“We should go out and look for her,” Ella said, heading for the hallway to put all her outdoor things back on.
“Oh, Ella, no, I’m sure we don’t need to. Sit down, finish your hot chocolate. Honestly, Fluff was having a lovely time out there earlier on. She was playing with the snowflakes. She’s probably just got too caught up with exploring. I’m sure she’ll be home in a minute.”
Ella trailed reluctantly back to the table. She knew Mum was right, but something was still niggling at her. Fluff hadnever missed meeting her before.
Ella’s mum didn’t sit back down, but stayed thoughtfully staring out of the window. She wished she was as sure as she was making out to Ella. She didn’t think Fluff was lost, but shewas worried. Fluff should have been back– was she hiding out somewhere, waiting for the snow to stop? She just couldn’t help feeling that it was an awfully cold day for a small kitten to be stuck outside…
[Êàðòèíêà: img_6]
Fluff stood up, her whiskers twitching. Usually hearing another cat would have made her fur stand on end, and she’d be wanting to fight and defend her territory. But there was something about that cry. She didn’t think that the cat making that noise was going to be putting up much of a fight. She picked her way out of her blanket nest, and stood still, listening carefully. She’d been so sleepy when she heard the mewing that she wasn’t quite sure where it had come from.
There it was again. So quiet. So weak. Fluff listened anxiously. The other cat wasn’t in this room, she was almost sure. She picked her way over the rubbish and fallen bricks, and peered through the doorway. The cottage was tiny, only two rooms. The inner room was full of broken furniture, and Fluff leaped up on to an old chair to try and see what was happening. The room was silent, and she looked around worriedly. She was sure she hadn’t imagined it. Although – the mew had seemed to be part of her dream at first…No! There it was again. The cry was coming from a battered cupboard on the other side of the room. Fluff wove her way carefully through the junk, and nosedat the door. It swung open slightly, and cautiously she stuck her head inside.
[Êàðòèíêà: img_23]
Staring back at her out of the gloom was an enormous pair of green eyes.
The mew came again, and Fluff watched in horror as a tiny white kitten struggled to its feet, desperately trying to reach her.
[Êàðòèíêà: img_24]
The kitten could hardly stand, and at once Fluff jumped into the cupboard, nosing the little creature gently. She towered over it. This kitten was far too young to be on her own! She looked as though she was only just old enough to eat food, rather than milk from her mother. Wherewas her mother? Fluff could smell that at least one other cat had been here. Maybe this was where the kitten had been born. Cats often chose odd places to have their kittens–she had been born in a stable, and the horse it belonged to hadn’t been happy at all.
But the mother cat’s scent was fading. This kitten had been alone for a while, Fluff thought. She had to be starving. She was nuzzling hopefully at Fluff, as though she thought Fluff might have brought her some food, but eventually she gave up, and collapsed down again. The cupboard was lined with rags, like the nest Fluff had made, and the white kitten lay down, curling herself up tight. She looked cold. Fluff lay down gently, curling herself around the kitten, like her own mother used to snuggle up to Fluff and her brothers and sisters.
The kitten mewed again, an even smaller sound this time, but she sounded pleased. Fluff purred comfortingly. Go to sleep. Maybe we can find your mother, she thought. But she had a horrible feeling that the kitten’s mother was far away. Somehow they’d been separated.
Fluff rested her head gently next to the little white ears, watching anxiously as the kitten twitched her way to sleep. Fluff’s tummy rumbled, but at least she’d had breakfast, which was more than she guessed the kitten had. She could feel the tiny body warming up, and her own eyes began to close.
Curled around each other, the two cats slept, alone in the snowy night.
[Êàðòèíêà: img_25]
Chapter Five
[Êàðòèíêà: img_2]
Ella got up at six the next morning. It was still practically dark, but she didn’t care. She felt as though she hadn’t slept at all, though she supposed she must have done. All her plans for a weekend of fun in the snow had gone – Fluff still wasn’t back. Ella went downstairs, put on her winter coat, hat and scarf, and unlocked the back door. The cat flap swung open asshe went out, and she felt like kicking it. Sheshould have locked it, no matter what Mum said. She would rather have a grumpy Fluff than no Fluff at all.
Out in the back garden the snow looked even deeper. There must have been another big fall in the night. Ella shivered. It was really freezing, even wrapped up as she was. She sighed. The garden looked so beautiful, all white with patches of green and icicles hanging from the branches. It was like a Christmas card– there was even a robin perched on the fence, looking at her hopefully to see if she was about to put crumbs out. Ella smiled a very small smile. If Fluff had been here, she would have been jumping up and down under the fence trying to get him. But all that proved was that Fluff definitelywasn’t anywhere in the garden. Tucking her hands under her arms to try and keep them warm, Ella walked down the path– or rather, where she thought the path ought to be, as she couldn’t see it at all.
“Fluff! Fluff, come on. Breakfast!” she called, trying to sound cheerful.
[Êàðòèíêà: img_26]
She stared round the garden, willing a stripy little furry body to come shooting out of the bushes. Then her heart leaped as she saw something moving at the bottom of the garden.“Fluff!” she squeaked delightedly, running towards her. “Oh, Fluff, you had me so worried. You bad cat, I thought I’d lost you again. Oh!” Ella stopped still as the strange cat stared up at her in surprise. It looked rather offended – as though it had been minding its own business, going for a morning walk, and suddenly it was being chased by a screaming girl. It twitched its tail irritably, and strolled on over the snow in a very dignified and haughty way, deliberately ignoring Ella.
“Sorry…” Ella whispered after it. She knew it was stupid to apologize to a cat, but it seemed to be the kind of cat who would expect her to. Now she could see it properly, it didn’t even look much like Fluff. It was loads bigger, and its tabby coat was more spotted than striped. Trying not to cry, she plodded back to the house.
Her parents were in the kitchen making breakfast. They were both dressed, which wasn’t normal for a Saturday. Usually everyone got up slowly, enjoying the weekend.
“Any luck?” Ella’s dad asked. “We heard you calling.”
Ella shook her head.
“I thought I saw her,” she said miserably. “But it was another cat.”
[Êàðòèíêà: img_27]
“I’m sure she’s just waiting for the snow to stop,” Ella’s mum said briskly. “She’ll be back soon. Sit down and have some breakfast, Ella.”
“The snowhas stopped,” Ella pointed out, as she perched on the very edge of a chair. “So why isn’t she back?”
Ella’s parents glanced at each other with raised eyebrows, and she glared at them. “You’re not taking this seriously!” she burst out. “Fluff ’s lost, I’m sure she is. We have to go and look for her.”
Her dad sighed.“I have to say, I’m surprised she isn’t back. She’s never stayed out this long before, has she?”
Ella’s mum nodded reluctantly. “I suppose not. I’ve just been hoping she’d pop through the cat flap any minute, but maybe we should go and look for her. We should probably start by asking the neighbours if they’ve seen her.”
Ella leaped up from the chair, heading for the door.
“Ella!” her mum yelled after her. “It’s half-past six! On a Saturday! You cannot go and wake up the whole street. Eat some breakfast first.”