Gato
Chapter 8
Day 3 Cleveland, Ohio, United StatesHeero was a little less then pleased with the new arrangements of their cages. Back in New York, their corner of cages had been fairly secluded and quiet. Now they were in the middle of an aisle near the entrance. Small children constantly poked their fingers through his bars and he had taken the occasional swipe before a warning sign had been put up.
It hadn't stopped the more persistent people though. He also attracted a lot of attention from the second place ribbon attached to his bars. He tried his best to retreat to the back of his cage but he couldn't even sleep well with all the noise. He needed a break from people.
Wufei was sulking in her cage too but for a different reason. She had been taken to a class earlier that morning but had lost points because the cat next to her had taken a mean swipe. Now her nose was scratched up and she was placed lower then she should have been.
"Stupid blind judges," he could hear her curse. "It's not my bloody fault that bitch was in heat."
"I thought this was a cat show," the other reason Heero hated their spots drawled from across the aisle and on another table. The sheet draped over Jet's cage had been pulled back slightly and the black cat lounged in his cavern. No one bother to try and see him so he settled back with his view of the world and his privacy. "No bitches."
"You know what I mean," Wufei growled. "And she was built like a dog."
Heero didn't both to join in the bantering but covered his face with his paws. The classes were winding down and attendants were placing ribbons and prizes by cages.
The trip across the states had actually been pleasant. They had left early on in the afternoon and arrived at the new show grounds with plenty of time to spare. They had been loaded into a van with several other cats that Heero found too whiny for his taste. Even the other Havana Brown had irritated him.
When Zechs had shown up later that evening to check on them he had sliced open the man's hand when he had reached in to change his water. Zechs had cursed and growled at him and in the end Heero never did get his water. Zechs asked a passing worker to do it but one look at Zech's gashed hand and the woman had left.
It was worth it though, Heero settled down contently. The travel hadn't been enough to upset him but he was feeling a bit tired. Tomorrow it was his and Quatre's turn to have classes again. He wasn't too sure in what state though so he was ready to sleep until then.
His nap was short lived as he heard a click and a thump. He glanced over to see Wufei's cage door swinging wide open. He glanced to the other table and growled as Wufei sat beside Jet's cage door and started talking quietly.
Heero quickly unlocked his own door. Everybody was gone for that night except for the night guards. A couple of his neighbouring cats began to murmur among themselves as Heero jumped up beside Wufei.
"Hey Heero," Jet greeted him a bit sarcastically. "We were wondering when you were going to interrupt us."
"What was it you were so anxious to tell me about yesterday?" Wufei changed the subject smoothly and the two tomcats settled down a bit.
"Well, remember that weird guy? I mean before we left," Jet said.
"There was more then one weird guy, Jet," Wufei growled slightly. "Could you be more specific?"
"That one who kept on going on about 'exterminating humans' and 'world domination' and stuff! The really weird one."
"Oh," Wufei wrinkled her nose slightly. Heero's tail began to lash as they continued talking and ignoring him.
"What are you two talking about?" Heero growled jealously. Wufei glared at him but Jet rose to his challenge.
"Feeling a bit lost, Hero-baby?" he asked snidely. Heero hissed and lashed out at his face. Jet chuckled as his claws struck bars.
"Can we get over the testosterone battle?" Wufei moved slightly between Heero and the cage. Heero's fur bristled but he stayed back. The tension didn't lessen though so Wufei decided that drastic actions were probably needed. "Heero, if Jet is worried about this guy I guess it's reason enough for me to explain to you just how Jet and I know each other."
That perked Heero's interest. Rarely had Wufei indulged in her past. From the moment She brought the year old Siamese home Wufei had been pushy and bossy but never social. Heero couldn't claim himself to be a very friendly cat but even she never tried to say a kind word to anyone, even Heero in her first six months.
It wasn't until she had finally settled her dominance over the queens and discovered Heero's undercover travels that she started to tolerate things that irritated her. But it was still far from speaking a word about where she had come from. All Heero knew was that She had picked her up on an overseas vacation. From the evidence Heero was willing to accept that that overseas had been to the United States.
Wufei nodded, satisfied, as the two toms promptly forgot to be angry with each other. She doubled checked to make sure no one was going to interrupt them before she started.
Flashback
New York City, Queens
5 years earlier
I couldn't keep the pitiful mew from spilling. The rain sank into my short fur and ran over my skin. I shivered violently as the wind picked up and blew the icy droplets over me and through me. My eyes were firmly caked closed and I quaked with the cold and terror as I blindly sat.
I had been there for days, huddled in the old box with my brothers and sisters. We waited for that long for our mother to return from her hunt. We waited faithfully for a long time. Soon my siblings began to fall asleep and not wake up. Their cold bodies were pressing around me but I didn't have the strength to push them away or to struggle free from their deaths.
I mewed softly again and shook in fear. I was dreading and praying to fall asleep with my brothers and sisters, to never wake up and to never feel this cold again. My shivers slowly started to subside. My legs sank under the pressure of the rain. I sighed softly as I curled against the cold, stiff bodies of my siblings and closed my eyes.
I opened them as something nudged my nose. Something wet flicked on me and I shuddered. My eyes were crusted so I woke blind. Something nudged me again, this time forcing my mouth to open. The same wet substance that had landed on me dripped onto my tongue.
It was warm! I started to guzzle helplessly and it was swiftly taken away. I mewed in distress. It came back and I drank until my belly felt like bursting. I sank back to sleep wondering why I was firmly incased in something soft and warm.
I remember waking occasionally for the next few days like that and then drifting off again just as quickly. There was one time where it wasn't food that roused me.
There was a consistent poking between my ears. I was content to ignore it for a while but it started to become persistent. My eyes were still firmly closed and I could only force them open a crack. The light stun and they began to water a lot. I shut my eyes again for some relief.
The poking continued so I forced my eye open a little more. The tears helped to soften the crust and I could finally blink painfully. A blurred shape was hovering over me. I blinked a few more times but the image didn't clear up much. The shape moved away and I closed my eyes again.
I growled slightly when I felt the animal come back and start prodding me again. I took a blind swipe around my head but all I earned was a chuckle from my attacker. I forced my eyes open until the sliver of painful light focused and the blob of colour took shape.
It was another cat. He looked only slightly older then me. His eyes twinkled in the dim light.
"Hey ya!" he greeted. "Are you gonna get up?"
My throat was raw from not talking so I just directed a rough grunt. He seemed to be amused by that so I half growled again and snuggled back into my blanket.
A few days later I woke up on my own. I felt weak and tired but more alert then I had been. I managed to open my eyes totally. I had to squint because they were still watering in the light but I was finally more confident and comfortable. I struggled out the tangled blanket. My legs wobbled and I fell before taking one step.
I lay there just panting for a minute. Then I growled at myself and forced my paws under me again. It was painful, the muscles in my legs and body protested but I managed to wobble in a shaky line away from my bed before collapsing again.
I panted there for a few minutes. It was just so tiring to have walked that short distance. The cold began to creep back and I shivered miserable for a few minutes. I tried to will my legs to start again, just long enough to get back to my bed.
A prickle on my neck made me stiffen. Teeth closed over the back of my neck and I was lifted into the air. I was too tired to struggle as I dangled above the ground. The cat holding me trotted eagerly off and I swung painful from side to side.
I mewed in protest but we had all ready reached where the cat wanted to go. I was gently placed in a group of soft kittens. I squeaked as a rough tongue ran out over my head and I fought to stay over the heads of the other kittens. They all felt bigger then me so I was hard pressed.
Suddenly all the movement around me slowed to a stop. I forced my eyes open again. The big black kitten from before batted away a calico so she wouldn't hit me. The mother of the litter purred as she continued to give me a bath.
I batted at her nose but she ignored me.
"She's just gonna clean ya anyway," the black kitten commented. "Mama's mean like that."
The mother cat snorted but remained silent so I did too. With the warm bath, the black kitten protecting me and the safety of the litter, I fell asleep again, this time the deepest one I had had in a while.
It was months later. I had recovered nicely and was up to finally exploring the house where I was with the other kittens. There were four other kittens besides me, a calico named Calisto, two tabby brothers named Jorge and Jasper and the black kitten that had taken a liking to me, Jet. I was by far the smallest and had trouble keeping up but most of the kittens didn't care.
It was small and cramped with a lot of other cats around. The mother of the litter, who I later found out was Bitsy, kept a close eye on us for the first while. She made sure we knew which of the cats to steer clear of and which ones we could approach. Since the house was so small it was a hard task to avoid some of the bad cats but we managed all the same. There were about fifty other grown up cats and at no time were we alone.
We were about six months old and Jasper was getting tired of staying inside. We could see the outside from the window but none of the other kittens believed that I had been born out there. I tried to explain why I didn't want to go outside again, about the water and rain but none of them believed me.
I met the human who took care of us around that time. He was very big and smelt like old books and sawdust. He was kind enough but he never fed us enough. Everyday we were given some dry food and new water but with all the other cats in such a small space it was difficult to get food. Bitsy was very good about saving us some of hers but we were always hungry.
It was one afternoon when the human wasn't home. Jorge, Jet, Calisto, Jasper, I and another female cat Cassie were settled in front of one of the bottom floor windows. It was streaked with dirt but we could just make out the sounds of children playing and birds. Jasper had his nose pressed against the glass wishfully.
"If I was out there I would catch one of those birds," he sighed. "A big fat, plump one with lots of feathers to play with and lots of meat to eat."
Cassie was a weathered old calico and let out a harsh laugh. "You think you can get one without getting pecked?"
Jasper snorted at the insult but didn't take his eyes off the robin perched on a tree. "I could."
Cassie chuckled again but there was no humour in her voice. "I don't doubt it. All of us would brave an angry beck for such a dinner."
"It's not so bad," I said quietly and turned to glance at Cassie. "At least we don't have to sit in the rain."
"You little ones have never been outside have you," Cassie smirked softly. She stood up and jumped on the sill next to us. Calisto squeaked and hid behind Jorge but the old queen ignored her. "I'd live with a little water to be out of this hell hole."
"I don't see anything wrong," Jet looked at the surroundings confused. "It's nice and warm."
"You're in for a harsh awakening when the winter comes," Cassie replied blandly. "This old house isn't heated. The water freezes and that food becomes as hard as ice. Wait until next month when the temperatures outside drop and the tempers in here flare."
It was a bit cynical but we didn't know how close to the truth she was. Just as she had said, a month later the temperatures dropped to below freezing. We tried to huddle together for warmth but it was so cold we never slept. Bitsy had another litter on the way, as did the other queens so us kittens were on our own.
There were quite a few other kittens around our age, about twenty in total. We banded together for food but it was never enough to feed half of us. My gums bled every night as I tried to chew the harsh food. As a result I couldn't eat and slowed farther and farther down until I could barely get up.
That first month was tough. About half of the kittens in our band were as bad off as me, some worse. Five died in the first two weeks and three more the next. Jet managed to smuggled some of his food away from the bins and warm it with his body until it was soft enough for me to eat.
We had very little water too. The only time we could get it was within the first hour or so after it had been put out. Three older cats died from thirst. The man didn't both to clean up the bodies so we were forced to avoid them.
The second month into the winter, the man disappeared. We had no notice. One day he left for work and never came back. Calisto held out hope that he would return but after a week even she was forced to realize he had abandoned us. With out that little bit of food and water, many cats went insane.
The littler cats, like Jet, me and my littermates, were prime targets. The dead bodies were no longer ignored and they were soon picked clean. Many cats often circled us smaller and weaker ones just waiting for another to die off.
A few month later the house started to warm up. Between the grown up cats and kittens there were thirty of us left. Bodies too thin or full of disease were rotting around the house. All the rats and mice were picked off long ago. Flooding in the basement had given us water and though all of us were extremely thin and weak, we were alive.
Bitsy had her kittens and we went to see them. She had only three and one died in the first two days. The other two were so small we didn't think they would make it. We never did get to find out.
We were sleeping on one of the couches when the door was unexpectedly opened. None of us were used to the light so we scattered. Three figures on billowing white clothes and masked came in. Jet and I were hiding under the couch and watched as they lured cat after cat into cages.
My heart was beating widely and Jet growled as one of the cages was placed on the ground near us. The white human was trying to coax Jasper out from the footstool. They opened a can of food.
The smell was so overwhelming I started towards it without even thinking. Jet pushed me to the ground and held me there as Jasper took step after step towards the food. He was quickly captured and we watched as he was taken away screaming in fury of being tricked.
We thought me were safe but they checked under the couch too. We tried to run but there were humans waiting for us at every edge. Jet was grabbed by the scruff of his neck and forced into a closed carrier. I was on my own. One of the workers extended a hand towards me. I hissed and lashed out. My claws sunk right into the leather glove and raked across the person's skin.
I smirked as they cursed. I was backed into a corner by the other two. One reached for my tail and I darted out of their way. I felt rather then saw the box aiming for me. Then, before I could get away, I hit the box's wall with my nose. I was forced into a cage myself.
Being outside was an odd experience. My eyes burned and I couldn't see. They were jostling my cage enough for me to fall down. But the light wasn't the strangest thing. It was the smell.
I never noticed it. The house was my home and I was used to it. But the fresh air flooded my nose and it was overwhelming. It was air without the smell of death, dung and dirt. It hurt my lungs but I didn't have much time to dwell on it before I was placed in the back of a white van. There were other cats in there, many of them cramped three or two to a cage. They were all from the house and all were confused.
I was too distracted by the new smells of the actual cats rather then the house and the smell of carpet cleaner and sunlight to try and escape. The van was soon loaded and we were moving.
It was a long story and a long time later that I was ready for adoption. We had been taken to a Humane Society. Some of the cats that had been in the house hadn't made it to the adoption cages. I couldn't say I was glad I had. It was endless days of bored in a thin wired box. People would come and see me. Many would pet me or take me out of the cage or even talk about taking me home. But in the end no one did.
Calisto and I eventually shared a cage while Jet, Jasper and Jorge were in the one next to us. The room was bright and noisy whenever it was day time. In the night it was very dark with whispers and whimpers from every cage. We liked the night times the best.
Calisto was the first to figure out how to open the cages and pretty soon we were mingling and some of those whimpers disappeared. Cats would disappear every so often. Sometimes they were adopted and some times they weren't. We were all afraid that we would be next.
I was thoroughly convinced I would never be taken and sometimes that was an appealing thought. Many of the families were impressed with the colour of my coat or my breed. They were the ones that wouldn't pet me or acknowledge me. They would talk with the workers then move on. Other people had young children that would pull my tail or ears before I tried to swipe them.
Jet hadn't been adopted either, which was surprising. He had a striking black coat and steely eyes that had many people stop and look at him. He was very outgoing and friendly so the people who stopped and looked at him feel in love. But he was never taken.
Jasper and Jorge were adopted, then Calisto. I saw Bitsy leaving one day but I never saw her kittens. Even Cassie left. The cages refilled and it was only me and Jet from the house. I didn't know how long it had been since that day that we had been taken but it must have been months.
We were so sure that we were going to be overlooked. We opened our cages at night and had all-night talks about nothing at all. We tried to make friends with other cats but many ignored us. The rest were never there long.
I remember the day that She showed up. I remember it so very vividly. I was sleeping, curled up as far away from my new cage mate as I could be. She was a skittish thing that chattered on endlessly and I was about ready to hurt her.
Our cage door opened and woke me up. My cage mate was clammering over me away from the hands that reached for us. Jet pushed against the door of his cage and I was scooped out and placed in Her arms. I squirmed in a futil hope of being dropped to the floor then running away.
"Feisty thing," She grunted as I managed to scrape my claws over her arm. She twisted me expertly so I couldn't catch her again. "Amazing coat colour, nice eyes… where did she come from again?"
"On, such a sad story," the girl how normally fed us on Saturdays nodded eagerly. "There was a serious abuse case a few months ago. The SPCA found a house with over thirty cats in it, just abandoned. It was a real mess, she is one of the last to be adopted though. The story gained a lot of publicity. Haven't you heard of it?"
"I'm from out of the country," She said tensely. I settled down a little. If She was annoyed with the overly perky, loud girl then perhaps She wasn't so bad. "She's so striking through, why hasn't she been adopted yet?"
"The breeders want papers and the families think she's too tempermental for their kids," the girl shrugged. "I thin she's a sweetie, aren't you- ack!"
The girl jumped back nervously as I narrowly missed her nose. The Woman smiled. "I think we'll get along just fine."