I started gently because of my innate kindness and only nibbled his ear gently. The insertion of my nose only caused him to shake his head and grunt a little more. So I bit his ear and withdrew quickly. He sat up, eyes open wide, hand going to his ear and coming away a little red. Not much, but a little. Lesson learned I think.
His legs swung out of the sleeping place quicker than I thought and I was virtually thrown to the floor in his haste. Of course as a Superior I know how to land well but he shouldn't have done it and I stored the memory. For safety I edged away while he put on his funny fur feet and followed me........ as far as the clearway where I sat down and waited. He also came to a halt and for a moment I thought he was going to suggest I was in the wrong. Luckily for him he didn't. As I looked towards the handle he got the message loud and clear and opened my clearway. I heard him grumble something about 5 o'clock as I walked out and narrowly missed losing my tail as the clearway was once again shut.
Ginger was sitting by the gate basking in the warmth and mewed as I approached. We exchanged information on how we had spent the dark time and I allowed him to best me with his story of how he had caught an ugly flying thing that tasted like furry leather. Not nice at all. In truth he had bested me because I had not hunted and caught nothing at all. I had in fact been to the village and sat outside a house where Longlegs had a lot of lights, had made plenty of noise but from which rich smells had come. It was that I was going to investigate now. Ginger decided to come with me.
We walked through the village, my village and saw only a few Longlegs about. There was the woman who posts things who had jumped when my 'The Him' had put a fast running thing on the step. How silly, she was so much bigger. Soon we came to the house. The lights had gone and so had the noise but some of the smells still lingered but they came from round the back. We investigated. There were stacks of bottles that we had to jump over, but our noses, under my leadership of course soon found the source of the smell. Unfortunately it had a lid on, and the lid did not want to come off. How lucky that I have a Superiors brain skills, especially where food is concerned. I had Ginger go behind, brace his back against the wall of the house and raise his front paws to push over the container. I sat and supervised while he rocked it until it started to fall.
It landed with a terrible clang but the lid fell off. I pulled out a bag that held a fish smell and retreated behind the garden wall to eat. I suggested Ginger stay and search for something that smelled right to him. He agreed, and was half in and half out of the container when a clearway opened, a head looked out and a shoe was thrown. Poor Ginger, right on his tail ! He ran and instead of stopping behind the wall to join me, kept on running. I enjoyed a feast before picking a nice shrimp from the bag and carrying it home and leaving it beside my gate for Ginger or one of the others.
Fed and content I walked round the house and jumped in my clearway where I settled down on the end of 'The Him's' sleeping place so he could stroke me when he woke. I am so kind and thoughtful like that.
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Rich Cat, Poor Cat, Beggar Cat,THIEF.
I had my usual stroll in the dark time to make sure all was safe and secure. The weather wasn't at it's best and I returned through the clearway left open for me and settled on my 'The Hers' sleeping place. I was able to snuggle in as she was asleep and I couldn't disturb her even had I wanted to. I relaxed and went to sleep.
I have no idea what it was that made me think something was wrong. A seventh sense, a smell, something anyway. I lifted my head alert now to the feeling of the home and immediately could sense something drastically wrong. Someone or something was eating and it was MY food. I leapt off the sleeping place and cautiously made my way down the passage to where my dishes lay. The smell was stronger. My food but something else as well, a damp fur smell. I turned the corner into the food room and there it was, a Superior kitten, a LARGE, Superior kitten and a stranger. He sensed me and hissed turning towards me as he did. There was no other way out except through me and I hissed back. We both chose the same moment to jump. My food and water went everywhere as we collided and landed on the dishes, my strength and weight giving the bigger push. But we fought claw to claw until he was towards the way out and I was on the inside.
He ran. He was fast and was out of the clearway very quickly. I hissed and called after him loudly. I did not follow as I had won enough of a victory . 'The Him' came flying towards me to see what was wrong and miracle upon miracle 'The Her' woke up. They both looked around and discovered the overturned dishes. 'The Her' set to cleaning up the mess and putting fresh food in my dish. I followed 'The Him' as he checked the other rooms. He must have been checking to see if the invader was still there and as he made the light time in their food room I tried to tell him how heroic I was saving the property and chasing the invader off. I'm not sure if he understood or just thought I was hungry but moments later he presented me with a dish of fresh chicken. I thanked him by rubbing my body on his legs. Now I had food in both places.
'The Her' closed the clearway so nothing else could get in and I could not get out to find the thief. I had no choice but to settle down at her side again and sleep. After all, if I do need to go out I need only wake my 'The Him' and that's fun.
I shall have to find out who the invader was though in the next light time and see why he entered my home without invitation and stole my food. Maybe Ginger will know.
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Balance is Restored
I have my own view on balance in the world. If a Longlegs hurts me I hurt them back more. That's balance. Other things need to happen too in order to keep the balance going, one of these is to ensure I get a balanced meal and not one half eaten by a kitten.
When my clearway was re-opened at light time I went in search of the invading thief. I had not seen him before but someone must have. I asked Ginger but he said he knew of no-one new in the village though he thought there has been a new smell in the dark time. We strolled together towards the village, the stroll becoming a strut when we saw Smokie. She was laying in the sunshine outside her place near a bowl of water her Longlegs had kindly provided. Her training of them was progressing well. She thought that maybe there was a new kitten near the edge of the woods but didn't know of one moving in to a Longlegs home. She asked whether we'd heard about Thomas.
When we replied “No, what?” She answered that he'd finally come a cropper under the wheels of a Longlegs chariot and that his Longlegs 'Her' was upset with water eyes like the Longlegs suffer from. It was a shame as Thomas was a good friend. I hadn't seen him for a few light times and thought he was away.
While I talked to Smokie, Ginger had been to ask my question of Gizmo and Tiger but neither of them had seen a new kitten. They followed Ginger back to where we waited, now the whole gang was here. Finding out just where Smokie thought the kitten was, I suggested we go a little further down the village and enter the woods there. Then moving together we could come towards the edge and see if we could find him.
He was fortunate that we did find him. He was squatting beside another kitten that we could see had no life, and was trying to feed it. We surrounded him quietly and settled down until he knew we were there. That didn't take long and he spun round ready to fight. Seeing so many of us he didn't and Smokie purred gently at him so he knew we were not there for fight. I was able to ask him why he stole though the answer was obvious. He stole to eat and to feed another. Though as a kitten he did not know it was theft. I asked his name and he told us he didn't have one which left all of us sorry for him. All he could remember was a Longlegs putting him and his sister in a bag and dropping it here in the woods. By the time he scratched his way out his sister was ill and he wanted to feed her. I understood and forgave. We all understood. Smokie as the gentlest among us and a female offered to teach him kitten rules and he agreed to learn. Under Smokie who had learned from the best, ME, he would do well.
I took the kitten home and allowed him to feed from my dish thoug
h it hurt me not to box his ears when I saw it. I wondered what to do with him as he could not come here all the time. My Longlegs already have a Superior, ME! And they don't need another. Then it came to me. The brilliant idea I mean.
I took the kitten to Thomas's place and told him to sit on the step and mewl. He objected to that as he considered himself strong. I explained this was his first lesson in how to guide a Longlegs. He did as I asked. Soon Thomas's Longlegs came to the clearway and expressed surprise at seeing the kitten. It wouldn't be long before her soft heart welcomed her new family in. This proved to be the case and we now have a new Thomas to join us when Smokie has given lessons.
One Superior out and one Superior in. I told you I like balance.
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The Superior Sense of Smell
Warmth on our backs Gizmo, Smokie and I were laying beneath a tree in the place they call the park where the Longlegs kittens play. Though the noise is sometimes very loud it's a good place because the grass is always short and you can see all around.
We had been there a while when some new Longlegs kittens arrived. They were bigger than the ones already there and were new to us, not from the village.
It did not take long for the new ones to chase off the ones who had been playing there and it made me cross because some went home leaking water from their eyes.
Within a short time one of the new ones noticed us and pointed us out to his friends. Soon after that the first stone was flung in our direction, followed by a barrage as the others took up the idea. I told Smokie to go home because these kittens were not the nice ones we had in the village. She agreed quickly when a large stone landed very close.
I told Gizmo to get up slowly which he did, I followed and forced myself to stretch before leading Gizmo slowly off in the opposite direction to that Smokie had taken.
As expected, the Longlegs kittens turned their attention to the two of us and more stones flew as they barked a terrible hiccuping sound. They moved towards us as we moved away and still threw stone which luckily did not hit either of us.
We reached the edge of the park and I directed Gizmo to the right into the longer grass of a field where the horses were sometimes kept. I sat by the fence for a moment and slowly washed my paws. The kittens began to run as Gizmo disappeared and only I was left. I allowed them to get close before I too entered the long grass to the left still moving slowly. The kittens ran faster throwing stones where they expected me to be but I was not there having moved to the edge where I could watch them approach the long grass and the fence.
I had given Gizmo his instructions and I heard him miaow. The Longlegs changed direction towards him and climbed the fence into the long grass. I allowed them to get a way in and then having made a run up the left side and I started to miaow also. They veered towards me. I allowed them to get closer then went quiet and Gizmo started again. The Longlegs were veering back and forth between our noises.
Our sense of smell is appropriate to a Superior and we knew this area well. Through the long grass we moved softly until we reached the edge of this field all the time smelling the place we wanted. When we reached it we joined up and created the miaowing together to bring the Longlegs in our direction then jumped over the ditch we knew bordered the field and sat on the other side.
The Longlegs approached the border and saw us. With a final miaow from us to tempt them we moved slowly backwards. They leapt over the fence into the ditch they couldn't see and right into what our superior sense of smell had told us was there. They were knee high in horse manure and very unhappy from the sounds they made.
Gizmo and I walked to the edge to see the kittens struggle and he smiled. I gave them a look of disdain and walked away.
We rejoined Smokie to rest under a tree by her home and enjoyed the sun on our backs.
(back to the top)
Gifts for the Longlegs of the Night
In the dark time I went out through my open clearway to check my world.. All seemed quiet around the walls and through my superb sense of smell I could tell Ginger was abroad. A quick jump onto the wall and I could see him sitting on the low branch of a nearby tree.
I wandered over to see how he was and to see if he had any news for me as I had spent most of the light time asleep on ' The Hers' sleeping place, interrupting it only to eat once or twice. To be honest I had felt a little bored, same old food, same old things to do. Ginger told me that he'd seen a fox go past but it hadn't stopped at my place this time. They do learn their lessons.
During the light time Ginger had been out and about the village with Tiger and Gizmo but hadn't seen Smokie or Thomas II anywhere. I imagine his new Longlegs was keeping him in being so young. I was wrong. As Ginger came to join me on the ground to walk through the village we were joined by young Thomas who was full of gratitude for his new home. His Longlegs was giving him plenty of strokes and good food and it seems Smokie had been teaching him things his own mother couldn't. He was so grateful he did something most kittens or cats won't do, he invited us home. This is something I'll have to teach him not to do but not until I've accepted this invitation. Not wanting to crowd the place and scare the Longlegs I suggested Ginger went off to see if he could find the scent of the fox and if any of the gang were around to take them to follow the trail to make sure it went well away from us.
Thomas's home was clean and smelt good. We entered through a clearway left open for him and I was immediately attracted to the smell of fish which he showed me was in his dish. I was invited to eat and I did, all the time reminding myself to tell him not to do this again unless there was a desperate superior in need. As I ate, Thomas's Longlegs came through. I was ready to bolt but she didn't shout. Instead she leaned down and stroked me for a moment before picking Thomas up to stroke him. He purred. I offered a miaow thank you and one of goodnight and carefully left. The clearway was closed behind me and I was alone again.
There was a new smell out here now. A strange smell, a Longlegs smell. I followed it to the park area where we often rested in the warmth from the sky. There on a sitting place was a Longlegs who appeared to be asleep. He was making a noise through his nose like sleeping Longlegs do, just like my 'The Her' does. His stomach rumbled and I realised he must be hungry. Looking around I saw Ginger with Gizmo approach and check out the Longlegs. I explained what I'd heard and suggested we try to get some food for him. A difficult proposition given the reactions from my Longlegs when I brought them gifts. But maybe they did not all eat the same thing. So, after a little hunt Gizmo managed to catch a rustling thing and laid the offering down before the seating place. Ginger ran home and brought back some bread thrown out by his Longlegs to bring the flying things close, how silly that they always shouted at him for trying to catch them when they threw the bread out. I knew that bread was a good Longlegs meal though. I also ran home and managed to pick up some chicken from a dish left for me. Some of it even made the journey back in one piece. Well, using energy you need to eat don't you?
Gizmo decided it would be a good idea to let the Longlegs have the gifts now before someone else stole them and so jumped up to wake the sleeping Longlegs.....who woke with a roar when Gizmo applied a wet nose to the ear. The Longlegs sat up and Gizmo jumped down startled by the sound and the movement. The Longlegs saw us. He mustn't have liked our presents or our presence as he stood up and bolted down the lane calling for help. Strange, very strange. He was dressed in a long skin that was very dirty and he left a smell of unwashed Longlegs where he went. The three of us looked at each other and decided there was no understanding them. I gave up and went home to sleep.
Oscar’s trip out.
'The Her' brought her chariot to the front of the house where I was enjoying lying in the warmth. I watched as she rolled out something that looked like a long snake and left it on the ground nearby as she returned through the clearway to the room where I eat. All of a sudden the snake began to squirm and jump along the floor while spitting. Water drops were falling
on me and I knew I must move.
The chariot was open to me and so I went inside, found a warm spot and settled there where the water from the snake wouldn't disturb me. I fell asleep. The next thing I knew was movement. Lifting my head I could see 'The Her' in a front seat and all the clearways were shut. It was interesting but not scary. As I hopped from back to front the chariot suddenly wobbled as she shouted “Oscar, where did you come from?” I tried to tell her the answer was a bit obvious…..the back seat...but she didn't understand. Leaning my paws against the glass meant I could see everything as we sped by. It was interesting but too fast for me to take it in. Within minutes though the chariot drew to a halt and my 'The Her' got out closing the clearway so I couldn't follow. As least I could still see out of the glass.
She walked round the car and disappeared. I heard a dog yapping close by but didn't duck down as I knew I was safe. Then a Superior came into view and I called “hello”.
“Hello back and who are you?” was the response. “Just a visitor” I said, “where am I?”
“This is my farm” I was told as he turned and walked away losing interest in me. I could hear another strange sound and suddenly a huge head came into view and looked in at me. Then it licked the glass. I fell off my seat and kept very low on the floor until I heard, “ Oscar, get up you silly thing and say hello to Tango. Tango this is Oscar.” Another slurp at the glass as I stuck my head up again and a whinnying sound to which I responded with a mew and then the face was gone. I looked out and there was 'The Her' on the back of the great beast moving away from the chariot. I lay down and slept.
Memoirs of a Superior Page 6