Sky the Unwanted Kitten (6 page)

Eventually, Sky’s howls turned to frightened cries. She was trapped. She couldn’t get out. What if she
never
got out?

Lucy! Come and find me! Please!
she mewed.

But everyone else in the house was asleep, tired from searching and crying and worrying, and no one heard.

Eventually, Sky clambered back into her safe little nest. She wriggled under Lucy’s hat and fell asleep, her paws sore from scratching.

A little later Lucy woke up with a start. She’d been half-dreaming,
half-worrying
. What if Sky hadn’t just 
slipped out because she spotted an open door? What if she’d run away on purpose?

Lucy knew she had been behaving oddly, playing with Sky one minute, and ignoring her the next. Maybe Sky had given up on her. After all, she had been taken away from her home and her mum, too, and everything had been different and strange, just like it had been for Lucy.

I drove her away
, Lucy thought miserably, certain now that this was what had happened. Suddenly she threw back her duvet. “I made her go, and it’s up to me to go and find her,” she muttered to herself. “I can’t leave her out there, thinking I don’t love her. This is all my fault.” 

It was past midnight, and Lucy was pretty sure everyone was asleep. She grabbed her torch, which luckily was on top of one of her boxes, and sneaked down the stairs. She wasn’t going to bother getting dressed – her pyjamas were fleecy and warm. She’d just put on her big dressing gown, and her fluffy hat and scarf. She was pretty sure Mum had unpacked them, and they were in that cupboard under the stairs.

Inside the cupboard, Sky was in a restless half-sleep. Then all at once the door opened, and a beam of light cut into the gloom of the cupboard, dazzling Sky for a moment before her eyes adjusted. It was Lucy! Sky was about to run to her, when she remembered the way her basket and food bowl were piled
up on the kitchen counter. Did Lucy still want her? She peered out from under Lucy’s hat, her eyes big and round and hopeful in the dark.

“It’s my fault,” Lucy whispered to herself. “Poor Sky. All because I was so stubborn.”

Sky heard her name, and Lucy’s sad voice. But what did it mean?

Lucy spotted the basket, and flashed the torch over the top, looking for her hat and scarf. It was cold outside and she might be out searching for a while – she wasn’t coming back until she’d found Sky and brought her home!

Then she stopped with a gasp. Peering out from under her hat was a tiny creamy-white head. Big blue eyes blinked at her uncertainly. 

“Sky!” Lucy breathed. “There you are! Mum was right, you didn’t get out after all! Oh, Sky, we’ve been looking for you all night.” She crouched down next to the basket, and looked closely at her. “Are you all right? Were you stuck in here? Why didn’t you call?”

Sky watched Lucy warily. Her voice sounded loving, but a little sad as well.
Please don’t give me back
… she mewed.
I want to stay!

“Were you hiding?” Lucy asked slowly. “Because you didn’t know what was going on? Oh, Sky, I’m so sorry…” She reached out one finger, very gently, and rubbed Sky under her chin. “It’s all going to be fine now, I promise. No more pretending I don’t love you, because I really, really do. I know I do. Please come out!”

Sky stood up unsteadily on the pile of hats and gloves, and mewed again.
I’m so hungry!
she told Lucy.

“You must be starved,” Lucy muttered. Very gently, she picked Sky up, cradling her close. 

Sky could feel Lucy’s heart beating as she carried her to the kitchen. Her own heart was thumping anxiously, too. Where would her basket be? She sat tensely in Lucy’s arms as she opened the door, and turned on the kitchen light. Then she howled in dismay. It was piled up on the counter still, with her bowl and food bag. They were still going to give her away!

“Hey, hey, Sky, what’s wrong?” Lucy asked. “Oh! Your basket. Does it look strange up on the counter like that? It’s all right, look.” Whispering soothingly and cuddling the tiny kitten in one arm, Lucy took Sky’s toys out of the basket and put it back in its warm corner by the radiator. Sky stopped crying, and leaned over Lucy’s
arm to sniff it suspiciously. It seemed right. Good. Now all Lucy had to do was get her food bowl.

“Lucy!” Lucy’s mum was at the kitchen door, her dressing gown
half-tied
, looking worried. “What are you doing?” she said. “Oh, you’ve found her! Where was she?” She turned to Lucy’s dad, who had followed her downstairs. “Lucy’s found Sky!”

Lucy carried her kitten over for her mum to stroke. “She was in the cupboard under the stairs. She must have been there all that time!” She looked seriously at her parents. “I think she was hiding because she didn’t know whether we wanted her or not,” she said quietly. “But we really do, don’t we?”

“Of course we do,” said Mum.

Her dad poured some food into Sky’s bowl. “I bet she’s starving.”

Sky started to eat, gulping down the food, then looking hopefully for more.

“It’s not that long till breakfast, Sky, don’t worry!” Lucy giggled. She looked up at her mum and dad. “Can Sky sleep on my bed?” she begged.

Her mum nodded. “If you get back to bed right this minute! In fact, I think we should
all
get back to bed!”

Sky rubbed her head against Lucy’s chin as she carried her upstairs. She could tell how happy Lucy was.

As Lucy snuggled up under her warm duvet, Sky curled up next to her on the pillow and purred loudly. There was no place either of them would rather be! Lucy and Sky were home. 

Lost in the Snow

Lost in the Storm

Alfie all Alone

Sam the Stolen Puppy

Max the Missing Puppy

Sky the Unwanted Kitten

Timmy in Trouble

Ginger the Stray Kitten

Harry the Homeless Puppy

Buttons the Runaway Puppy

Alone in the Night

Ellie the Homesick Puppy

Jess the Lonely Puppy

Misty the Abandoned Kitten

Oscar’s Lonely Christmas

Lucy the Poorly Puppy

Smudge the Stolen Kitten

The Rescued Puppy

The Kitten Nobody Wanted

The Lost Puppy

The Frightened Kitten