By Trifika
"Calitra, please!"
"I already said no. I'm not the mother-type! Look around! You want her to grow up here?"
"This is better than the streets. I can't manage much longer there, and I'd die in peace if I'd know she's safe here."
"Safe! Don't make me laugh!" Calitra pointed at the basket where a small furball slept, innocently unaware of anything happening around. "Emerald, listen to me. This is a pub. Wellington Arms! It's a dirty place. Full of criminals and other weirdos. She's anything but safe here!"
The snow white young cat looked at her friend, trying desperately fight back tears and sighed. "Cal, I know I'm gonna die. Now or next week, I don't know. Soon. I have the feeling. If this ends up being my last wish, I don't care, but for heaviside's sake take care of Salene!"
The older brown-red queen walked to the basket and gave it a vacant look. She knew Emerald was right. If she had a feeling, it most definitely would happen. In the basket was a small ball of white and yellow. "What can I do?" She thought, "If she stays here she has to grow up in a pub. If she doesn't she'll end up alone at the streets."
"What about the tribe?" She suggested to her friend who was already in tears. Emerald shook her head.
"They don't even want to know about me, neither my offspring."
Calitra stared at the kitten. In the other hand, why should she care about someone else's kittens? Her life wouldn't become any better if she did. But still... The kitten looked like nothing could be better, not knowing of anything cruel around. In a few seconds the decision was made. She shook her head. "I'm going to regret this, but fine. I'll look after the kit."
A radiant smile spread over Emerald's face, and she ran over to hug her friend. "I owe you my life. I'm counting on you!" She walked to the basket and gave the kitten a loving nuzzle. "Good bye!"
After that, she was gone. For how long, Calitra had no idea.
"Whay to go Cal," She sighed to herself and lay down on a pillow. "Where did I get meself stuck now?"
~~~~~~
One year later...
I sat in front of the window gazing into the fall night, as if waiting for something. And I did wait, just like yesterday and the day before that and the day before that... Nickedel would appear soon. Or I wished he would. Nickedel, or Nicky is one of my... Ok, my only friend, not counting Aunt Calitra and Falag, an old dog that popped into the bar every now and then. It's his stories that I like, even though aunt can't really understand how came I can spend my time with some old pollicle who, by her mind, "doesn't know nothin' but fightin' n' drinkin'." She's wrong. He knows a great deal about anything, and boy can't he tell stories.
I awoke to reality when the door (or what we call 'door') opened and Nicky stepped in, wet from the rain but eyes shining, as always. Almost every time he came, he brought me something to cheer up this grey place. He didn't disappoint me this time either: On his head was a small cowboy-hat, made for small human children. It was a way down too big for him and kept falling on his face, which made it look even more funny.
"Hello Miss Calitra! Hi Sal!" Nicky greeted the older cat sitting in front of the mirror, and walked to me to change the owner of the hat. I immediately ran over to the mirror. The hat was too big for me as well, but it didn't bother me. Calitra looked at Nicky with her usual thankful expression. That's what she always does, thanks him for making me happy when she can't do it herself. Or so she thinks, even though it isn't true. But Nicky really cheers me up, although usually I sit quietly in sone corner and watch other's doing the show. They won't let me on the stage... I don't know if it's a good thing, but at least Calitra wouldn't let me. I don't think I could do anything there, because I don't talk. It's not that I couldn't... I just never have anything to say.
Calitra finished the bow around her neck, straightened the plume that was between her head and a ribbon and stood up. "Show time. Once again." She sighed, then took a cool look and left the room. Through the walls I could the crowd applause, a thing that Calitra didn't care about anymore.
Nicky came to my side and looked into the mirror. "How do you like it?"
I gave the answer as a smile.
"I knew you'd like it." He stated and pulled the hat on my eyes. I grinned and pulled it back.
"Have you got anything new?" Nicky asked going to the window, glancing out and then closing the curtain. I nodded excitedly, making my ower-grown hat fall to the floor. He picked it up with laughter, checked every single place in the room, stated that it was clear and told me to start.
"And do it fast," He laughed, "Dad has started to suspect something about my daily disappearings."
I cleared my throat and started the song. That's what I can do. Sing. But for myself or Nicky only. I was planning to tell Calitra too, but I didn't know when. And she probably wouldn't believe me anyway.
The tune was one of Calitra's Night-show's songs. It's those songs mostly that I sing, because it was the only place I ever heard music from. Most of the songs were jazz and something about love and misery, bit I didn't care. It's the music, not the words.
This song was country. I began to sing, first quietly, voice getting stronger. It told a story of a girl who walked along the railroads searching for her friends, never finding them. I thought the words were dull, but the tune was beautiful and fun to sing. I think mostly everything is fun to sing.
I stopped after few verses and stayed looking at Nicky. He jumped on a chair and began to shout "Bravo!" and "Excellent!" I blushed, that's what happens every time, and then gave an exaggerated bow.
"I don't get it." Nicky started. I knew what he would say. "You sing like an angel. You could be the star of the bar in five minutes, and you could beat both Calitra and Miss High'n'Loud."
The other cat Nicky had mentioned was the bar's other mentionable performer. She was this old queen who really sang high and loud. And he might have been right, but I hated performing. I shook my head, and Nicky understood to leave it be.
"I know, I know, you don't like performing, don't want your secret come out and don't want Calitra to loose her job." Nicky rolled his eyes and grinned. "Dontcha worry, I won't tell anyone. I gotta go now, See ya!" He hurried out.
I looked after him for a while. Calitra's singing coming from the stage awoke me and I left to catch a new song...
~~~~~~
"Nickedel!" Dad's voice rang around the junkyard. I sighed in frustration and left walking lazily towards the voice. I knew I would get a lecture - dad hates it when I get out of the junkyard, and he never calls me by my full name unless I've done something he doesn't like. He's... Okay, usually. But thinks of me as a total kitten. He's the leader of the tribe now that Old Deuteronomy went up to the Heaviside last ball, and takes the job too seriously sometimes. He's sure of that everything outside the junkyard is bad. There is nothing he hates like the strays... but I can understand that. For one reason...
"Yeah?" I asked after finding dad. He looked at me with the angry expression I knew ment trouble. Dad really had started to suspect something.
"Where have you been?" He asked.
"Took a walk." I replied, wishing he'd be satisfied with the answer. I was pretty sure he wouldn't be, though. I used the same answer twice this week...
"Don't lie to me." He hissed. I felt the blood drain from my face. I knew dad far too well to know better than to lie when he was going towards the point of exploding. And the truth would probably make him even more angry. I took a deep breath and looked straight into his eyes.
"Wellington Arms..." I started but he interrupted me with his yell,
"WHAT?"
My self-confidence was getting smaller and I turned my eyes to the ground.
"It's not what you think..." I muttered, "There's a- a girl living there. I visited her..." I looked at dad again, this time more serious, "And I'll do it again."
Dad calmed down but gave still me suspicious looks. I knew I'd have to tell the story more than once before he'd believe it was no danger. I also knew that it wouldn't do any good to expect for any immediate acception, especially when he was in that mood. I backed away a few steps keeping my eyes on him. He sighed shaking his head and sat down.
"What's her name?" He asked.
"Salene." I asked truthfully. I wished he wouldn't start hating her. I had made these plans for bringing her to the junkyard, maybe even the tribe. Once I suggested something like that but Sal herself had no intention of leaving the bar and Calitra. She'd told me that Calitra would have something against it. And she was probably right. Calitra had lived in the backroom of the old, nowadays not used bar for a long time, and wouldn't leave for anything. And Sal had grown as attachted to her as me to Sal...
"What on earth is she doing in a bar?"
"Living" I sniffed. His questions were starting to annoy me. It was none of his business were I was! I mean... he's usually nice and all, but cares about things that don't matter. After mum died, he swore to save everyone from their evilness. But he doesn't realize he can't do it. Neither does he understand that everything is not evil. And he never cares to listen to my advices...
Dad looked like he was about to say something but just shook his head again. He turned to leave, but stopped and looked at me.
"Nicky" He began, "you're almost an adult. You could even try to do something worth it. I think you shouldn't go to that girl anymore."
I couldn't believe my ears. He really thought she was some criminalchick or something? I didn't answer anything. It didn't matter. I most definitely wouldn't obey. And that just made stronger my decision to do something worth adulthood... Sal would become a jellicle.
~~~~~~
I looked at the girl for the millionth time. She was again sitting by the window wearing Nicky's hat and smiling. I'd been wondering for a long time how she had the strength to live with this kind of old cat in this freakin' hellhole. But she didn't complain, just smiled day after day. I guess that young tom has his own talent to make her happy. Even though he does cheer me up. If Nicky smiles, Sal smiles, if Sal smiles, I smile. That's the way happiness goes round.
Sal has more things to be happy for than me. I'm really getting old. Only thing I did was jumping around the stage singing stupid songs for stupid crowd. She still has future, dreams and friends. And I have the girl. Many times I've thought that I should get her somewhere else, to real cats. I wouldn't be much company after a while and it would be a pleasure to know that she's in a good place. Emerald wouldn't have wanted her to live like this...
"What's the big thing there?" I asked jumping next to her on the window sill. She grinned and pointed at a small pollicle who'd been tied to a street lamp and kept barking and barking at everyone walking by. It was pretty amusing. Sal couldn't keep it for a long time and burst into a bubbling laughter.
I kept my eyes on her. I'd never noticed how pretty she was, especially when laughing. Many toms would probably find her attractive, if they first found her. Sal just seemed to like it inside better. And I thought that Nicky had something for her...
It was about the time that Nicky usually showed up. But there wasn't a sign of him. Sal kept staring outside. Nobody came, but she didn't give up hope. Not before it was dark and I finally told her he wouldn't come.
"Come on Sal, it's time to bed" I said to her. She looked at me with a look that nearly broke my heart. So disappointed. "He'll come tomorrow. I think he's just been busy today."
She nodded and followed me. She didn't believe a word. And that was good. Knew I didn't give her dead promises.
How could I know what would happen next?
As long as she stayed happy...
To be continued...