Story within a Story – The Attack Cat Arrives

by Mavisdavis (aka Lyn)

This is a Fanfiction story based on the TV series The Big Valley, produced by Four Star Margate. No infringement of copyright or right of ownership to the main characters and BV concept is intended. The author asserts right of ownership of this story plotline, and new original characters (and animals J ).

Synopsis: This is a short comedy piece, about a day in the life of Heath and Nick. It is a part of a much longer saga, which I may never finish.

Chapter 1

After loading up the wagon in Stockton, Nick and Heath had beaten a fairly quiet path back to the ranch. Each alone with their own thoughts. On arriving at the barn, Nick headed off to check with Dan, the foreman, that those hands over-wintering were out on their tasks. With no problems encountered, Nick returned to the store in the barn to help Heath divvy-up and stow the feed allocations.

Heath had already set aside the horse feeds, and was busy hefting them into a stook in the grain store area. Using the height drop off the wagon, and the momentum of the swing, he was easily placing the heavy sacks without too much exertion. The work was providing a welcome warm-up after the cool ride, and his toes were thawing nicely. Nick looked on, appreciating not only the strength and control required, but also the planned way that his brother always seemed to go about tackling tasks.

The young Heath had refined his methods by trial and error working on ranches whilst still recovering from his war service injuries, inflicted in Carterson Prison, Garland, Texas. He figured even though it was over ten years ago now, and he was now a grown man and considerably stronger, it was still worth rationing his strength, and looking after his back injury as much as possible. It never really left him entirely.

Nick may not have been aware of the reasons why Heath did things on the ranch certain ways, but he admired Heath‘s skill, and his ability to provide a fair competition for the work of two men on any day. Heath looked up to and admired his older brother. Over the four years Heath had been at the ranch, and with the family, it often seemed to Nick that they had always been and worked together. They had formed a close relationship. Both as friends, brothers, and fellow ranchers. The mutual respect they shared could be, though at times sorely tested by their equally strong and determined personalities.

Heath looked up, and beckoned over his older brother, smiling. He waved a hand towards the stack of sacks waiting on the wagon, inviting Nick to join him. Nick remained leaning against the wagon.

“C’mon Nick. Get a move on, there. Rate you’re goin’ you’ll still be here at dinnertime tomorrow. Hey, dya see the rat droppin’ there? Should get us some cats for the next autumn, wadya think?”

“Quit ya squawking. Rate you’re going won’t be any left for me to do. Perhaps I should just leave ya to it.”

“wadya think, ‘bout cats?”

“Now Heath, you know as well as I do that they’d end up inside as Audra’s babies - with ribbons on. Then spend every cold night trying to sneak inside by the fire and…”

“No. These. Farm. Cats. Ya train ‘em. “Heath kept talking and working rhythmically, intending that Nick should join him. Nick continued to lounge against the side of the wagon.

Heath straightened and eyed the completed stack behind him, and then the unruly pile on the wagon still waiting to be unloaded.

“Ya teach ‘em THIS IS A WORKIN’ Ranch! “He snickered. “That kin be yer job, Nick!

Nick missed Heath’s not so subtle hint entirely. That boy sure is full of good ideas today, he was thinking to himself … wonder why he’s in such a good mood…?

That boy sure is preoccupied about something today, thought Heath of Nick.

“Well, Nick, I’m about done here. I’ve up written you a list of the shortages in today’s horse feed. NEXT time we need to make it up so’s we’ve enough thru ta spring, Easter at least. Can’t be too careful. Better to have it here, and ready, rather than relying on the grain store to still have a supply. If’n this dry patch continyas, well, alla folks around will do tha same.” He prodded, knowing full well Nick hadn’t even glanced at it.

“Dint ya LOOK at my list I gave ya last night?” He was beginning to get just a little bit tetchy.

Nick knew Heath couldn’t abide lying, so he skirted the direct question, and executed what he thought was a neat side step. “Well, you’ve got such a smooth rhythm going there, I’d hate to break it up. I’ll…”

“Nick! I assessed the horse feed, and provided you with a list of the requirements, which you…” he glared at his brother, “…chose to ignore! I didn’t check up on it in town today because I trusted you, but if you want me to check up on your work, big brother … I’m more than…”

‘Damn it Heath! Now you’re just getting carried away! It’s a feed order for chrissake!

“No, Nick! It is about you listening to me, taking notice of what I think I need to run my ranch responsibilities. Nick, you know if I give you my word on something I’ll do my utmost to honour it; and I expect you to do the same. You know that. That’s how we’ve worked together. So what’s changed?” Heath probed, feeling discouraged by Nick’s treatment of what he himself perceived as important. It’s NOT JUST a Feed Order! Its WASTED TIME, AND EFFORT, AND , and…

“And I just don’t understand ya Nick. It’s not like we haven’t got the funds, or the storage space to adequately stock for the winter.” The blonde calmed a little, and a smirk crossed his face. “Only thing near as I can reckon, Nick, is that you’ve gotta gal in town you to want call on regular, and need an excuse in the winter to head into town…”

Chapter 2

Nick blanched. How did he know? He thought he’d been so careful planning this all out. Funny, tho’. That was almost the exact same conclusion he was drawing about Heath’s behaviour today, there was nothing he could really put his finger on, but something was up. What else could it be? He said nothing and attempted to return a steady gaze.

“Give up the poker playin’, Nick,” chuckled Heath.

“Well, it just so happens I was thinkin’ on this very thing on the way back from town and …”

“What!?” Shouted Nick. “You were thinking about my Geraldine? She’s already spoken for thank you very much ! You just …”

“Well, no, actually, I was goin ‘ta say sumpthang else, but thanks for lettin’ me in on her name Nick!” He winked. “Audra was talking about organising a bonfire dance. And with the hoarfrost this mornin’ it got me ta thinkin’ how it would be ta have real ice-frosted decorations, and a big bonfire, and popcorn, and dancing … I was goin ‘a offer to give Audra a hand. How ‘bout it Nick?”

“You’re awfully keen to get to a dance, all of a sudden little brother. Anything you want ta tell me?”

“Yeah, Nick! As a matta a fact there is! Now that ya mention it!”

Nick waited with baited breath.

“Get on with unloading your cattle food. I’ve done the horse feed, and I’m off ta work on the books. I’ll need those figures from ya today too. See ya at lunch.”

Heath trotted out of the barn toward the house leaving a cursing and swearing Nick. Well, he was one step closer on the dance front; but getting that illusive information out of Nick was going to be a battle and a half. Maybe this afternoon. He’d show Nick the graphs and the figures. Then they’d have something concrete to discuss.

Heath new from past experience, and watching others with Nick, that once he had MADE up his mind, it was fine. GETTING to that point was the battle. He sighed, and patted his jacket pocket. Then realised he’d left the mail under the wagon seat, and jogged back to retrieve it. Slowing as he neared the barn entrance, he was amused to hear Nick steadily cursing and swearing away to himself as he unloaded the wagon.

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Victoria, Audra and Heath were already seated at the table for lunch when Nick strolled in.

“You look warm for such a chilly day, Nick. Not coming down with anything I hope?” Inquired Victoria.

He ambled nonchalantly towards his seat at the table, arms swinging loosely at this side. At the last minute Heath saw Nick leaning towards him out of the corner of his eye. He made to move away rapidly, but not before Nick’s hand had settled something slippery down his collar.

With Victoria’s firm gaze upon them, each cowboy continued on as if nothing was amiss.

“I’m fine, mother. Put in a good hard morning in the barn unloading the feed wagon. Its Okay. No need to fuss. I’m fine…” replied Nick.

Heath was trying to undertake disguised squirming in his seat, whilst attempting to maintain a normal posture, calm countenance, and eat his lunch, as if nothing at all was wrong. The thing that worried him wasn’t the trickling seeds he could feel running down his back as he moved, it was the wriggling! Audra was trying to watch without drawing her mother’s attention away from the distraction of Nick. She nudged Heath under the table and minutely raised a querulous eyebrow. He attempted to shrug back. As Victoria’s gaze turned to Heath he extended the shrug with “ah jus don’t know what took him so long. I finished off working hours since.” He finished with an eyes wide open ‘I’m innocent’ expression.

Victoria thought there was probably nothing amiss more than her mischievous sons usual pranks, so she smiled and carried on with her lunch.

They began discussing plans for the Frost Festival dance, and soon Audra and Victoria were away with their ideas. Heath and Nick interjected with suggestions where they could, but just listened after a while to the chatter. Heath kept working away not reacting to the squirming little entity under his shirt, which was making its scrabbling way around his lower back and under his armpit. It began to tickle. He made the excuse of going to get more coffee from Silas, and made to rise, planning to scoot out the kitchen door and discard it smartly on the ground. Nick leaned across and put a restraining arm on his shoulder, smiling at him.

“I’ll go, little brother. You just rest there. After all, you were obviously over doing it this morning. Why you weren’t even able to help me finish unloading.”

“Heath…?” turned a concerned Victoria.

“I’m fine, mother. Nick just turned up a little late, is all.”

Feeling like he could longer maintain control of the crawling, tickling, scrabbling beneath his shirt, he made to excuse himself.

“But you haven’t finished your lunch. Maybe you’re coming down with something?” said Audra, and tried to feel his brow.

“Will ya lay off. Just not hungry. That’s all.”

He stood and bolted out of the dining room and up the back stairs to the bathroom.

He freed a baby rat from his shirttails, cursing Nick. He was just about to crush its head and toss it out the window, when Victoria, thinking he was being ill entered through the slightly ajar door he had forgotten to close.

She shrieked and ran out of the room. So did the rat.

“Ooops!” thought Heath, that’s torn it.

Chapter 3

Watching the scene before him thinking he couldn’t have planned it better if he’d tried, Nick laughed until tears came to his eyes. Audra and Victoria were standing on chairs in the foyer, shrieking, and Heath and Silas were running around with brooms in pursuit, stomping their boots at the errant escapee.

The rodent however, soon disappeared from view.

Knowing to make themselves scarce until things had cooled down the brothers made their way quickly over to the barn.

“Well, looks like you’ve gotten out of going over those figures with me, Nick. How about tonight then? Figure I might head into town to borrow one of those store cats I saw this morning. Might flush the little beggar out without too much fuss…?” He eyed Nick queryingly.

“Get us back in with mother. Now Heath! She and Audra could ban us from the dance, and then where would we be?!” He snickered.

“Fancy a ride into town? You bet! Ah’m sure I can find something to do while you collect the cat…”

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It took a bit of negotiation to organise the cat.

It wasn’t the loan that was the problem. It was the cat.

Heath was used to dealing with animals and livestock, but this cat sure was ornery. He’d thought the cat would be content in his saddlebag. So he tossed it in and made to mount up on his horse. He met the upside down cat backing out just as he was rising, and it latched onto his right leg with all four of its claws extended. Heath let out a yelp, and grabbed for his leg, and the cat, before it made off. As he fell backwards to the ground, left foot still in the stirrup he glimpsed Nick’s grinning countenance in front of him. To be fair, he was extending a cloth towards him. A blue cloth.

“Here, Heath. Grab hold of this and wrap ‘im.”

Heath grabbed the cloth and quickly wrapped it over the cat, prying the cat’s paws from his leg one by one as he went. He had a good grip on the cat by now. He’d no sooner get one paw detached than it would latch on somewhere else – chest, shoulder, cheek, ear, neck. Finally with Nick’s help they were able to get the cat bound and dropped into the saddlebag.

“Give me a horse to wrangle any day,” exclaimed Heath, surprised at the effort required to control just one little cat.

“See what comes of bright ideas? Little brother!” gloated Nick, as he mounted Coco and galloped away from the expected retribution. Heath followed on Charger, slowing every now and then to check his precious cargo was still in tow. Thankful he had on thick winter riding gloves.

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It was getting on for dark by the time the cowboys arrived back. They headed their horses to the barn, groomed and fed them, and then Heath made to collect the passenger. The cat was becoming pretty angry. It had begun to make short work of the blue cloth, and the noise was something else. Heath thought the blue cloth looked kind of familiar, but didn’t have time to dwell on it. He’d slip the cat into the kitchen with Silas, and give it a good feed, that’d settle it. Never known a cat to turn down food. Or Nick, he thought grinning to himself. Actually they were a lot alike.

Victoria, Jarrod and Audra were in the parlour when they heard the brothers coming in from the kitchen. They’d decided on a united front, to appease their mother. Victoria prepared herself to deliver a frosty reception, but she burst out laughing when the brothers emerged from the doorway.

Heath was wearing one of his favourite blue chambray shirts, and the entire front of it and him was covered with red–tinged parallel scratches. In places the shirt hung in shredded tatters. The scratches extended up across his cheek and nose. If it wasn’t for the wriggling, squalling bundle in his arms, she would have thought him the picture of someone who had just ridden through a hedge. The writhing, caterwauling bundle in his arms was swathed in a similar blue cloth, and every now and then a dark furry scrabbling paw extended from the growing holes in the cloth.

“Is that a new shirt you’re wearing Heath?” asked Jarrod, innocently.

“Now, don’t you worry, mother,” said Nick. “We’ve the situation under control. Why this cat will have that rodent out of here in no time at all.”

Audra rushed forward. “Heath, whatever are you doing to that poor animal? Just listen to it! Here give it to me, I’ll go and feed it.”

“Careful, Sis,” warned her brother, drawing back. “It’s a wild ‘un.”

“You boys surely aren’t intending to let a wild cat run around this house AS WELL AS the rodent you brought in this afternoon, are you?” Victoria regarded them sternly.

“Oh, mother,” Audra gushed, snatching the cat from Heath and cooing to it. The cat quietened instantly. The brothers exchanged astonished looks.

“Audra. Meet Nick the cat,” grinned Heath, turning to smirk at his brother beside him.

“There’s certainly a somewhat familiar air about him,” reflected Jarrod. “Wild and ornery, scrapping with Heath, and melts at a ladies touch.”

They all laughed.

“Heath, why have you wrapped the cat in one of your shirts?” queried Audra, continuing to stroke the cat, as she unwound it. It purred loudly. The shirt certainly was shredded.

“uh? I thought it looked familiar…” said Heath.

“What was that you were telling me about observation and survival this morning? Heh, heh. Was all I could find in your saddlebag to use. Your idea, your tools, eh?” chuckled Nick, slapping Heath on a shredded shoulder.

“I’m goin’ ta get cleaned up!” winced Heath, stomping off the up the stairs. The day had started so promisingly. Now, he had a shredded skin vest from cat and rat, and two tattered shirts to boot. “Still,” he thought, as he soaked away the sting in a hot bath, “Nick didn’t put up any objection to the cat in the end. Now, if he could only figure out a way to get him to see reason on his other little scheme ……” He pondered some, then rose and went down for dinner.

The black cat sat purring loudly at Audra’s feet. He glanced at Nick and shrugged. He could see they were both wondering “will that cat ever make it out to the barn to go hunting?”

Chapter 4

The family spent a pleasant evening reading around the fire. Audra was fully occupied with the cat, and Nick was fully occupied with teasing her, so Heath made the excuse of an early night and headed off. Nick watched him go, suspicious.

Heath’s light was still on when Nick went to bed. Hours later when he stealthy crept down the hall to Heath’s room it was still burning. He frowned. Something was sure up. He decided to sit outside the door until the light went off, and then sneak in and investigate. So he made himself comfortable under a blanket leaning against the door jam.

Next thing he knew he was staring into his brother’s bemused face.

“Nice of ya to wait for me this morning Nick.” He whispered. “That’s good. I wanted ta catch ya ‘bout those figures. We could do it over an early breakfast. Won’t tie up your day nun.”

“What do you mean? Early breakfast?” Said Nick. “You always get up at sparrow’s burp.”

“Yeah, but you don’t. Whatcha doin’? Bed too soft for ya? Maybe you’ve been dreaming and needed to cool down? That Geraldine,” Heath teased wagging a finger, “I know. Keeping watch for the rat! Good idea, Nick. Now we’ve got two Nick’s on guard.”

“Been scooting and skittering through here all night. Probably tucked up in Audra’s room all night you said…” he scowled. “Some working cat!”

Nick could smell a slightly familiar fragrance. He sniffed and leant a little closer “Hey, what’s that smell? Lady’s perfume? You couldn‘t a been out… Your light was on all night, I was here…” he trailed off. Caught.

Heath whistled by. “Meet ya in the kitchen. Nickko. Bring your info, or your head, whichever’s easier ta carry.”

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It was still long before dawn, but the two brothers were already busy at work in the kitchen. Over coffee Nick and Heath made some headway with information on the feed situation. They were onto their second pot of coffee. Neither saying much. Nor willing to admit they’d had no sleep, letting the coffee do the work. Nick was extracting figures from his head. Last seasons memory. Adding his marks onto Heath’s graph. Heath adjusting for this seasons cattle numbers was making new marks, and adding to a list in his notebook. Doorsteps of bread and cheese had been converted to crumbs populating the work area perimeter.

The crackling wood-range warmth pulsed into the cold morning. The aroma of coffee and wood filled the air. On the floor beside the range, lay remnants of a several hairless tails and a small dark ball of fur. The ball blinked. Stretched. Then climbed onto a lap, and was promptly tossed back towards the stove.

“I’ll teach you to keep me awake most of the night!” growled Nick.

“That’s right Nick. Show Nick who’s boss. Earned his keep, but...” Heath sipped his coffee, eyes down, working on calculations.

“Yeah, plenty of work in the barn too,” said Nick, “Take him out after breakfast, will ya?”

“I got my battle scars already, Nick,” murmured Heath, still working away at his notes.

“I know, little brother, I’m sorry …” began Nick genuinely, and then stopped at Heath’s astonished gaze. “What?”

“From the cat, Nick!” with a half smile Heath indicated the visible welts.

“Oh, yeah … I’m glad you’re here tho’, little brother,” murmured Nick as if from far away, a warm look in his eyes. “We make a good team, eh? Hey. What about we organise a boar huntin’ competition for the Frost Festival? We can head off Friday, have the weigh-in Saturday afternoon, cleaned and roasting over a spit, by nightfall. Beats popcorn!”

“Boy Howdy! ‘like the sound of that. Get us some handbills up in town, and prizes outta the entry fee. Don’t leave that to Audra, we don’t want no crocheted doilies turning up!” they both chuckled.

“Have to head into town with Audra and mother, this morning. Sort out the spit and ice frames with the blacksmith, see to the handbills. You got yesterday’s feed receipt?”

Nick shook his head.

“Either of the lists I gave yah?”

Nick continued to shake his head.

“I’ll head over to the barn feed store then, and tally what’s there, against what we’ve got here.” His finger tapped the papers, “then we can see were we are. See ya at breakfast.”

Nick nodded. “I’ll draft the handbill for the ladies to check. Hey,” said Nick quietly, whilst Heath thought to himself there were benefits to working before the house rose, if only because Nick was less rowdy, “let’s set a cat trap for Audra. I was thinking we could…” the two heads bent together as Silas greeted them and began to prepare the day’s bread.

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Jarrod came down the back stairs and into the kitchen, adjusting his tie and shirt cuffs. He wanted to be away early and just had time to catch a breakfast sandwich in the kitchen before heading to work. Silas was adding rashers of bacon to a platter on the table, next to the cooling loaves of fresh bread.

“Morning Mr Jarrod,” beamed Silas.

“mor, whaa? Huh?!”

Jarrod spun to follow the speeding dark shape he had caught out of the corner of his eye, moving towards the table. Silas followed his gaze. Suddenly a small dark paw appeared and began patting along the edge of the table towards the bacon platter. The paw nimbly hooked a rasher and disappeared over the edge of the table.

Silas and Jarrod exchanged glances and then looked beneath the table. A small, dark furry ball was growling at the bacon rasher on front of it on the ground. It then hissed and spat, and attacked the rasher, throwing it up into the air with a paw, before diving on it, and rolling onto it back, paws wrapping the rasher securely to it chest, biting and growling as if to kill it. Jarrod erupted in laughter, whilst Silas apologised, and moved toward the cat.

“Did ‘Nick’ catch the rat last night?” asked Jarrod.

“Yes, sir, I believe so. Mr Heath pointed out three of them tails to me this morning, already. He and Mr Nick seemed pleased.”

“Well, I’d say it’s earned that rasher, don’t you.”

“Yes, sir. But Mr Nick, he did not want the cat fed. He was most adamant, sir. He has some plans for the cat that concern Mr Heath and Miss Audra, sir. He was quite clear the cat was a working cat, sir.”

Jarrod poured himself a cup of coffee to add to his fresh bacon sandwich, and started for the dining room.

“Ah, Mr Jarrod, sir, I don’t think you be wanting to go in there just now…” but it was too late for a warning. Jarrod swung the door wide, to find Nick arms over his head walking slowly backwards through the door into the dining room, and he could hear Heath softly calling out to Nick from somewhere further out. Nick appeared to be doing some kind of aerial ballet with his hands, but as Jarrod moved closer could distinguish the shine of catgut fishing line. There were small items hanging at intervals from the line.

Chapter 5

“Nicholas!” Jarrod bellowed, intending to surprise him, but Nick just merely turned and shushed him, before continuing with his work. He made his way around the dining room table, paying out an invisible line as he went with exaggerated strokes, as if enacting a drunken dance charade in slow motion, before backing out through the door again into the passageway at the base of stairs. Jarrod, smiled, but decided he didn’t want to be involved in anything Nick was about to do, he felt sure, though it involved that little animated fur ball he had just watched hunt down bacon. Work awaited.

Heath was standing in the porch, arms crossed, holding his elbows, scrutinising the angle of view. At his feet were items that looked suspiciously like dead mice. Jarrod raised an eyebrow at him as he strode to collect his hat, jacket and gun belt. Heath cocked his head and smirked at him, as if to say ‘I know, its trouble, but! But its Nick’s idea, honest’.

“Just don’t get caught. I thought you were the one spending the day with them in town?” Jarrod patted Heath’s shoulder and headed off to the barn.

Heath followed at a distance, and waited until Jarrod left before entering. He went into Charger’s, and then into Coco’s stall, and secured a neck rope, and halter on each. He collected a hobble, feedbag, and put a small amount of feed into the bag. Slinging a coil of rope over his shoulder, he took a circuitous route out of the barn. Anyone watching from the house would think he was heading out to the paddock behind the house. Heath made his way towards the rear of the house, and released his hold on Charger, then, moved close in so he would not be visible from the upper floors.

He heard a snap of fingers above him, and snapped back. A washer landed at his feet. Attached to the washer was a length of linen thread. He gently tied this to the length of rope he was carrying, and snapped his fingers again, the rope was hauled up out of site, through the guest room window. Heath led Coco back the way they had come, paying out the rope length as they went. As they neared the kitchen entrance, Heath looped the rope around a veranda pole, and then Coco’s halter. He walked off a short distance and trailed feed out of the bag in a line on the ground, starting with a large mound, finishing near the paddock gate, which he then opened and left ajar. Heading back towards the house, he nipped into the root cellar and collected some carrots. These he placed towards the end of the ‘route’. Should provide a bit of acceleration, he chuckled, as he led Charger into the paddock, Heath attached the hobble, and leaving him a few carrots to keep him contented strode into the house for breakfast. He hand signalled to Silas as he entered the kitchen.

“Ready?” whispered Nick.

Heath was wary that they may be overheard, so just nodded. Silas said “Just let me know when everyone is seated, Mr Nick. I will bring the hot food through,” and gesturing to the horse outside nodded.

Nick strode into the dining room to settle himself for a bit of fun, pouring himself a coffee while he waited. Heath checked ‘Nick’ was happily ensconced under the table playing ‘you’re dead’ with the rat-tails tied onto the end of a line of catgut, and went to join Nick over coffee. “So, how was that feed tally looking, Heath?” inquired Nick.

“Well, we’re looking pretty low in some lines,” he spread out the notes on the table, indicating. “Thinking, with this dry, might not be such a bad idea to sow a few crops down. ‘Know its late, but the frost’ll break up the ground well. Could still get in some oats, greenfeed, and the like for the spring…” outlined Heath, going into details and deep discussion with Nick .

“…I agree. You’ll get these picked up in town today too then? Use the bullock teams I think.”

“Yep. Only problem I can see Nick,” Heath paused, “is how you’re gonna keep sneaking off for visits with Geraldine?” he smirked at his brother.

Nick grinned broadly at him, eyes twinkling. “Ah, Geraldine…”

They were interrupted by Victoria and Audra entering for breakfast. Nick poured coffee for them.

“Good morning boys,” said Victoria pecking them each a kiss before sitting down at the head of the table.

“Morning, morning” smiled Audra, bouncing to her seat.

“Silas!” bellowed Nick “Please bring the hot food!” He leaned forward to help himself to bread.

Chapter 6

“Nicholas! It is usual NOT to raise your voice at the table! How did the new arrival fare?” said Victoria.

“I heard ‘Nick’ scampering around last night,” offered Audra.

“I was not ‘scampering’ I was tiptoeing,” protested Nick. Victoria turned to look questioningly at him, whilst Heath engaged Audra in conversation about the festival, trying to divert the potential direction of conversation.

At that moment, as Silas entered from the kitchen with platters of hot food. No one saw the small black streak that shot under the table. The family began to settle into breakfast eating and conversation. The level of conversation initially drowned out the growling noise coming from under the table, but it was exposed in a sudden lull. Curious looks were exchanged.

Audra bent to look beneath the table. “Oh, its only Nick, and a … and a …ahhh! ” she stood bolt upright and threw her arms up in the air, shrieking and backing away from the table.

At that moment, the cat began sprinting around the room, chasing what looked like a small rat. Victoria had backed away against the bay window curtains. She stood arms out, hands against the wall silently transfixed, eyes locked onto the lightening swift streak that was hurtling around the room. The rat appeared to be winning and changed direction several times. Audra still shrieking grabbed her mother’s arm and moved rapidly towards the safety of the foyer and parlour. As they moved out of the room Nick and Heath released their scowling fixed faces, into manic grins and collapsed onto the floor in fits of laughter. They could hear the chase continue in the other room.

“ah! Get it out! Nick, get the rat!”

“ah, hah ha! Me Sis? Or the cat?” asked Nick through laughter.

“Get the cat! No, get the RAT! Oh, mother! Ohhh…” wailed Audra, arms flailing around her head, as she headed for the stairs.

The rat followed. The cat bounded after it.

“Audra! Audra!” called Victoria.

“Audra! Come down here!” Heath, struggling to get the words out around laughter, called from the dining room doorway. “It’s safe down here now.” Nick was speechless, rolling on the floor laughing.

“Audra … please, come on honey, come down here with us,” called Victoria.

Just as Audra headed down the stairs, the rat changed direction, followed by the yowling, hissing, spitting cat. Audra was terrified, now the rat was chasing her.

“eeeeH! It’s chasing me! Help! Help! Ahhh!”

As she reached the bottom of the stairs and moved towards the door where Heath beckoned, the rat launched into midair towards Audra. The cat leapt after it. Heath could see the small black ball, two glaring green eyes, all four paws, claws extended hurtling through the air towards Audra's back. He grabbed her with an arm, and neatly sidestepped back into the passage. The cat sailed past, through the doorway.

“AAHHH!! Aiyee!” bellowed Nick. “Get it off! GET IT OFF! GET NICK OFF! HEATH! HEATH!”

He looked up to see a laughing family peering at him, as he attempted to hold the Nick around its belly away from him with his left hand, and release its paws from his abdomen with his right. The Nick wrapped itself around his forearm and frizzed itself up to a frightening size hissing, spitting a furious green glare. Nick fumed, threw an intense glare and spat curses at the cat

“HEATH! HELP ME HERE!” The chorus of laughter continued around him.

“Oh ho hohoho, Nick, its hard to tell you apart!” Gurgled Audra.

Heath reached towards the cat. Nick quietened, thinking he was going to remove the Nick from his arm, but instead with a quick flick Heath deftly lifted the Nick’s tail.

“Well, would you look at that!” he gestured, his tone as if making the discovery for the first time that night followed day.

“No balls!” he exclaimed “only ONE tomcat in the house. Easy to tell the difference now”

“Heath!” admonished Victoria.

“Ain’t nothing more natural than that. Might be a few kittens around springtime.”

“Audra! … Heath! … get it off!” wailed Nick .

“Nick! While I’ve got you here, would you mind explaining what THIS is?! Hmmm?”

Victoria held up the bundle of rats tails tied to fishing line. Nick gulped, grimaced, then grinned winningly at his mother.

“I’d say that’s not a bad night’s work for a new recruit, eh mother?”

Audra was about to reach down to placate the Nick and remove Nick from his arm. She shuddered then did a double take.

“Nick!” she stood hands on hips glaring at him. “If it wasn’t for Nick, I’d leave you there, Nick!”

Heath returned from the kitchen with a cloth and talking quietly to the Nick, wrapped the cloth around it. He knelt, and lowered Nick, and Nick’s arm to his lap, stroking the Nick, and crooning softly to it. Nick had returned to its normal size and its fur no longer stood on end. Two green eyes blinked out in a steady gaze, and Nick lay there on her back paws skyward. As Heath continued to talk, and stroke the animal, Nick began to purr. Heath unwrapped Nick and she stretched and rolled around continuing to purr, rubbing herself up against Heath. As Nick moved toward her, Nick purrupted and trotted of towards the kitchen. Followed by Audra and Heath. Heath gave her a hug. “See you here in an hour Sis?”

“Yes, thanks for the rescue. Mother and I should be ready to run through the final Festival plans by then. I’ve the handbill draft from Nick already. Don’t forget your ice frame sketch.” She finished with a peck on the cheek.

Heath skipped out the back door and headed towards the bunkhouse to brief the men. By now, he figured, Victoria would have discovered the line attached to Coco further incriminating Nick, whereas Charger should still be grazing in the paddock. He wouldn’t want to be in Nick’s shoes right now! Funny it hadn’t gone QUITE according to plan for Nick…

Smiling a good morning, he joined Dan and the hands to divvy out the work schedule.

“…feed could be a bit short, but with the frost effect on the ploughed ground and…” Heath outlined the situation and their plans. “Nick will be down shortly. So we’ll split into three groups until this works completed, then. Horses, ranch maintenance with Nick, and ploughing and sowing with Dan.” Amid grumbles of “oh, we ain’t farmers, we’re cowboys! Huh ploughing! Stockmen don’t do that,” Dan pointed to the ranch plan on the wall as Heath continued.

“…Now we’ll be using bullock crews for the ploughing, so we need good stockmen! Rex and Bill, you take this 80 acres here for oats next to the orchard, and Mick and Harvey this area here, ‘bout 100 acres, with the alfalfa. Now Matt and Fred, there’s this area down here between the river and the orchard. Its about 60 acres, but you’ll have to avoid the streams through there. That will go into lupins. There’s this area behind the house, too, about 5 acres. That needs ploughing and then manure and sawdust spreading before discing. Dan will set you up.

“Now, listen up,” he tapped the farm plan on the wall, “each day I want you to mark off on here the area ploughed. Just trying to get a feel for things. All right? Pete, you head off and check the gear, and we’ll need to borrow another plough, set of discs and drill from the Wheelers. You organise that all right? Off you go. Ned, Will, you go with him, then head off to see Nick when you’ve finished…”

Heath continued, letting them know the orchard crew would be arriving after the Frost Festival, and the beehives moving in after that.

“Oh, most important. There’s a boar hunting competition judged on the Saturday of the Frost Festival. If we get all finished up with this sowing in time, you can head off Friday to go hunting!”

The hands cheered and dispersed into a noisy bunch, heading out for the day. Heath looked around, but could still see no sign of Nick, and then bent his head in discussion with the foreman, Dan.

Finished there he readied the wagon for its trip to town, saddled Victoria’s and Audra’s horses and wandered back up to the horses grazing in the paddock beside the house. He removed the hobble from Charger, and rope length from Coco, and closed the gate, coiling the rope and tossing it on the porch. He headed inside to collect his gear, lists, and pick up the handbill from Nick. He was puzzled as to why Nick was so long. Surely Victoria wasn’t so angry at the prank?

What he saw in the dining room stopped Heath in his tracks.

A relaxed Nick was eating breakfast. His third, Heath figured, of the morning.

He slapped his brother on the back with a bandaged arm.

“Get the crews sorted?” Nick asked.

“Yup”

“Any problems?”

“Nope. You?”

“…well, a few, but I think they’ve cooled down now. Might be talking to me after a day with you.”

“What do you mean by that?” Heath jostled Nick with his shoulder.

“Nothing … I imagine mother and Audra may find a day with you a calming experience, you do those long silences so well … ah!” he exclaimed as Heath jostled him a bit harder. Nick reciprocated with his elbow, but Heath had stepped back quickly, and Nick’s momentum threw him from his chair to the ground.

As Heath stalked out to collect his gear he tossed over his shoulder, “Sure are clumsy today, Nick. Beaten up by a chair, and a cat. I’ll need a hand unloading that wagon when I get back. See you then.”

the end