by Sue Bentley
At least the cat food hadn’t got too wet. It was all back inside the storeroom and her mum had assured everyone that it would be fine.
Alison sat opposite Eve, looking shamefaced. Mr and Mrs Dawson sat on either side of her.
‘But why, Alison?’ Mrs Dawson asked gently. ‘What did you hope to gain by stealing the cat food?’
‘I wasn’t stealing it. I just wanted it to get wet, so everyone would be furious with Darren. You were supposed to think he’d dragged the food out,’ Alison said miserably.
Eve’s dad looked at his wife. ‘Am I missing something?’
Eve thought she was beginning to work it out. ‘You wanted everyone to see what hard work Darren really was?’ she said to Alison, remembering the supermarket.
Alison nodded. ‘I wanted Mum to see, so that she would have to look after Darren and it wouldn’t be just up to me to watch him all the time. But she wouldn’t listen.’
Flame gave a little mew of sympathy and brushed against Alison’s ankle. She leaned down to stroke him.
Mr and Mrs Dawson looked at each other in amazement.
Something else fell into place for Eve. She remembered the day when she’d called round to Alison’s house with the video. Alison had been really out of breath when she’d answered the door. Then there was the new plaster on her finger.
‘You didn’t burn your finger, did you? You cut it when you tipped all the rubbish out!’ Eve burst out. ‘No wonder you were puffed out. You’d only just rushed back home, when I knocked on your front door!’
Alison hung her head, nodding. ‘Eve’s right. I tipped out the rubbish, so that Darren would get the blame. I know I’ve been really stupid. Are… are you going to call the police?’
Her mum and dad looked at each other.
Eve stared at her parents in horror. ‘You aren’t going to, are you? They’ll probably handcuff Alison and throw her into a cell. And she’ll only get bread and water to eat…’
‘That’s enough, Eve,’ her dad said with a faint smile. ‘I think it’s time we took Alison home and I had a word with her mum.’ He gave Eve a firm, direct look. ‘And as for you, young lady, you can go straight back to bed.’
Eve knew when her dad meant business. She rose to her feet and then picked Flame up. ‘OK,’ she said in a subdued voice.
Alison looked back from the doorway, her eyes bright with tears. ‘I’m really sorry for what I’ve done. Will you still be friends with me, Eve?’
Eve only hesitated for a second. ‘Of course I will. And Flame will too.’
‘Jo was pretty surprised and upset when she heard about what Alison had been up to,’ Mrs Dawson told Eve the following morning. ‘But Alison seems genuinely sorry. She’s even offered to buy Darren the toy car he wants with her pocket money. I persuaded Jo that no real harm’s done. She’s decided to make sure Alison has more time for herself, without Darren tagging along too. I expect the whole thing will soon blow over.’
‘That’s brilliant! Well done, Mum,’ Eve said warmly. Her mum was really good at calming people down.
‘But as for you, young lady…’ her dad said.
‘I know!’ Eve said quickly.
She still felt really guilty for worrying her parents. Her dad said he couldn’t believe his eyes when he’d seen her in her pyjamas, chasing what appeared to be a burglar!
‘I’ve already promised Mum that I won’t ever, ever, ever do anything like it again,’ she said now, making cross-my-heart movements with one finger. ‘And I really mean it.’
‘I’m sure you do. Until next time?’ her dad said with a twinkle in his eye. ‘Let’s forget all about it. Where’s Flame this morning? He usually follows you everywhere.’
‘I know.’ Eve felt an odd little pang. Flame had been strangely reluctant to come downstairs with her. She had left him curled up on her duvet.
‘I’ll go and fetch him now,’ she said, making for the stairs.
‘Flame?’ Eve called, as she went into her bedroom. But there was no sign of him. She looked behind the curtain and under the bed. ‘Where are you?’ she said, starting to feel anxious.
There was a faint whimper from beneath a chest of drawers. Eve bent down. She saw Flame crouched right at the back against the wall.
‘What’s wrong, Flame?’
‘My enemies are getting near. I can sense them,’ he yowled worriedly. He crawled out slowly, keeping his tummy low to the ground. His big green eyes were huge and scared.
Eve picked him up. As she stroked Flame’s long sandy fur, she felt his tiny body trembling. ‘It’s OK. You’re safe with me. You… you don’t have to leave, do you?’ she asked hesitantly. ‘I’ll look after you, I promise.’
She had been looking forward so much to taking Flame home with her.
Flame shook his head. ‘Not yet. But if my uncle’s spies come any closer, then I must leave at once.’
Eve held him close. She rubbed her chin gently on the top of his little head. ‘I don’t want you to go. I want you to stay with me for ever,’ she whispered, refusing to think of losing her special friend.
Flame purred softly, but his emerald eyes remained troubled.
Chapter
* NINE *
‘It’s our last day at the cattery. Sally will be back tonight. And we’re all going home early tomorrow. Including you!’ Eve told Flame excitedly.
Flame seemed more relaxed and the fearful look had faded from his eyes. Eve hoped like mad that Flame’s enemies were hundreds of miles away. It was too painful to think of going home without him.
‘Shall we go and see Oscar?’ she suggested, deciding to change the subject.
Flame gave an eager little mew. ‘Yes, I would like that.’ He ran along beside Eve, his silky tail sticking up jauntily.
Oscar was sitting having a wash. As soon as he saw Eve and Flame he came trotting over. Eve let herself into the pen and crouched down to stroke the big ginger and white cat. Flame purred and licked Oscar’s ears. Eve smiled as Oscar rubbed his head against the tiny kitten.
‘Are we friends now then, Oscar?’ Eve said. ‘You’re not really grumpy, are you, boy? You were just sick and a bit lonely’
After she closed Oscar’s pen, she went to find her mum and report on his progress.
Mrs Dawson was on the office phone. ‘That’s such a shame. But I understand. Poor Oscar. I’ve got a couple of numbers I can ring. I’ll let you know how I get on. Goodbye.’
‘What’s wrong?’ Eve asked.
Her mum frowned. ‘Oscar’s owners were very upset. They’ve just found out they have to move house because of their work. There’s a strict rule that no pets are allowed, so it looks like Oscar might have to be rehomed.’
‘Oh, no,’ Eve said, feeling upset. It didn’t seem fair after all poor Oscar had been through.
She tried not to think about Oscar as she helped with the usual chores, but she couldn’t seem to get him out of her mind.
Jo, Darren and Alison had come in early. With Sally coming back, everyone was working extra hard to have the cattery looking its best.
Alison had a quiet word with Eve. ‘Mum’s been great about everything. She says I won’t need to help out with Darren as much when Sally’s back. And Darren’s going to be starting nursery school in a few weeks, so he’ll be happier too.’ She grinned. ‘He’ll have lots more kids to run around and be mischievous with!’
As Eve helped with a few last chores, she felt a bit sad. She was going to miss looking after all the cats, especially Oscar. Then she brightened up; having Flame with her was going to be fantastic. She couldn’t wait to show him to all her friends.
Her dad came in as Eve was stacking clean food dishes into a cupboard. ‘In a few hours, we’ll be on our way. Who would have thought that we’d be taking two cats home with us?’
Eve stared blankly at him. ‘Two cats? Flame and…?’ Suddenly the penny dropped. ‘Oscar!’
‘Yes, Oscar!’ her dad said, laughing at the delighted expression on her
face. ‘We’re adopting him. Your mum and I can see that you’ve grown really fond of him.’
Eve felt a warm glow in her chest. ‘Do you really mean it?’ She flung her arms round her dad. ‘That’s wonderful!’
She rushed off to tell Flame the good news. He was going to be so pleased. She had left him sniffing about in the yard in front of the cat pens.
Flame looked up and mewed a greeting as she came towards him.
Suddenly Eve glimpsed fierce, shadowy cat shapes behind Flame. They were peering into the pens. Her heart missed a beat.
‘Flame, look out!’ she cried.
Acting on instinct, she grabbed the water hose used to flush out the pens. Turning it on, she aimed a jet of water at Flame’s enemies. The cat shapes slunk back, trying to avoid a soaking.
There was a flash of dazzling bright light. Flame was no longer a tiny sandy kitten but instead stood in front of Eve as a magnificent young white lion once more. At his side this time was an older, adult grey lion.
Flame lifted his regal head and looked at Eve with sad green eyes. ‘Be well, Eve,’ he growled in a deep velvety voice. He raised a large white paw in farewell and then was gone.
There was a terrifying howl of rage from the fierce dark cats, before they too disappeared.
Eve stood alone in the yard. A deep sadness welled up in her. She couldn’t believe Flame had had to go so suddenly. She was relieved that Flame was safe, but she was going to miss him terribly.
‘I’ll never forget you, Flame,’ she whispered as her eyes pricked with tears. She knew that she would always treasure the time she had shared with the tiny magic kitten.
Wiping her eyes, she turned on her heel and went towards Oscar’s pen as she thought about how to tell her mum and dad. Somehow she knew that Flame was watching with a smile of approval in his big emerald eyes.
Table of Contents
Cover
About the Author
Title Page
Copyright Page
Prologue
Magic Kitten: Moonlight Mischief
Chapter ONE
Chapter TWO
Chapter THREE
Chapter FOUR
Chapter FIVE
Chapter SIX
Chapter SEVEN
Chapter EIGHT
Chapter NINE