Magical Cats

Maya Smith

Part I

“OK, my turn!” squealed the kitten. “Come on!”

In one of the dens in Portal Palace, five kittens were playing. A silver kitten, a black kitten, gray tabby, pale brown, and a white one. These are their characteristics:

• Star—Black, green-eyed she-cat

• Moonlight—Silver, amber-eyed she-cat

• Flame—Pale brown, orange-eyed tom

• Ash—Gray tabby, blue-eyed tom

Right now these kitties were playing, but then their mother, Bright, came in with pride in her eyes. Huh, thought Moonlight. What’s she up to?

“Kittens! Toms and she-cats! You . . . it’s today! Your ceremony!”

At first, Moonlight could not figure out what the she-cat was talking about. Hm . . . why would Mom say that? It made exactly no sense.

“Oh!” Moonlight heard Flame call out. “Time . . . to get our tribe!” Of course! The kittens quickly darted out of the den, followed by Sea. This was it!

“I’m so proud!” she heard her mother meow.

Reaching the portals, the keeper, Light, stepped forward. His yellow pelt bright.

“I see . . .” he meowed. “Well, sorting time. Flame, come here.” Moonlight saw her sibling step forward. Light dipped his head, and they touched muzzles.

“Who am I?” Flame pledged. “Who?” Light look’d at the kit. A glint of amusement in his eye. Please, Moonlight hoped, let us go together into the same tribe.

“OK, Flame,” Light rasped. “You are . . . no? Let’s see . . ” Moonlight noticed her brother’s tail twitch impatiently, but she said nothing. “You are a fire cat!”

Moonlight did not expect this. She always wanted to be a fire cat. But . . . she felt more like a star cat. She looked around.

“Who will go next?” asked Light.

“Me,” Moonlight meowed before she could stop it. Light looked surprised. Rude!

“Come forward.” Light flicked his tail. “Moonlight, your tribe is . . . star! You are a star cat!” Noooo! She would not be with her sister! But this was her path. And hers only.

Part II

“Snowy, step forward.” Snowy looked at her sister, Moonlight. She could smell fear-scent! “Snowy, you are an ocean cat!” Snowy stepped back. But Flame and Moonlight are star and fire cats! “Snowy,” Light continued, “you now will be known as Sea.”

Why? Snowy thought. What’s wrong with my name?

As if he knew what she was thinking, Light sighed. “With just your name, anyone would think snow cats are a thing! Sea, what do you think?” Snowy looked around, Ash’s eyes gleamed, and Star nodded. Would she do it just for them? No, this is my destiny, she reminded herself. I decide. She couldn’t say that Sea wasn’t a beautiful name. OK, she decided, I’ll do it.

“OK, I am Sea, from today forward. And I am now part of the ocean. I’m ready.” Light nodded, rolling his eyes. “Go sit near Moonlight and Flame. After you kits are done being sorted, you’ll go to the portal.” Light’s gaze rested on Star.

“Come forward.”

Sea shrugged, walking to her tribe-mates. She chose a spot beside Moonlight and sat down. Instantly, she could feel Moonlight’s amber gaze burn her pelt.

“What is it?” Sea asked, meeting her gaze. Moonlight shrugged. Did she want something? Or was it just her?

“Hey.” Moonlight flicked her ear. “I wanna talk.” Sea blinked in surprise. What about? Changing her last name? (It was fully Sea Bright Rain.)

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“About what?” she asked, feeling her fur rise along her spine and her tail flick restlessly. When Moonlight opened her mouth to speak, she was interrupted by an excited squeal. Star, it was a Star.

“Hi!” meowed Star, pouncing on a rock. “Guess what! I’m . . . a star cat! Just like you, Moonlight.” Sea felt her sister tense beside her. Lucky, but now she was an ocean cat. And she always would be.

Then they all went to their portals and slowly walked into their new homes.

Part III

“Vine!” A harsh hiss sounded in the dark cave. “Come here! What are you doing?” Vine pricked his ears. Of course!

In the dark, but slightly lit by the dragonflies, a yellow tom with green eyes stood in the clearing, four portals in front of him. Why don’t you have to leave? He thought, his mind whirling. His friend, Ash, had just left to the fire kingdom. His littermate, Flame, was with him. Vine had watched Light, the portal keeper, tell him what path he’d walk. But now the cave was silent.

Light looked up at Vine, nodding. Huh? “Come,” Light invited with a flick of his tail. Vine hesitated, knowing that his mother wanted him to come . . . but Light was the portal keeper. He knew he could disobey Light, or disobey his mother. I vote my mother.

So he started walking toward Light. Passing Bright, Ash’s mother, he narrowed his eyes at the bright purple light of the portal. Light lifted his muzzle and sat down.

“What is it?” Vine meowed, twitching his whiskers in amusement. His mother, Lily, would not be happy. He stiffened. Now deal with it, fur-brain!

Light shrugged. “Listen.” He lifted a paw, the yellow fur ruffled.

“What!?” Vine meowed, impatiently. He couldn’t hear a thing! But he COULD hear his mother hissing at him for not coming when she asked. I could go right now! He dared; half of him knew he should leave.

Light crouched, looking at the sturdy cave walls. “I’ve been here for a long time,” he meowed, unblinking, until his blue gaze rested on Vine. “And I know a desperate cat when I see one.” Vine stiffened. What did he mean?

“What?” Vine hissed. “Do you blame me for missing Ash?” Growling, he added,

“Just . . . let me be a fire cat!” Vine fell silent when he noticed sympathy in Light’s eyes.

He saw Light sigh, depressed. “I’m sorry, Vine, you are a plant cat.” Vine suddenly stopped, frozen with shock. Feeling like his blood suddenly stopped, Vine felt like the world around him was crumbling. No! I’m a fire cat despite my name! “Is this ‘cause of my name, Vine?”

Part IV

Vine shook out his fur. He was a plant cat. Vine looked up at the cave walls. He needed to stay here for the next three rocks!

Vine shook his head. He flicked his tail and nodded goodbye to Light. He ran off, past the nursing mothers’ dens, all the way to the back of the cave. He stopped running and looked around.

There it is! he thought as he saw the stacked rocks of this season. The way they could tell when the days passed, because a Nofur built see-through walls in the top of the cave as a thank you for accepting their three tiny kits. Vine loved what they did even though he wasn’t there to see it happen. The older cats loved telling the story.

Vine was grateful that the Nofurs gave the cats little gifts, and left them mostly alone. THAT was the best gift, Vine thought.

He examined the rocks closely. And he started counting. One, two, three . . . He jumped back, fur on end. One! One day was left! One rock! Vine’s thought quickened. He went over to Flores, an orange cat.

“Hey . . . did anyone put out the rock for today there?” he asked, tail twitching.

“Not that I know of . . . but I’ve basically been here all day . . . no, I think," she sighed. “The last day of the month . . .”

Vine swallowed. “I’ll put the rock on,” he volunteered.

“Thanks,” Flores meowed. “It’s a big day, and I think a big kit should have the right to—” She paused, then looked at Vine. “You . . . don’t say you don’t know what today is.” Vine held his breath. She was right. Today was . . .

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“The last day I’ll be in this cave!” He screamed, he looked around. A firefly was buzzing around, its glow mild. Vine reached one paw into the air, ready. The dragonfly moved closer . . . then he caught the dragonfly in his claws.

P.S. Nofurs are humans!

Cats vs . Donuts

Maya Smith

Once there was a silver-furred cat with blue eyes, and she wanted to eat a donut on the table that had good enough bread but delicious strawberry icing with sprinkles. In the house of Sr. Gata and Sra. Gata, the cat crouched on the floor, waiting to pounce. I will not fail! thought the cat. Her name was Sea. Sea leaped onto the table, finding it hard to keep her balance while pushing herself up onto the table. Worn out, she curled up into a ball. Ah . . . time to get some sleep. The table was about 20 inches tall, or three tail-lengths. Drifting into sleep, Sea began to close her eyes, but then she spotted pink-colored icing. Sea sprang up and began to pace around the donut. I got you now! She thought and bent down to gulp down her prey. No more waiting! She narrowed her eyes, trying to picture the moment she’d sink her teeth into that amazing donut. Pricking her ears, she lifted up one paw to move the donut closer. Mm . . . right where I want you! But right when she was about to eat the donut, she decided she needed it closer so, lifting her paw, she began leading the donut to its demise. But then, the donut slipped out of her paw. You wouldn’t escape, never! And she got into a hunting crouch and sprang, jumping onto the donut. But, just like the donut, the cat slipped, and claws unsheathed, she grabbed the donut with her claws. Nearing the end of the table, she sheathed her claws and accidentally let the donut go.

“Ahh!” she yelled, hissing as her body was in the air.

With a crash, she looked around, then looked up. Her body hurt all over. She looked up, her mind mixed up. What happened? she thought. The . . . the . . . th-the donut did not win yet! She limped to one side of the table. One paw was up, she twisted it when she landed. Her furry body moved a little to the left, then her hind legs dropped onto the ground with the rest of her body. Her tail flicked. She curled herself into a ball. The cold wood felt good against her hot body. She blinked. I can barely stand. Donut, you win this time.