‘Now here, very, very deep down … much deeper down than the badger’s home … is an underground stream … it makes the earth tingle,’ Vati continued. ‘But don’t sit there. Underground streams are bad places for cats to be near.’
‘How do you know all this?’ I asked, amazed.
‘It’s my gift,’ said Vati. He looked deeply into my soul. ‘And you know it too. You have only to remember, Timba. You do know because when I was in the cage you sent me a thought along one of the golden roads.’
Later that day Vati wanted to spend time on Angie’s lap. Ever so slightly jealous, I stormed out into the evening sunshine to have my usual mad half-hour on my own. I practised belting across the lawn and diving into the bushes that grew along the foot of the wall. The thin bendy branches were good to play with and I did a lot of leaping, catching one between my paws and dragging it down, letting it spring back into the air.
Then I tried again to climb the apple tree the way Vati had climbed it. Halfway up, I was concentrating on turning round safely, when I heard a scratchy whisper.‘Hello, Timba!’
Startled, I dug my claws deeper into the bark and paused, peering round to see where the voice had come from. I meowed, and it came again.‘Timba!’
I looked up, and Leroy was sitting astride the wall under the overhanging foliage. The whites of his eyes shone out from the dark leaves. His trainers were kicking at the stone; he had an open bag in his hand.
‘I’ve come to get you, Timba,’ he said in a strange whisper. ‘You’re MY kitten.’
Chapter Eight
LEROY
‘Always welcome him … with your tail up.’
The words of the Spirit Lion resounded in my head as Leroy and I stared at each other through a whirlpool of decision-making. Vati needed me. I wanted to stay here with Angie and Vati. But my Spirit Lion wanted something else … and it was unreasonable. I didn’t … did NOT … want to be Leroy McArthur’s cat!
Something had changed in me. I was strong now. I could twist in the air like Vati, and run really fast. My back legs power-boated me across the lawn and through the cat flap with an impressive slam. Eat, I thought, and paused in the kitchen to scoff the remains of Vati’s mashed chicken with gravy.
I tried to forget about Leroy, but I was trembling inside. I couldn’t forget.
Vati was still on Angie’s lap and he gave me a slitty-eyed, blissed-out stare. Angie was asleep with her head on a pink corduroy cushion, and one hand over Vati’s sleek back. They looked cosy and peaceful, while I felt stormy and upset.
Leroy was in the garden. He had come for me. What should I do? I’d already done one wrong thing. Now I did something even worse. I was sick on the sofa.
‘Oh for goodness’ sake, Timba!’ Graham shook his newspaper at me. ‘Outside.’
Outside was not an option for me. Instead, I sat on the windowsill pretending to wash while Graham fussed around, huffing and sighing, with rolls of paper and disinfectant. The smell gave me a headache. I sat still, hoping he would leave me alone, and he did.
While Angie and Vati went on sleeping, I had a good view of the back garden and the horse field. A small determined figure marched across the field towards a dappled grey pony who raised her head and watched him with interest.
Leroy suddenly looked small and lonely amongst the horses. Angie’s horse, Poppy, stood tossing her chestnut head, her tail swishing. I sensed her anxiety as Leroy and the grey pony walked towards each other.
On Saturday mornings I’d watched the children who came to help Angie and Laura with the horses. They spent ages talking to them, brushing them and making friends before riding, and nobody ever rode the grey pony. She was wild, Angie said.
But Leroy didn’t know that. He stood close to the pony and got hold of her long mane. Then he vaulted onto her back. For a moment his smile lit up the field. He dug his trainers into the pony’s flanks. Her ears went back. She shook herself as if trying to shake him off, then she took off at a gallop with Leroy clinging onto her neck. She headed for a patch of stinging nettles and bucked furiously. Thrown into the air like a rag doll, Leroy crashed into the nettles and lay still.
The excitement fired up the rest of the horses and they joined in the galloping and bucking. The thunder of their hooves woke Angie.‘What’s going on?’ She quickly put Vati down on the chair and came to the window. ‘What’s the matter with those horses?’
She watched for a few minutes, but couldn’t have seen Leroy. He was lying almost hidden behind the clump of nettles. Only I knew he was there.
‘Oh they’re just having a gallop round.’ Angie sat down again and picked up a book.
I had bonded with Leroy. Now I sensed he was in danger. What should I do? I tried sending Angie a telepathic message. I tried meowing at her. I tried sending her an image of Leroy lying on the ground. She didn’t get it.
But Vati did. He jumped up to sit beside me and we both attentively watched the field. Still Leroy didn’t move.