“ I think I found her!” Synille shouted appearing at the base of my tree,” I think she’s in that nest!”

“ Telia, you’re the best climber, go get her!” Adrina called.

I heard the scrabbling of claws and Telia’s face appeared. We exchanged grins and I climbed down the tree with her. “ She found me!” I announced jumping the rest of the way down.

“ Hey, how’d you find that nest?” Sephie looked up,” I mean, it’s practically hidden.”

“ Call it intuition,” I smiled,” Ok, ok, ok. Teazer told me about it. She lived there for a while before finding the Jellicles.”

“ Hey, how many kittens did Teazer get?” Eliza asked,” Three?”

“ No, four,” I said,” They were born two days ago.”

“ Can we meet them?” Adrina asked. She had a thing for kittens.

“ Sure,” I shrugged,” The kittens are over in Teazer’s house.” I began walking there. I was happy to go. I liked those kittens. Especially the two named Tara and Thaliah.

Basically, we were a happy group of friends. Our group consisted of Eliza, Telia, Adrina, Synille, Persephone, Jiana, and Lillia. Actually, we were all of the queens. The toms to be had two separate groups. Of course they were all friends and all but they were toms, they needed competition. Soon to be in our group would be Thaliah and Tara.

Actually, to tell you the truth, Persephone, Telia, and I were a little closer to each other than to everyone else. They didn’t mind. They all had their best friends too.

On the way, we ended up bumping into my little cousin Loriek and his four best friends Mericive, Josiah, Tremain, and Chellor. I had no problem with Loriek, heck I love the little guy, but sometimes Mericive, who acts just like his uncle, annoys me so bad. Who’s Mericive’s uncle? Rum Tum Tugger.

“ Hello ladies,” Mericive gave us his killer smile,” How are you?”

“ You’re six months old Mericive give it a rest,” Adrina rolled her eyes. She may have been younger than him by two months but already she was more mature. And she was his cousin.

Eliza on the other hand was ready to melt. She was only three months but the girl was old enough to know the meaning of the word attractive.

“ Loriek, you want to come with me to visit Teazer?” I asked,” I’m sure your mother would let you.”

“ Sure,” he bounded to me. Loriek was a tortoiseshell just like his mother. He was younger than me by half a month. He was still such a little kitten and I guessed that those four were supposed to baby-sit him. “ Oh wait,” Loriek stopped,” I’m heading home. Sorry Charity.”

“ Are you leaving already girls?” Josiah asked stopping me,” You kittens shouldn’t be out here by yourself. Where have you been?”

“ Josiah, you’re not the protector yet, you don’t have to protect us,” I smiled and pushed him away playfully,” You’re just six months and already you act like Munkustrap.”

Telia began to push me towards my aunts house and called,” Later people. Come Sephie.”

“ Bye,” Sephie said to Adrina and Synille who were arguing with Mericive and Chellor. Eliza was staying to gawk at Mericive.

“ Look who’s following,” Telia gushed in my ear. I looked behind and saw Josiah running after us.

“ Oh, hi,” I greeted,” Why you here?”

“ I want to see those kittens too,” he said.

“ Yeah, uh-huh,” Persephone giggled softly.

The four of us were almost to my aunts house, talking about things that don’t really matter when I felt a slight presence of someone near us. “ Someone’s here,” I said looking around but I saw no one.

“ What do you mean?” Telia asked,” No one’s here.”

“ But…” I stammered,” But I…” I felt the presence again and this time I had to scream. Whatever it was, it was getting closer. “ Someone’s here!” I cried.

“ I don’t smell anyone,” Telia sniffed the air,” Now Charity…”

“ But there is someone!” I looked around even more,” I can feel something.”

“ You aren’t Coricopat and Tantomile,” Telia told me hoping to comfort me,” Or a conjurer either. How can you feel…”

“ Down!” I screamed,” Get down.” I tackled them onto the ground just as a bullet whistled over our heads. I held them down for a while until the sense had left. I let them get up and I had to lean against a tree.

“ Hunters,” Josiah reported inspecting the bullet,” They almost shot us by accident. If Charity hadn’t thrown us down…”

“ Don’t say it,” Telia said stubbornly,” Don’t say it Josiah.”

“ But she isn’t related to Coricopat or Tantomile in any way,” Sephie pointed out obviously,” And we all know Misto and Cyra don’t have magic.”

“ Or any of your other relatives,” Josiah added,” Are you ok? Can you walk?”

“ Yeah,” I said shakily moving forward,” Let’s go see those kittens.” We moved on trying to avoid the topic. I was still shaking even as I went through Teazer’s kitty door. Something had warned me of those bullets. But EC and the world knows I’m not a conjurer so how could I have known? Or was I? Niether of my parents had magic or anything, nor any of my other relatives so… ah-hem.

“ Charity,” Alonzo smiled. He was on the floor beside the basket where the kittens were kept. Teazer was probably off getting something to eat and left him to baby-sit. “ Well hello all of you,” he greeted,” Come to relieve me from kitten duty?”

“ I don’t think so,” Sephie smiled,” Hey Alonzo, is Charity related to anyone with magic or intuition or anything?”

Alonzo’s face dropped a bit but only for a second so I couldn’t be sure whether or not I had imagined it.” No,” he shrugged,” Why?”

“ We were walking here and she started going postal,” Telia explained,” She said someone was there but we didn’t see anyone. She pushed us onto the ground right before some hunter’s bullets came at us.”

“ If she hadn’t, we’d be a bunch of dead kittens,” Josiah added helpfully.

Alonzo got the look on his face again and this time, it stayed.” Was anyone hurt? Did anyone get killed?” he demanded.

“ No,” I shook my head,” It was only the four of us. Nothing big, I guess is smelled him or her or whatever that human was.” I walked to the basket and picked up Tara. “ Hello Tara,” I greeted,” How are you?”

“ I’m hungry,” Tara said flatly.

We laughed. We each picked up a kitten and Alonzo encouraged our playing with them. It was fun. I noticed how somehow Tara and Reede liked to be together. And the one playing with Reede was Josiah.

“ Ok, it’s time for these four to eat,” Teazer sang as she walked in,” I see you’re slacking Alonzo. Making these kittens take care of our kittens.”

“ They came here to play with them,” Alonzo moaned,” They wanted to.” He looked strait into her eye and added,” And they also wanted to ask if Charity was related to anyone with magic.”

Teazer’s eyes got that look but it was gone and she was her smiling self again. “ Well, no she isn’t,” Rumpleteazer laughed a bit,” Misto and Cyra have magic that’s about the equivelent of a stick. Anyway, I bet you kittens need to go home. Alonzo, if you want a break, you can walk them if you like.”

“ You don’t need to,” Sephie said,” We know the way to our homes just fine.”

“ I insist,” Teazer shot Alonzo a look.

“ Come kittens,” he said standing up,” After what happened I’m keeping an eye on you four until you get home.”

“ Aww Alonzo,” we complained as we followed him out.

“ Don’t, ‘ Aw Alonzo,’ me,” Alonzo smiled,” You can bow and worship me of course but…”

Telia tackled him and he fell down onto the grass outside. He laughed and put her around his shoulders. “ Race all three of you!” he cried running in the direction of Sephie’s father’s cave with Telia, ” Whoever gets to Munkustrap’s cave last is a rotten egg!”

“ That’s not fair, you cheated!” I called running after them.

“ Give us a chance!” Josiah agreed running beside me. I think it’s funny. Josiah looks just like his father.

“ I bet I could beat you Josiah,” Sephie challenged,” I dare you.”

“ I’ll win you know,” Josiah laughed.

“ Wanna bet?”

“ I bet I’ll get there before both of you,” I cackled running faster. We ran a good race and by the time we got to Munkustrap’s cave, we were tired out. Amazing as it was, we all got in at the same time.

“ Alonzo beaten by three kittens,” Sephie’s mother Demeter made a tsking sound,” You are getting old.”

“ Am not!” Alonzo cried pouncing on her.

“ Flirting with my mate, I’m ashamed at you Alonzo,” Munkustrap, the leader of the tribe, joked.

“ She’s my adoptive sister,” Alonzo sniffed after Demeter kicked him off,” I have every right to take her down.”

“ Take me down?” Demeter cried,” I’ll show you the way to take someone down.” She pounced on his back and pinned him down. We all knew he could have thrown her off but he let her have a victory.

“ You all act like kittens,” Telia laughed.

“ Oh yes,” Alonzo sat up and faced his back to us,” Those four were almost accidentally shot by a careless hunter. Charity knocked them onto the floor before that happened.”

They got the same look Teazer did and I wondered what they were hiding. Demeter rushed to Sephie asking if she was alright and all.

“ Call the cats for a meeting,” Munkustrap said,” We need to talk about safety for the young ones. And for your kittens Alonzo, the other kittens can baby sit. Adrina and Synille are old and mature enough. The meeting is tonight.”

“ You really don’t have to,” Josiah said,” We’ll all be fine.”

“ Besides, me and Josiah are older,” Mericive added. He must have gotten there before us after we left him. Tremain, Chellor, Adrina, Synille, and Eliza weren’t there.

“ No,” Munkustrap shook his head,” We all know what could happen if I left you two in charge. You’d act just like me and Tugger.”

“ That’s scary,” Demeter muttered.

“ You all go home and tell your parents,” Munkustrap continued,” And any of the other cats you see. I want everyone at this meeting. Everyone.”

“ Yes Munkustrap,” we said meekly.

Tara:
I woke up a little while after I was finished feeding. I hoped Charity would come again. I liked her. But she didn’t come but I did hear my parents. They didn’t know I was awake.

“ We should tell her,” Teazer was telling my father,” I resent what we did when she was… you know.”

“ It’s not for us to decide,” Alonzo put a paw on her paw. I know he did because I could feel his paw too,” It’s for Misto and Cyra to. The meeting isn’t about that though. We really are going to talk about safety for them. Macavity did say he’d try to get at Charity. He might go after the other kittens too.”

“ Those kittens are smart,” Teazer insisted,” They’ll figure something out. I mean, you can tell Josiah, Telia, Persephone, and Charity are already suspicious. They already think we’re hiding something. Which just goes to prove how smart they are because we are.”

“ If Charity figures out about her power, that barrier will go down and she’ll be very vulnerable,” Alonzo explained to my mother,” We’ve never had a situation like this before.”

“ I wish Deuteronomy was still here,” Teazer sniffed,” He’d know what to do. I’m not saying Munkustrap doesn’t but his father was good for things like this.”

Deuteronomy, the name rang in my head. It was familiar. I shoved the thought away and decided to go to sleep again. I snuggled closer to my siblings and mother and went to sleep.

Charity:
“ Mother,” I called as I went back to my nest,” Father?”

“ Hello Charity,” Misto greeted me,” Your mother is getting something to eat. Actually, I’m supposed to teach you how to hunt tonight.”

“ You might have to reschedule it,” I said meekly,” Munkustrap wants me to tell you that they’re having a meeting on how to keep the kittens safe. Some careless hunter almost accidentally shot me and three of my friends. I pushed them out of the way just in time. I.. I don’t know. Can I tell you a secret?”

“ Sure,” Misto put an arm around me and said,” What secret?”

“ I felt something,” I whispered,” It’s like, I don’t know. I was normal one minute then I felt someone or felt that something was going to happen. I screamed one time because I felt the thing so much.” Misto got the look but it disappeared too. “ I’m not sure what happened,” I leaned against my father,” All I know is that whatever it was scared me so much. We all missed getting shot by a few hairs.”

“ I’m happy you’re not dead,” he licked my forehead a bit,” I mean, you’re my only kitten. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“ Meeting tonight Misto!” Cyra called jumping into the nest.

“ How did you find out?” he asked.

“ I bumped into Alonzo,” Cyra said. She held up a mouse and said,” You want the mouse or the bird or the shrew?”

“ Any,” I shrugged. She gave me the bird and gave the mouse to Misto. I brought my dinner somewhere else to eat. I needed some time to think about things. After I finished, I called that I was going to Teazer’s house. Her owners would be out for a week so the adults wanted us to stay there. And besides, we had to take care of the kittens.

On the way there I met up with my two other friends Jiana and her twin brother Jennervan. They were a month younger than Josiah. Did I mention that Sephie is Josiah and Mericive’s sister? I didn’t? Now I did.

“ Hey you two,” I greeted,” Can I ask something?”

“ Sure,” Jiana smiled.

“ Do you guys have any intuition at all?” I asked,” I mean, your mother got it good.”

“ Only a little bit,” Jennervan told me as we walked,” Like being able to tell the weather or what someone else is doing at the recent time. That pretty much wraps up our intuition.”

We walked to Teazer’s house and walked in. Alonzo was still there. He would wait until everyone got there. We were the last to arrive. “ Now, remember,” he said,” Adrina and Synille are in charge, don’t play too rough with the little kittens and don’t mess up the house. This isn’t mine.”

“ Yes Alonzo,” we all chorused.

“ Later kittens,” he told us as he slipped out of the kitty door. We heard him lock it.

“ Wonderful,” Lillia, a friend, said sarcastically curling up in the couch,” They go to a meeting we’re stuck here.”

“ Hey Tara,” I said picking her up.

“ Charity,” she whispered snuggling close to me. The other kittens went to the basement to play. Adrina, the older of her and her sister, went down there to watch them. Synille stayed up here with me, Telia, Eliza, Sephie, Josiah, and Mericive. We wanted to stay with the little kittens. It was kind of funny, Synille and Adrina were in charge and they were the third oldest pair of kittens. We played for a while when I gave Tara to Eliza. I stood strait up and said,” Our parents are hiding something.”

“ You get the feeling too?” Sephie asked,” I mean, they act like nothing’s wrong but they all seem, well, like they were expecting it and didn’t want it to come. Whatever it is.”

“ I want to go to that meeting and find out what they’re really talking about,” Telia said stubbornly trying the kitty door. It was locked. She groaned.

“ Telia…” Synille began.

“ Synille,” Mericive looked at her with his most pleading look,” We have to go. Just me, Telia, Josiah, Sephie, and Charity. We’ll be back before they do.”

“ What about me?” Eliza demanded.

“ Eliza stay with me,” Synille pleaded,” You’re good at persuading and distracting. If the parents get here before you they do, you can help.”

“ Ok,” Eliza said.

“ So you’re letting us go?” Josiah asked.

“ If you find a way out,” Synille said.

I darted up the stairs and ran to a room where I thought I smelled outside air. I entered and smiled at myself. “ I found an open window!” I called. They followed me and Synille wished us good luck.

I jumped from the window, onto a tree and climbed down. They followed. “ They said Munkustrap’s cave right?” I asked.

“ Yes,” Josiah nodded,” Come on.”

“ This is exciting,” Telia smiled. She was a bit of a daredevil.

“ But Coricopat and Tantomile,” Sephie reminded us,” They have a really strong intuition. They’ll know we’re there.”

“ We’ll hide behind something and every time they try to look for us, we’ll change our hiding place,” Mericive smiled,” And besides, if they do find us, we can say that we were trying to get a string that Persephone wanted to show us.”

“ Hey!” Sephie cried,” You’re going to pin this on me?”

“ She said no but we dragged her along anyway,” Mericive smirked.

“ Come on,” Telia said,” We might miss the good part.”

We hurried to the cave and when we got there, we climbed up top. There was a hole near the top of the cave where smoke from the fire came out. It was large enough that we could all gather around it and hear what they were saying.

And what we heard we’d never forget.

“ There’s nothing we can do when the kittens go out in the forest,” a cat named Plato said,” They’re kittens, they deserve to have fun. They don’t want us hovering around them all the time.”

“ Yes,” another cat named Etcetera agreed,” I know I’d hate it.”

“ And besides, it was just an accident, the odds of it happening again is slim,” her sister Victoria agreed,” Telia told me about it and it was just one careless hunter. His gun will probably be taken away from him.”

We saw Munkustrap nod and said,” I agree to what you all say. We will not chaperone the kittens but we will have someone go out and check on them randomly every now and then.”

“ Agreed,” the crowd murmured.

“ Now we move onto the situation that involves one kitten,” Munkustrap said,” As you may all remember, we all decided to keep Misto’s and Cyra’s abilities secret from the kittens until one of them found out. We were worried about Macavity enticing the kittens to join him.”

The crowd murmured.

“ What ability?” Josiah asked me in a whisper.

“ I don’t know,” I shrugged,” Shh. Listen.”

“ Munkustrap,” Jemima stood up,” With all due respect I don’t think it’s right keeping the truth from little Charity. She should know.”

“ But if she finds out, she’ll be vulnerable to that… that thing again,” Tugger argued,” And I don’t think we’d want to meet it again. I mean, the others may not have been there but you people get a clue right?” The crowd murmured in agreement again.

“ But Charity is such a smart kitten,” Electra, one of Jemima’s friends, pointed out,” So are her friends. One of them are bound to find out. Why hide it when we know that she’ll find out one way or another.”

“ Find out about what?” I asked my friends hoping they’d know.

“ Beats me,” Mericive shrugged.

“ Me too,” Telia nodded.

“ Shh,” Sephie hushed us,” Look.”

“ It’s best to keep her ignorant about this whole thing until she’s strong enough to kick out whatever goes in her,” Mungojerrie said standing up,” Last time she had just opened her eyes. Now she’s two months old. I say we give her a little more time until we tell her. Wait till she’s a little older.”

“ She has intuition five times stronger than ours,” Coricopat and Tantomile chorused, ” How long do you think it’ll last until she find out without any help?”

“ How long do you think it’ll be till Macavity tries to get her?” Rumpleteazer pointed out,” I mean, we all know she would be probably on top of his, ‘ Get Rid Of,’ list you know? And he did threaten her.”

“ So what?” a cat named Admetus said,” We all know Macavity is a fur bag filled with only fleas and lies.”

“ Don’t say that so loud,” his mate Cassandra put a hand over his mouth,” He’ll hear and he might try to hurt Lillia or Tremain.”

“ We have to consider the other kittens,” Cyra said,” I mean, if one of those things gets into Charity’s head again, we told you what Draco did to Teazer and Jer. What if one of those things tries to do that to your kittens? We can’t tell her!”

“ All in favor of telling little Charity about what is in her, raise your paw,” Munkustrap said.

I was hoping they would all have the heart to tell me but only Jemima raised her paw. Jemima looked sick. “ Don’t you remember any of Jellylorum’s principles?” Jemima demanded looking hard at the group,” This is lying! I will not go in favor of lying to a kitten.”

“ I’m sorry Jemima,” her father Skimble said standing up,” But you’ll have to refrain from telling Charity anything by the Jellicle Law. Everyone is in favor against it.”

“ For the first time in all the time I’ve been a Jellicle, this is the first and I hope the only time I’m ashamed of my clan,” Jemima snapped sitting down.

“ What?” I demanded angrily,” Ok, that’s it, I’m mad.”

“ Calm down Charity,” Josiah put a paw on my shoulder as I began to hyperventilate in anger.

“ They are keeping something, and I’m going to find out right now!” I said,” Sorry to bust our cover but I’m mad. Go back to Teazer’s and I’ll handle this.”

“ No, we’ll back you up,” Telia said.

“ Yeah,” Sephie nodded.

“ Me too,” Josiah agreed.

“ Um yeah, me too,” Mericive said a little more reluctantly.

We climbed down and went to the front of the cave. We crept in until we reached the main room. We plastered ourselves against the wall and waited.

“ So it’s decided,” Misto said,” We won’t tell any of the kittens, especially Charity.”

“ Too bad father,” I screamed erupting into the room,” I want to know right now, what you are all talking about.” My friends erupted in behind me.

They all gasped a bit and stood up in alarm. “ Charity!” a few cried.

“ Yes Charity,” I looked at them stubbornly,” I know you told us to stay but I listen to my gut and my gut told me to come here.”

Munkustrap rushed towards me with Demeter, Tugger, Alonzo, Teazer, Jer, and my parents at his side. “ Charity, we can’t tell you, it could endanger you,” he told me crossly,” And the other kittens.”

“ If you’re so worried about our safety you should tell us what you’re keeping and how to prevent it,” I said loudly.

“ That’s the problem, we don’t know how to prevent it,” Demeter said. She had always been a good negotiator. But I don’t think she’s ever tried to negotiate with a very ticked off kitten who wanted to know the truth from a group of cats who wanted to keep a big secret which I had a right to know.

“ Please, tell me exactly what you are keeping from me,” I asked as nicely as I could.

Everyone was looking at each other. The other cats decided to leave right then. I think it was a smart thing to do. Victoria took her daughter with her which left Josiah, Mericive, and Sephie.

Munkustrap looked at my parents and they nodded sadly. He sighed and said,” Ok, we’ll tell you Charity. But your friends will have to stay with us after we tell you.”

“ Ok,” I nodded. They made me seem dangerous! Me? Dangerous? Not likely.

“ Misto, Cyra, do you want to do this?” Munkustrap asked them.

They nodded and went forward. “ Charity,” Cyra began,” First off I want to say we kept this secret for your own good. We were worried about you since day one. I don’t know where to start,” my mother shook her head and clutched onto my father,” I.. your father and I… well, we’re both conjurers.”

“ What?” me and my friends asked.

“ Yes,” Cyra looked strait into my eyes,” Your uncle was a conjurer, your grandfather and his brother were conjurers. Basically, you’re from a long line of conjurers.”

“ Is that such a bad thing?” I asked.

“ No,” Cyra shook her head,” I mean, it should have been good. Your power will be tripled the amount of my and Misto’s power is. But that’s not what we’re worried about. Do you remember who Macavity is?”

“ Yeah,” I shuddered,” Who can forget?”

“ He’s a conjurer,” Cyra’s eyes looked very pained,” And my cousin. And on the day you were born, he came and wanted to take you away, even kill you.”

“ But my power is stronger than his right?” I asked,” I could have defeated him.”

“ You could,” Misto added in,” But… you have to remember that you were just born.”

“ So go on,” I replied nicely as I could.

“ He left,” Misto continued,” After some threatening from our side from Jer of course. And then when your eyes opened, we had a visit from this thing.”

“ You keep saying thing but you never say what thing,” I said sitting down. They sat down too but kept their distance.

“ Some dead thing,” Misto didn’t know what to call it.

“ A spirit or ghost or something,” Alonzo supplied,” I mean, it was your grandfather’s brother Draco.”

“ She’s related to Draco?” Persephone demanded.

“ The greatest criminal of all time?” Josiah asked,” You know, right under Macavity?”

“ That’s the one,” Teazer smiled sadly,” Mungojerrie’s and my father.”

“ So your saying I was possessed?” I demanded,” Sorry, but I’m curious.”

“ Yes, I know you are,” Demeter came and put a hand on my shoulder. Alonzo took the other one and Mungojerrie stood behind me. I think they were expecting me to get possessed again and were going to restrain me.

“ Yes, you were,” Misto nodded,” Then, I guess the EC knew we really needed help so he sent a human.”

“ Tara,” I whispered.

“ What did you say?” Mungojerrie turned me to face him,” Charity, did you say Tara?”

“ What?” I asked,” I don’t even know what I said so how can I tell you?”

“ You said Tara,” Alonzo whispered,” Her spirit did come and help you. How did you know?”

“ It just popped out,” I shrugged,” I saw a girl with brown hair, green eyes, and looked around fourteen. I got this sense that her name is Tara.”

Everyone was looking at each other. I should have kept my stupid mouth shut. Then, I felt this… well, something. And it was in my head.

I shook my head.

“ Restrain her!” Munkustrap cried,” She looks the same way she did when Draco came.”

I felt all of them holding me onto the floor except for my friends who were told to stay back. Then, I was gone.

Tara:
I tossed a bit. Synille and Eliza were above me worrying about Charity and her friends who still weren’t back and they could hear the grown ups coming.

I was pulled into a dream. I was in a cave. It looked vaguely familiar. Then, I saw eight full grown cats there, three kittens like me, and one of the other kittens was being pinned down by all of the cats.

Ha ha ha ha ha!

The kitten being pinned down suddenly got the voice of a full grown tom! I screamed a bit and tried to run but I couldn’t move, only watch.

“ Oh Rettania, remember,” the kitten cackled,” Yeah, I know you remember. Not only can the deceased go in here, but I can too. And this time, Tara will not be able to help you.”

“ Get out of her Macavity!” one of the cats ordered. Mungojerrie, I sensed.

“ Or what?” the kitten asked,” You’ll kill me? You’ll kill your own niece Jer?”

“ Sirius,” my mother put a paw on the kitten’s face and I could see her using her most imploring look,” Don’t be Draco. Please? I know you’re Macavity now but you told me once that Sirius is still in there. Sirius, I beg you, please let go of Charity.”

My mother licked the kitten’s face and suddenly, the kitten’s face softened. “ Sirius will grant this,” the tom’s voice grumbled,” But next time, it won’t be me, it’s going to be Draco.” The kitten laughed again and closed her eyes.

“ Is she Charity yet?” a cat, I think it was her mother, asked.

“ Yes,” a tuxedo reported,” Yes, Macavity’s gone.”

“ What happened?” the kitten demanded in a normal kitten voice. In fact, it sounded a lot like Charity’s voice. “ Was I… no. Oh NO. Don’t SAY it.”

“ Now you know why we didn’t want to tell you,” a gray and white mix said helping her up,” We didn’t want that to happen.”

“ Macavity can go in her along with dead cats,” my father shook his head,” This is not good. Definitely not good.”

“ Was that real?” one of the other kittens asked. Mericive, I sensed.

“ Naw, you think?” the only female kitten there said sarcastically. I sensed that her name was Persephone.

“ Charity, are you ok?” the last kitten asked. His name was Josiah.

“ I think,” Charity shook her head using a tortoiseshell, I sensed her name was Jemima, for balance,” I mean, all I felt was being drowsy and going to sleep.”

“ The barrier is down and I’m going to have to put it up again,” her father, Misto, sighed, ” And we all remember what happens when I do that.”

“ You are not erasing my memory,” Charity said stubbornly,” I was just unprepared for that one. I’m sure I can throw out anything else.”

“ Josiah, Mericive, Persephone,” a calico, Demeter, called,” Come here.”

Persephone rushed to her friend and supported her along with Jemima. “ You ok Charity?” she asked. Charity nodded.

“ Now you know,” her mother, Cyra, said pulling her daughter into a hug,” I’m sorry we didn’t tell you but we couldn’t stand seeing you being abused in a way we had no protection for.”

“ I understand,” Charity sighed,” I forgive you both.” Charity hugged her parents and said,” Sorry for doing this to you but I guess my gut knows things that would help me. I’d better get back. Synille and Eliza will be worried.”

I saw a cat standing in the shadows. I looked closer and saw a small calico kitten smiling at me. “ I’ve missed you,” he said,” I promise to visit again.”

I was pulled away from the cave soon I felt myself in the basket again. I sat up and cried out,” Loriek don’t go!”

I felt Synille pick me up. “ Shhh,” she told me,” It’s ok Tara. Don’t cry. Loriek is right here.”

“ What?” I asked,” Who’s Loriek?”

“ I am,” a kitten voice said,” I’m your cousin remember?”

I reflected to my dream. This Loriek’s voice was different. “ Where’s Charity?” I whimpered.

“ She’s coming back with her parents,” Eliza’s voice replied.

“ Poor Tara must have had a nightmare,” Synille said,” Don’t worry little one.”

I fell asleep right then. Synille’s words were soothing and Eliza knew how to talk to kittens. I drifted off to sleep.