At least one or two people will recognize the inspiration for this one.
(Archives are on the website, if you want to read the offerings of past weeks)
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Cat Toys
(c) 2008 by Maura Anderson
“Hey, sweetie. Are you keeping an eye on the kids?” Sable jingled her keys at the grey tabby perched in her bedroom window. In a clear message of disdain, Feeters turned his back on her and flicked his tail.
“Okay then.” She couldn’t help chuckling but still unlocked the front door with a hint of trepidation. Just what would she find inside? Two kittens could cause more chaos than a herd of developers and they’d been walled off from the living room by only a couple of baby gates all day. These two were such little monsters they may have found a way to get free. Again.
Cracking open the door, Sable peeked in and saw that the stacked baby gates were still in place at the end of the hall. A ripple of relief made her shoulders relax a little and she looked down to see two sets of bright blue eyes staring up at her and trying hard to look innocent and sweet. Sweet she could buy but innocent was a huge stretch for her.
“You guys are such con artists!” But she couldn’t help smiling. Kittens are so hilarious. Sable dumped her purse and computer backpack in the hallway and took down the two baby gates. The instant the barrier was removed the darker seal-point kitten scampered out into the rest of the condo and began exploring as if hunting for something.
“Ocean, what in the world are you searching for? Did you lose your crinkle ball again?”
Who could figure cats out? They seemed to have their own agenda and nothing would distract them from their goals for long. Rusty bounced after his brother and they both started burrowing under the couch and rustling around.
Shaking her head, Sable set up her laptop. Before she could get online, her stomach rumbled and she decided dinner was in order first. “You guys be good.”
The kittens didn’t even poke a head around to see what she was doing.
*****
Finally. I thought she would never get out of the room. Kieran tried to roll his blue cat eyes and failed.
Well, you’re the one that was chasing the yardstick in circles until you were so dizzy you fell on your ass. We’re cats this time, not dogs. Try to remember that. Harkin flicked his white tail, lightly ghosted with orange, in his partner’s direction.
Hey, stop being an ass. It’s your fault we got stuck doing this job anyway. If you hadn’t pissed off Lugh, we wouldn’t be stuck in these so-cute-I-could-barf kitten bodies and trying to find a lost piece of jewelry.
Kieran flounced out from under the couch and scampered over to the bookcase, trying to remember he had four paws now instead of two feet. Ignoring his partner’s indignant hiss, he pawed at the assortment of boxes and bags tucked into the bottom shelf.
I still think it’s a wild-goose chase. The only description we were given was that it was an old ruby? And this chick is supposed to have it? I think this is all about revenge and nothing about a quest.
Even Harkin’s mental voice was whiny and Kieran’s irritation made him grit his teeth, thankfully not biting his own tongue again.
By the Gods, Harkin, shut the hell up and keep looking.
This time a small snarl came from behind him. You just like being a pet, Kieran. Are you a tame fae now? Maybe wanting to have a pretty cage and a fancy collar to show your servitude? Maybe some rhinestones to show against your fur?
The snarky comment pushed Kieran over the edge. Need I remind you that it’s your fault we’re in this mess anyway? And you’re the one letting her call you Rusty? What kind of name is that, anyway? A pussy name, that’s what it is!
Harkin was silent for a second, then hissed again and jumped Kieran. A brawl of teeth and claws and the two furry bodies rolled around on the floor in a mix of brown, white, tan and orange. In the midst of biting Harkin’s ear, Kieran felt a stream of cold water hit him, shocking him into jumping away from his annoying partner.
“You two are nuts.” The human woman’s voice sounded part annoyed and part amused. She set down the squirt bottle and laughed. “Or maybe you’re not really cats.”
Wrath of the Gods? How had she guessed?
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