have any kittens available,� Tia�s mum explained to Laura. �Even though you are gorgeous, aren�t you?� She made coaxing noises at Charlie, and he did his superior face back again.

�Lucy got Mittens from the Cats Protection League. Lucy�s my best friend from school,� Tia put in. �She�s got a really cute black and white cat, with little white mittens on the fronts of her paws. It�s all right, Mittens isn�t as beautiful as you,� she added to Charlie, who was looking outraged. �Sometimes I think he understands everything we say,� she told Laura.

�That�s the thing with Bengals,� Laura said. �They�re very clever. Lots of them have tricks, like opening doors � Charlie can do that. But it means they can be quite difficult to look after. When they get bored, they can be naughty. I wouldn�t be able to have Charlie if I didn�t work at home. He�d be lonely if I was out all day.�

�Cats need company,� Tia�s mum agreed. �But I only work afternoons, so we should be all right.� Tia�s mum worked part-time in the office at Tia and Christy�s school. �Anyway, we should leave you in peace. Come on, girls.�

�Bye, Charlie.� Tia gave him one last loving stroke. �See you tomorrow on the way to school!�

�You don�t mind that we can�t have a cat like Charlie?� her mum asked, as she unlocked the front door.

Tia turned round and hugged her.

[��������: img_6]

�No! I just want a cat of our own, that�s all. Maybe a black and white cat, like Lucy�s? Will we be able to choose between lots of cats?�

�I�m not sure�� her mum said. �I�ll have to call the Cats Protection League. Lucy�s mum was telling me about Mittens, and I think she came from a lady who just had a few kittens living in her house. I don�t think the Cats Protection League has one big shelter.�

�That�s probably nicer for the cats,� Tia pointed out, as she took off her shoes.

�When�s our cat coming?� Christy asked. Christy was only four, and she didn�t really understand about the time things took.

�In a little while, I promise,� Mum said, and Tia gave a little sigh of happiness. Hopefully they wouldn�t have to wait too long�

[��������: img_7]

�Tia! Tia!�

They were on their way to school, and Tia had been daydreaming about what sort of cat they might get. She jumped when Laura shouted after her.

Laura was at her front door, with Charlie weaving himself possessively around her ankles.�Oh, I�m glad I caught you! Is your mum around?�

�She�s a bit further up the road, chasing after Christy,� Tia explained.

�I don�t want to make you late for school, but I really wanted to let you know��

Tia stared at Laura, not really sure what she was talking about.

�Sorry! I�ll start at the beginning. The lady who bred Charlie called me last night � I�d sent her a photo of him, and she was ringing to say thank you. And she mentioned she�s got a Bengal kitten for sale!�

�But we can�t�� Tia started to say. Mum was right. They really couldn�t afford a pedigree cat.

�Oh, I know, but that�s the thing. This kitten won�t be very expensive. She�s got a bent tail. She�s still gorgeous, but it�s what�s called a fault. It means she can�t be in a cat show, and no one would want her to have kittens, as they might have bent tails too. So I thought I�d tell you, just in case you want to go and see her. I expect lots of people will be keen to buy her � sometimes people wait ages for a Bengal kitten. I wrote it all down for you.� Laura darted back into the house and returned with a scrap of paper. �Here, give this to your mum. It�s the breeder�s phone number.�

Tia looked down at the piece of paper.Glimmershine Bengals, it said,Helen Mason, and a phone number. But somehow, for Tia, the scribbly writing seemed to say,Your very own kitten�

[��������: img_8]

�Are we sure about getting a Bengal kitten?� Dad asked, looking at the Glimmershine website. Tia had found it for him on his phone, so he could read it while he ate his toast. �It says here about them beingvery individual characters. That sounds like the kind of thing teachers say when they don�t want to sayjust plain naughty.�

Tia giggled.�Laura said Charlie�s a bit like that.�

�Mmmm. But he�s so friendly with you and Christy,� Mum said. �Some cats aren�t that keen on children.�

�Laura said Bengals can be naughty when they get bored and lonely,� Tia added. �But Mum�s around in the mornings, and we can play with the kitten after school.�

�I suppose so,� Dad agreed. �Well, there�s no harm going to see this kitten, anyway. What time did she say we should come over?�

�Any time from ten.� Mum looked at her watch. �We should probably get going, actually. It�s about half an hour away.�

Tia jumped up from the table, nearly tipping over her cereal bowl. Even though it was the weekend, she�d been up since six.

�Slow down,� Dad chuckled.

�Sorry�� Tia said. �It�s just so exciting!�

[��������: img_9]

The car journey seemed to take far longer than half an hour. Tia was much too jittery to read a book or listen to music. They might actually be getting their kitten! She wriggled delightedly at the thought.

The house they pulled up at looked surprisingly ordinary� apart from a small sign, with a drawing of a cat on it. Somehow Tia had expected something different, although she wasn�t quite sure what. She followed her mum and dad up the path, feeling oddly disappointed.

Then Christy clutched at her arm.�Tia, look!� She was pointing at the window on one side of the front door.

The windowsill was lined with kittens. They were all sitting watching the girls walk up the path, their ears pricked up curiously.

[��������: img_10]

�So many of them!� Tia gasped. They seemed to be different ages, too � some of them were much bigger than the others. She tried to count them, but Dad had rung the doorbell, and the kittens clearly heard it. They hurried to jump down from the windowsill � there had to be a chair or something underneath it, as they were all queuing to get down. Except that they didn�t queue very nicely, they were all pushing and barging into each other.

Someone had answered the door, but Tia and Christy hardly noticed� they were too busy watching the kittens.

�If you come in, you�ll be able to see them even better!� A grey-haired lady looked round the door, smiling.

Tia went pink and hurried in, hauling Christy after her.

The door to the room with the window was closed, and Tia could hear squeaks and bumps from behind it. She stared at it hopefully, while Mum asked about the kitten Laura had mentioned.

The grey-haired lady� Helen, Tia remembered she was called � nodded. �She�s a lovely little thing � she�ll make a very friendly pet.� She beamed at the girls. �So would you like to meet them all, then?�

Tia just nodded, she couldn�t even speak. Christy jumped up and down as Helen carefully opened the door.

�I have to open it slowly,� she explained. �They get so excited about people visiting, and theywill stand there just behind the door. I�ll catch their paws if I�m not careful.� She bent down as the door opened and scooped up a small kitten with golden-brown fur and the most beautiful leopardy spots, who was making a run for it.

�There�s always one,� she told Tia, �and actually this is the little lady you�ve come to see.�

Tia gasped as the kitten peered down at her. She had enormous round eyes, not green or yellowy, like most cats, but a soft, turquoise blue. Her ears were massive, too, and she had a great long trail of white whiskers.

�Come on in, and we�ll shut the door before they all try and escape,� Helen said.

The room had been a dining room, Tia realized. It still had the table and chairs, but now there were soft, padded baskets, food bowls and litter trays everywhere.

[��������: img_11]

�It�s a kitten room,� Christy cried, looking round. �There�s so many!�

�Eleven of them,� Helen said. �Two litters. The smaller ones are ten weeks old, and the bigger ones are twelve weeks. Ready to go to their new homes.�

�Oh�� Tia breathed. �She�s old enough to come to us already?� She was still staring at the pretty dappled kitten in Helen�s arms. �If she wants to, I mean,� she added. Somehow it seemed quite clear that it wasn�t only her decision. The blue-green eyes peering over Helen�s arm were determined.

Helen nodded.�Why don�t you try and stroke her?� she said, lowering her arms a little to make it easier for Tia to reach the kitten.

Very gently, Tia held out her fingers, and the kitten sniffed them thoughtfully. Tia rubbed her hand over the kitten�s silky head. �Oh, she�s so soft. Like satin.�

The kitten let out a mighty purr, a huge noise from something so small, and Tia burst out laughing. The kitten laid back her ears, her eyes getting even huger, and Tia gulped.�I�m sorry, I didn�t mean to scare you,� she murmured. But the kitten purred again, and Helen slowly held her out to Tia.

�See if she�ll let you hold her,� she said quietly.

Tia glanced nervously at Mum. But Mum gave an encouraging smile.�She does seem to like you, Tia. You�re so good at being gentle.�

Tia carefully took the kitten from Helen.�Look at her gorgeous spots,� she whispered to Mum.

Dad and Christy were crouched down by the dining table looking at one of the smaller kittens, who was perched on a chair.�She�s not quite like Charlie though, is she? Her spots are in rings. Like pawprints!�

�She is lovely,� Helen said. �You aren�t worried about her tail, then?�

�Oh! I forgot.� Tia peered round the little kitten, who was snuggling into the front of her top. It looked pretty much like a normal tail to her, only a little bit bent at the tip. �I love her tail,� she said firmly. �It�s so dark! Nearly black, and the rest of her looks like � like honeycomb toffee!�

�She does,� Mum nodded.

�So � we can really have her?� Tia asked hopefully. She giggled as the kitten hooked tiny claws into her top and started to mountaineer up her shoulder and round her neck until she was standing with her front paws on one shoulder and her back paws on the other, like a furry scarf.

Mum glanced over at Dad, who nodded.�I think she�s perfect.�

The kitten purred in Tia�s ear, as though she agreed.

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Tia had hoped they might be able to take the kitten home with them, but Mum and Dad said they needed to get everything ready first. Tia supposed they were right. They didn�t even have a cat carrier. So after they�d finally coaxed Christy away from the tiny kittens, they stopped off at the pet shop on the way home.

�Can we buy some toys as well?� Tia asked. �They had lots of toys at Helen�s house. I don�t want the kitten to be bored at ours.�

�What are the chances of that?� Dad laughed. �I don�t think her paws are going to touch the floor.�

�A couple of toys,� Mum agreed. �But we�re not going mad with them, Tia.�

�I�ve got my birthday money from Gran still,� Tia pointed out. �I could use that.� She stood in front of the cat toys, looking at catnip fish, laser pointers and jingly balls. What should she get? Tia could imagine the kitten loving them all.

[��������: img_14]

She was just trying out a clockwork mouse, when a poster hanging at the end of the aisle caught her eye. It was for the Cats Protection League, asking for donations to feed all the stray cats they took in. Tia looked at it thoughtfully. If her family had adopted a kitten from there, they would have made a donation�

She looked down at her basket and put back the feathery cat dancer and the catnip monkey. She could make a bunch of feathers, and Mum had lots of knitting wool. She would buy the mouse, but that was all. The rest of her money she dropped into the collection box at the till. The bag the lady gave her to take home was very light, but Tia didn�t mind.

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The kitten let out a despairing wail. She hated being shut up in the cat carrier. It was too small and it smelled funny, and she seemed to have been in it for ages. But then there was a clicking noise and the door swung open.

The girl was looking in at her now, the one who had stroked her and fussed over her. The kitten nosed forward cautiously. The girl rubbed her ears gently, and the kitten stepped out of the carrier and climbed on to her lap, which was beautifully still after the car ride. Then she peered around worriedly. This wasn�t the place she knew, and there seemed to be an awful lot of people and movement and noise.

�She�s so quiet,� Tia said, as Dad crouched next to her and stroked the kitten.

�She�s just not sure what�s going on, poor little thing. She�ll probably go and explore in a minute.�

But the kitten didn�t. She didn�t go and try out the padded basket they�d bought, or drink from her smart new bowl, or chase after her clockwork mouse. When Tia had to get up and have dinner, the kitten darted off her lap and hid round the side of the cat carrier. She didn�t want to go right back in it, but somehow it felt safe. She could have gone with the girl to the table, but there were too many people over there.Safer to stay by the carrier, she thought.

�I want her to play with me!� Christy wailed, pushing her plate away. �She sat on Tia for ages! Why won�t she play?�

�She will,� Mum promised. �She just needs to get used to us, Christy.�

�Anyway, we need to think about what to call her,� Dad pointed out.

Tia peered at the cat carrier. She could see white whiskers sticking out round the corner of it. The kitten was so pretty, she needed a pretty sort of name� like Rosie, or Coco � except that sounded too much like a poodle.

�What about Milly?� she suggested. �She looks like a Milly, I think.�

�Milly�� Mum nodded. �I like it.�

After dinner, Tia crouched down by the carrier. She didn�t want to scare the kitten, she just wanted to show her that someone was there. The kitten peeped out at her every so often.

Tia had been sitting there for a good twenty minutes when Milly finally edged her way further out from behind the carrier. Tia held her breath. Would she come right out?

[��������: img_16]

�Tia! Are you still there?� Mum asked, coming into the kitchen.

The kitten whisked back behind the carrier with a flick of her tail.

�It�s bedtime. Don�t worry, Milly will be fine. Dad and I will keep checking on her.�

Tia trailed upstairs reluctantly. It felt so mean to leave the little kitten all by herself. She lay in the dark listening to Christy breathing in the bottom bunk, too worried to sleep.

At least she thought she was. She woke suddenly from a dream that she couldn�t really remember, except that it hadn�t been good. She had been searching for something�

Tia sat up in bed. It was late. Mum and Dad had surely gone to bed� she couldn�t hear their voices or the TV.

She could hear something, though. A sad, thin little wail. Yes, there it was again. The kitten!

Tia slid down her bunkbed ladder and padded as quietly as she could out on to the landing and down the stairs. She opened the kitchen door and whispered,�Puss puss� Milly� It�s so dark, I�ll have to put the light on. Don�t be surprised, all right?� She closed the door behind her and clicked on the light, blinking in the sudden glare. She�d expected to see the kitten dart back behind her carrier, or maybe she would be in her basket � but Tia couldn�t see her anywhere.

�Milly?� she murmured, turning slowly in the middle of the room. �Where are you?�

She has to be here, Tia told herself.I heard her. She can�t have got out of the cat flap. Dad had put the cat flap in, but they had kept it locked� Milly wouldn�t be allowed to go out until she�d had all her vaccinations. She was hiding, that was all.Where would a kitten like to hide? Tia wondered.

The oilcloth covering the kitchen table moved slightly, as though there was a draught� but all the windows were closed. Tia smiled and crouched down under the table. There, in the dim light under the cloth, a pair of blue-green eyes shone out at her. Milly was sitting on a stool, with the cloth tucked round her like a little tent.

[��������: img_17]

�Hello,� Tia whispered.

The kitten stared back at her, and Tia settled herself against the leg of the table.�I�ll sit here,� she said sleepily. �Just to make sure you�re OK.�

She was half asleep when she felt little paws padding at her leg, and then Milly scrambled on to her lap and curled herself into a tiny ball.

[��������: img_18]

�Tia! What are you doing under there?� Christy squeaked. �You weren�t in your bed � I came to find you!�

Tia blinked. The light was still on and the kitchen seemed very bright.�Is it morning?� she muttered.

�Yes! Did you sleep down here all night?�

�No� I came down in the middle sometime. Owww, I�m all stiff.� Tia tried to stretch out her legs without disturbing Milly, who was blinking at her owlishly.

Christy creeped under the table to join them and stroked Milly�s back, following the direction of the fur the way Tia had taught her. �I�m so glad she�s ours,� she said.

�I know,� Tia agreed. �I can�t wait to tell Lucy all about her at school tomorrow.�

�Oh, hello, you two � you three, I mean.� Mum peered under the oilcloth. �Did you come down early to play with her?�

Tia gave Christy a look and nodded. It was better that Mum didn�t know she�d been downstairs half the night�

[��������: img_18]

After that first night, Milly settled in quickly. She didn�t stay confined to the kitchen for long � she was far too nosy. She missed her old home and all her brothers and sisters, but now she had a whole house to explore. She explored it properly, too � every surface, every shelf, every cupboard. She wasn�t big enough to climb the stairs at first, but whenever Tia and Christy were home, they were happy to carry her. And by the time she had been living with Tia�s family for a month, she was big enough to scramble up them by herself.

Milly�s favourite place was Tia and Christy�s room. It was full of toys to chase and boxes to wriggle in and out of. She was also fascinated by the ladder to Tia�s top bunk. Tia had carried her up there, but Milly wanted to be able to climb it on her own.

�What are you doing, kitten?� Tia said, laughing as she watched Milly from her desk. She was trying to do her homework, but Milly kept stealing her pencils and burying them under the bed.

Milly put her front paws on the first step� the ladder had flat, wide rungs, and it was easy enough to jump on to one. She managed to jump from the first step to the second. But then she wobbled and slid, and had to make a flying leap down on to Christy�s bed instead. Then she went prowling off through the soft toys, pretending that was what she had meant to do all along.

Tia wished she could play with Milly, but she had to finish her homework first.

It wasn�t until Christy came upstairs and let out a piercing shriek that Tia realized what Milly had been doing. One of Christy�s favourite toys was a feathery owl that Dad had brought back for her from a work trip. It always sat propped up at the side of her bed because it was made up of lots of tinyfeathers and it was a bit fragile.

[��������: img_19]

�Owly! She�s eaten Owly!� Christy howled.

Milly sat in the middle of the bed, looking rather confused. Christy did burst out crying every so often, she�d got used to that now. But she was being very loud and she was stamping about. Milly spat out a mouthful of the interesting feathers and slunk to the end of the bed, making for Tia.

�Whatever�s the matter?� Mum said, rushing in. �Oh my goodness. Christy, I�m sorry, sweetheart.�

�He�s all eaten and ruined�� Christy sobbed.

�Tia, how on earth could you have let Milly do that?� Mum asked.

�I didn�t see! I was doing my homework. Sorry, Christy�� Tia picked Milly up, looking guiltily at her little sister. �Maybe we can glue the feathers back on.�

�You shouldn�t cuddle her,� Christy growled. �She�s a bad cat!�

�Oh no, she isn�t! She didn�t know.�

Milly snuggled closer into Tia�s school jumper, not liking the angry voices.

�You�re scaring her!� Tia said, and Christy wailed again.

�I don�t care! She broke Owly!�

�Take that cat downstairs, Tia,� Mum snapped. �Honestly, after the pavlova yesterday as well. I never thought a kitten could be so much trouble.�

�I wish we had a kitten that didn�t eat things!� Christy gulped.

Tia hurried down the stairs with Milly in her arms.�You are silly,� she muttered. �I love you climbing about and getting into everything, but the pavlova was a disaster.�

Mum had been making a lovely pudding to take to a friend�s house, and she�d left it out on the counter while she answered the door. She came back to find a very happy cat, and a lot less whipped cream on top of the pavlova. Mum had had to buy a pudding instead, although Tia was sure it would have been all right if Mum had just moved the raspberries around a bit.

�I think you�d better try and be perfectly behaved for the next few days,� she told Milly, as she put her in her basket. �You�re definitely not Mum or Christy�s favourite cat right now.�

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�You don�t think there�s anything I can do about Milly, then?� Tia asked Laura, sipping at her juice. It was the weekend, and she�d popped over to get some advice on Milly�s naughty tricks.

Laura shook her head slowly.�Not much. Just make her get down every time you see her somewhere she shouldn�t be. A lot of it�s simply that she�s a kitten. She will get better as she gets older. Charlie used to knock things over all the time, but he doesn�t do quite so much climbing now.�

Tia sighed. It didn�t look like there was an easy answer. �I guess I�m lucky she hasn�t really spoiled anything of mine yet. Well, she did eat my sandwiches yesterday while Mum was doing my packed lunch. But that�s not the same as Owly. Christy is still really upset. She says we should take Milly back and get a better-behaved cat.�

�I suppose the thing to do is make sure anything precious is put away,� Laura said. �And shut the doors if there are rooms you don�t want her in.�

�Mmmm,� Tia agreed. �It�s just Christynever shuts doors.�

�Milly might learn to open them anyway. I wouldn�t be surprised. Actually, Tia, I�m glad you came over,� Laura said, reaching over to a pile of newspapers on one of the kitchen chairs. �I was going to talk to your mum or dad. Do you know if they�ve seen this?� She folded the newspaperover and showed a headline to Tia � CATNAPPERS STEAL PRECIOUS PETS.

�No!� Tia looked at it in horror. �Why are they stealing them?�

�To sell.� Laura was frowning. �It�s because pedigree cats are so expensive. The thieves steal them and then sell them for less than you�d pay at a breeder. I�m sure most of the people don�t realize the cats are stolen. The thing is, this article particularly mentions Bengals. Because they�re so fashionable. And I know that one lady who has one of Charlie�s littermates caught someone trying to tempt her cat out of her garden. She doesn�t live all that far from here.�

Tia jumped up from the table.�I�m really sorry, Laura, but I have to go home. Milly�s allowed out of her cat flap now. What if someone�s trying to steal her this minute?�

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Laura tried to tell Tia that it was unlikely anyone would try and steal Milly, and she hadn�t meant to scare her. She was still letting Charlie go out, but only when she was around to keep an eye on him. �Just to be safe,� she explained.

Tia calmed down enough to finish her juice. But she refused a biscuit, and as she hurried back home she couldn�t help keeping an eye out for cat thieves.What would they look like, though?

Tia went down the side of her house to the back garden. Milly loved it out there. She bounced in and out of the plants, and spied on the bird table. Tia had noticed that only the bravest birds came to it now.

But Milly wasn�t sitting underneath the bird table and she didn�t come when Tia called, like she usually did. She was nowhere to be seen.

�Milly! Milly!� Tia called anxiously. She ran down the garden to look over the back fence into Mr Jackson�s garden. Milly liked it over there. Mr Jackson had a goldfish pond. She had climbed the fence at the side of the garden, too, but the people next door had a spaniel called Max, and he had barked at Milly so loudly that she�d jumped straight down again.

Just as Tia reached the back fence and looked through the trellis on the top, there was a splashing sound and a horrified yowl. Then something bounded across Mr Jackson�s garden. A small, bedraggled thing, trailing long streamers of green weed.

�That cat of yours is after my goldfish!� Mr Jackson shouted crossly to Tia. �Little menace!�

Milly jumped on to Mr Jackson�s compost bin and then up on to the fence, where Tia reached up and grabbed her. She shuddered at the clammy wet fur � Milly was soaking.

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�I�m really sorry!� Tia gasped to the old man. �We�ll keep her inside!�

�We�ll have to,� she murmured to Milly, as she carried her down the garden. �Maybe we�d better lock the catflap, so you can only go out when one of us with you. I know you won�t like that much, but I�m not going to let anyone steal you!�

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Tia was quite right. Milly was most unimpressed with being shut inside. She always followed Tia and Christy when they went out into the garden. She would chase the football, and sometimes Tia carried her up on to their climbing frame. Christy had forgiven her for shredding Owly now, and she would dance down the garden trailing bits of string for Milly to pounce on. But sometimes Milly wanted to go outside on her own, too. It wasn�t the same watching the birds from the kitchen windowsill.

Often she sat in the front window instead, especially in the afternoon, when she knew that Tia and Christy would soon be home. People sometimes pointed at her, and Milly could tell that they were saying nice things. One blond-haired man seemed to walk past the house quite often, just to see her. He always stopped and looked at her for ages. And at the other cat, the one that lived across the road.

Milly liked to stare at the other cat as well. But he usually pretended not to see her.

�Look, Christy, Milly�s watching for us again,� Tia pointed to Milly, sitting in the front window, and Milly leaped for the back of the sofa. She would jump from there to the arm, and then on to the floor to meet them at the front door.

�Nice cat!� There was a young man with blond hair walking slowly past their house on the way to his van. He was jingling the keys in his hand, and he smiled at Tia and Christy. �Is she yours? Does she always run and meet you like that?�

Tia smiled back. She loved it when people admired Milly.�Yes,� she said proudly.

�She�s beautiful. What is she, a Bengal?�

�Yes, she�s four months old,� Tia said.

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The man smiled again and walked over to his blue van, which was parked further up the road.

Mum hurried up behind them.�Who was that you were talking to?� she asked.

�Oh � well, he was asking about Milly,� Tia said, frowning. She hadn�t really thought about it, but the man was a stranger, of course. �He seemed nice�� she added.

�No, he wasn�t,� Christy said firmly. �I didn�t like him.�

�Oh, don�t be silly, Christy,� Tia muttered, as Mum started to tell her off for chatting to people she didn�t know.

�You were just coming, Mum. You were almost with us,� Tia muttered. But she had a horrible feeling now that Mum and Christy were right. She shouldn�t have spoken to him. She sighed. �I suppose we shouldn�t tell people Milly�s a Bengal, should we? In case someone tries to steal her.�

Mum put an arm around her shoulder.�I�m sure that won�t happen, Tia. But next time, just say that I�m the person to ask, and come and get me! Come on, let�s get in the house. Milly�s probably having a fit by now.�

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Tia had hoped that Milly would get used to staying inside, but the kitten still took every chance she could to sneak out. And she moved so fast she was very good at it.

One lunchtime, when Mum was just heading out for work, Milly slipped round her legs, aiming for the open door. But Mum swooped down and caught her just before she could escape.

�No, sweetie. I know you don�t like staying inside, but it�s to keep you safe.� Mum sighed. �Hopefully the police will catch those awful cat thieves soon. It�s been weeks. You stay there, and I�ll be back later with Tia and Christy.�

Crossly, Milly prowled back into the living room and jumped up on to the windowsill, watching Mum hurry away down the street. She hated it when they all went out. There was nothing to do. The cat on the other side of the road wasn�t even sitting in his window for her to look at.

[��������: img_25]

And she was hungry. She uncurled herself, jumped down and wandered out into the kitchen to see if there was some food left in her bowl. There wasn�t.

Milly stalked over to the cat flap and glared at it. She didn�t understand why it didn�t work any more. It would let her back in from the garden, but now it would never let her out. She pawed at it, just in case, but it still didn�t work. It rattled though, which was a good noise, so Milly pawed it again. This time, the catflap shook, and Milly got a delicious whiff of fresh garden air as the flap opened inwards a little way. Then it clicked shut again.

Milly stared at it. It had definitely been a bit open. She banged at it harder this time, and it flew open a little more. Enough for her to stick her paw in and stop it clicking closed.

Purring with excitement, the kitten wriggled her other paw into the gap and then poked her nose in too, flipping the cat flap all the way up, so she could jump out. She stared back at it triumphantly as she stood on the doorstep, and then she pranced out into the garden.

It was sunny and warm, and everything smelled good. Milly padded across the patio, sniffing here and there, and glancing up at the birds that circled and twittered overhead.

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It was the smell of the wheelie bins that made her go down the side path. She was hungry, and although the smell wasn�t quite right, there was definitely food in there somewhere. She pattered curiously down the path and sniffed around the bottom of the bins. She was just considering trying to scramble up on to the top of one when next-door�s dog, Max, came galloping down the garden on his side of the fence, barking his head off.

Milly shot down the path like a rocket, her tail fluffing up. She remembered Max, all big teeth and flying ears. She wasn�t sure if he could get through the fence, but she wasn�t going to wait around to find out. She bounded into the front garden and jumped up on to the wall. She then licked her paws furiously, swiping them over her ears. She felt hot and bothered and cross, and washing helped � a little.

The sun was warm, and slowly her tail smoothed down again. Milly�s eyes half-closed as she watched the cars going past.

One of the cars stopped, a blue van that she was sure she had seen before. A young man with blond hair got out. Milly pricked up her ears. She had seen him before. He always stopped to admire her in the window. She pretended not to notice the man as he walked up the street, and she gave him a haughty look as he made friendly kissy noises at her.

But she couldn�t hold out for long.

She padded gracefully down the wall to let the man stroke her ears and tickle her under the chin.

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Milly didn�t even mind when he picked her up � she liked to be cuddled.

But then he locked his hand tightly around the scruff of her neck and hurried down the road with her. He opened the back of his blue van and stuffed her into a cat carrier.

And then he drove away while Milly howled and scrabbled and fought to get out.

[��������: img_28]

�Oh! Milly isn�t in the window,� Tia said, sounding surprised.

�Maybe she heard Christy singing and went to the door already,� Mum suggested. �I bet the whole street heard her.�

But there was no kitten rubbing lovingly around their ankles when Mum opened the front door.

Tia hurried into the kitchen to see if Milly was waiting by her food bowl. There was no sign of her at all.�Where is she?� she asked anxiously. �Did you shut her in upstairs, Mum?�

�No� She was definitely getting under my feet when I left,� Mum said. �Unless she managed to shut herself in somewhere. Go and check, you two.�

Tia and Christy raced upstairs, opening every door and calling frantically. Tia even looked in their wardrobe.

�Milly won�t be in there!� Christy told her, but Tia shook her head.

�You never know. Remember when she got shut in the kitchen cupboard?�

�She only went in there because that�s where the bag of cat food is,� Christy pointed out.

But all the cupboards were empty, and they hurried back downstairs.

Mum was starting to get worried.�I�ve looked everywhere down here,� she murmured. �You didn�t unlock the cat flap, did you?�

Tia shook her head, glancing at the cat flap. Then she frowned.�Hey, it�s not closed properly.� She crouched down next to it. It was definitely open, just a little � the flap balanced against the frame. Tia gulped. �She�s gone out.�

[��������: img_29]

�But it was locked,� Mum protested. �How can she have gone out?�

�Look.� Tia pointed. �It�s still locked, but the lock�s only a bit of plastic, Mum. It stops the door opening out, but Milly�s so clever, she didn�t open it outwards � she pulled itin. And then she squeezed under the flap.�

Tia unlocked the back door and ran out into the garden.�Milly! Milly!� she called, hoping to see a toffee-gold kitten come darting through the grass. But all she heard was Max, whining next door.

�She�s gone�� Tia whispered, her heart thumping so hard it almost hurt. �Someone�s taken her.� She knew that it was silly � Milly could be in Mr Jackson�s garden again, chasing the fish. Or messing about in that garden with all the brambles a few doors down. There was nothing to say that she�d been catnapped. But somehow Tia knew. She just knew.

[��������: img_18]

Milly peered out of the wire cage. The man had tipped her out of the carrier, and she had felt so dazed and dizzy after the car journey that she had simply curled up in the corner with her eyes shut. But now that she was feeling a little better she was trying to understand where she was and what was happening.

Her cage was small� not all that much bigger than the carrier had been � and there was a tatty blanket in it, a litter tray and a water bowl. There was a food bowl, too, but it was empty. The cage was stacked on top of another one and there were several more all round the shed. The whole place was grubby and cold, and it smelled as though the litter trays weren�t emptied often enough. It was dark, too � the only window was dirty and hardly let in any light.

But the strangest thing was that there were three other cats. Milly hadn�t seen that many since she�d come to live with Tia and Christy. Occasionally she would see one of the neighbourhood cats prowling through her garden, which she hated. But there wasn�t a lot she could do about it, except scrabble her paws on the window.

[��������: img_30]

There was a cat in the cage right next to her, just on the other side of the wire. He was bigger than her, and he had a fat, squashed face and a lot of long fur in a strange blue-grey colour. He hissed angrily at Milly, and she took a step back and nearly fell over.

The big blue Persian hissed again and shot out a fat paw, scraping it down the side of the wire with a screechy clatter.

Milly�s tail fluffed up to twice its usual size, and she hissed and spat back. She might be small, but she was angry. She had been stolen and stuffed in a box, and now she was shut up here.

The Persian was still hissing, but crawling backwards now, his golden-orange eyes fixed on hers. They glared at each other, both of them refusing to back down.

As Milly watched him edge up against the side of his cage she decided that there wasn�t much point in making a fuss. He was there and she was here, neither of them could get out � that was what they should be worrying about.

She let out a last little growl and curled herself up on the blanket, wondering how she was going to get home to Tia.

[��������: img_18]

�Anything?� Mum asked, as Tia came in from the garden. She had been out to call for Milly again while Mum and Christy went to ask Mr Jackson if he�d seen the kitten, and Max�s owners too. No one had seen her, though.

Tia rubbed her eyes, trying not to cry. She didn�t want to scare Christy. �Do you think someone took her?� she whispered to Mum.

Mum hugged her.�No, Tia, I�m sure she�s just gone exploring. Don�t worry.�

But Tiawas worried. Milly never went far. Whenever Tia called her, there�d always be a scrabbling on the other side of the fence and a little whiskery golden face would appear over the top. �Can we go and look up and down the road?� she begged.

They searched their street and the next couple of streets, calling for Milly and asking people if they�d spotted her. And they kept going until it got too dark to see.

Mum said Milly would probably come back when she got hungry, but the kitten still hadn�t returned by bedtime. Christy climbed the ladder to Tia�s top bunk, and the sisters curled up together.

�She�ll come back tomorrow, won�t she?� Christy asked.

Tia tried to sound confident.�Oh yes.�Please let it be true, she thought.�We�ll probably find her in her basket when we come down in the morning.�

�She could be there now!� Christy clutched at Tia�s pyjamas. �We should go downstairs and see!�

�No� Not yet,� Tia murmured. She wasn�t sure she could manage not to cry if they didn�t find their lovely kitten.

�I really miss her�� Christy said sleepily.

�Me too,� Tia sniffed. �But she�ll be back tomorrow,� she said, trying to convince herself.

[��������: img_31]

[��������: img_32]

But the next morning there was no Milly yowling for her breakfast. It seemed so unfair to have to go to school� all Tia wanted to do was search for Milly. It was Friday. Nothing important happened at school on Fridays.

As she trailed into the playground, her friend Lucy came running over.

�Hi, Tia! Hey, what�s the matter?�

�Milly,� Tia gulped, swallowing back tears. �She�s disappeared. And I can�t help thinking someone�s kidnapped her. Remember I told you about those cat thieves?�

Lucy�s eyes widened. �Oh no! How long�s she been gone for?�

�She wasn�t there when we got home yesterday. She managed to get out of her cat flap even though it was locked.�

Lucy frowned.�I don�t think Mittens would ever do anything like that. What makes you think she�s been stolen?�

Tia sighed.�It�s just a feeling I�ve got� I know that sounds stupid.�

�No�� Lucy said thoughtfully. �I know what you mean. When Mittens was lost, I was sure she�d come back. She was gone for more than a week, and Mum told me maybe I should give up, but I didn�t.�

�I forgot about that! It was in the summer holidays, wasn�t it? How did you find her?� Tia asked eagerly.

�We made loads of posters and stuck them on lamp posts, and I put leaflets through the door of every house in our road, asking them to check their sheds. And that�s where somebody found her! It was just lucky that it was a leaky shed and there was a puddle of water, otherwise Mittens would havedied,� Lucy added, her voice shaking a little.

�Posters�� Tia said thoughtfully. �And leaflets. Right. We�ll make some tonight.�

[��������: img_18]

�What about this one?� Tia said to Dad, pointing to one of the photos of Milly on the screen.

�Mmmm.� Dad nodded. �But she�s more recognizable from the side, don�t you think? Because of her lovely spots.�

�Look!� Christy said. �That�s the one Mum took when Milly climbed into the cupboard!�

Tia enlarged the photo and smiled. Milly was peering out, looking worried. They�d actually moved the cat food to the top cupboard after her first cat-food raid. And Mum had even started keeping the food in a tin instead of a bag. But Milly was just too clever. She�d even managed to hook the lid open with her claws.

�She�s so naughty�� Mum sighed.

[��������: img_33]

�Mum!� Tia looked up at her. �Aren�t you sad she�s missing?�

�Of course I am, Tia! But sheis naughty!�

�I suppose you wish we had a better-behaved cat instead!� Tia said, her voice choked with tears.

�I didn�t mean that at all,� Mum tried to say, but Tia was too upset to listen.

�You�re glad she�s gone!� she sobbed.

�Tia!� Mum snapped, her voice sharp enough to jolt Tia out of her fit of crying. �Sweetheart, that�s just silly. Yes, I get cross with Milly when she�s naughty, but she�s a kitten! Kittens do silly things, it�s what we signed up for! Especially when we agreed to have a Bengal.� She put her arm round Tia�s shoulder. �Do you think you�re the only one who read that book on Bengal cats?�

Tia gaped at her. She hadn�t realized Mum had read the book too.

�When I�m at home with her in the mornings, she follows me around, you know.� Mum sniffed. �And I�m always having to rescue her from the washing machine. It�s a wonder I�ve never actually put it on with her in it! I love her too, Tia, and we will do our absolute best to find her.�

�Sorry,� Tia murmured. Somehow knowing that Mum was really missing Milly helped.

Dad smiled.�She�s a little terror, isn�t she? But nobody wants a better-behaved cat, Tia. We wantour cat. Now I think this photo of her in the garden is the best. What shall we say on the poster?�

[��������: img_18]

Milly stared at the door, wondering when the man would come to bring their food. He�d fed them that morning, but the food hadn�t been the same kind she had at home. She�d left it for a while, but then finally eaten it � she�d been too hungry not to.

She had tried to dart out of the cage when the man put her food bowl in, but he�d batted her away. She felt hopeless � she couldn�t see how she was ever going to get out of here. And she was hungry again.

Tia always fed her at about this time of day. Wherewas Tia? Milly had been hoping that Tia would come and take her away from this horrible place.

She began to wail, over and over again. The Persian cat didn�t join in, he just stayed in the corner of his cage, sulking. But the other two cats started to howl too.

[��������: img_34]

The door banged open, and the man stamped in, scowling.�Shut up!� he yelled, hitting the front of the cage.

Milly let out a frightened little whimper. No one had ever shouted at her like that before. People had been cross or snapped,�Milly, no!� But this was different. She cowered at the back of the cage as he shoved in a fresh bowl of food. She didn�t even think about trying to escape this time. She didn�t want to go any closer to the man than she had to.

[��������: img_18]

�I�m glad it�s Saturday and we can be out looking for Milly,� Tia said to Lucy. Her mum had texted Lucy�s the night before to ask if Lucy could come and help.

�That�s a brilliant photo,� Lucy said, as she gave Tia some sellotape to stick the poster to a lamp post. �Anyone who sees Milly will definitely recognize her.�

[��������: img_35]

Tia sighed.�I don�t think anyone will see her, though. I still reckon it was those catnappers Laura told me about. Mum did ring the police, and they said they�d make a note of it, but there wasn�t a lot to go on. Actually, do you mind if we run back and ask Mum if we can go and tell Laura what�s happened? I want to warn her to keep Charlie safe.�

�Good idea,� Lucy agreed. �If the catnappers did take Milly, I bet they saw Charlie too. They might come back, mightn�t they?�

�Exactly.� Tia shuddered.

They hurried back down the road to meet Tia�s mum and Christy, who were doing the lamp posts at that end. Mum had told the girls they could go further up the road as long as they stayed where she could see them. Dad had gone to the street that ran behind theirs, in case Milly had jumped over the back fence.

�Mum! Can we go and tell Laura what happened? I want to warn her to keep Charlie in.�

�Oh, Tia� I�m sure it�s nothing to do with catnappers,� Mum said, patting her shoulder. �Milly�s just wandered off. Cats do!�

�Please?�

�Well, OK. But don�t bother Laura for long.�

Tia and Lucy crossed over the road, and rang Laura�s bell.

�Hello! I�ve just seen you from upstairs, putting up posters.� Laura frowned. �Milly�s not lost, is she?�

�Yes.� Tia gulped. �Actually, I�m sure she�s been stolen. There was a man asking me about her, just a couple of days ago��

Laura gasped.�Youngish? Short blond hair? With a blue van?�

�I don�t know about the van�� Tia started to say. �Hang on, yes, there was a van�� She scowled to herself, wishing she could remember. It just hadn�t seemed important at the time. �I think it was blue. You saw him too, then?�

�Yes! He was asking me about Charlie. He was nice, he said my cat looked very special, and I was all set to say Charlie was a Bengal. Then I remembered that newspaper article, and I just smiled at him and went inside. I felt a bit guilty afterwards. I was rude��

�He was nice to me too,� Tia whispered sadly. �If he was asking about Charlie, that�s not just chance, is it? He�s a cat thief, and Milly really has been stolen.� Tia�s eyes filled with tears. �He�ll sell her to someone else, and we�ll never get her back!�

[��������: img_36]

[��������: img_37]

Milly flattened her ears. She could hear the man coming. She gave a small, nervous mew. He frightened her.

He had a pile of food bowls in one hand, but in the other he was holding a cat carrier. What was happening? Then she suddenly realized� perhaps he was going to take her home! She purred, hoping she was the one he had brought the carrier for.

She stood nicely as he opened the cage door, and let him pick her up and put her in, though usually she would scrabble and fight.

�Who�s being a good girl,� he murmured in the sort of voice that Tia would use. Milly still didn�t like him, but at least he was carrying her carefully. She had expected him to put her back in the van. But instead he put the carrier down indoors somewhere and left her.

What was happening? Why had he put her in the carrier if he wasn�t going to take her home? Milly mewed worriedly, but she didn�t howl like she had before. If she was noisy, she was sure the man would shout at her again.

At last, she heard him coming back. He was talking to someone else, a woman, and his voice was soft.

�Yes, she�s lovely. Unfortunately her owner couldn�t keep her. The old lady had to go into hospital, you see, so she asked me to find her a new home. She�s very reasonably priced for a Bengal.�

Milly tensed as he undid the clips on the front door of the carrier, and then he reached in and scooped her out. She did her best not to hiss, but she wanted to, and the fur rose up all along her back.

[��������: img_38]

�Oh dear, she doesn�t look very happy.� The woman frowned. �She�s so pretty, though. Do you have her pedigree?�

�I don�t have the pedigree at the moment � with being in hospital, her owner was a bit frantic. But it�s very good.�

�Can I hold her?� the woman asked, and she took Milly, stroking her softly. The woman seemed nice � or at any rate, a lot nicer than the man. Milly relaxed a little. She didn�t know who this person was, but perhaps she was going to take her back to Tia.

�Oh�� The lady ran her hand down Milly�s tail. �There�s something wrong with her tail.�

�What?� The man�s voice was cross again, and Milly flinched and pressed herself against the woman�s coat.

�Look � it�s bent over.�

�Well, that doesn�t matter, does it? Seeing how reasonable the price is.�

�I don�t know. If there�s something wrong with her�� The woman held Milly out to the man. �I hope I haven�t wasted your time.�

Milly looked up at her, realizing that she wasn�t going to take her away from here, and let out a despairing yowl. The man snatched her and stuffed her into the carrier, slamming the wire door angrily. He looked furious � and the woman appeared very glad to be leaving.

Milly was worried that he might come back and shout at her again. But there was a loud bang, like a door shutting, and heavy footsteps went thudding away upstairs.

After a few minutes she felt brave enough to come closer to the wire door and look out. The room was a kitchen, a bit like Tia�s, and the carrier seemed to be on a table. Milly pressed her nose up against the wire and then jumped back as it moved.

He hadn�t shut the door! He had only slammed it � he hadn�t twisted the catches to hold it in place! Milly nudged the door with her nose, harder and harder, and it swung open. She jumped out on to the table. She had to get away from here, as quickly as she could. She looked over at the back door, but there was no cat flap.

There was a window, though. Above the sink, like at home. And it was open, just a little.

Milly stood at the edge of the table, her back legs tensed, ready to spring. There were glasses and plates stacked by the sink, and if she banged into them, he might come. She had to be quiet as well as quick. She leaped right into the sink, and some knives and forks jingled under her paws. But there was no thunder of footsteps on the stairs. Hurriedly, she climbed up to the windowsill. She was free!

[��������: img_39]

[��������: img_18]

�What did the police say?� Tia asked. She�d been hovering by her mum the whole while she�d been on the phone.

�Well, this time they did seem to take it a bit more seriously. They said they�d pass on all the information.�

�They think Millywas stolen, then?� Tia said, her voice eager. �They�ll find her?�

Mum sighed.�Look, Tia, the police will do the best they can. But there isn�t a lot to go on, is there?�

�I suppose not,� Tia sat down at the table, her legs feeling wobbly. Then she frowned. �If they haven�t got much to go on, we have to find them some more evidence, Mum! Lucy said we should put posters up in the shops near her. There�s a newsagent�s with a board � she says loads of people go and read the ads on it. Please!�

�All right. It�s quite a walk, though. Dad�s taken the car to drive round and look for Milly.�

�I don�t mind!� Tia assured her.

Mum sighed.�Have you printed out some more posters?�

Tia picked up a pile from the end of the table and waved them at her.

[��������: img_18]

�Now, you two go into the newsagent�s, and I�ll go and ask if I can put a poster up in the library,� Mum said. She was sounding a bit weary. Christy had whinged most of the way, saying she was sick of walking. Tia had tried to explain that it was all because they were trying to find Milly, but when Christy was tired she wasn�t easy to persuade.

Tia walked up to the counter and the young woman smiled at her.�Are you after some sweets?� she asked.

Tia shook her head.�We came to ask if we could put this up on your board.� She held out a poster. �It�s our kitten, you see. She�s missing.�

�Oh no! Look at her, isn�t she lovely!�

Tia swallowed back tears.�We think she might have been stolen. There was an article about it in the local paper.�

�I remember. Is your cat one of those Bengals, then?�

�Yes. A man was hanging around asking about her, and one day we got back home from school and she was gone.�

The woman nodded.�The board�s over there. You can move a couple of the leaflets around if you need space.�

�Thank you very much!� Tia went over to the board while Christy eyed the sweets hungrily. It was covered in leaflets, some of them curling at the edges as though they�d been there forever. Tia started to unpin a few of them so she could make room for her poster. Most of them were adverts for things people wanted to sell � lawnmowers and pushchairs. Then Tia stopped, staring at the card she�d just taken down.

Pedigree cats for sale. All breeds. Reasonably priced.

And there was a phone number.

How could someone be selling all breeds of cat? Breeders like Helen only bred one sort. No one could have all the different breeds.

Unless they were stealing them.

[��������: img_40]

�What�s the matter?� the woman called to Tia. �You look like you�ve seen a ghost.�

Tia walked back over to the counter.�You don�t remember who put this up, do you?� she asked, not very hopefully.

The woman looked down at the card.�Oh, I see. You�re thinking��

�It could be them, couldn�t it?� Tia gasped. She was desperate for a clue. Anything that might help them track Milly down.

The woman sniffed.�As it happens, I do know who put that up, and I wouldn�t be surprised if hewas a cat thief. He�s rude. I wish he didn�t come in here, but he picks up his motorcycle magazine every week. Some special order.�

Tia stared at her.�So � have you got his address then?� she whispered.

The woman looked uncomfortable.�Well, yes� I mean, I shouldn�t give it out. Just don�t say I gave it to you, will you?� She pulled out a big folder and flicked through. �Here, look. That�s him. But hang on, you can�t go over there on your own! Where�s your mum and dad?�

�It�s all right,� Tia said. �My mum�s just at the library � I�ll get her. Seventeen Emwell Road. Thanks!�

She grabbed Christy�s hand, and hauled her out of the shop. �I think we�re about to get Milly back! We have to find Mum� Come on.�

They raced up the steps to the library and shoved open the door. Mum was in the queue, and there were loads of people in front of her.

�I won�t be too long, Tia,� Mum said, as Tia came up to her.

�But I�ve found them!� Tia cried. �The catnappers!�

[��������: img_41]

�What?� Mum stared at her, and some of the people in the line looked round curiously.

�There was an ad for pedigree cats for sale in the newsagent�s. It has to be them! And I�ve got the address.�

�Oh, Tia, I know you�re desperate to find Milly, but you�re jumping to conclusions.� Mum shook her head.

�Why won�t you ever believe me?� Tia said furiously. �I�m going there now!� She turned and marched out, Christy scampering after her. She didn�t even look back to see if Mum was following. She just had to find Milly.

[��������: img_42]

Milly threaded her way through the overgrown front garden and squeezed under the rickety wooden gate. She darted a glance back to the house, but the man wasn�t chasing her. Still, she wanted to get further away. Then she would find Tia. She set off down the pavement, sniffing at the dandelions and the parked cars. It was when she reached the end of the street, where it met another, larger road, that she realized finding her home was going to be harder than she�d thought. She had expected to somehow know which way to go. But coming here in a van, she had lost her sense of direction.

She set off along one road, but it didn�t feel good. Milly turned uncertainly and hurried back. The other way felt as though it led home.

[��������: img_43]

Milly plodded on, trying to sense the right direction. She wasn�t used to walking so far and the pavements were hard. Her paws hurt. Worst of all, she wasn�t really sure she was getting any closer to Tia.

Wearily, she jumped up on to a low wall for a rest. Another cat had scent-marked the garden beyond the wall, and Milly peered down nervously. The cat didn�t seem to be around. She curled herself into a tense little ball and let her eyes close. She was so tired.

Suddenly, Milly�s eyes shot open, and she nearly fell off the wall. A ginger cat was in the garden below her, hissing furiously. His fur fluffed up so much that he looked four times as big as her.

[��������: img_44]

Milly scrambled backwards, her tail straight up, all the fur sticking out like a brush. She hissed at the ginger cat, but he was much bigger than she was. Milly backed herself up to the end of the wall and then sprang down on to the pavement, racing away as fast as she could.

[��������: img_18]

�It�s this way,� Tia panted, hauling Christy along behind her.

�We should wait for Mum!� Christy wailed. �I can�t see her, Tia! We aren�t supposed to go where we can�t see Mum! We�ll get in trouble!�

�I don�t care! I�m going to find Milly. Look, this is Emwell Road!� Tia stopped, gasping for breath. What if the man who took Milly saw her and Christy? He�d probably recognize them. �Be like spies, all right? We don�t want the catnappers to catch us.�

Tia pulled Christy in close to the wall and they began to creep along, looking for number seventeen.

�This is it,� Tia murmured, a little way up the road. �Oh! The van!� She squeezed Christy�s hand and pointed. �Laura saw a blue van when the man was asking about Charlie.�

[��������: img_45]

�Tia!� Mum was running up the road after them, looking furious. �How could you run off like that? You crossed roads! You know you�re not allowed!�

�Mum, look!� Tia grabbed her arm, towing her towards the van. �Look! It�s the catnappers!�

Mum frowned.�Oh� Is that the van Laura talked about?�

�Yes! And this is the road where the man who put up that advert lives. It�s got to be him, hasn�t it?�

Mum nodded slowly.�All right. Don�t you dare go in there, Tia! I�m going to call that number the police gave me. It�s starting to look as though you�re right.�

[��������: img_18]

�Have a look at these.� The policewoman held out her mobile phone, and Tia stared at it eagerly. It had been so hard to wait for news. Tia had wanted to stay outside the house in Emwell Road, but Mum had said they�d better go home. They didn�t want to get in the way when the police came.

�We might make that man suspicious if we�re hanging around,� she had pointed out to Tia. �We don�t want him moving the cats.�

Tia knew she was right, but she hated to walk away when she was so sure that Milly was somewhere in that house.

It had only been a few hours until a police car drew up outside their house that evening, but it felt like Tia had been waiting for days.

�Is Milly one of these?� PC Ryan flicked through the photos � a Persian, and what looked like another Bengal, but with a marbled, stripey coat, and another cat Tia didn�t recognize.

�No�� Tia�s voice shook. �Look, there�s an empty cage next to this one. He�s already sold her!�

[��������: img_46]

PC Ryan frowned.�Maybe. But he was definitely showing a spotted Bengal kitten to someone this morning. Another lady phoned us, saying that she�d been to see a kitten, and she suspected she might have been stolen. Perhaps your Milly got out.�

�Milly is very good at getting in and out of places,� Mum agreed hopefully. �If any cat could, it would be her, wouldn�t it, Tia��

But Tia wasn�t listening. She dashed away upstairs to her room and scrambled up her ladder to hide in her bed. She couldn�t bear it. They were too late, and Milly was gone.

[��������: img_18]

Milly kept walking all afternoon even though she was so tired she stumbled. The light was starting to fade now, and it was getting colder. Someone was walking along the road towards her with a dog, and Milly darted under a parked car to hide.

Even when the dog had gone by, she didn�t want to move. At least under the car she was out of the wind, and she couldn�t smell any other cats. She would just stay here for a little while, until she felt better. Milly dozed, her eyelids flickering and her paws twitching as the ginger cat chased after her. It was chasing her further and further away from Tia�

She hissed and startled awake, not sure where she was. It was now bright daylight, she realized as she peered out from under the parked car. She must have slept there all night, worn out from her long walk.

She stepped cautiously out on to the pavement and stretched herself. Then she heard voices. Children�s voices. Not Tia and Christy, she was pretty sure, but still � she would just go and see. Somehow she felt much more hopeful today, with the bright sunshine warming her fur.

It was a playground, and two little boys were chasing each other round and round. Milly paused at the gate, ready to run.

[��������: img_47]

�Ooooh, look! Mum, look! A kitten!� The older boy dashed over.

Milly squeaked� she was nervous after the way that nice man had turned out not to be nice after all. She shot underneath the slide and hid there, shivering.

�Oh, Alfie, you frightened her. She doesn�t know you like Whiskers does. No, don�t try and pull her out, Billy. She�ll come out if she wants to.�

The woman�s voice was gentle, and the fur began to lay down flat on Milly�s back again. �She is pretty� Oh!�

�What, Mum?�

�I think she�s the kitten on those posters! You know, we said it was sad that she was lost. She�s called Milly, if she is that missing kitten.�

�And we found her!�

�No, I found her! I saw her first!�

�Shhh! You�ll scare her away. We need to ring the number and say she�s found. You two watch her, and I�ll run and see if I can find a poster. I think I saw one on that lamp post by the gate.�

Milly huddled under the slide with two curious little faces staring in. She was feeling a bit better now� the bigger boy had surprised her, that was all. She sniffed at his fingers as he held them out hopefully, and he beamed and patted her head.

�Hello, Milly��

Milly came out from under the slide a little more. The boy knew her name! She nuzzled his fingers, and he giggled.

�Me too! Me too!� the littler one squeaked, so she rubbed her head against his jeans.

The boys� mother hurried back over. �Good boys� I�m just ringing her owners now�� she said, crouching down beside them. She smiled at Milly as she keyed in the number. �I bet you want to go home, don�t you?�

[��������: img_48]

[��������: img_18]

�Tia, love, wake up.�

Tia blinked and rubbed at her sticky eyes. They were sore, and she couldn�t remember why. And then all at once she did remember and she gave a horrified little gasp.

Mum was standing at the bottom of the bunkbed ladder with Christy next to her.�Tia, why don�t you get up and have a shower and get changed? You fell asleep in your clothes last night!�

Tia peered over the edge of her bed.�Milly could be anywhere, Mum. That man isn�t telling the police anything, PC Ryan said so. He just says he�s looking after the cats for a friend. He must have sold her. We�re never going to get Milly back.�

�Listen, Dad and I think PC Ryan�s right. The man was showing someone a kitten just like Milly yesterday morning. Youknow how sneaky Milly can be! She ran away from him, I�m sure she did. The police have arrested the man, so they�ll be able to ask him more questions. Dad�s gone to put more posters up around Emwell Road. Do you want to go out looking again after breakfast? Shall we see if Lucy wants to come and help too?�

Tia sniffed and nodded, and Mum reached up awkwardly to hug her round the ladder.�Oh, that�s my phone. Maybe it�s Dad.� She dug it out of her pocket. �Hello?� She listened for a moment and then she gasped, shaking Tia�s shoulder. �Someone�s found her! Shemust have escaped! She�s not even that far away.� Mum held the phone back to her ear. �In the park between here and school. Oh, thank you so much, we�ll be there in a few minutes. Tia, come back!�

But Tia had already jumped down the ladder, and Christy was racing after her.

Milly had stopped listening to the little boys as they told her how nice she was and what soft fur she had. She could hear something. A voice�

It was Christy!�Tia, wait for me!�

�Come on, Christy! This is where Milly is, they said on the phone.�

Milly jumped right over the little boy�s knees and raced for the park gate.

�She�s there! Look!� Christy squealed.

�Milly!� Tia crouched down and the kitten bounded up to her, purring delightedly. �Oh, we were so worried!� She stood up, cradling Milly in her arms like a baby.

�Thank you for phoning us!� Tia said shyly to the woman with the two little boys.

The woman smiled.�I�m just glad we saw her. She�s beautiful, isn�t she?�

Tia smiled back.�She�s the most beautiful kitten ever.�

[��������: img_49]

Christy danced round her sister.�We found you! Mum, look, here�s Milly!�

�She�s fine!� Tia called, as she turned to see Mum hurrying towards them.

�Better than fine,� her mum said, gently tickling Milly under the chin. �You little darling, did you run away from that man, hmmm?�

�The most beautiful kitten ever and the cleverest!� Tia sighed happily. It felt like she could breathe properly for the first time since Milly had disappeared. There had been a horrible lump of fear stuck in her throat all that time. �We got you back,� she whispered, rubbing her cheek over the top of the kitten�s head, and Milly purred so hard she shook all over.

28. THE BRAVE KITTEN

�We�d better hurry, Helena,� Lucy said, glancing at her watch and walking faster. �There�s loads to do this morning, with two dogs coming in to be operated on. I need to get everything ready.�

�I�ll help,� Helena said cheerfully, twirling along the pavement in front of her cousin. Helping out at the surgery was her biggest treat. �I can do the feeding and clean the cages on my own. I know what I�m doing.�

Lucy grinned at her.�I know you do. You�re like the youngest veterinary nurse in the country, Helena � you�ve had almost as much practice as me.�

�I haven�t decided yet what I want to be � whether I should be a nurse, or an actual vet,� Helena said seriously. �Being a vet�s harder. And I�m not sure about doing operations. I don�t really like blood. But maybe I�d get used to it.�

�You do,� Lucy said. �I didn�t like it much when I first started training as a nurse, but now it doesn�t bother me at all.�

�I suppose that cute lop-eared rabbit has already gone home?� Helena asked. She�d loved stroking the rabbit when she�d gone to see Lucy at the surgery after school a couple of days before. �He was so friendly and� Lucy, what�s that?� Helena stopped dancing along the pavement and peered worriedly at the parked car up ahead of them. There was a little mound of pale, sandy fur tucked just underneath the car.

�Oh no�� Lucy murmured. �Helena, don�t look, OK? Just wait there.�

[��������: _3.jpg]

�What is it?� Helena asked. She was suddenly feeling a little bit sick, and her heart was jumping. She didn�t want to go closer and see whatever it was. But at the same time she couldn�t just stay back. The little heap of fur looked like a cat to her, but cats didn�t usually lie sprawled like that, not on a road, anyway. Only if they were somewhere warm and safe. �Is it a cat?� she whispered miserably to Lucy, coming closer. �Has it been run over?�

Lucy glanced back at her, frowning, but she could see that Helena wasn�t going to stay out of the way. Her cousin loved cats, even though she didn�t have one of her own. And Lucy knew how sensible she was. �I think so. Don�t cry, Helena. It must have been quick.�

But Helena wasn�t listening. �Lucy, look! He moved! I�m sure he did.�

Lucy whipped round. The little cat had been so cold and lifeless that she hadn�t thought he could still be alive, but Helena was right. He�d twitched, just a bit. �Oh, wow�� she muttered. �We need to get him to the surgery, now. Molly and Pete should be in soon � he�s definitely going to need a vet to look at him.�

�How are we going to get him there, though? Won�t it hurt him if we pick him up?� Helena crouched down by the car, peering at the little cat. One of his back legs was really swollen and seemed to be at a funny angle, and she could hardly see him breathing at all. But his eyes were open now, just a tiny slit of gold. He was looking at them.

�Yes,� Lucy admitted. �And he might not want us to touch him, either. But we need to get him there quickly. He�s in shock, and I�ve got a feeling he�s been here for ages � he�s so cold.� She pulled off her big scarf and gently wrapped it round the cat, scooping him up and trying to support the injured leg as well as she could.

[��������: _4.jpg]

Helena watched, biting her lip. She�d seen cats at the surgery hissing and scratching at Lucy and the vets because they were frightened or hurting. She hoped this cat wasn�t going to fight � he didn�t look as though he had the strength.

Maybe he was just too weak, or maybe he understood that Lucy and Helena were trying to help, but the cat lay still in Lucy�s arms as they hurried down the street. Helena was jogging beside Lucy, carrying her bag and looking up at the cat. His head was drooping over Lucy�s arm, and from time to time his mouth opened in a tiny, soundless mew.

�You might be hurting him,� Helena told Lucy worriedly.

�I know. But we�re nearly there. Look, I can see Molly�s car, she�s arrived already.�

Helena pushed open the surgery door and looked around. Molly must be out the back somewhere, or upstairs making a coffee.

�Helena, you hold him.� Lucy carefully passed over the scarf-wrapped bundle. �Take him into the back room. I�ll go and find Molly.�

Helena stood there helplessly. The cat hardly weighed anything at all, and he wasn�t moving. She had an awful feeling he wasn�t going to survive � he was too weak. �Just hold on,� she whispered, as she carried him through to the room where Molly and Pete operated. She wondered if she ought to put him down on the table, but she didn�t want to. The table was cold and hard, and she wanted the cat to know that somebody loved him. �Just hold on,please� We�re going to make you better.�

The golden cat opened his eyes and gazed up at her. He didn�t understand what was going on. Everything seemed to hurt and he was frightened. He still wasn�t sure what had happened � there had been bright lights suddenly flashing out of the darkness and so much noise. He didn�t remember anything after that, until he had woken up at the side of the road and his legs wouldn�t work properly.

He had wanted so much to go home, to curl up in his basket, and hide away until he felt better. But he was so dizzy and sick, he wasn�t really sure where home was. And it hurt to move. He couldn�t walk, one of his back legs wasn�t working at all and the other one ached. He could only do a strange sort of hop, dragging his bad leg behind him. He�d managed to get a little way up the road, but then he�d felt so cold and weary, he�d hidden under the parked car. Once he�d lain down, it just seemed too hard to get up again.

Now he could feel the warmth of the girl�s arms round him. He liked the softness of her voice, too. She sounded gentle, and he rubbed his head against her arm, just a little, to show her he was grateful. But it hurt too much to do anything more, and his eyes flickered closed again.

[��������: _5.jpg]

�Lucy, he woke up a bit, but now I think he�s getting worse!� Helena said anxiously, as Lucy and Molly clattered down the stairs and into the operating room. �He�s gone really limp. Please say you can help him, Molly, he�s such a sweet cat. He hasn�t hissed or scratched or anything.�

Molly took the cat and laid him carefully on the table.�Definitely a broken leg,� she murmured. �But it�s the shock that�s really dangerous at the moment. Let�s get him on a drip. That�ll get some fluids back into him,� she explained, seeing Helena frown. �It�s a bit like you having one of those energy drinks after you�ve been running.�

�Oh.� Helena nodded, wishing the cat would open his eyes again. He looked so weak. He hadn�t even flinched when Molly had moved him.

�Once he�s warmed through we can examine him properly,� Molly explained. �I don�t want to fuss him with X-rays while he�s like this. But we can at least check if he�s got a microchip, so that if he has, we can ring his owner.�

Lucy passed her the microchip scanner and Molly held it above the cat�s neck � but it didn�t beep. It didn�t make any sound at all.

[��������: _6.jpg]

�No chip,� Molly sighed. �Oh well. We can put a sign up in the surgery window, I suppose.�

�But what if his owners never find out where he is?� Helena asked, her voice shaking a little. Life seemed so hard for the poor cat � run over, and now maybe homeless as well.

�Once they realize he�s missing, I�m sure they�ll ring round the local vets,� Lucy told her comfortingly. But she glanced at Molly. �Are we going to be OK to operate?� she asked. �I mean, he is very skinny. If he�s a stray��

Molly nodded, frowning.�I know. We could send him over to the PDSA clinic � they�d treat him. But he�s so wobbly already, I don�t think it�s a good idea to move him.�

�Why can�t you sort his leg out here?� Helena asked. She didn�t understand what was going on. Surely they needed to operate on the cat as soon as they could? Helena knew that Molly sometimes worked as a volunteer vet at the PDSA clinic, which was for pets whose owners had problems paying for expensive vet treatments. But why did the cat have to go there?

Lucy put an arm round her shoulders.�It depends on the X-ray, but he might need to have the broken leg pinned,� she explained. �It�s a really expensive operation, and then he�s going to need to be looked after for a while. Plus he�ll have to have another operation to take the pins out. If he�s a stray, there�s no one to pay for all that, or for his medicine.�

[��������: _7.jpg]

�And even if he does have an owner, they might not be able to afford the treatment.� Molly ran her hand over the cat�s caramel-coloured ears, looking sad.

�You mean, you might not be able to do the operation?� Helena whispered. �Even if it would make him better?�

�Of course we want to sort him out,� Molly explained. �He�s young enough to recover really well. But��

�You have to!� Helena�s eyes filled with tears as she stroked the cat under the chin. �He�s so lovely. He nuzzled me� He�s trusting us to look after him!�

�I bet the PDSA would help look after him while he�s getting better,� Molly said, eyeing the cat thoughtfully. �They might cover the costs if we have to operate, too.� She crouched down to be eye to eye with the caramel cat, and gave a firm little nod. �We have to help him.�

[��������: _8.jpg]

The caramel-coloured cat lay in his cage, staring out at the dimly lit room. He didn�t understand where he was, or what was happening. He was dazed and he felt sick. And there was still something wrong with his leg. It felt worse, if anything. It was aching and heavy, and he couldn�t move it properly. It smelled wrong, too � strange and sharp with chemicals. He hated it. Wearily, he pulled himself up on his front legs so he could look at his leg properly. It was that weird white wrapping all over his leg that smelled odd.

He leaned over, wincing as the weight pressed on to the broken leg, and pulled at the bandage that lined the cast with his teeth. If he could just get that off, then his leg would be all right again, he was certain�

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�I wasn�t sure you�d be up yet!� said Lucy, smiling at Helena, who was standing outside her front door with her coat on, looking impatient.

�Mum�s still got her pyjamas on,� Helena admitted, pointing over her shoulder, and Lucy spotted her aunt waving at her out of the kitchen window. �I know it�s early, but I really want to see how the cat is.�

�I�m sure he�ll be fine,� Lucy said. �Molly stayed overnight, remember. One of the vets always does when there�s a serious case, and she was worried about him. There�s a bed upstairs, and she�ll have popped down every couple of hours to check on him. Bye, Auntie Clare!� she calledto Helena�s mum. �I�ll drop her off in time for lunch � I�m only going in to help Molly out this morning. I hope she�s managed to get some sleep,� Lucy added to Helena. �That bed�s really lumpy. We�ll go and make her a cup of tea and some toast.�

But when they got to the surgery, Molly was already up, and she looked upset when she opened the front door to them.

[��������: _10.jpg]

�What�s wrong?� Lucy asked.

�I don�t know how he did it.� Molly shook her head frustratedly. �I only checked on him a couple of hours ago and he was still dozing. He looked fine. But I�ve just been in, and he�s pulled the cast off.� She sighed. �We went with a cast because it was a fairly simple break, but at this rate he�s going to make it worse.�

�Can you put another cast on?� Helena asked, as they followed Molly to the ward.

�We�ll have to. But the more he messes around with that leg, the longer it�s going to take to heal. We�ll just have to keep an eye on him. He�ll probably need a cone collar on now to stop him trying to tug the cast off, but he�ll hate it, and he�s pretty miserable already. This time I�m going to use a special sort of cast that tastes horrible if cats try and chew it, so I�m hoping he�ll just leave it alone.�

�Poor little cat,� Helena said, looking into the small cage where the kitten was stretched out on a blanket. He looked back at her wearily, and she could see how sad he was. He was squashed right into the corner of the cage, as if he was trying to hide from everyone. �I bet he hates being shut up in here.�

�He needs to be kept still, though,� Lucy explained. �Even if he went home, he�d have to stay in a small room � maybe even a dog crate or something � to stop him doing something silly.�

�Has anyone phoned about him?� Helena asked Molly hopefully. �His owners?�

Molly shook her head.�No, no one�s called. I�d better put up a notice.�

�I could make some on the computer,� Helena suggested. �We could print them out and put them up close to where we found him, too. His owners must be really worried about him.� She shivered, thinking about how lovely it would be to have a cat of her very own, and how frightened she�d feel if he simply disappeared.

�Posters would be good.� Molly nodded. �OK. Plaster cast number two��

[��������: _9.jpg]

�Please don�t try and pull this one off,� Helena murmured to the cat. He was back in his cage with the new cast on, and she�d brought him some food and water. �And don�t put your foot in the water bowl, either. When I broke my arm, I wasn�t allowed to get it wet at all.�

She crouched down on the floor in front of the cage. There were six of them, in two rows on top of each other, and the caramel cat was in one of the bottom ones.�You look really miserable,� Helena told him. �Aren�t you going to have any breakfast?� She was whispering, and trying not to stare the cat in the eyes. She knew he wouldn�t like it.

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Even though Helena didn�t have a cat, Gran had given her a book all about them last Christmas. It was because Helena had told Gran her secret Christmas wish, when Gran had asked what present she might like. What Helena really wanted for Christmas was a cat, but it was a secret because Helena knew that Mum would never let her have one. She�d asked before, lots of times, and Mum had always said no. Helena could sort of see why � her mum was a teacher at the school Helena went to, so they were both out all day. A kitten would be lonely and bored and miserable, and Mum thought it wasn�t fair. Helena couldn�t help thinking that she could make the rest of the time so special that the kitten wouldn�t mind. But she knew Mum wouldn�t agree.

Gran had given Helena a tiny china cat and the book, which had loads of beautiful photos and told you all the things you needed to know to be a cat owner. She�d written in the front that Helena might not need it right now, but she would have a cat of her own one day. And meanwhile, please could she come and practise on Gran�s cats, Snow and Smudge, as they were getting fat and needed Helena to play with them!

On Saturday Helena had gone home and read everything she could find about cat injuries. After she�d read everything there was in the book from Gran, she�d gone online to look up more information. Now she was worried that the cat was traumatized by the accident. She�d had to get her mum to explain what traumatized meant. It was that the memory of the accident and the time at the vet�s might make the cat really upset, and perhaps not very friendly.

That made a lot of sense to Helena. She�d broken her arm falling off the climbing frame at school and even though that had been a year ago, she�d never gone back on the climbing frame.

Hopefully, if she made the little caramel cat�s stay at the vet�s as nice as possible, he�d think about that, rather than the car, and the cage, and his leg hurting. It had to be worth a try, Helena thought.

[��������: _12.jpg]

The cat sniffed at the food and even though cats didn�t really shrug or sigh, Helena was almost sure he did.I just can�t be bothered, he was thinking� she could tell. He didn�t even eat a mouthful.

Slowly, Helena reached into the cage and tickled him under the chin with one finger. He was such a handsome cat, even with the ugly plaster on his leg� a soft peachy colour all over, with darker caramel stripes, and no white on him at all, apart from his drooping whiskers. His nose was apricot-pink and his eyes were huge and golden. He was going to be big, Helena thought, when he was fully grown. His paws were enormous, as though he needed to grow into them.

The cat curled himself into her hand a little, enjoying the soft touch of the girl�s fingers. He didn�t understand why he was here, shut up in this cage. The white thing was back on his leg again and now it smelled even worse, if that was possible. And it had tasted disgusting when he�d tried chewing at it. This whole place smelled wrong. Too clean. He hated it. He wanted to go back to his house and his garden, and his little patch of street. But he didn�t know where home was � he hadn�t known for a while. He�d gone exploring and then, somehow, he hadn�t known how to get back home. He didn�t understand it � he had thought he would always know. But it had been a long time now, and he�d been hungry and tired and frightened when he tried to cross that road. Now he was further away from his home than ever.

He almost felt like whipping his head round and nipping at the girl�s fingers with his teeth. But not quite. That patch under his chin was his favourite place to be stroked, and she wasn�t stopping. She�d reached all the itchy bits now, and he wheezed out the faintest breath of a purr.

[��������: _13.jpg]

�Oh! Are you purring?� Helena whispered. �Are you feeling better?� She ran her hand gently over his smooth head, and sighed. �If you don�t have an owner, you�ll have to go to the animal shelter when you�re a bit better, so they can look after you till someone wants you. I hope you cheer up before then, caramel cat. You�re so beautiful, and I think you�d be a lovely pet. But no one�s going to take you home if you just hide at the back of your cage. You�ll end up staying at the shelter for ages.�

The little golden cat stayed flopped on his blanket, and Helena tried not to thinkMaybe for ever�

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�So how�s the cat now?� Helena�s friend Katie asked. �I suppose you haven�t seen him since yesterday.�

�No, and I bet Mum�s going to say it�s too late to nip over to the surgery on the way home,� Helena sighed. They were waiting for Helena�s mum to come over from the staff room to pick them up from football club after school. She usually dropped Katie home, too, or sometimes Katie stayed for tea. �She did let me text Lucy last night, and Lucy said he hadn�t taken the cast off again. He still hadn�t tried standing up, though, and he�d not eaten much.�

�And nobody knows who he belongs to?� Katie asked anxiously. �Poor little cat! What�s going to happen to him?�

Helena sighed.�Lucy said that if no one claims him in another day or so, he�ll have to go to the shelter. But I don�t think anyone�s going to want a limpy, miserable cat who won�t even come and say hello, even if he is pretty. They�re putting a photo of him in the local paper, too. Maybe his owner will see that.�

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�Sorry I�m late! Are you telling Katie about the cat?� Helena�s mum had hurried up behind the girls without them noticing. �I wonder if they�ve found his owner yet.�

�That�s just what we were talking about,� Helena said, with a tiny sigh. Of course, she did want the cat to go back to his old home. But a little bit of her was imagining him coming home with her instead.

�Don�t worry, Helena,� her mum said gently. �Even if he has to go to the shelter, it�ll be fine. I know quite a few people who�ve got their cats and dogs from there. The animals are looked after really well, and the staff take a lot of care finding new homes for them.�

�I suppose so,� Helena murmured.

Katie gave her a sympathetic look� she realized what Helena was wishing. Her family had a fat black Labrador called Charlie, and Helena loved to come with her to walk him. Katie knew how much her friend wanted a pet of her own.

[��������: _9.jpg]

Lucy called Helena that evening, while she was helping her mum make dinner.

�Has anyone phoned the surgery about the cat?� Helena asked her cousin hopefully. �Is he OK?�

�He�s eating a bit better, but no, still no sign of an owner.� There was a little silence, and then Lucy added, �I told Molly I�d take him home with me in a couple of days. Then I can try and find a home for him when he�s better. I haven�t broken it to Mum and Dad yet, though.�

�Oh, that�s brilliant!� Helena squealed, so loudly that her mum nearly dropped a pan of pasta. Lucy lived with her mum and dad, and her younger twin sisters, and their house wasn�t far from Helena�s. She�d still be able to see the cat all the time. She could go and visit him lots.

�I wasn�t sure the staff at the shelter would have time to look after him properly. He needs a lot of TLC, poor thing.�

�Definitely,� Helena agreed. �Can I pop into the surgery with Gran after my dance lesson tomorrow? It�ll be just as you�re tidying everything up to go home. You know how much Gran loves cats. I told her about him.�

Lucy giggled.�I�m just surprised she hasn�t been round already. See you tomorrow then!�

[��������: _9.jpg]

�Here he is � he�s a bit quiet still.� Helena pointed out the caramel-coloured cat, huddled in the back of the cage and staring out at Helena�s gran rather grumpily. But he shuffled towards the front of the cage when he saw Helena, and she giggled. �That�s right. You ought to be nice � I�ve brought you a present, look.� She pulled a packet of cat treats out of her pocket and ripped the foil. �Tuna flavour! Mmmm� I think they smell awful, but the websites I looked at said most cats love the fishy ones.�

[��������: _16.jpg]

�Beautiful colours in his fur�� Gran murmured. �So when are you taking him home, Lucy?�

�Tomorrow, I think.� Lucy crouched down to look at the cat with them. �He really needs to get out of that little cage and start exercising his leg a bit more now it�s beginning to heal. He�s going to live in the utility room.�

�What did your mum and dad say about it?� Helena asked.

Lucy made a face.�They weren�t that keen� But I explained about the shelter being so busy and I promised we weren�t keeping him for ever. Mum says I have to do all the washing, if there�s to be a cat living in front of her washing machine��

�Are you finishing work now, Lucy?� Gran said, looking at her watch. �Do you want a lift home? I haven�t seen Emily and Bella for at least a week. We could pop in and say hello.�

Emily and Bella were Lucy�s little sisters, Helena�s cousins. They were only four. Helena loved going to see them � they were always so funny. Usually when she went round she got forced into having her hair redone in some mad style covered in feathers, or glitter.

But as she sat in the back of Gran�s car, she couldn�t help thinking about the cat � so quiet and sad. How was he going to get on with two crazy four-year-olds? Not to mention Lucy�s dog, Billy. He was about as silly as Emily and Bella, and he chased cats, too.

Helena had seen Lucy hanging on to the end of his lead for dear life when they were out for a walk and a cat strolled by.

[��������: _17.jpg]

Helena hugged Emily and Bella when they jumped on her in the hallway, and let them drag her upstairs and paint her nails bright blue (Mum would make her take it off again before school, but never mind). But she didn�t enjoy her visit to her cousins� house as much as she usually did.

She just couldn�t imagine that frightened little cat living here, even for a short while. Billy was a lovely dog (Emily and Bella had painted his nails blue, too, and he�d let them) but Helena was sure that if he could smell a cat on the other side of the utility room door, he wouldn�t rest until he�d clawed that door to shreds. It wasn�t fair on Billy, either. And the caramel cat would be far too nervous to let Emily and Bella draw pictures all over his cast in sparkly pens.

It wasn�t going to work.

[��������: _9.jpg]

�What�s wrong, Helena?� Gran asked, as they got back into the car. �You�ve gone all quiet.�

�The cat�� Helena said worriedly. �I�m not sure he�ll be able to cope with Lucy�s house, Gran. I�m not being mean � it�s just he�s still so nervous, and there�s so much going on there. I think it�ll make him worse.�

Gran sighed.�I was wondering about that, too. But Lucy said he�ll be shut away in one room��

�Yeah, but there�s no way Emily and Bella will leave him in there,� Helena pointed out. �They�ll be dressing him in their dolls� clothes the minute Auntie Sam�s back is turned.�

�Mmmm.� Gran drove down the road, frowning to herself. �I wish I could take him��

�Snow and Smudge wouldn�t like it, though, would they?� Helena sighed. �Everyone�s already got cats, or dogs, or twins.� She was silent for a minute, and then added, �Except us. Me and Mum. Mum�s always said no, because it wouldn�t be good for a cat to be left alone, but this cat needs to have some peace and quiet. Don�t you think so, Gran?�

�And I could always pop in and see him at lunch time. Make a little fuss over him.� Gran darted a hopeful glance at Helena. �You know, maybe we could persuade your mum together.�

�She already said he was gorgeous when Lucy showed her the photo on her phone.� Helena wound her hands together, over and over. She was suddenly so excited she couldn�t keep still.

If only they could convince her mum�

[��������: _18.jpg]

�But we can�t� We don�t have anywhere to keep him.�

�We do, Mum! In here � in the kitchen would be all right. He couldn�t jump on the counter. We could put a blanket in that space under the counter for him, with his food bowls and litter tray, and I promise I�d clean it out, always.�

�I can come and check on him, Clare, at lunch time,� Gran suggested.

Helena�s mum frowned, looking round at her little kitchen.

�He can�t go to Lucy�s house, Mum,� said Helena. �And he�ll be miserable at the shelter, I know he will. No one�s come to claim him, even though we put posters up all round where we found him, and in the vet�s window. He�s been in the local paper today, with a message saying to ring the surgery, but no one has yet. Maybe his owner will see the photo, but he was so thin, Lucy thinks that could mean he�s been a stray for a while. I want to be able to look after him. It feels like I have to, since I was the one who found him.�

[��������: _19.jpg]

Her mum was silent for a moment, then she turned round to look at her.�I suppose not. Oh, Helena. It�s going to be a lot of work, you know. But I am proud of you.�

�You mean � yes?� Helena asked, confused. She�d expected to have to beg for an awful lot longer than that. And even then, deep down, she�d been almost certain that her mum would never agree.

�Yes. I mean, we�d have to give him back, if his real owner contacted the surgery, but yes. Do you think he could stay at the vet�s until the weekend?� her mum asked. �Then we�d have two whole days to get him used to being at our house, before we have to leave him on his own.�

[��������: _9.jpg]

The cat was sitting up the next afternoon when Helena brought her mum to meet him. He peered out of the cage bars, waiting for her. He could hear her talking to someone in the next room, and she sounded excited and happy. She had brought him cat treats the last time she came, fishy ones that he liked. And sometimes she opened the front of the cage and sat for ages, stroking his fur and murmuring to him. She made him feel safe. Even when he was stuck here in this place that wasn�t his home, and he could smell the dogs at the other end of the room.

He sat up, wondering if perhaps she�d let him out of the cage this time. He could sit on her, and then she�d be able to stroke him better and rub his ears.

[��������: _20.jpg]

When he saw the girl come in, he skittered nervously back, knocking his cast against the floor of the cage. She wasn�t on her own � the young woman was with her, the one he saw every day, and someone else, too.

�It�s all right,� Helena murmured. �This is my mum. We�ll be taking you home to our house soon��

The caramel cat didn�t know what Helena was saying, but he liked hearing her soft voice. And the other person spoke softly, too.

�He�s beautiful, Helena. Even more than in the photos. What are we going to call him? Or have you named him already?�

Helena opened the door of the cage, and the cat stepped out slowly, sniffing at her outstretched hand. She rubbed the dark caramel stripes between his ears, and smiled at her mum.

[��������: _21.jpg]

�I haven�t really named him. But when I think about him, I call him the cat with the caramel fur. Do you think we could call him Caramel?�

[��������: _9.jpg]

�We�re here!� Helena said gratefully, turning round to peer at the crate strapped into the back seat. Caramel had been howling dismally ever since Mum drove off. He clearly hated the crate, and didn�t like the feeling of the moving car at all.

�Do you think being in a car reminds him of the accident?� she asked her mum worriedly.

�No � I think all cats hate being in boxes. Shut in them, I mean. They like getting in by themselves.� Her mum turned off the engine, and looked round, too. �Even when he�s been in the cage at the vet�s for a whole week, it�s not the same. He can�t see out of that travelling basket very well. He�ll be much better when we let him into the kitchen.�

�It�ll probably feel huge,� Helena agreed, opening her door and going to get the basket out of the back. �We�re here, Caramel. This is your house now, too. Just your kitchen for the minute, though. But Molly says you�ll be able to have the plaster off in about three more weeks, since you�re still a kitten, and you�ll heal quicker than a big cat.� She carried the box into the house as she chatted to him, and her mum came in behind her, shutting the door of their little kitchen. There were only the worktops in there, and the oven and the fridge, and Helena was almost sure Caramel wouldn�t be able to jump up on those. So it was a safe place to keep him.

�Look,� she said gently, unlatching the top of the box and taking it off, so Caramel could decide to come out when he wanted to. �There�s a special soft basket for you. And a litter tray. And I�ll get you some food.�

They had gone to the pet shop the night before and got it all� the travel box, and the cushiony basket, and the food bowls. It had been so exciting. Helena had looked at cat toys as well, but they hadn�t bought any, not for the moment. They were all designed for chasing and rolling and batting with paws, and Caramel needed to stay quiet and rest. Helena promised herself she�d go back, once he was better.

Caramel sat pressed against the back of the crate, looking around suspiciously. He hadn�t understood what was happening when they�d lifted him out of the cage and into this horrible little box. Then he�d thought that perhaps they were going home. It had been such a long time since he�d been there.

He hunched his shoulders, ears laid back, and watched Helena and her mum both watching him. But they were quiet and still, and no one was grabbing at him. The fur along his spine flattened down a little and he padded his paws thoughtfully into the blanket. Then he sniffed and shook his ears, standing up a bit lopsided. This wasn�t his old house, of course. But it smelled good. Not like the surgery, full of sharp strong smells that hurt his nose. This place smelled of the girl, and food. He lurched out of the basket, his plastered leg tangling in the blanket, and set out to explore.

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�I thought he was never going to come out,� Helena breathed to her mum, watching Caramel sniff the doors of the cupboards.

�I know. Why don�t you put some food down for him?�

Helena stood up. She tried to do it very carefully and slowly, but Caramel still flinched back against the cupboards when he saw her move. It made her want to cry.�It�s all right. I was just getting you some breakfast,� she murmured. �Lucy said she didn�t feed you this morning, just in case you were sick in your basket.�

She fetched one of the tins out of the cupboard and pulled up the ring on the lid. Then she laughed as Caramel hurried across the kitchen floor, his plastered leg knocking on the tiles.�You sound like a pirate cat, with a wooden leg,� she told him, as she put the bowl down.

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�I�m so glad he�s eating,� her mum said, leaning against the counter to watch him.

�I know � I was worried he�d be too upset being in a new place,� Helena agreed. �But look at him, he�s wolfing that down.� She stood up, putting an arm round her mum. �Thanks for letting us have him.�

�You�re not disappointed?� Mum asked. �I mean � it�s not like having a normal cat. He�s not very friendly. And he can�t sleep on your bed or anything like that.�

Helena shrugged.�I know. But he will be able to one day. And I know he�s not that friendly yet, but think how special it will be when heis.�

She crouched down again to watch Caramel licking out his food bowl. He�d definitely got his appetite back, and he was making sure to get every last morsel of food. He stood up again, rather clumsily, and licked his whiskers.

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Caramel uncurled himself from his basket as he heard footsteps coming towards the kitchen door. The girl. And probably breakfast. He hobbled to the door to meet her, rubbing hopefully round her ankles. She crouched down to stroke him� but he noticed she carefully shut the kitchen door first, so he couldn�t dart round it. She murmured to him as she scratched the satin-soft puffs of fur at the base of his ears, and he leaned against her lovingly.

Helena had spent a lot of the weekend sitting next to him on the floor, letting him get used to her being around. She�d even done her homework sitting on the kitchen floor. When Caramel had tried to steal her pencil while she was doing long division, it had been one of the best moments of the weekend. It proved he was happy enough to play.

�I wish I didn�t have to go to school today�� Helena told him, as she scooped food into his bowl. �Urgh, this smells disgusting, Caramel. I don�t know how you can be so excited about it.� She giggled, watching him waltz around her feet, waiting for her to put the bowl down. He still didn�t like moving his broken leg much, so that leg stayed still, and the rest of him whirled around, a bit like a spinning top.

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He started to gobble the food before she�d even put the bowl down, stretching up to get his mouth over the edge of the bowl, and patting at it with one golden paw.

�You�re definitely getting better,� Helena said, watching happily as he gulped the food down. �Are you making up for all those days at the vet�s when you didn�t eat properly? I do still wonder if you were a stray for a while before the accident. You�re ever so thin. And otherwise I�m sure your owners would have seen our posters if they lived anywhere near. We put them everywhere.�

Caramel was just finishing the food when Helena�s mum hurried into the kitchen. She was a bit late getting breakfast ready, and she was rushing. She banged the door open without thinking and Caramel shot into the corner, trembling and pressing himself against the side of the cupboard.

�Mum! You scared him!� Helena gasped.

�Oh! Sorry, Caramel�� Her mum shut the door gently, and crouched down, holding her hand out for the frightened cat to sniff. �I�m really sorry, Helena, I didn�t realize the door would frighten him so much. He�s been so good this weekend.�

�I know�� Helena agreed sadly. �But I suppose he�s still upset, deep down. It�s going to take a while for him to get over that.� She looked at her mum. �He will be happier again one day, won�t he?�

�I�m sure he will.�

But Helena didn�t think her mum was very sure at all.

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�Be good, Caramel.� Helena ran her hand lovingly down his silky back. �Have lots of lovely sleep. Gran�s going to come and see you at lunch time, and I bet she�ll bring you treats.�

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Caramel stood in the middle of the kitchen, looking up at her uncertainly. He wasn�t sure what was happening. Since he had arrived at Helena�s house, early on Saturday morning, Helena had been with him almost all the time. She had even come down in the middle of the night to check on him. But now she had a coat on, and a bag with her. It looked as though she was leaving him behind.

At his old house, his owner had gone out to work most days. Caramel had lazed the time away, curled up on the back of the sofa so that he could watch the people passing in the street. And the cars. Caramel laid his ears back with a frightened little hiss.

Most days he�d slipped out of his cat flap and patrolled his territory in the gardens behind the house. There were several other cats in the street, and he was one of the youngest and newest, so he�d had to be careful to stay out of their way. But he still had plenty to explore. There was a pond a few houses away, and he liked to watch the frogs. And catch them, sometimes. He could creep up on them among the plants around the water. But his owner hadn�t liked it when Caramel had brought one home. He had taken Caramel�s frog outside, and locked the cat flap so that he couldn�t slip out and fetchit back in again.

But here, there was no window to watch from, and no cat flap to slide out of. He was all alone in this little room. It was better than the cage at the vet�s surgery, of course, but being shut up still made him want to claw at the door and fight his way out. When would Helena and her mother come back? Perhaps they weren�t coming back at all? His old owner had fussed over him, and fed him, and loved him, but now he was gone. Maybe Helena had gone,too. Caramel stared anxiously at the kitchen door, hoping to hear them coming back. But there wasn�t a sound.

Perhaps he could go and find them himself?

Caramel hobbled across the tiled floor, sniffing hopefully at the door out to the garden. There was a faint breath of fresh air around the side of the door� just enough to make him desperate to go out. He scratched at the door, but not very hard. He could already see that he wasn�t going to be able to get out.

Wearily, he trailed back to his basket. His broken back leg was aching, not used to carrying his weight. Caramel snuggled into the basket, and hoped that Helena hadn�t left him for ever. He hoped that she would come back soon.

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�So does anyone have any exciting news from their weekend?� Miss Smith looked round at the class as she finished marking the register.

�Tell her!� Katie hissed, nudging Helena in the ribs with her elbow. �Helena does, Miss Smith!�

Helena went pink, but she nodded.�I�ve got a cat.�

�Oh, lovely!� Miss Smith smiled. �Where did you get him from, Helena? Or her?�

�He�s a he. And he came from the vet�s where my cousin Lucy works,� Helena explained. �He was run over last weekend.�

Everyone in the class sat up and started listening more closely. Until then there�d been a bit of a Monday-ish feeling going on, and most people had been staring vaguely at the whiteboard, or whispering to each other.

�Run over?� one of the boys asked. �What happened, was he hurt?�

Helena nodded.�He�s got a fractured back leg. But he was lucky. Often they have to operate on cats and put pins in, but he�s just got a cast.�

�But who does he belong to?� Miss Smith asked, sounding a little confused. �Was he a stray? Has no one claimed him?�

�No. And the vet�s even put a little article about him in the local paper. That page where the animal shelter usually puts a photo of a cat or dog that needs a home.�

�Oh, that�s how we got our dog!� Marley called out. �We saw him in the paper.�

�Mm-hm. The article was in on Wednesday. But still no one claimed him. So we reckoned it was OK to take him home. We think maybe he�s been lost for a while, even before he got hit by the car. He�s quite thin.�

�Show them the photo,� Katie suggested, and Helena pulled it out of her bag. She�d brought it in to show Katie and a couple of her other friends. It was Caramel curled up asleep in his basket, and you could see his plaster cast. She passed it round, and all the class murmured about how cute he was and how sad his leg looked.

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�He�s come home with us because otherwise he would have had to go to the animal shelter,� Helena went on. �He�s been really lucky. All his vet care�s been paid for by donations from the shelter he almost went to, and the PDSA.�

�The what?� someone called.

�It�s a charity, isn�t it?� Miss Smith asked.

Helena nodded.�It stands for People�s Dispensary for Sick Animals. It�s a big charity, but they have a clinic close to here, in Thirtover Road. They look after animals when people can�t afford to pay. Vet bills can be really, really expensive. Thousands of pounds, my cousin told me.�

Helena frowned thoughtfully. Ever since Molly had told her that the PDSA were helping to pay back the surgery for Caramel�s treatment, she�d been wishing she could do something to help. Something more than just giving them her pocket money. She�d already decided to get her mum to buy their Christmas cards from the PDSA � they made very cute ones with cats and dogs in the snow � but it would be good to thinkof a way to raise some money, too. So that if another cat got hurt like Caramel, there wouldn�t be a worry about having enough money to look after it.

Lucy had said that when she�d phoned the shelter to tell them that they wouldn�t have to take Caramel after all, the girl on the phone had been relieved. She�d said they were full to bursting. They needed a lot of money just to feed all the animals, let alone pay for vet care.

�Miss Smith, do you think we could try to make some money for the PDSA, and some for the shelter? We could have a cake sale or something?� Helena asked hopefully. �Mr Brown said he wanted all the junior classes to think about fundraising for charities. It was in assembly, back at the beginning of term.�

�He did�� Miss Smith agreed. �It�s a good idea. What about the rest of the class, though? What do you all think?�

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�I definitely want to raise some money for the shelter!� Marley nodded. �There were loads of other dogs there when we went to get Chester. It was really sad � my mum cried. And the other charity sounds good, too,� he added.

Everyone in the class was nodding, but Alice, another of Helena�s friends, waved her hand at Miss Smith. �Can we do something different, though? Everyone does cake sales.�

�That�s because everyone likes cake!� Katie pointed out, and Alice shrugged.

�It�s still a bit boring.�

�So what do you want to do instead?� Miss Smith grinned. �How about a sponsored silence?�

Lots of people groaned, and Helena twisted her fingers in her hair, trying to think. They needed to come up with a good idea and quickly, before people lost interest. Already a couple of the boys were suggesting a sponsored parachute jump. It would just get silly in a minute. She put her hand up, looking hopefully at Miss Smith.

�We ought to do something that�s about pets. Since that�s what we�re raising money for.�

�Like a dog show!� Alice suggested, but Miss Smith looked rather horrified.

�Sorry, I don�t think Mr Brown would let us have a dog show in school,� she said firmly.

�But we could have a sort of competition,� Helena said slowly. �With videos of our pets, instead of bringing the actual pets in! Like a funniest pet competition. We could ask the whole school if they wanted to enter. And the teachers! Mr Brown�s got a really cute dog, hasn�t he?�

�I could borrow my mum�s phone and film Charlie skateboarding,� Katie yelped excitedly. �He�s not very good at it, but he loves trying. It�s really funny to watch.�

�And people could pay a little bit to enter,� Helena said, still trying to think it through. �Then we could show all the videos one lunch time. And sell tickets � oh, and have cakes and biscuits for sale, too,� she added to Katie.

�I�ll ask Mr Brown about it at break,� Miss Smith said, as the whole class tried to tell her about their pets� funniest tricks at once. �And then maybe we can use your IT lesson this afternoon to make some posters.�

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Helena hopped impatiently from foot to foot as her mum unlocked the front door. Gran had sent Mum a text saying that Caramel had been fine at lunch time. But Helena was desperate to see for herself that he was all right. She rushed in as soon as Mum got the door open, making for the kitchen.

�Oh! Listen!� she told her mum, stopping in the hall. �He�s mewing� And I can hear him � he�s got out of his basket, he�s coming to see us!� There was definitely a thumping noise coming from behind the kitchen door, as Caramel limped determinedly towards them. Helena giggled. �Maybe I can film you doing your pirate walk for our competition,� she told Caramel, as she carefully opened the kitchen door. �Whoa! No dashing out�� She caught him gently. �Sorry, Caramel-cat. You have to stay in here.�

Caramel half climbed into her lap, and rubbed his chin against her school jumper.

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�Is he purring?� Mum whispered.

Helena looked up at her and nodded. She actually hadn�t dared to say anything. It was only the second time she�d heard him purr. And that first time at the vet�s he had only purred for a second or two, very faintly. Now Caramel was purring properly. A deep throaty purr that Helena could feel as well as hear. He was quivering all over with purrs.

�He�s glad to see us,� she whispered to Mum. �He�s actually happy!�

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�He�s definitely looking better,� Katie said after school the next day, watching Caramel trying to investigate the fridge. Helena had opened it to get out the butter, and Caramel could smell the ham for her packed lunches. It smelled delicious � and very close to his nose.

�He is, isn�t he,� Helena agreed happily. �No, you can�t climb in there!� She nudged Caramel back with her toe and closed the door. �Sorry. Am I mean, puss?�

Caramel stalked away with his tail in the air, as though he wasn�t bothered, but his plastered leg made it a bit tricky. He was still feeling wobbly.

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�He looked quite sad in that photo you brought in,� Katie said. �But now he�s cheered up a lot, I think. It�s lovely to finally meet him in person. Caramel! Puss, puss, puss�� She made kissy noises, and Caramel padded cautiously across the floor towards her, sniffing her outstretched fingers, and letting her rub his head and tickle his ears.

�He�s much more friendly now,� Helena said happily. �I don�t think he�d have done that on Saturday when we brought him home. When you think that it�s only Wednesday. He�s got ever so much better, and in such a short time. When he was still at the vet�s he was so shy and miserable.He�s quite nervous sometimes, though,� she added. �He hates loud noises.�

�He walks really well, doesn�t he,� Katie said, watching Caramel prowl round their ankles as they weighed out the ingredients for their biscuits.

�He�s putting weight on his bad leg a bit more now. Before he was sort of hopping, as if he was trying not to put it down to the ground. He�s got another two and a half weeks, and then hopefully he can have the plaster taken off. Oh, please can you pass me the sugar?�

The two girls were making cat-shaped biscuits to sell at the Funniest Pet Show. Mr Brown, the head teacher, had said it was a great idea, very creative. He�d told them to go ahead and arrange the show for Friday when he�d be able to judge.

�Did you send in a video of Caramel with his plaster on?� Katie asked. �I�ve done Charlie � he was brilliant. The skateboard went out from under his paws and he just sort of stared at it as if he didn�t understand what had happened.�

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�Yes, I sent it, but I don�t think he�ll win,� Katie said, shaking her head. �Some of the others are so funny. Bella�s cat trying to drink out of the taps in the washbasin is the best, I reckon. It�s the way she turns her head upside down, and then shakes all the water off her whiskers. It makes me laugh every time.�

Helena and some of the others in her class had been watching all the videos with their teacher during break and lunch to find the best ones that would be in the show� they�d meant to put them all in, but there were so many, there wasn�t time to let everyone watch them all. They had already made more than eighty pounds, just from people paying a pound to send in a video. Then they were selling tickets for the show, and everyone in the class was supposed to be bringing some cakes or biscuits in to sell, too.

�We should have got orangey-gold icing for the eyes on these biscuits,� Katie said, peering down at Caramel, who�d gone to sit in his basket under the counter, since they clearly weren�t going to feed him anything. �I hadn�t noticed before what a lovely colour his eyes are.�

�I know,� Helena agreed proudly. �Mum and I talked about doing the eyes gold when we made the shopping list, but we decided green ones were more usual. Caramel�s just extra-specially beautiful.�

�He looks like he�s sulking,� Katie said. �Is he OK? He�s got his nose tucked away inside his basket.�

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Helena looked down under the counter and sighed.�I think that now he�s walking better, it�s making him cross being shut in the kitchen. Every time we open the kitchen door, he�s there, trying to slip round our legs. He never scratches or bites, but you can tell he�s annoyed. His ears go all flat, and his tail�s twitchy. He wants to go and explore.�

�Couldn�t you let him out?� Katie asked. �Why does he have to stay in the kitchen?�

�Molly � that�s the vet � she said that if he tried to climb or jump he could jar his broken leg and stop it healing. Even if it was just trying to climb the stairs, he might trip and fall because of the plaster. There�s nowhere in the kitchen that he can reach to jump up to, but there�s enough space for him to exercise his leg muscles. Otherwise his leg�s going to go all thin and weak inside the plaster.�

�Oh, I see.� Katie nodded. �That�s sensible.�

�Mmmm, Caramel doesn�t think so, though. He thinks we�re just being mean.� Helena sighed. �Little grumpy-face,� she told Caramel lovingly.

Caramel heard her, and looked up. He gazed at her for a moment and then yawned hugely, showing all his teeth and his bright pink tongue.

Helena giggled.�See? That�s what he thinks of us��

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Caramel sat by the back door, his nose pressed against the narrow crack between the door and the frame. There was something out in the garden, he was sure. He could hear it� a bird, perhaps, tapping and twittering around on the little stone patio. He ached to be out there, too, smelling the smells, chasing the birds. Just feeling the air ruffling up his fur. He hated being an inside cat.

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He paced up and down beside the door for a few moments, letting out a frustrated mew. His leg was so much better now. It felt stronger. He was sure he could even climb a tree, if only they would let him out. Or maybe scramble up on to the top of a fence, just to get a good look around. He wanted to see what the outside was like round here. He was so sick of being shut up indoors.

His ears twitched as he caught a sound from the front of the house� footsteps on the path, and now scratching as someone fiddled with the front door. Helena was back!

No. His shoulders sagged a little. It wasn�t the right time. It would be that other lady come to check on him.

�Hello, Caramel�� Gran was squeezing carefully round the door, making sure not to let him dart out. �How are you, darling? Want some of these nice little biscuit things?�

She brought a packet out of her handbag, and Caramel sniffed as she pulled it open, and the delicious smell wafted around. But somehow, it just wasn�t very exciting. Not nearly as good as the fresh air smell through the back door. It was starting to rain now. He could smell the wet pavement smell, and hear the heavy fat drops pattering down on the stone. He wanted to be out in it. Not for long � just enough to feel the freshness, and then dash back in and lick off all the water. It would be so good�

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�Oh, it�s raining! And I didn�t bring an umbrella � what a nuisance.� Gran was staring out of the window, looking irritated. �And look, Caramel, they�ve got washing out! Well, that�s going to get soaked. And there�s Helena�s school jumper. I wonder if she needs that for tomorrow� Drat it, I�ll have to go and bring it all in.�

She put down her bag on the counter, and hurried to the door, jingling the keys as she unlocked it.

Caramel hadn�t understood what she was saying about the washing, of course, but he knew what the sound of the keys meant. She was letting him out! He stood by her feet, his tail twitching excitedly, and his whiskers fanned and bristling. Out! After all this time! As the door opened, he darted round Gran�s feet, his caramel fur brushing against her legs, and hopped down the little step on to the patio.

Gran was thinking about the washing, not about Caramel, and so she didn�t realize what had happened until it was too late. �Oh! Oh, no! You�re not supposed to go out! Oh, my goodness, how stupid of me�� She abandoned the washing and went after the cat. �Caramel! Come on� Caramel� Puss, puss��

But Caramel was sniffing at the flower pots and twitching delightedly at the feel of the rain on his fur. He could smell other cats, which was interesting, and dangerous, and exciting. And perhaps a dog, close by, and there was a beetle walking along in front of his nose� Everything was good�

�Come here, Caramel, come on, you�ll hurt yourself�� Gran reached down and tried to grab him, but Caramel skittered out of reach, his cast knocking on the stone paving, and throwing him off balance.

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He hissed as a twinge of pain ran through his injured leg, and backed away furiously.

�Oh no�� Gran hurried after him, but Caramel hissed again, frightened and hurting, and darted away around the corner of the house, up the little side passage where the bins were.

Gran was chasing him but he didn�t want to be caught. His leg was throbbing as he scurried up the passage, and now there was a gate, shutting him in again. Caramel spat angrily and pressed up against it. He wasn�t going to let her grab him! He couldn�t be shut up inside again. He darted a clawed paw at Gran as she came close and reached to pick him up. Desperate, he squashed himself down and scrabbled under the wooden boards, dragging his plastered leg behind him. He struggled, mewing, for a second � and then he was out, at the front of the house, on the road.

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Once he�d squeezed under the gate, Caramel hobbled out on to the pavement, going as fast as he could with his plastered leg. He was determined not to let Gran catch him. He scurried along the pavement and darted behind someone�s wheelie bin when he heard the gate squeak open, and Gran dash out after him. He could hear her calling, but he stayed tucked behind the bin.

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Caramel peered out, watching her, and when she hurried off the other way down the road, he pressed himself close against the garden wall, and slunk away. Everything smelled so good in the damp, rain-fresh air. His leg was aching a little� he hadn�t gone so fast or so far on it for ages � but he didn�t mind. He was so tired of cages and that tiny room.

The rain had stopped now and the clouds were blowing over. He shivered with pleasure as he felt the warm autumn sun shining down on his fur. That was what he wanted to do! He would find somewhere to lie in the sun. If only Gran hadn�t been chasing him, he could have stayed in the little garden at the back of Helena�s house. He was sure there would have been a nice sunny place to curl up. And when Helena came home, she could stroke him while he snoozed.

He glanced uncertainly back down the road. He could go and see. He could squeeze back under the gate� But he could hear Gran calling him, her voice more and more worried. That high, panicked note made the fur lift a little along his spine, and he hurried on a few steps further.

He couldn�t go too far, though, he realized, after he�d gone past a few more houses. It was hard, half hopping along with his cast like this, and he was already getting tired.

He was looking around, wondering where he could go and rest and sleep in the sun for a little while, when he heard it. It drowned out Gran�s shouting � the low rumble of a car, heading down the road towards him.

Caramel�s ears went back, and his tail fluffed out to twice its normal size. He had heard cars before, of course. But now the sound reminded him of the accident, and that strange blaze of light, and then waking up to find he couldn�t walk.

He whipped his head desperately from side to side as the growl of the car grew louder, and as it roared past he shot into the nearest garden, forgetting how much his leg was hurting, and how weary he was. He had to get away.

Caramel darted under the bushes, not even noticing how wet they were. And then he huddled there, shivering and terrified, and wishing he�d never strayed outside the house.

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�You let him out?� Helena gaped at Gran as they stood outside the gates after school. She couldn�t understand it. For a moment when Gran had started to explain, Helena had thought that she must be joking � that it was some sort of silly story, but it wasn�t.

�I�m so sorry, Helena, I wasn�t thinking. It was the washing, you see � I had to get it in because of the rain. Oh, I�m not explaining this very well.�

Gran looked exhausted, Helena realized. She�d probably spent ages getting Caramel back in. She felt guilty for being angry, but only a little bit. How could Gran have let him out, when it was so important that he stayed in the kitchen?

�He slipped past me. He was so quick��

�We might need to get him to the vet�s to see if he�s damaged his leg.� Helena started off down the road towards home, weaving round everyone pouring out of the school gates. Usually they went back to Gran�s house on the days that Mum was working late, but Helena was sure Gran would understand that she wanted to check up on Caramel first.

�How did you get him back in?� she asked, turning to look at Gran, who was hurrying after her.

Gran stopped and simply stared at her, and Helena�s stomach seemed to lurch inside her. All at once, she knew what Gran had been trying to make her understand.

She hadn�t got him back. Caramel was lost!

Helena turned back, looking at the road and the cars flashing by, taking everyone home from school. Then she simply ran. She ran all the way home, ignoring Gran calling after her. After a little while, she couldn�t hear Gran shouting anyway.

Her mouth was dry, her heart racing. She was so horribly certain that as she turned into their street, she would see the little heap of sandy fur again. And that this time, Caramel wouldn�t have been so lucky. He had his leg in plaster � how could he get out of the way of a car?

When she turned the corner into their road, Helena stopped for a moment, panting, her face scarlet. There was no cat in the road, not that she could see. And no crowd of horrified passers-by. She took a deep, shuddering breath and went on, hurrying up their side of the road, and then carefully crossing over and checking the other side. Looking under all the cars.

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At last she stopped, leaning against the front wall of their house and trying not to cry. Where was he? Gran had tried to explain that he�d run under the side gate, so he must have come out on to the road. Perhaps he was just hiding somewhere, Helena thought, with a sudden jolt of hope. She dropped her school bag by the front door, and set off up the road, calling. �Caramel! Caramel!�

But he didn�t come, and she couldn�t even hear an answering mew. She flinched as a car sped past, wanting to shout after the driver to slow down. What if Caramel ran across the road to get to her?

Would he come anyway? Helena wondered worriedly. Perhaps he didn�t know her well enough to want to come back. He�d only lived with them for half a week, after all. But he�d been getting so friendly � she had really felt like he was their cat.

Perhaps he�d gone back to his old house � his old owner � if he knew where it was. Helena gulped back tears.

�Helena!� Gran was hurrying down the road towards her. �Oh, I was so worried. You crossed all those roads on your own.�

Helena stared back at her.�I�m sorry, Gran,� she said breathlessly. She�d been so frightened, she�d just thought about getting home and finding Caramel, nothing else.

�He�s not here, Gran�� Helena said miserably. �I�ve called and called. Maybe he�s gone back to his old home. Or he might just be lost. He might be one of those cats who doesn�t have a good sense of direction. He�ll never find his way back to us!�

Gran wrapped her arms round Helena.�We must be able to find him,� she murmured. �I�m so sorry, Helena. Surely he can�t be far away.�

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Caramel could hear Helena calling him, and his ears pricked forward hopefully. She sounded worried, but he knew her far better than Gran, and he was sure she wasn�t angry. He stirred under the bushes, trying to summon up the energy to get back on to his aching leg and go to her. But as he poked his nose out from under the plants, another car came racing by, and he pressed himself back into the leaves with a frightened hiss.

He couldn�t move. He just couldn�t. Even though he could hear Helena calling him again and again, and her gran and later her mum too, he was too frightened to come out. Every few minutes a car would go by, and Caramel froze, paralysed by the noise.

He wriggled back even further when a car pulled up outside the house and footsteps echoed beside his hiding place. It was getting dark, and cold. The cold made his injured leg ache even more, and he shivered miserably. The lights came on in the house behind him, and that just made the night seem darker. He wanted to be home, with Helena putting down his food bowl, and watching him eat.

There were fewer cars now, though, he realized. He had been hiding there for hours, waiting for the next one to roar past, his muscles tensed in case it came close. He edged out from the bushes, his whiskers twitching nervously as he sniffed the night air. Helena�s house was only a little way down the road. He knew it.

He could get home, if only he were brave enough to come out of his hiding place.

And itwas home, he realized. He wanted to be back with Helena. Even if they did keep him shut up. The house was safe and warm, and they would look after him. Caramel limped out of the tiny front garden and crouched by the wall, his ears laid back. No cars. It was time to go.

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Helena was sitting curled up in bed, in the dark. She�d tried to sleep � Mum kept coming in and checking on her, and last time Helena had actually pretended she was asleep. She didn�t want Mum to tell her all over again that it would be all right, and they�d probably find Caramel tomorrow. Mum didn�t know that! She was just saying it to make her feel better. And it wasn�t working.

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Helena sniffed. She had tried so hard to look after Caramel, but it would have been better if he�d gone to the shelter after all. He wouldn�t have been able to run away there, and he�d still be safe. She felt a choking feeling build up in her throat again, and she tried desperately to swallow it back down.

What if they never saw him again?

Helena gulped, and buried her nose in her duvet, trying to muffle the gasping, horrible noises she was making. It was really late� Mum was probably asleep. She sat there, curled up and shaking, tears making a great wet patch on her duvet.

He hadn�t been hit by another car, Helena tried to tell herself. They had searched all the streets nearby, and they hadn�t found him. And Gran had rung Lucy to check he hadn�t been brought into the surgery. He was just hiding somewhere. She pressed her face back into the duvet, thinking how cold andfrightened Caramel must be. The wind lashed raindrops against her window again � it was such a horrible night to be outside.

Then another sound made Helena look up. She could hardly hear it, with the wind blowing, and at first she�d thought it was just the rain. But it wasn�t � she knew that noise! That odd knocking, like a pirate walking on his wooden leg. Helena wriggled frantically, trying to unwind herself from her duvet. It was Caramel!

She jumped out of bed, racing to the window. She could hear him mewing now, too. She wrenched open her curtains and shoved the window open, leaning down to see into the garden.

And he was there! A small, bedraggled, golden cat, yowling at her in the moonlight. He�d come home!

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�Look, Caramel,� Helena told him proudly, as she stuck the certificate on to the fridge door with a magnet. �Bella�s cat won the prize for the most amazing pet! I told you she would, but you were second! And do you know how much money we raised altogether? Three hundred pounds! That�s a lot,� she added, as Caramel rubbed himself around her knees. �Yes, I know. You don�t care at all, you just want me to get the cat food out. All right.�

She looked down at him as she squeezed the food into his bowl. His fur was soft and caramelly again, and he was only limping a little. Last night, when she�d run downstairs, and out into the garden to scoop him up, his coat had been dark and spiky with rain, and he�d looked so miserable. His leg had obviously been hurting, too. She and Mum had dried him with a towel and he�d purred at them gratefully. Helena had been worried that the rain had softened the cast, or that he�d made the break worse, but Molly had driven round and looked at him, and said that luckily it was all right. She thought Caramel was just limping because he�d been putting more weight on his leg than he was used to.

�Only another two weeks,� Helena told Caramel, as she knelt on the floor, watching him licking out his bowl. �Molly said she was almost sure the cast could come off after that. Then you�ll be able to explore the rest of the house. And go outside.�

Caramel sniffed round the edge of the bowl, just in case any food had escaped, and then nosed lovingly at Helena�s hand. He yawned and licked his whiskers, then climbed determinedly into her lap. He flopped down, stretching his plastered leg sideways and kneaded at her school skirt with his front paws. He was glad to be home.

Helena giggled, and shifted her feet a little, so she wouldn�t get pins and needles. It looked like Caramel was staying for a while.