Happily Ever After

by Catherine Sadler, Ramah, CO, USA

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VJ was hurting. His eye was injured and infected; his toe was injured and infected and there was a sore spot in the middle of his back. He remembered the fight with the fox; but he had gotten away with his life and left the fox hurting as well. But it was cold and he was hungry. During his flight he entered another neighborhood. He didn't know where to go for shelter or food.

Then he saw a human lady. She called softly to him, but he was wary and slunk away. Later he went back to hide in the bushes near the house. Lo and behold! There was a dish of delicious food waiting for him! He ate hungrily and bedded down in a box under the bushes. At dawn he left to explore the neighborhood. He kept going back to find more food and saw the lady again. She didn't threaten him; just talked softly. He was getting braver.

Then one day he didn't show up and the lady went looking for him for a few days. Finally she went to the local shelter and there he was! He had been picked up by the pound. But he was in sorry shape, adding kennel cough to his injuries. The lady came to him and talked again to him softly. This time he didn't shy away from her.

She gently took him out of the cage and took him to her vet. He went to sleep and when he woke up he felt woozy but didn't hurt. His eye had been removed and stitched shut and his toe also removed. He also felt tender under his tail. The lady took him to her home where it was warm and had a soft bed for him and wonderful food all the time. He became fat and happy.

One day the lady heard a ruckus outside and opened the door to see what it was. In streaked a small thin Tortishell with a fox on her heels! The door slammed in the fox's face and VJ had a companion. But she was very timid and shy. It didn't take long for her to find every hideyhole in the house. The lady named her Clouded Sky for her pale stormy colors.

Then the lady's mum came to live with them. She had a cat she had rescued from the streets many years ago. He was gray and white and named Professor Spats. (yes, he has spats!) The lady had to brush his long hair every day. Soon VJ wanted to be brushed. His hair was short and fawn colored but very dense. And the lady was very gentle around the tender spot on his back.

Then the lady's sister came with a present: a small black puppy named Cortez. The cats soon taught him his duties; to wit--guard the door and then entertain the people while the cats had their naps! They all got along famously and are still living happily ever after. And they never ever go outside.