Paw Power

by Kitty Wells

  “Greykin, this is my best friend, Rachel,” said Maddy. She eased open the zip, taking care not to startle him. Peering inside, her heart sank. A small grey ceramic cat sat in the case.

  Rachel burst out laughing. “Maddy, you loon! You really had me going!”

  “Greykin,” hissed Maddy, cheeks flaming. She poked at the figurine. “Greykin, you have to change now!”

  “All right, Mad, joke over.” Still giggling, Rachel wiped her eyes.

  “Greykin, please,” begged Maddy, rattling the case. The cat remained cold and silent. He had already eaten all the bacon too, she noticed – the greedy thing!

  Rachel was looking at her strangely. “Maddy . . . it’s only a toy.”

  “He is not a toy,” snapped Maddy, closing the case and putting it back into her bag. Even if what she was saying was incredible, her best friend should still believe her.

  “Fine, whatever,” said Rachel with a groan. “Come on, we’d better get inside.”

  Maddy kept her pencil case on her desk all through the morning lessons, craning to hear any sign of movement. But the flowered case remained silent, and whenever she peeked inside, Greykin was still ceramic.

  Was it someone in their class who was in trouble? Maddy’s gaze fell on a large girl with dark blonde hair and freckles, and she shivered.

  Sherry Newton’s speciality was causing trouble, not being in it. She ruled over 5A along with her two friends, a pair of sneering red-haired girls who were both called Jo. Jo Pearson had short, spiky hair and Jo Perkins had a pointy face, but apart from that Maddy could barely tell them apart. They both fawned over Sherry, and backed her up in whatever nastiness she came up with.

  “Maddy! Stop daydreaming and get to work,” barked Mrs Pratt. Maddy jumped, and returned to her maths paper.

  When the bell rang for lunch, she hung back uncertainly. She couldn’t leave Greykin here – what if he came to life while she was gone? But if she took her pencil case to lunch, people might start to wonder what was inside. People like Sherry, for instance. On impulse, Maddy unzipped the pencil case and slipped Greykin into her pocket.

  “Hurry up, Maddy!” called Mrs Pratt, clapping her hands. “We’re all ready to go.”

  “What’s with you today?” whispered Rachel as 5A filed down the corridor to the canteen. “You’re acting really weird.”

  “I’ve already told you,” said Maddy coolly. “It’s not my fault you don’t believe me. Even though I’ve never, ever lied to you, not ever.” Rachel rolled her eyes, and didn’t answer.

  As the class neared the canteen, Maddy saw Sherry jostle Jessica Simmons, a new girl in their class. She’d been taunting Jessica ever since she first arrived.

  “Hey, thanks for loaning us your DS, Jess,” sneered Sherry. Jo and Jo sniggered, and Jessica’s face reddened. She was even shorter than Maddy, with long pale hair and skinny legs like pipe cleaners.

  “I, um – I need it back,” she mumbled. “It was a present from my mum – she’ll be asking me where it is—”

  “Ooh, a present from her mum-my!” crooned Sherry, flipping back her dark blonde hair. “Well, don’t worry, Jessie-Wessie – we’ll give it back later. Maybe!” She and her friends laughed as they headed into the canteen.

  Maddy’s fists clenched at the defeated look on Jessica’s face. Oh, how she longed to give Sherry a good telling-off – if only she had the courage!

  “Ouch!” she burst out suddenly. A sharp claw had dug into her side. And the weight in her pocket felt different – heavier, warmer. Greykin! Maddy grabbed Rachel’s arm and pulled her into the girls’ loos.

  “What are you doing?” cried Rachel.

  Making sure that they were alone, Maddy dragged her friend into one of the cubicles, crowding in after her and closing the door.

  “Mad-dy . . .”

  She reached into her pocket. Flattening her palm so that Greykin could climb onto it, Maddy held him up in front of Rachel. Her best friend gaped wordlessly at the tiny cat, the blood abruptly leaving her face.

  “Greykin, this is Rachel.” Maddy grinned. “She’s very, very sorry that she didn’t believe me – aren’t you, Rache?”

  Rachel’s mouth closed with a snap. “Maddy!” she whispered, clutching Maddy’s arm. “It’s – it’s real!”

  Greykin yawned, showing a mouthful of tiny pointed teeth. “That’s a very tiresome reaction,” he complained. “Whatever happened to ‘Pleased to meet you’?”

  Rachel goggled at the sound of his voice. For a moment Maddy thought she might pass out. “I’m . . . sorry,” she murmured finally. “I – um – pleased to meet you.”

  “Yes, charmed,” said Greykin briskly, lashing his tail from side to side on Maddy’s palm. “But we’ve more serious matters to discuss, I’m afraid.”

  Maddy caught her breath. “Have your whiskers tingled?”

  Greykin nodded. “It’s that girl – the one who took the toy from the other child. She’s the problem. She must be stopped from tormenting her.”

  Maddy’s stomach did a somersault. “Sherry?” she gasped. “But—”

  “What are you talking about?” put in Rachel, her eyes wide behind her glasses.

  Maddy quickly explained, and Rachel stared at her in horror. “You, stop Sherry? But – but how?”

  “There are ways,” said Greykin firmly. His golden gaze glinted up at them. “Trust me.”

  That afternoon Rachel got permission to go home with Maddy. Once safe in Maddy’s bedroom, the two girls sat cross-legged on the carpet, sharing a plate of chocolate biscuits as Greykin prowled between them.

  “Would you like some, Greykin?” asked Rachel eagerly, holding out a crumb.

  He sniffed at it, and his furry face winced. “No, thank you,” he said with barely concealed disgust. “It’s sweet.”

  His expression changed when Maddy burrowed in her school bag and brought out a leftover bit of lunch-time sandwich.

  “That’s more like it!” he said. She put a sliver of ham beside the biscuits, and he bounded onto the plate and ate it daintily, purring his approval.

  “What are we going to do about Sherry, though?” asked Maddy as he finished. She pulled her knees up to her chest. “Greykin, you don’t understand what she’s like. I can’t stop her – she’d kill me! And you . . . well, you’re only five centimetres tall.”

  “Size isn’t everything,” said Greykin, looking affronted. “I suppose you’d rather I was a big galumphing dog.”

  “No, of course not,” soothed Maddy quickly. She ran her finger down his velvety grey back. “I wouldn’t trade you for anything. Not even for – for a whole roomful of diamonds!”

  Greykin beamed. “Well, it is true that a king’s ransom was once offered for the three of us,” he said modestly. “Many centuries ago, but one doesn’t forget. Now, then!” he went on as Maddy and Rachel gaped at each other. “The first thing we must do is examine our information. Tell me everything you know about Sherry.”

  Collecting herself, Maddy tried to think. “Well, she’s really horrid, and everyone hates her. And she’s tall.”

  “And big,” added Rachel with a shudder. “And she’s always scowling—”

  “Yes, and she has a really loud voice, and—” Maddy broke off. Greykin was shaking his tiny head.

  “Not what she looks like,” he said gently. “What do you know about her? Home situation, age, siblings?”

  Maddy and Rachel exchanged uncertain glances. Suddenly Maddy realized that she hardly knew anything at all about Sherry’s life.

  “Well . . . I suppose she’s nine, like us,” she said finally.

  Rachel nodded. “And she doesn’t have any brothers or sisters at our school, but she might have some that aren’t. And, um . . .” Her face screwed up in thought. “That’s all I know.”

  “Me too,” said Maddy. “Oh, hang on – she’s got these two awful friends, Jo Perkins and Jo Pearson. They back her up in everything.”

  Greykin fell silent, twitching the t
ip of his tail. “It’s not very much information, is it?”

  Maddy’s cheeks reddened. “Not really,” she admitted. “But we’re not exactly friends with her.”

  “No, we try to avoid her,” said Rachel. “Everyone does!”

  “Nevertheless, we must find a way to stop this girl.” Greykin stepped off the plate and leaped onto Maddy’s leg, settling down on her thigh. Rachel looked on longingly, and Maddy felt a shiver of pride. Oh, she was so lucky!

  “As I see it, there are three options,” said Greykin, curling his paws under his chunky body. “One: we separate Jessica from Sherry.”

  “But they go to school together,” protested Rachel.

  “Option two: we persuade Sherry to leave Jessica alone.”

  The two girls burst out laughing. “You mean we should just ask her, and maybe she’ll stop?” cried Maddy. “Oh, right!”

  Greykin smiled. “You’d be surprised what the powers of persuasion can do. But let’s think about option three. Tell me everything you know about Jessica, both of you.”

  Maddy thought hard. “Well, she just started at our school this term. She’s shorter than me, and she seems very quiet and shy . . . um . . .”

  “Didn’t someone say she has a pony she rides at weekends?” said Rachel, adjusting her glasses.

  “Oh, yes!” recalled Maddy. “That was Sandra; she has a pony at the same stables.”

  “So she’s not utterly without courage, then,” mused Greykin, narrowing his eyes in thought. “Perhaps we just need to help it along a bit.”

  Maddy pictured Jessica’s scared-rabbit face. “I don’t think she’s all that brave,” she said doubtfully. In fact, Jessica reminded her of how she felt sometimes.

  Greykin chuckled. “In which case, Sherry will be doubly startled when her victim suddenly stands up to her.”

  “What?” gasped Maddy.

  “There’s no way we could get Jessica to do that!” cried Rachel at the same time.

  Standing up on Maddy’s thigh, the little cat pulled himself into a long, luxurious stretch. “We have more resources than you think,” he said, settling back onto his haunches. “Now, listen. What am I doing?”

  A deep rumble started in his throat, increasing in volume until it reverberated through the room.

  “You’re purring,” said Maddy blankly.

  “Exactly! And why do cats purr?”

  Maddy and Rachel looked at each other. Was this a trick question? “Um . . . because they’re happy?” ventured Rachel.

  “Only sometimes,” Greykin corrected her. “We also purr when we’re distressed, to calm ourselves down.”

  “Oh, I didn’t know that,” said Maddy, interested despite herself. “But, Greykin, how—”

  “And my purr can do even more than that,” Greykin informed them proudly. “Maddy, you just need to keep me in your pocket and stay close to Jessica so that she can hear my Purr without realizing it. It will give her strength she didn’t know she had.”

  “Will it, like – hypnotize her?” gasped Rachel, rising up onto her knees.

  Greykin grimaced. “It’s a far subtler process, but I suppose you could make that comparison. Maddy, all you’ll have to do then is suggest to Jessica that she should stand up for herself, and that will be that!”

  “Really?” breathed Maddy.

  Glancing at each other, she and Rachel began to smile.

  “Can you imagine it?” giggled Rachel.

  Maddy nodded, barely able to get the words out. “Sherry – Sherry will be like this!” She made a dumbfounded, slack-jawed face.

  “No, this,” cried Rachel, making her eyes bulge out as if she’d seen a zombie.

  Suddenly the two girls were howling with laughter. Greykin leaped clear as Maddy drummed her heels on the carpet. “Really,” he said mildly. “You’d think you two had never experienced a bit of magic before!”

  Finally they calmed down enough to decide on a plan. “I think you should do it on Friday,” said Rachel eagerly. “’Cos then we break for half-term, so it’ll be like a treat for everyone before the holiday!”

  Greykin chuckled, swishing his tail from side to side. “Apart from Sherry, of course.”

  “Perfect!” said Maddy.

  Secretly, she had another reason for wanting to wait a few days: once Sherry’s bullying had been stopped, Greykin would become a ceramic cat again. Her throat tightened, and she pushed the thought away. She had Greykin now – that was all that mattered.

  With their plan now neatly in place, the two girls spent the rest of the afternoon playing with Greykin. Rachel was entranced by the tiny cat’s jewellery-box bed.

  “Why don’t we build a ladder for him?” she suggested. “That way he can climb up and down the chest of drawers on his own.”

  “Ooh, yes!” exclaimed Maddy. She found a long strip of firm cardboard, and they made steps with bits of Blu-Tack. Soon Greykin was prowling up and down it, purring his approval.

  Rachel watched him closely, hungry with curiosity. Maddy grinned. Her friend was very scientific, and Maddy knew she must be dying to find out all she could about the cats!

  “So, Greykin,” said Rachel, casually polishing her glasses on her jumper. “Where do you and the other two cats come from?”

  “Didn’t Maddy tell you?” Greykin leaped off the ladder onto the carpet. “She found us at an antique fair.”

  Rachel frowned. “No, I mean—”

  “Can’t catch me!” cried Greykin suddenly, jumping over her foot. He darted about the room like a furry pinball, and the two girls were soon shrieking with laughter as they lunged after him. After several minutes they slumped to the floor, panting and giggling.

  Greykin sat perched atop one of Maddy’s pink rabbit bedroom slippers. “Lovely!” he exclaimed, swishing his tail. “It’s been decades since I’ve had a good romp.”

  Rachel straightened, her blue eyes instantly alert. “So . . . how old are you, then?”

  Greykin began washing himself, running his paw over his face. “I’m so sorry,” he said pleasantly. “I’m a bit deaf in one ear. You’ll have to speak more clearly.”

  “How old—” began Rachel.

  “No, I still can’t make it out,” interrupted Greykin. “Perhaps you could take elocution lessons.”

  Maddy bit her lip to keep from laughing. She was curious about the cats too, of course, but Rachel looked as if she were about to explode!

  The bedroom door opened, and Maddy’s mum stuck her head in. “What have you two been doing up here? It sounded like stampeding elephants!”

  “Just a game,” said Maddy hastily. Out of the corner of her eye she could see that Greykin had become ceramic again, freezing in place beside one of the rabbit’s pink ears.

  Her mother shook her head. “Rachel, your mum’s here.”

  Rachel tore her gaze away from Greykin. “Oh! I – I didn’t hear the doorbell.”

  Maddy’s mother laughed. “I’m not surprised! We’re just having a cup of tea, but don’t be long, all right?”

  After she had left, Rachel gathered up her things. “He’s not going to tell me anything, is he?” she said glumly.

  “I guess he wants to keep his past a secret,” said Maddy. “But it doesn’t really matter, does it? The important thing is that he’s real.”

  Rachel gazed at the other two cats on Maddy’s desk. “I suppose you’re right,” she sighed finally. “But, oh, Maddy . . . I’d give anything to know more about them!”

  Chapter Five

  “GET OFF THOSE swings, it’s our turn,” Sherry was bellowing at a pair of Year Threes as Maddy entered the school playground on Friday morning. They scurried away, and Sherry sat down smugly.

  “Come on, let’s have a contest,” she said to the two Jos. “I bet I win. I always win!”

  Maddy stopped short. She’d had so much fun with Greykin these last few days that she hadn’t really thought about what was coming, but now all at once her stomach felt cold.

  Rach
el appeared beside her. “Have you got him?” she asked, her eyes shining.

  Maddy nodded. “In my pocket – he’s still ceramic. But listen, Rache, what if – what if it goes wrong somehow?”

  Glancing across the playground, she saw Jessica standing huddled in her jacket, on her own as usual – no one in 5A dared to make friends with her, because of Sherry. Maddy felt an anxious pang. How could Jessica ever stand up to Sherry, even with magic?

  “It won’t go wrong,” said Rachel, squeezing her arm. “It’ll be brilliant. Remember?” She made the wide-eyed zombie face again, staggering about the playground.

  Maddy burst out giggling despite herself. Rachel was right. Greykin was so old and wise – he must know what he was doing!

  As the day went on she became more and more excited, peering at Sherry from under her long hair. Oh, she had such a surprise in store! Maddy watched the clock impatiently, waiting for lunch time.

  Finally the bell rang, and 5A trooped to the canteen. “I’ll sit somewhere else,” whispered Rachel. “It would be too suspicious, both of us suddenly being nice to Jessica at once!”

  “What?” said Maddy in alarm. She’d assumed Rachel would be with her. “But what if Sherry—”

  “Go on.” Rachel gave her a shove.

  Taking a deep breath, Maddy headed over to the table where Jessica always sat alone. “Can – can I sit here?” she asked.

  Jessica looked up, startled, as Maddy put her packed lunch next to Jessica’s school one. “Oh! Well, sure.” She scraped her chair over to make room, gaping at Maddy.

  “So . . . where are you from?” Maddy felt the small, solid weight of Greykin as he came to life in her pocket. Sherry hadn’t noticed her yet, she saw with relief. She was still in the lunch queue, shoving the boy in front of her and talking loudly.