Chain story : The Prodigal Cat

Apologies, for not getting this done yesterday; was busy planting out my new rockery and ran out of oomf.

So, let’s start with the rules :

1. Each story snippet is to be entered into Comments.

2. Each story snippet must be between 10 and 100 words long.

3. Each story snippet must follow on in some way from the snippet that came before, but DO NOT reply to individual comments or they’ll become impossible to read! Just reply to the post instead.

4. New story elements – i.e. new characters etc – can be added whenever you wish, but they must still somehow follow on or reference what came before.

5. No erotica or obviously ‘adult’ themes please. Just in case we get some old people following the story…. 😀

And that’s it for the rules. I assume no one needs to be told to have fun? Good. Now I’m pinching an idea from Indies Unlimited and providing a sort of introductory prompt, complete with this gorgeous photo of Harry. Let’s begin!

The Prodigal Cat

Harry had always been pretty laidback, and  the sedative made him even more so, but when the crate hit the floor, snapping the lock on his cage, he knew he had to go.

Peering out through the broken door, he saw a number of other crates scattered about on the concrete, with two longlegs in their midst. The humans were too busy yowling at each other to notice that some of the crates had broken open.

Perfect, thought Harry as he sidled outside on rubbery legs.

A very large, very juicy bunny in one of the other crates must have had the same idea because it, too, crept out of its cage, nose twitching.

Harry and Dinner eyed each other for a long moment before calling a silent truce; where longlegs were concerned it was US against THEM.

“Oy! They’re loose!”

Neither Harry nor Dinner understood the words, but both knew what they meant – the chase was on! Running in opposite directions, they instinctively headed towards the mountain of crates lining the walls. There were small, dark gaps between those crates, perfect for hiding in. If they could get to the wall they’d be safe.

Unfortunately for Harry, the effects of the sedative still had not worn off, and his mad sprint for freedom turned out to be more of a wobbly zigzag. He was still many body lengths from the first line of crates when big hands scooped him up and held him by the scruff of the neck.

Bugger, thought Harry as he dangled in mid air.

“Got… one!” the longlegs said, blowing gusts of garlic in Harry’s face with each breath.

“Well throw it in the bloody crate and come help over here,!” the other longlegs yelled. He was standing in front of the wall of crates, hands on hips and face red with exertion. Or perhaps it was anger – Dinner had made it.

Harry yowled in indignation as he was thrown into the back of a crate. Not only had he been caught, but now he’d been thrown in Dinner’s crate by mistake. The wooden burrow stank of bunny doo, and the only food he could see was a half-chewed orange thing, and some bits of limp green stuff.

Wrinkling up his nose in distaste, Harry curled up in the cleanest patch of straw he could find, and closed his eyes; the sooner he got to Perth the better.

Melanie, his longlegs, had been gushing about Perth for moons, and at this point, Harry figured anything would be better than this.

He was just drifting off to sleep when one of the longlegs approached, and peered at something on the outside of the crate.

“Better hurry with this one,” the longlegs said. “The 4:30 to New York leaves in half an hour.”

***