I did doze a bit and dreamed I heard Amber barking, waking me up with a jump that shook my whole body. The noise went on all night, and the lights stayed painfully bright. I only knew it was morning when the windows turned silver, and a wild wind swirled leaves across the car park.
The new cat lady brought me a meal but I was now so stressed and exhausted I didn’t touch it. My joy at being rescued was fast turning into despair, and I needed a litter tray. I couldn’t stay in that cage much longer!
And then … I heard running feet. Clonk, clonk across the car park. A figure in black, with flying hair, ran past the window. I sat up, my heart beating fast, my neck getting longer as I watched the door. And hope came flooding into my tired mind like sacred sunlight. Suddenly, I was warm, and alive, and alert.
I listened.
The footsteps I knew and loved! In the building now, marching along the shiny corridor, closer, and closer. And then my heart leaped with excitement. Another set of footsteps was running alongside, the click-click of a dog’s nails on the hard floor, and when they stopped, there was the thump-thump of a tail wagging against the wall. The cat lady stood up and went to the door.
She opened it and peeked out. An argument started.
‘I am afraid you can’t bring that dog in here.’
‘But she is OK with cats.’
‘I am sure she is, dear, but I have got a room full of traumatised cats, and the last thing they need is a dog.’
‘But my cat is friends with her.’
‘Yes, but the other cats aren’t. They’ve been rescued from the floods … one was even found clinging to a bit of wood in the river. I am sorry, but you CANNOT bring a dog in. There’s a place for dogs at the other end of the building.’
I heard a sigh.
‘I’ve been through hell to get here. I waded through the floods and stuff, and I need to see if my cat is here. I’m not going away. Look, I’m dripping wet and freezing.’
‘All right, dear, don’t get upset. I’ll hold the dog, and you go in … but please, DO NOT let any of those cats out, even yours.’
‘Thanks. I won’t.’
The door opened. I fluffed my fur, and sat up, determined to look beautiful. Then I heard a whisper that filled the room, and all the cats went quiet.‘Where are you, Magic puss cat?’
I meowed my loudest and my TammyLee turned her head and saw me.‘Tallulah!’ she cried, and ran across the room to me, and undid the cage door immediately, her bangles jingling as she reached in and picked me up with ice-cold hands. My whole body turned into a purring machine as TammyLee lifted me into her arms. She smelled of the river, and her hair was wet, but I didn’t care. We loved each other. I wrapped myself round her neck, my warm fur drying her like a soft towel, the way she had so often dried me. She kissed my face and I kept butting my head into hers, giving her every last spark of my love.
‘Magic puss cat,’ she sobbed, and the tears were happy tears. ‘I thought I’d lost you for ever. Darling cat. I’m sorry I ran out on you. Please forgive me, Tallulah.’
Forgive her? Of course I did. It’s what cats do. I turned my purring up a notch, and let it tickle her ear until she giggled.
My angel was whirling round and round us, enjoying herself, whisking ribbons of stars through TammyLee’s aura.
‘I’d better pop you back in, Tallulah,’ she said after our long cuddle. ‘But I won’t leave you. I don’t know where we’ll end up going, but you are staying with me.’
I didn’t mind being back in the cage because TammyLee was carrying it, and this time it was my turn to look blissfully triumphant with the other cats watching enviously.
‘And guess who’s outside,’ TammyLee said, as we headed towards the door.
I’d already guessed. Amber!
Like TammyLee, she was soaking wet, but so pleased to see me. The cat lady let go of her lead and Amber was so excited that she tried to gallop in small circles on the slippery floor. Then she sneezed right into my cage and her tail sent the cat lady’s papers flying from the chair. But she managed to make them both laugh. I envied her that talent.
‘Behave, Amber. SIT.’ said TammyLee sternly and Amber did sit down, facing me, and I noticed she was shivering.
‘She swam all the way from the park,’ said TammyLee. ‘And I didn’t find her … she found me and she actually stopped me going into the river! She’s such a clever dog. But look at her … she’s really cold.’
‘Take her down there … to the RSPCA dog-rescue room. They’ve got hairdryers and towels and loads of food. People have been donating stuff,’ said the cat lady. ‘They’ll sort her out, poor girlie. Here, I’ll take her down. You go and find your family.’
‘Mum’s in hospital,’ said TammyLee, ‘and Dad’s with her. They’re OK, but mum’s got MS, so she needs some help.’
‘And so do you. Go on, you go to the main centre, they’re doing breakfast for about two hundred people.’
She gave TammyLee a cat harness and a lead.‘If you want to let the cat out, put this on her and keep her attached to you. She might panic in that noisy place.’