"The Poet's Cat"
Part 5
by Breyll & Vagabond
~ Orli ~
The sound was very small. Just a tiny bit of scratching
and the hint of a squeak. But it was enough to assure me that the mouse still
was where I thought it was. Just inside the wall, hiding in it's little mouse
hole, doing little mouse things. My ear twitched in annoyance, brushing against
the underside of Viggo's cupboard.
For more then an hour I had been sitting here in the dusty darkness and still
the little squeaker hadn't shown it's nose. I had managed to stay absolutely
still. Something that still amazed me.
Some more bits of memory had appeared in the course of the night – one
being that I had always been a bit hyperactive when I had been fully human.
But my human had assured me that this was not the case anymore.
We had been lying on his bed, half under the blanket, limbs tangled and sated
with hours of love-making, talking about what I remembered. He had laughed
softly, tickling my nose with long strands of my hair. "I'd say you are
a rather lazy cat." he had told me. And I had yawned and snuggled closer
to him.
I had realized I was not really all that interested in my past life. How could
any life be more perfect than this? A lazy, well fed cat at day, a loved human
at night. But Viggo had been relentless in his questions so I had tried to
remember. It hadn't amounted to much more then my name and some bits and pieces
like clothing style, a vivid image of a sports car that still made my fingers
twitch with excitement and another one of a giant swimming pool that made
my fur ruffle.
The mouse gave another little squeak. This one much closer to the hole and
I tensed. I would get that little bugger. Sooner or later. I was a cat after
all. Wouldn't do to have mice in the house of my human.
Who was not at home right now. He had left his little retreat to go to town.
To buy some clothes for me and try to find out something about my name. Quite
frankly I didn't see a point in getting dressed when I would just loose the
clothes as soon as I got close to my lovely human. And I cared even less about
my past. But if he insisted... Anything to make him happy.
I heard the front door open and was about to move to greet Viggo, when the
mouse finally made it's appearance. I watched fascinated as first the nose,
then the little head and then the whole mouse emerged from the hole. I waited
patiently till it had completely cleared the hole. Then I struck.
~ Viggo ~
I climbed the well-trodden stair to the attic, where I had my bedroom, with
mixed feelings.
I was laden with several packages and bags. I had bought clothes for Orli
and I very much hoped he would like them. But he'd probably have a more exclusive
taste in clothing.
Unsure of myself, my hands grabbed the plastic of the bags harder. In one
of them were lots of movie and fashion magazines, which I had bought in great
numbers. And they were filled with articles and pictures of a very popular
and adored young movie star. An actor who had been on his way to become a
megastar. And who then had disappeared. His name was Orlando Bloom...
The door to the attic was slightly ajar and from inside I heard scrapping
and scratching sounds and then suddenly a frightened, pitiful squeak.
Carefully I entered the room and dropped the bags in shock when I looked at
the scenario enfolding within. "Oh no... HUGO!!!"
~ Orli ~
I looked up when I heard Viggo's shocked outcry. He was standing
in the doorway, staring at me in utter horror. As it is impolite to talk to
somebody with a full mouth, I set down the mouse and put my paw on it's tail
to make sure it wouldn't escape. The mouse squeaked and my human mirrored
the sound.
"Orli, no!" he shouted. "Let Hugo go!" Hugo? Who the hell
was Hugo? I looked at him questioningly, then down at the mouse and then back
at him. He had not given the little squeaker a name, had he? "Murp?"
I asked.
Viggo left the bags he at dropped by the door and came over to me. "Orli,
that is my house mouse. It's been here much longer then you have. Will you
please let Hugo go." Obviously he had remembered now that I was quite
capable of understanding him, no matter what my form was.
A bit annoyed I looked at the mouse again. It was the first one I had ever
caught and I was a bit reluctant to let it escape. But if Viggo insisted.
Generously I raised my paw and the mouse fled back under the cupboard.
~ Viggo ~
Gratefully I patted Orli's head and then picked him up to
give him an extended cuddle. Happily my tom cat burrowed his head into the
crook of my arm and started purring.
Out of the corner of my eye I watched Hugo peer accusingly out of his hole
and then he disappeared into his home with a reproachful "squeak".
"I hope you will like the things I have bought for you. Would you like
to see them?" Orli playfully bit into my pullover which I considered
to be a 'yes'. First he inspected the pieces of clothing, sniffing each one
curiously. Then he looked at the magazines I had unhappily put on the bed
and mewed questioningly. I sighed, held my cat closer to me and took one of
the magazines.
"I was able to find some news about your human life, Orli." I told
him and a thick lump seemed to be stuck in my throat. What would Orli say,
when he learned that he was famous? And when he remembered, then... yes, then
he would leave me of course...
Orli mewed and I watched as he excitedly brushed his whiskers against a magazine
with his picture on the cover.
"So my cat really is some kind of 'cursed prince'. Also like in a fairy
tale..." I said with a wink and tried very hard to sound amused, without
really managing to.
~ Orli ~
Curiously I watched as my human showed me pictures of myself.
Of course my hair was shorter, I wore makeup, expensive clothes and was posing
with all sorts of 'rich-guy-stuff'. But it was definitely me. A very tired,
unhappy, unfriendly me – I very quickly noticed.
I had looked at myself in Viggo's bathroom mirror and quite liked what I saw:
an attractive young man, maybe a bit rumbled but all in all very cute and
happy and - well – nice. This 'me' in the magazines looked like... I
hated to even think it, but it looked like that awful 'Sean' Viggo had been
in love with. Like an arrogant asshole.
I watched as Viggo thumbed through the magazines and wondered what he saw.
He seemed to be pretty impressed. And the pictures did look impressive. Still
I was worried he would think me a snob because of them. He also seemed unhappy
for some reason.
So I snuggled closer to him and started purring reassuringly. Why was my beautiful
human always so worried? I mean, there really was no good reason to be, right?
He had me to protect him!
At last he let the magazine drop, picked me up again and buried his nose in
my fur.
"So you are famous, Orli." he whispered, sounding like he was going
to cry again. Stupid sweetheart. I had been famous. Now I was his cat. But
I would have to wait till the evening to tell him that.
~ Viggo ~
As always when I was depressed or unhappy I started to feel
tired and worn out. Orli in contrast was hopping about on the bed and nudged
me invitingly. My little wildling. How much I would miss him... But until
then I would enjoy every minute I could spend with him.
Orli ran back and forth on the floor between my feet now, looking very enterprising.
"Would you like to go out?" I asked and nudged his nose softly.
Orli mewed happily and licked my hand.
Half an hour later we were walking down the beach towards my favorite cafe,
which I wanted to show Orli. It was a beautiful day. The sun sending her rays
over a shiny blue sea and the sand was warm beneath my naked feet.
Smiling, I watched Orli play with a piece of paper, blown this way and that
by the wind. He looked so content and happy. I could have watched him for
hours.
~ Orli ~
When we reached the cafe Viggo had told me about, I was
a bit out of breath. I have no idea what so much fascinates me about a piece
of paper, but when it blows by right under my nose I just have to chase it.
Must be cat hunting instincts.
But you won't hear me complaining. The longer I stay with Viggo and the more
I remember about my former life, the more I start to believe that I am better
off now. Who wants to be a star when it makes you look ill and unhappy? Much
better to lie on your back in Viggo's lap and get your stomach scratched.
I wonder how it is for him. Does he see me as only cat by day? Or does he
remember I am a human? I don't feel all that human, I have to admit. I mean,
I understand what he says and all that. But who knows, maybe all cats do?
I should talk to another cat about that someday. But now there are other things
to take care of...
"Well isn't that the cutest little kitty?" I sat up and blinked
at the waitress, leaning down to let me sniff her hand. She smelled of rosewood
and coffee and soap. A nice mixture. She smiled happily when I rubbed against
her hand.
"Would you like a bit of cream, you sweet little thing?" she asked,
almost purring with pleasure herself. I mewed and Viggo said: "I'm sure
he would." "He, huh?" She giggled a bit. "What a charming
boy." Viggo smiled, she smiled and I purred.
"I'll have a cup of coffee, please." my human told her and then
she left. I arranged myself in Viggo's lap and started purring in earnest,
till I felt all warm and content.
~ Viggo ~
Contentedly Orli licked his bowl of cream and I drank my
strong black coffee just as happily.
For a long time we just sat there, enjoying the atmosphere of the small romantic
cafe and now and then winking at the nice waitress.
Slowly evening was approaching and it got time to go home. Or my sweet little
kitten would turn into a very naked Orli in the middle of the cafe. And I
would rather have been alone with him when that happened...
I smiled thoughtfully when I remembered the previous night and a warm tingling
spread through my body.
"Let's go home." I whispered into Orli's ear and his beautiful eyes
sparkled, when he snuggled against me in agreement.
-Orli-
We had almost reached Viggo's house, when I heard the one
sound, that would make my fur stand on end: the deep barking of a big dog.
While I had been wandering from place to place, searching for food and shelter
- before I had been found by Viggo - I had been chased by a number of dogs.
One had even caught me and happily gnawed on me, before his owner had rescued
me.
I barely had time to look for the monster, when it came running across the
sand straight at me. A big, wet dog, consisting mainly of teeth and paws in
my eyes.
Frozen in shock I stared at the approaching doom, when two hands grabbed me
and I was pressed against a warm chest. The dog stopped just inches away from
my brave human and proceeded to bark angrily, his own human running behind
him, leach in hand, obviously very unhappy about the behavior of his pet.
I snarled at the dog and then hid behind Viggo's arms, when the monster jumped
up to get at me. Some part of me knew I was digging my own claws into Viggo's
arms, but I was just to scarred to behave civilized.
Then the owner of the dog arrived, grabbed the monster on it's collar and
pulled it back. "I am so sorry!" he tried to shout over the noise
of his barking dog, dragging it away in the process.
Viggo just nodded and started stroking my ruffled fur, humming reassuringly.
My heart was beating so fast I thought it was going to jump right out of my
chest, but I was safe. My human had saved me.
If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to: Beryll & Vagabond
go to PART 6