Away From Home

A Novelette by:
Nur Dania Syahira

Summary

This is a story about two kittens, Link, and Navi lost and away from
their mother just to run away from danger. They go through a
dangerous and extraordinary adventure away from home. Will these
two kittens ever find or survive their journey to find a home?

Table of Contents

CHAPTERS
CHAPTER TITLE

The Journey

Begins

A New

Member

3
Beneath

The Mysteries

The Blood

Moon

Oakwood

Village

The Mayor, The

Litterbox

Butchs

Disappearance

Back on Track

Reunited with

Revenge

10

Crows, Crows,

Crows!

11

Dad?

12

Accepting Destiny

13

The End?

Chapter One: The Journey Begins

I opened my eyes. I saw my mother, my brothers, and my sister.

They were looking at me with a smile on their faces. I was born with
large eyes and soft fur. I brought happiness and joy to my family.
Problems did not exist; Happiness, Joy, Love. I thought that these
feelings would last forever and that nothing would ever stand in my
way. I was right.

A few weeks later, I became very active, helpful, and curious. I

played with my friends, my brothers, Link and Keith, and my sister,
Pixie. They taught me how to catch fish, hunt for birds, and survive
in the woods, only if necessary. They are really good at teaching
other kittens new things. One Friday afternoon, Mummy told Link to
go catch some fish for supper. He asked me if I'd like to follow him.
So, it was like to improve my hunting skills by watching a

professional. I gradually accepted his offer and we headed out to the

river that is located in within the dark forest. As we reached our
destination, I dipped my furry paw into the moving stream filled with
different types of fish. The water from the stream flowing through
my sharp claws fills me with determination. This was the perfect
weather to be fishing: The soft breeze blowing through my soft fur,
the freshness in the air, an abundance of fish swimming in the fresh,
flowing stream. It couldn't get any better than this. We caught 26
different fish. Suddenly, a stench flowed through the air. It smelled
funny. It was the smell of smoke. Oh. No. This is bad. As I turned
around and faced my brother, he seemed like he was hissing at
something... or someone! This is very bad. I couldn't move. I froze
right to that spot, staring at the creature.

I stared at the silhouette, with fear and curiousness. I didn't

know what to do, whether to run, to fight, or to stand still. But then,
it grabbed me by the neck! As it takes me closer and closer, I could
see this 'creature' much more clearly. It was a man, wearing an
orange shirt with a silver badge that has a picture of animals. And
he didn't look happy.
"Look what we have here"
He said with a smirk on his face. I was so confused but, I was mostly
filled with fear and anger. I tried to break free from his grasp. It
didn't do anything. I felt weak and scared. I felt helpless. I struggled,
I couldn't do anything. This was the end for me. But, I didn't lose
hope. Link kept hissing and then he bit and scratched the man. He

shrieked in pain and his hand became lose. I broke free and I ran
with Link until we think that it is safe.

"Are you okay, Navi? Are you hurt?" said Link, with a desperate look
on his face. He saved me from being killed or taken hostage by a
man.

"I'm okay, Link. Don't worry about me. Let's head home before they
get to Mummy, Keith, and Pixie! Hurry!"
We ran as fast as our tiny little legs could carry. We stopped running
just as we reached the entrance. Link and I stared at the door in
shock. I can't believe it! It was broken down.

We peeked inside the house through the broken pieces of the

shattered door. It looks like it got broken down by a huge army of
men or maybe it was just gunshots. It was like nothing has ever
lived here. It made us worry. I entered with precaution and wandered
around slowly; with every little hope left in my hands but it was too
late. They took everything: Our family, our food, and our supplies.
All that was left were: broken plates, cups, mirrors, and bits of
pieces from the walls and ceilings. I felt scared. They took all we
had. My village looked so eerie and haunted. Link looked like a
mess. I cheered him up and we prepared our bags and some
supplies. We have to find our family. We NEED to find them. We have

to go on this quest to find our captured mother and siblings. Before

we headed out into the darkest, deepest part of the woods, we took
a small stroll around the town. Everything was broken. Everyone was
missing. Buildings were smashed. We took everything left
unharmed. We got a flashlight, 4 jars of milk, 3 packets of cat treats,
and some other useful things. I felt concerned about what is ahead
of us.
"Let's just get on with it. Hopefully, it's not too late. "

When we turned around, almost out of town, we heard a faint

scream under all of the debris. I was curious but Link went straight
on. I ran after him and called out.
"Link! Wait! I heard something!!"
Link turned around, confused. I just stared at him, thinking that he
might follow me towards the sound but, he said something I didn't
expect him to say.
"Whatever it is, it might be dangerous. Stay away, Navi. Let's Go!!"
I felt shocked. Link used to be very curious like me, too. Maybe he
desperately wants to find our family and friends. I do, too but, what
if it could be a living survivor?! I couldn't let him/her suffer here
without food or water. Or maybe he/she might be hurt? We have to
help him/her. Maybe he/she can do something or give something to
us in return. Who knows? So, I disobeyed his order and ran towards
the sound. I don't know if it was safe. I don't know if I am crazy

enough to run towards a dangerous broken town. But all I could

think of was to help.

Chapter Two: A New Member

"Nava! Wait! Stop!" Link shouted but I didn't look back.

It's not that I don't care. I just became desperate so, I simply
followed and continued walking towards the sound. Then, I stopped

right in my tracks. I looked down and stared. There was something

moving underneath all the gravel and debris. I felt scared. Maybe it's
dangerous but, I also felt courage within me.

"Hello?" I heard a grunt underneath the garbage, but it wasn't very

clear.

"Hold on! I'm going to help you!" I grabbed a piece of trash one after
the other. I threw them aside and I continued the same process.
Then, I saw an ear; a kitty ear. It's a survivor! I took grasp of his
hand and pulled him hard but made sure I wouldnt hurt him. I
struggled to try help him up. I can't do this alone!
"Link, Help me!! It's a survivor!!"

Link helped remove the gravel out of the way and I kept pulling.
The survivor looked like he was a captain or something. He wore a
dirty, ripped blue jacket with a captain's hat. We helped him up and
we placed him down. His leg was broken, with scars, blood, and
everything. We took a piece of cloth from ripped clothing we saw
lying around the damaged shops. His face was bloody with scars,
pieces of rocks and wood. We carefully helped him as much as we
can. I searched around the pharmacy to look for some supplies to
heal him. Great news! I found 2 med kits. We kept one in our bag
and another on him.

"Are you okay, Sir? What happened?"

"Everything was destroyed. My family got taken away by some -EVIL
CREATURE!"
He started to freak out. Link and I helped calm him down and we
said that we were going to save all of the people.
"Thank you for your bravery. The name's Butch. My friends call me
Butter, but you don't need to know that."
Butch said that he was a captain of a ship but, other people said
that he was becoming too obsessed with it. He even named his own
ship and called it 'Karen'. He got a little crazy after the incident.

"We should get going, Navi."

"Alright then."

We said our goodbyes to our new friend, Butch but he didn't

seem too happy about that.
"Wait! What if I joined you kids on the journey?!"
We weren't sure if we should bring Butch with us. He got a little
mental and he has an injured leg but we didn't want to leave him,
either. We told Butch to stay put but, he came onto his knees and
begged us to take him.

"Butch, we don't want you to get hurt anymore. We would love to

bring you, but it is too dangerous. Just stay here, okay? Link asked
politely. Butch felt sad.

"But I will be all alone. Everyone got captured. What am I supposed

to do? Wait here so that they could capture me, too?" We pitied
Butch but, he got injured. He might slow us down.
In the end, we said,
"... Fine. You can follow us, too..." He looked pretty happy and he
began singing an old pirate chant since we never seen or went on a
boat before, we were unfamiliar with it.

"Let's just go"

We started our journey together but this time, we're not alone.
Butch is here with us! The three of us are going to be heroes one
day; Legends.

When we walked to the entrance of the deep dark forest, Butch

stopped walking. He said that he has second thoughts about this
journey but, we headed on anyway. We were very desperate into
getting our friends and family back home and safe. Now that we

think about it, we have no clue where are those humans going. We
kept walking until we reached a river, our fishing spot.
"This was the place where they attacked us!"
"Search the place! We can find out where are they heading to."
I wandered around the place and took the fish that Link and I fished
before we were attacked. After going around, I found a clue.
Footprints were printed on the ground with broken trees aligned
around it.
"Link, Butch! I found something! Maybe this could lead us to the
'man'!"
They headed over to me and checked it out. It leads straight into the
forest. The deepest, darkest, scariest part of the forest. And then,
Link stuttered.
"Umm. Let's.. go?"

Chapter Three: The Mysteries Beneath

I don't know if we were crazy or not to go towards danger. But,

we went ahead anyway. Fear took over my whole body. It made me
harder to think about anything. And that's when Butch started to
scream very girly. But it was a bit muffled. Link and I turned around
to see what's with all the commotion. We saw Butch stuck in a hole.
I hole big enough to make someone stuck, like glue. It looked like it
was made by someone. Or something! His little legs waved in the
air, but not in a very good way.
"Butch! Hold on! We're here to help!"
I pulled on Butch's little cute legs and trying my best not to hurt
him. And by the way, his leg got injured from the attack. Link helped
me, too. But, it looked like he didn't care about it that much. We
both tugged as hard, and gently, as we could. No use. He was really
glued into there. He started to panic.
"Stop panicking! You're making this situation more difficult to
handle!"
Exclaimed Link. I don't think he liked the thought of Butch with us on
this quest. Link said to leave him here. But I refused. Luckily, I just
remembered that I took a glass shard from our broken house and
use it to cut roots around it. And maybe a bit of dirt.

"I'm going to die here!!"

Screamed Butch when I started to cut all around him. He doesn't
have trust in me. Maybe because Link and I are still young. But I'm 1

years old! I can handle it! Link dug up dirt around Butch with his
bare paws while I cut roots and mud. A few minutes later, Butch
was safe and sound. He didn't have to worry about anything
anymore. Unless he doesn't watch his step. I looked down the steep
hole, wondering what could have done this. I became more curious
when I saw a flickering light from the other side. I didn't want to tell
Link, in fear of him being mad at me again like the last time. I glared
at Link, to see what he was doing. He sat under a tree, with Butch.
Link brewed hot chocolate and gave Butch. Looks like Link cared
about Butch's safety after all. Since he was occupied, with all the
orders Butch was handing out to him, I sneakily crept down the hole,
bringing only a rope and some matches. I know that I shouldn't be
bringing only two things, but my bag was near Link and Butch. If I
got near them, just to take things, they would get suspicious.

"Sorry, Link.." I whispered to myself, as I took a step in the hole.

Somehow, it fits perfectly for a small kitten like me. I took a step,
and another, and another, but then, it became slippery in the
deepest part. I slipped and fell.

"AHHH!!" I screamed. I bet Link and Butch have noticed my

disappearance and my screaming. I looked up, and I saw no one
looking down. Maybe, they didn't hear it. Hopefully not. I looked
around me. There were three holes, separated from one another.
Hmm.. Which one should I follow?

I stared and observed at each hole. The first hole had mushrooms
in one array towards the abyss. The second hole had a light at the
end and flowers in one trail. And the last hole, the third one, caught
my eye first. It had nothing in or around it. It looked plain with
nothing. It caught my eye because it looked dull. The other holes,
covered with mushrooms and flowers, might be a trap to attract
rodents and felines. I started a match and walked through the dark,
dull hole. I was silent.. I knew this could be a trap, too. But, what if
I'm wrong? I continued without any concern and doubt. Okay, maybe
I was a little concerned. I kept looking back, just in case someone
attacks me from behind. You can never be too careful and safe,
especially in a dark, steep, scary hole.

"NAVI!! WHERE ARE YOU??!!" I heard Link shout. He sounded furious

and worried. I can tell by his tone. I felt sorry for Link. He must be
worried sick. And by his echo, he must've shouted that really loud. I
kept going. Sorry, Link. I'm just very curious. If only I knew how it
feels like to be in his shoes, to have a curious and adventurous
sibling.

I kept moving, but I stopped looking back. I didn't want to see Link
behind me, but I didn't expect it to happen, though. I froze. I heard
something. I think it's behind me, breathing down my furry neck. My
whiskers sense something.. Something or someone is behind me!

I felt chills down my spine. I slowly turned around, very slowly.. I

looked back, with nothing behind me. I thought I heard something. I
continued my walking as I reached a bright light. I couldn't see
anything as I stepped into the light. After a few minutes, I tried to
open my eyes. I saw something no one would ever suspect
underground. It was something that was supposed to be a myth but,
it was real. It was a golden, shiny underground palace, made out of
real gold! I stared at it in awe. How I wish to live in a place like this.
As I took another step, I felt something grabbing my coat. I
hesitantly turned around, and shocked to see Link! And Butch!

"What are you doing here? It's not safe!" I told Link how he found
me. His reply was that he saw a ripped piece of my coat. I froze.

"What is this place?" Said Butch, with a perplexed look on his face. I
just stare. I kept staring. The shininess makes me go blind and
curious. Everything fades away slowly. Everything turns white. I felt
like I was being choked because in that moment, I stopped breathing
for a while. But just then, I received a slap right across the face.
From Link. He told me to stay focused and turned around, leaving
the barriers of the palace. I need to stay focused. I glanced at Butch,
who was secretly 'borrowing' some treasures, gold, and jewelry. I
didn't care. That can't hurt anyone, right? I followed Link as dirt
starts to pile up behind us, covering the entrance. What happened?

We knew nothing. That doesn't look good. The ground was shaking
furiously. Oh no! It's an Earthquake! We need to escape fast or else,
we'll be buried alive!!

Chapter Four: The Blood Moon

I stared at the ceiling, wondering if we could ever get out of this
situation. But then, I started to panic. We started to panic. Dirt starts
to crumble above us. Only a miracle could save us now. And a
miracle DID save us. Before it was too late, Butch dug up a small
hole that was just enough to fit two small kittens. And a problematic
captain. We scuttled into the hole and went onto the surface. Ahh..
Fresh air. And it was still bright outside. Maybe it could be enough
time to walk to a nearby village. It might probably take 2 or 3 hours
of walking. But it will be worth it! For family and friends! After 1 hour
of walking, we started to feel tired.
"It's getting dark. We should build camp here."
I said. I did not have the courage to walk in the darkness. Besides,
I'm famished. We could all go for a bite. We ate some of our cat

treats, that we scavenged for, and some milk. We're almost out of
food supplies. Tomorrow, we have to start scavenging for food. I
studied Link, as he starts lit up the fire. Butch was just chill.. But his
leg didn't look any better. Hopefully we reach the village before it
got worse. I gazed at the stars, recalling memories with Pixie.
Sometimes I wonder if they could see me now. With all of the
situations, I handled them with ease. I faced the moon, but it didn't
look the same. It looked reddish. It was a full moon. I had never seen
it before. Some people called it "The Blood Moon", by its color and
the predators. During Blood Moon, all of the different beasts and
scavengers and monsters will roam around the forest, and attack its
prey. As soon as I saw it, I ran and called out for Link and Butch.

"Link! Butch! It's the Blood Moon! We have to leave, NOW!!"

I screamed out. Link turned around with this confused look on his
face until he saw the Moon. We packed our things and bags as we
scuttled hurriedly, trying to find shelter. I panted, looking back at
Butch, who was sweating after all that running.
"Wait! Stop!! I'm tired!"
Butch called out. Link and I looked at Butch.. He says that we
shouldn't be running now. We can run after the danger has arrived
afoot. I must admit, he is right. We settled down and set a campfire
so that we can see monsters that are lurking close to us. Link said
that it is not safe to go look for more firewood. 1 hour has passed
and nothing has attacked us.. Not yet, I guess..

"More tea?"
"This is a serious matter.."
"But nothing has attacked us"
"Not YET!"
Link and I were arguing for a short period of time. But, I wouldn't call
it 'arguing', though. It's more like, disagreeing over something..
important? And lucky that it was about the animals in the woods, the
predators, the killers, the hunters. Link was over-caution about this
whole 'Blood Moon' situation. Why don't he just, chill. Butch have
been awfully silent after our conversation. He was just sipping tea,
under a big pine oak tree, using his Ipod. I bet he must be watching
YouCool videos or something... He keeps chuckling from time to
time. It sometimes scares me. A LOT!

I woke up feeling a lot sleepier and tired than usual, and I heard a
noise, rustling in the deeper part of the forest. That didn't sound
very pleasing. Link and Butch were silent. Probably still sleeping. I
stood up, grabbed my flashlight, and flashed it towards the rustling.
It seems to be coming from behind the bushes. Hmm.. Could it just
be a cute, harmless, young baby bunny? When I took one step, A
huge ROAR came from the bushes! Shocked, I stood still. My feet
feels like jelly. I can't move. I want to move. I NEED to move! Or else,
I'll become a midnight snack! I tried to scream and shout, But fear
took over me. I couldn't do anything. This is the end for Navi cat. I'm
going to be eaten alive without doing anything to escape or survive.

I kept staring. I kept staring. Staring, staring, staring. Since I'm not
going to be able to move or run, why not stare? I looked at it,
wondering who or what is the one that is going to have my head.
The one, the lucky one, that is going to have fresh cat stew with 2
cat appetizers.. to GO!
"L-L-Linkk.. B-Butcch.."
I mutter, trying to force myself. Wait a minute.. Didn't that thing
ROAR just a few minutes ago? I mean, how can they not hear that? It
had a piercing sound that made my ears ring. Are they unconscious?
Link and Butch are hard sleepers??! Link has been my brother, like,
forever! How can I NOT know that? How? HOW?! I couldn't see it
clearly because the light created a shadow. The light. My flashlight. I
stared at the silhouette.

"Navi!! You're safe!! Thank goodness! ..What are you doing?"

I heard a familiar voice, calling out my name. I tried to look back,
but the struggle is real. I can say that it was Link's voice. But, it
didn't sound like it. But it was familiar. Then this, stench, came out
of nowhere. It smelled like expired fish and milk with a side of..
Diarrhea... barf and puke. All of this, materials, combine to make an
awful.. stench. It smells so bad my nose became numb. I couldn't
smell a thing! That helps, though.
"Navi..? Can you hear me?"

I paw landed on my shoulder, the warmth of the paw feels good. The
beast ran away. I just noticed it until now. Maybe it ran from a few
minutes already? I don't know. I didn't keep track of it. But now that
'it' is gone, fear has ran away and I am back in command. I turned
around, and I was surprised at who it was!
"Pixie..? You're ALIVE??!!"
I exclaimed as I jumped and gave her a BIG hug, a tight squeeze. I
guess my screaming made Link and Butch wake up, startled. Link
stared at Pixie like he had never seen her before. When he came to
his senses, he finally remembers her, and gave her a big hug. They
both giggled as Butch stared at them in confusion. Link introduced
Butch to Pixie.

"Hello, Butch. Nice to meet you. Thank you for taking care of my
siblings." Said Pixie. Well, to be honest, Link and I are the ones who
took care of Butch, since he was the 'crazy' person on this trip. I
looked at Butch, as he shook hands with Pixie. I rolled my eyes at
him. He is such a drama queen. I mean, 'king'. Drama king. I looked
in the distance, and saw that it was already sunrise. Maybe that's
why the beast left. With no loot. It's good to see the sunrise again,
after that incident. I imagine how Pixie can make it here. Without
getting hurt. I didn't care.. It's great to see her again!
Chapter Five: Oakwood Village
"What happened to Mum and Keith? Are they okay? How did you
escape?"

Pixie said that she tried to escape the human with the badge. She
bit his hand until she was free and ran away. She fainted after being
hit by a tree. And when she woke up, she heard a loud roar nearby
and saw light. My flashlight. The human took mom and Keith with
him. Hoo-man?? What is a hoo-man? I'm going to assume that she
said beasts.

"Which direction was he heading?"

"I don't know, but the last time I saw him was near those two trees."
Pixie pointed towards the two broken trees, that was leading to a
broken trail up the hill. Bingo! We can finally track him down and
find our family and friends. Save them, to be exact. We packed our
things and started to head out. Butch said that a town was located
nearby.
"How about we visit there to rest for a night or two? Or.. to refuel
ourselves.."
I guess that's fine. So, we followed Butch, who seemed so excited to
go there all of a sudden. We walked and encountered a signboard
that read, "Oakwood Village, 20 steps away". We are so close! It is
only 20 steps away! From here, I think I could see a wooden bell
inside an oak wood tree. I guess that's how they got their name. As
we came closer to the village, the more it shows. 5 steps away. 4..
3.. 2.. 1..

"We're here!!"
Exclaimed Butch, who immediately jumped in the air and ran into
the village. He then disappeared into thin air. I looked up, and the
village was very pretty! Beautiful. I gazed at it. All the buildings were
made out of wood, trees, and branches. Clouds were above the
village, making it look majestic. Everyone wandered around the
town. It looks like a very busy town, filled with hardworking people,
who needs money to support their family. I guess we all froze in
awe, because in the corner of my eye, I could see Pixie and Link,
staring at a particular something. Imagine living in a place like this. I
shook out of amazement and started walking into the village. I
looked at Pixie and Link, who was still frozen. I rolled my eyes again.
"Hey. Are you guys coming? Or do you want to stand there like a
bunch of losers?"
I said. I'm not being mean or rude or anything. We play a lot with
each other. We like to make fun of each other. I'm just, insulting
them, in a good kind of way. Link looked at me.
"Are you talking to us? Oh, I'm sorry. I don't speak idiot!"
I just stared at him. I'm the youngest in my family and I'm the one
who doesn't get a person to back me up? I glared at him and after a
few moments later, we all started to giggle and laugh. Pixie and Link
like to insult and make fun of me because I'm the youngest. But they
insult me in a good way.

We walked into the village, trying to look for the mayor of this
village. Maybe he can let us stay the night in his peaceful heaven.
We walked around, and we found Butch, hugging and kissing people
that we don't know. Oh.. I get it now, I think. Butch wanted to come
here to be reunited with his family and friends! Kind of like us! I
walked up to him and said:
"You must be really happy to be reunited with your family, aren't
you?"
"Family?"
Butch said, confused.
"Ohh.. these people. No.. I don't know them. I'm just giving free hugs
and kisses to everyone. 'Friendly introduction', as they call it. Right?"
I stared blankly at him. This dude.. Needs a life. The people stared at
me, like I'm a freak or something. I was like in my head, I don't know
this dude. I went silent and turned around and headed to Pixie and
Link, who were staring at a low discount salmon. Awkward.. I knew
they were still staring at me. Navi, stay focused. I tried to ignore
them.
"Hey Link, Pixie. What's.. up?"
They started to touch the fish and licked their fingers. This is so
embarrassing.. I know that they can be embarrassing sometimes,
but it's not like I can do anything. I tried to stop them from doing
what their doing. But they didn't listen. Then, I lost it.

"LINK! PIXIE!! LET"S GO ALREADY!!"

I screamed, and everyone looked at me. Awkward.. I felt
embarrassed. Link and Pixie stared at me, with this scary look on
their faces. The other people looked at me with this weird look, and
started to whisper and murmur. I bet that they are talking about me.
I looked at the window of one of the shops and I saw my reflection,
my face... It started to become red. Am I embarrassed or am I just..
angry? Either way, I felt shame. A rabbit shouted:
"Oh my god! This cat is a beast towards her siblings!"
Everyone started to whisper more and some was laughing. I looked
at Link and Pixie, who was looking at me, like they care about me. I
stepped back from all of this commotion. Everyone started chanting
'Stay away from us, you BEAST!!'. So I took one more step and then
I ran towards town square and kept running without stopping. I
didn't look back. I knew that everyone was still staring at me while
chanting, thinking that I am a troublemaker in their town of peace.
Tears started flowing down my cheeks. I stopped and wiped it off. I
couldn't stop the tears in my eyes, until Butch came up to me.
"Hey, kiddo. What's the matter? Those people bullying you?"
He told me that he heard the commotion. I stared at the ground,
trying to think positive.
"Butch. What do you.. u-usually do w-when you get e-eembarrassed.. ?"
I muttered, but he heard it. He told me to let it go.

"Well. I laugh with the people. I know it's embarrassing.. but why to
go against them when you can be beside them?"
That didn't help at all. But, I understood what he meant. I nodded
and I thanked him for his advice. And I walked towards the town hall.

Chapter Six: The Mayor, The Litter box

"Never give up on something you held on to. -Butch, 2016/ 2016"
- Wise words from Butch. He told me to remember these words when
I encounter something I feel like giving up on. I guess.. A mental cat
can give the best advices.. That's very offensive.. He he he.. Well,
lets continue. I ran towards the town hall's main door. I pushed the
door open and inside was dark. Chills down my spine disappeared
when the lights flickered on. A tall flamingo stood in front of me,
with shiny jewelry covering her neck. What a very pretty woman!
"How can I help you, young cat?"
Her voice was very bold and strong. But somehow, it was soft, too. I
guess the softness represents her heart..?
"I'd like to meet the mayor of Oakwood Village, please? It's about
our village, Catnip Village. It has been attacked and everyone got
captured and Keith and mum-"

I stopped. Tears started to come. I looked down, so that she doesn't

see my tears. She placed her wing on my shoulder. I guess she
already saw it.
"It's okay. I'll tell the mayor that you came."
She bent down on her knees, to look at my face, which looked like a
monster.
"You are such a brave little kitten, traveling all the way from your
town for help. Our mayor is happy to help you. Don't worry. I bet
they will be proud of you right now, if only she saw you here."
She hugged me. Her warmth made me feel safe. I hugged her back.
She lets go. She told me to sit on the couch while waiting for the
mayor. Everyone in this town is very.. kind, despite the incident that
had happened earlier.. Her name was Charlene. It was written on a
tag she wore. How come I didn't notice it until now?!

"Little cat, the mayor would like to see you now.. He does look
scary but don't worry, he's harmless. He can't even hurt a fly!"
She told me as I entered a large room with a desk in the center of
the room. The swivel chair was facing the other side, so I couldn't
see how he looked like.
"Take a seat."
The strong, hard voice of the mayor said. I sat on the poofy pink
chair, but it was a little too big. So when I sat on it, I sank into the

chair. Only my face was visible. I saw only the desk. I couldn't see
anything else. I could hear the swivel chair swiveling around.
"Oh god.. Seriously? *Grunts* Charlene! You didn't tell me that it was
a kid! Bring a stool! *mumbling*"
I got picked up by Charlene. She looked at me with a little grin on
her face. Cute.. She said. She placed me on a high stool, so that the
mayor could see me and so that I won't be stuck in a chair. I looked
at the mayor. He was a walrus with one broken tusk. I bet he is one
of the strongest walruses in the world! I stared at him in awe, and
his name tag wrote 'Mayor Johnson'.
"Nice to meet you, kid. What's your name?"
I looked around me. Charlene was standing beside me. She grinned.
She wants to know my name, too I guess.
"N-Navi C-C-Cat.."
Both looked surprised at me. What happened? Why are they
surprised? I became much more nervous than I already was. I
started to shiver in fear. What should I do?!

"N-Navi Cat? As in.. William Cat?!"

"W-William? That's my dad! But, I had never met him before. He..
died.. when I was a kitten. I wish to see him again.."

Ms. Charlene looked sad. She hugged me and said 'poor kitty' when I
told them that. I tried moving away.. but she let go of me before I
could. The mayor got teary-eyed.
"Oh, William.. He was a friend of mine. He came to this town, and
asked for help. He needed some of our supplies to take care of his
family.. "
I started to get teary-eyed as well. But I stopped and stayed
focused. I told him if he could help, he said that he will see what he
can do to help. I shook his hand and left the room. They are going to
help us! We're finally going to be safe. This is great! I felt happy.
They are going to help us. Too bad the feeling didn't stay. Link and
Pixie were sitting on a couch, talking with Charlene. Better get this
over with. I took a step and they all looked at me. Link and Pixie
made a gasp of relief and ran towards me.
"Navi!! You're okay! Thank goodness. We were worried sick!"
They gave me a squeeze with all their might. It made me feel like
choking. But, they stopped and lets go of me after I tried struggling
to escape. I moved away from them and they stared at me. I can tell
that they are confused. I looked around, trying and pretending not to
notice their sad faces. I took one stare at them. They were staring at
the ground and at each other, thinking that they have made a
mistake about getting too 'infatuated' with that salmon. Seeing
them like this makes me feel like I've made wrong choices in life. I
wanted to break the silence. So, I started speaking.

"Umm.. Let's go book ourselves a place to crash in for the night. The
mayor said that he was going to help us."
Their spirits brightened up. I gave them a little grin. But, I thought
that it wasn't enough. So, I gave them a hug, too. They gave me a
smile of confirmation... A confirmation that they are okay.

Charlene gave us some candy before we left the town hall. I like
Charlene. She is the coolest and kindest person alive! When we
went out, Butch was buying things.. Not important.. Like a can of
dog food, some pieces of broken glass, ripped clothing, and many
more. We rolled our eyes at him. Silly Butch. Link walked up to Butch
and told him that we are heading off to find a place to stay
overnight.
"I'll come with!"
Exclaimed Butch. We went to every store and asked them if there is
some kind of hotel for us to live in. All of them are pointing and
saying the same thing; The Litter box. Sounds like a really weird
name, right? I guess it is the only hotel in this village. Let's give it a
shot, shall we? We stopped in front of the 'hotel', as they call it, and
stared at it. It looks pretty much abandoned. The color looks dull and
some of the windows are boarded up. Even the sign went onto the
floor. I guess that's how it got its name. Butch started squirming. We
looked at him. He wanted scream. But, we stopped him by asking
him what's bothering him so much.
"This place is haunted.. I mean, LOOK AT IT!!"

"Calm down, Butch.."

"AHHH!! SOMEONE ATE THAT RABBITS' HEAD OFF!!"
A rabbit came out of the Litter box. But, its head wasn't missing.
He's just really short. Navi, Pixie, and I exchange glances. This
creep. The rabbit led us into the hotel. But Butch prefers he stay
outside. Link pulled him inside. As Butch took a step inside, he
calmed down.
"This place is amazing!"
It looked so classy on the inside. Everything was sparkly, with very
vibrant colors. All of us were amazed. The rabbit stayed near the
counter, while a kangaroo with glasses is on the counters' computer.
He looked at us with a serious look on his face. He gave a glare to
each every one of us. He must really take his job seriously.

"Hello. Welcome to The Litter box. How can I be at service?"

He sounds bored and tired. I guess he hates his job..? Or maybe, he
is just tired.
"Umm.. We'd like to book into a hotel room. We are only staying
overnight... So.."
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever.. Here's the room key. Don't make a mess.
DON'T!!"
He leans over, with an evil glare, shoving the key in our face. We
leaned back, and took the key.

"Th-Thanks..?"
We quickly ran towards the elevator and pressed the button. While
waiting, I looked at the key label, to know which floor to go to. The
label was almost ripped. Almost. I could only make out '103' on it.
103.. 103.. The elevator doors opened and we entered it. Floor 1.. I
pressed floor 1 and the elevator started moving. Hear that? Yes..
Silence.. Everyone stopped talking.. It's so awkward.. Ding! We're
here! The elevator door opened and a long hallway was in front of
us. We walked passed the doors. 101.. 102.. Ah-ha! We found it!
103! Pixie prepared the key and puts it in. She turned it with a click.
The door opened.. It looked empty. There has a lot of space. Less
furniture, 2 bedrooms with king sized beds, 1 toilet/ bathroom, and a
small kitchen. It looks comfortable for two people.. But what about
four?! This is a big problem..
"I guess I'm sleeping on the couch.. And Butch, let's ask the
receptionist for extra blankets and pillows.. and mattresses.."
Link and Butch went out. I guess Pixie and I are going to take the
bedrooms..
"I feel bad letting the boys sleep in the living room.. "
"Same.. Hey! How about girls sleep in one room while boys in the
other? They will share bed and we will share beds, too!"
"Great Idea! Let's go chase after them!"
"Sure!"

Chapter Seven: Butch's Disappearance

"Link! Butch! You don't have to sleep on the couch anymore! I'm
sharing rooms with Pixie! You share with Butch!"
Link turned around, holding blankets and pillows.
"With.. Butch..?"
Link looked at Butch, who was eating spaghetti that spilled on the
ground a few days ago. Link started the shiver in disgust. Poor Link.
He has to sleep with a disgusting.. grown cat. Link called Butch, who
has his face covered with spaghetti sauce and noodles.
"Go.. clean.. off.."
Butch looked at Link, with this ADORABLE look on his face!! Aww! I
don't know about Pixie.. But Link is seriously disgusted by Butch. He
looked like he almost barfed! But I think Butch looks really childish..
That's it. Pixie took a bucket for Link. Link grasped it and puts his
head in it. I can hear mushy and gooey.. stuff.. Which makes me
sick. Link's face is turning green. Butch went to the toilet a few
minutes ago.
"Are.. you okay?"
"I'm.. Fine.."
Barfs again. And again. Barfing. Never stopping.

"Pixie!! Take him to the nurse!! Now!! Hurry!"

I exclaimed. This is very disturbing to watch. Pixie took Link to the
hospital outside. I watched them as they left. I hope they hurry back
soon. But then, BOOM!! I fell to the ground.. I fainted.

I opened my eyes and I felt this pain- This pain that feels like
being hit with a stick. A stick made out of steel. Or diamond. I tried
to sit up. The pain is very. Painful. I can't describe how painful it is. I
can't express it well. But, it was very. Painful. What happened? I
looked around and I saw Pixie and Link. They were sitting on a
couch, reading magazines and catalogs. I looked around. This does
not look like our hotel room. This place has only two colors, white
and light blue. If this is not our hotel room, where are we? I looked at
the door. It was opened slightly. I tried looking through it. All I could
see was doors. Doors, doors, doors. I looked back at them, Pixie and
Link. Still reading.. Didn't they notice me awake? They must really
be engrossed to whatever they're reading.
"P-Pixie? L-Link?? Where.. am I? What happened?"
They stopped reading and looked at me. Pixie started talking.
"Oh! You're awake! I don't know what happened. But when we came
back to the hotel, you were on the ground with a baseball bat beside
you. The receptionist didn't see what happened, though. We're at
the hospital now."
I told them how painful it was. But, I couldn't find exact words.

"I woke up, And this.. pain.. was very- Umm.. more like, falling
down... the stairs or just- Being hit with a bat..?"
They looked at each other, and then at me, and back at each other,
and at me again. This felt like it happened forever. I didn't want this
to happen for a long time. So, I stood up. I tried, that is. I did stand
up, but I felt dizzy like I had a terrible headache. When I stood up,
they stopped, stood up and ran towards me to help me up. I don't
need their therapy. I can take care of myself.. sort of.

I walked out of the room.. slowly. Pixie and Link stood behind me,
like bodyguards or something.. They give me advices and tips. But, I
ignored them. I'm perfectly fine, I think. I walked out of the hospital
and looked around to find where the hotel is. What a surprise! It is
right beside the hospital! I walked to the hotel. I pushed open the
large wooden door and entered it. My whole body is sore. But, I need
to be strong. No matter what happens, I have to be strong. The
receptionist glared at me, and I glared back. He is no help
whatsoever! He didn't even notice me being knocked out. I
sashayed away towards the elevator. He kept glaring at me.
Whatever. It's not like I care. Pixie and Link just stayed behind me,
quietly. We entered the elevator.
"Geez.. What a little scumbag that receptionist is.. I can't believe he
didn't notice me being on the ground."
Link and Pixie just kept shut. They looked at me, with a worried look.
I stopped talking and stared at them. What's going on? Why are they

suspiciously quiet? I turned around, facing the wall. I can hear

whispers. But, I can't understand them. Did I do something to make
them upset? I don't think so.. I turned back around.
"Hey.. Did I do something to upset you guys? I'm sorry.."
They looked at me. They start to smile a little.
"No.. We're not mad at you. We thought that it would be better if you
would like to spend a time alone."
They gave me a hug. In fact, I do prefer a time alone. But the silence
is painful. And they creep me out, all quiet and they are following
me around. Isn't that creepy?!

We reached our room, and I collapsed on my bed. It was so comfy

and soft. I will enjoy sleeping here tonight. I went and sat near the
desk. I took out stuff from my bag. I remembered that I took a small
notebook and a pencil with me. I took them out and opened the
notebook. I started writing the journey we had so far. Who knows
what will happen next. Pixie is taking a shower, Link is watching
television, and Butch- Hmm.. Butch! Where is he? I haven't seen him
ever since I got taken down. I stopped writing and went to the living
room, since I knew Pixie wouldn't take a step out of the bathroom for
a missing cat.. Unless she cares about a grown mental cat that she
barely knew for a day.
"LINK!! Where is Butch?!"

He got shocked. Maybe I scared him? Or maybe it is because of

Butch's disappearance? I don't know, but he stood up, switched of
the television, and ran outside. I followed him. We went to the
ground floor and ran towards the toilet. I'm not allowed to go inside,
since it's the men's room. Link entered and left the door opened
wide, in order for me to see what's going on. Link looked in every
stall. I looked inside, too. Butch was never to be found. Where could
he be?! Link became worried.. And I started to worry, too.. What if
we never find him?! He thought that this was his fault. I gave him a
pat on the back to cheer him up. It wasn't his fault actually. But
since he thought about it, why not make him feel good? We have to
think and use some common sense.. If I was Butch, where would I
go? Where would I go? Go..
"I think he went to the cafeteria.. since he was covered with
spaghetti earlier..?"
"Let's find out."

We ran to the cafeteria, hoping to find him. We talked to the chef.

The chef told us that Butch went to the dining area with his food
tray. Bingo! We must hurry. Or else he might wander all over the
place. We ran towards the dining area, until the little rabbit stopped
us in our tracks.
"Out of our way, rabbit!"
"..." (Silence..)

"I said, out of our way!!"

The rabbit blocked our path. Link got angry and almost gave him a
beating. But, I stopped him. Since he is short and little. Let's jump
over him. I told him and we jumped, or 'hopped', over the bunny and
continued running. The rabbit chased us from behind. Not chase,
though. It's kind of like following us with our exact speed. That
rabbit is scaring me. Somehow, it made me run even faster. Butch
was on his way towards the door. Faster!! Faster!! We stopped Butch
and asked him why was he wondering around without telling us.
Butch said that he was hungry and went to have lunch. Link rolled
his eyes at him and we went upstairs. The bunny kept on following
us. It is very disturbing. We stopped and turned around, facing the
little rabbit. He looked at us. I'm going to say something. This gets
me irritated.
"Why are you following us?! Why don't you GET LOST!! Never COME
BACK!!"
The rabbit, scared, ran away. Link looked at me, saying that I was a
little too rough. I mean a LOT! I feel bad. I just shouted at a little
baby bunny.. What a MONSTER I am!! We went to the elevator, went
up, and entered our apartment.. I went to my room and Pixie was
already asleep. I lay down.. But not on the bed. On the floor.. I feel
REALLY bad..

Chapter Eight: Back On Track

As I opened my eyes and went out of my room, the boys were
already awake, eating breakfast while watching people playing
sports on the television. Pixie was still asleep. For breakfast, we had
eggs and sausages with a side of mashed potatoes. Yummy! I love it
when Link does the cooking. Pixie woke up after we finished eating.
She grabbed a plate and started eating. I had to wash my own
dishes. So, I did it. It's about time I took a bath, not that I smell bad
or anything. It's just that I need to change clothes. That's it. I can't
help but think about Keith.. and mum.. I hope they're okay, despite

everything that had just happened. After a shower in warm water, I

wore my blue coat and white shorts. I know white can be dirty easily.
But, I love white. It's my favorite color. Link took a shower next.
Then Butch. Then Pixie. Today is the day of our departure with the
mayors' help. The departure to save our family and friends. We
packed our stuff and got ready to go. An early bird catches the
worm, as they say. We went out of The Litter box and entered the
town hall, to talk about the plans with the mayor himself. When we
entered, Charlene looks at us with a huge smile on her face. She
went over and gave me a hug, Link, Pixie, and Butch stared at us in
confusion. She lets go of me. I looked at them. They are still staring.
"What's all this?"
"Well.. I'd love to tell you. But, It's a long story.."
They ignored me and took a seat. I sat down beside them and
watched as Charlene went back to her desk and gets candy for us. I
like Charlene. The mayor calls us in and we entered. The mayor said
that he can't find the exact solution for us. But, he told us that he
will give us weapons for emergency. Weapons? WEAPONS?!! We're
still kids! Except Butch.. But I can't trust him with a gun. This is the
only way.. We kindly accept and grabbed a weapon for each. Butch
didn't get a weapon because we can't trust him. Not even the mayor
trusts him. Pixie has a bow with arrows, Link with rifle, and I get two
daggers. He also gave us food supplies that was enough for a huge
army. Thanks, Mayor!

On our way out of the village, Butch stopped us.

"Umm.. I really appreciate that you care for me and allowed me to
follow you on this journey but, I think I'm going to.. stay here.."
We were shocked. Butch was ditching us?! Well, it's not like he's
leaving us or anything. I bet he just wants to stay here with people
and friends. We understood and it's for the best.. He wished us luck
and watched us leave. Hope to see him again one day. We waved
goodbye and went out of the village. Finally we're back on track! I
saw the broken trail. The trail that will lead us towards the beast.
"Let's do this!"
We ran and followed the trail of broken trees and plants. Link
stopped running. We stopped, too. The little rabbit, the one that I
told to go away, was in front of Link. Link took a note that the bunny
gave him. We read what it says. Pixie read it out loud.
"A journey. A member. A friend. A traitor."
That was all it wrote. It didn't write who was it from.. What could it
mean, though? Hmm.. A journey.. a member.. a friend.. a traitor..
Does that mean that someone we met is a traitor? Or is it someone
we teamed up with? It could be Link or Pixie? But who? I don't
believe the letter the bunny mysteriously gave us. We barely knew
him. How can we trust him? Why would I? I gave it back to the
bunny and said that we had to keep on moving. We continued and
left the bunny there. I looked back and saw that the rabbit was
glaring at us and ran away. Seriously, I can't believe a small rabbit
can scare me so badly. And during our run, I could hear a bear and a

familiar scream. Instead of helping, I continued in desperate need of

finding our family.

It's already been a few minutes of walking.. It feels like this trail
lead on forever!! The letter that the rabbit gave me is still stuck in
my head. A journey. A member. A friend. A traitor. What was that
supposed to mean?! I don't know but I can't stop think about it! A
journey A member A friend A traitor After a few minutes of
walking, the sounds of cars roar through. Cars? There are no cars in
the forest! We must be near a city! We ran until we heard the
sounds become louder and saw bright light. I pushed some branches
and bushes that were covering the sight away. I can't believe it! WE
MADE IT!! So this is a city. My mum has told me lots of stories about
it, even Keith. It looked like a village. But, it has bigger buildings
than usual- Taller ones. There were cars. And beasts!
"Look!! It's those beasts that took our family and friends!! LET'S GET
THEM!!"
They grabbed me by the arm before I ran to attack and looked at me
like I was crazy.
"Beasts?? You mean 'humans'? And also, calm down. Not all of them
kidnapped our family- Only one in particular."
Humans! Those beasts are HUMANS!! Humans are evil. They are
kidnappers! You know what? I'm learning new things! Humans..
Humans.. Let's find our fellow friends! And family! We wandered
around the city as people stared at us. Some of them began petting

and stroking us.. It makes us feel uncomfortable. Let's find them and
get back home. We tried our best to not encounter with them or
make any problems. But they are so tall and big. We're scared to
even talk to them. They keep coming. Some of them even tried to
take one of us home. We ran through an alley, where rats and dirt
belong. The rats are afraid of us. The humans wouldn't even dare
enter the alley, because of its dirty conditions. Even I wouldn't dare
to enter, but I have no other choice. I don't like being in the center
of attention. It feels weird. The alley wasn't too big. A few minutes
later, humans began to decrease. In other words, they began to
retreat or go back home and continued to whatever they were made
to do. We walked around to find any secret place to escape because
the only way out is a deathtrap for us. Pixie seems awfully calm in a
situation like this.

We looked through every hole, every fence. We found out that

there was a small hole in the fence, perfect fit for a small animal.
Link and Pixie looked at me, since I was the youngest. I looked back
at them. I don't want to do this. They tried begging and persuading
me to do it. I have no choice but to do it- For the safety of our family.
"Okay, fine!"
I dropped my bags and things and went into position. I crawled
under the fence, making it out alive. Thank god. They told me to find
a way for them to escape. This is the moment of truth to prove that
being small and witty isn't a bad thing. They always doubt me. Well
I'll show them. Look at me now. I should stay focused. I looked

around trying to find a way to break them free. Luckily, there was a
butcher shop.. Butcher shops have some sharp things, right? Oh!
Mentioning sharp things, I forgot that the mayor gave us weapons!
Whoops.. Sorry.. I took one of them out, since I have two, and
started to make the hole bigger. I tried, but ended up chipping bit by
bit. This is going to take a while.. Pixie started to take out her
weapon, but she only took out an arrow, and helped chip. Teamwork
makes things easier. By the time we thought we'd be out, we're
done. The fence's hole is large enough for Link and Pixie to escape.
They dropped their bags because the hole wasn't big enough to fit
bags and luggage and crawled through. And once they're through,
we reached in to grab our stuff. Good thing we traveled light. We
seem to be in the other side of this alley with just a fence in
between. We kept walking until we reached the end of the alley,
which is the dead end. We looked around. This place, the city, is
really terrifying.. Who could live in a place like this?! No complaining.
Let's find the jerk who dared to mess with us for kidnapping our
family and friends. There are doors beside us. A door opened and a
guy went out of it and threw trash. He didn't notice us. We sneaked
inside the house before he shut the door. He still didn't notice us.
Phew! We looked around. This place was huge! I take back what I
said. People can actually live in a place like this. We wandered
around, remaining out of sight. Let's just hope it's not too late.

Chapter Nine: Reunited With Revenge

We couldn't stay long at the house of the humans. We need to
find that particular man. Looks like this house owner has a pet. And
it is a small puppy. RUNN!! We kept running and went out through
the pet door. The dog got captured by its owner. Safe at last. But, we
have to move fast before humans see us. Pixie and I started moving,
but Link stood there, staring at someone or something. We went
back to Link to see what he was staring at. And guess what?! There
was a picture I saw on the badge on the man that attacked my
family and friends! The truck started to move. We chased it, hoping
that our family will be safe. Once we stopped, the truck entered a
building. A man went out of the truck and into the building, where
we could hear sounds of animals. That's the place we need to go to.
We need to make a plan. How are we going to enter? Hmm.. The
window is opened slightly but there are guard dogs. If the man
comes back and leaves the door ajar, we can make a run for it. But,
the dogs can chase us. Another plan is to turn ourselves in. Well.. it's
better than being chased by dogs. The man came back outside and
sat on a bench, reading a newspaper. We acted like normal cats and
walked straight to him. He looks at us.

"Aww.. Aren't you the cutest kittens I've ever saw! GET IN THE
CAGE!!"
He threw a cage beside him, forcing us to get in. We walked in but
he stopped us.
"No, you don't. You're going to break out, aren't you? Don't play
dumb with me."
He took our bags and shoved us inside. Pixie and Links' weapons are
inside their luggage. My daggers are with me. So, we'll break out
with it. He carried the cage without care and threw the cage onto
the other cages. It was very painful. He is a pet abuser. He threw our
bags onto the desk, which was beside the keys. He doesn't care for
other peoples' belongings. So mean..

Okay, we're in. All we need to do is break out. The man went
back outside with a glass of ice cold lemonade. I hate him. Good
thing he's gone. But then, the door opened and a silhouette
appeared right in front of us. The more it comes closer, the clearer
it'll be.
"B-Butchh?!!"
Butch kept walking closer and closer. He is holding a small whistle in
one hand and a knife in the other. He looks different. He has deadlooking eyes. One eye blue, another eye half yellow, half red. A scar
appeared on his eye. Red stains covered several places on his coat,

which I think is blood.. His dark fur makes it hard to notice blood. He
comes closer and closer. And he doesn't look happy.
"Ahh.. My 'friends'.. How are you??"
"What.. happened to you?"
"Well, you see.. I just got attacked by a bear. I thought my 'friends'
would come and help me. Instead you LEFT ME TO DIE!! No one
helped me, until I notice this knife beside me. Once I was free, I
knew that I had to get you back. So here we are.. Reunited at last.."
I think Butch is going to kill us. But he isn't that fierce, right? He
walks up to our cage and tried to stab us in it. We quickly dodged it.
He kept on stabbing the cage, it filled us with fear. He looks like a
lunatic. I need to stop this. I went ahead and talked to him. I don't
want this.

"Butch!! Stop, please!! We're sorry we left you. We were too

eager to save our family that we forgot about our friends.. We're
sorry. Please stop!! We promise it won't happen again!!"
He stopped and looked at me. He slowly brought down his knife, but
not on the ground.
"Let's go back to being friends again, shall we?"
He looks at us. He drops his knife. He opens the cage and lets us
out.

"That's it.. Butch.. Slowly.. Calm down. We're still your friends,
right?"
Then Butch stopped. He grabbed his knife back.
"We're not friends.. You're a traitor.."
He then ran away. A journey... A member... A friend A traitor... I
think I finally understood what the bunny meant. It was telling me
that I'M the traitor! I feel so bad. Link and Pixie looks like they're
going to have a heart attack. I stared blankly at the broken cage. He
went here to get revenge on us.. Because of.. me..
"Navi? Are you okay? Let's unlock the other cages!"
I kept staring, without a word of my own. I'm a traitor..
"Navi??"
Pixie and Link grabbed me by the arm and dragged me to the keys. I
snapped out of it and looked at Link and Pixie.
"Am.. I a traitor..?"
They looked surprised at me.
"If you were a traitor, we wouldn't be on this journey. We would've
left you."
"So why didn't you?"
They stopped and stared at me. They became silent. I glared at
them. I stopped to think about what I've said. I said something
wrong. I turned around, my back facing them. I started to walk

towards the keys until Link stopped me and turned me around,

facing them. They looked at me.
"Navi, You're not a traitor, even if you think you are. We know you so
well. We know that you would never turn your back against your
friends."
"But what about Butch? I turned my back on him when he needed
me the most.. I'm no friend.."
They stopped talking to think about it.
"Let's just forget about what had happened just now, okay?"
I nodded and we went to get the keys.

We unlocked all of the cages and hugged our mother and Keith.
They said that they were proud of us. We also freed our friend and
fellow citizens. Even if they told me to forget about it, I never did.
We took our bags and weapons and followed our friends. When all of
us went out, I told everyone to go back home.
"Where are you going, Navi?"
I turned around and smiled. My mother and Keith looked at me.
"To look out for a friend.."
They looked at me and wished me luck. They went into the forest, all
of them. Except Link and Pixie, they stayed and stood beside me.
"Why aren't you following the rest? Go and protect them."

"We're not going to leave you."

I looked at them and smiled at them. I love them so much. They're
always beside me through thick and thin. I gave them a hug and
they hugged me back. Once they let go, I told them that we need to
go help and find Butch. They understood and we went to find Butch.
One place I expect him to go is Oakwood Village. I feel bad for
Butch, so I want to make it up for him. I thought maybe to make it
up for him, we will rebuild his house right next to ours, as our friend.
Or we can think of other ways. Hmm.. What does Butch want most?
Food? House? Friends? Talking about friends gave me a perfect gift
for Butch, the only thing he wants most in this world. I can't wait to
give him. We went back to Catnip Village and got the present ready.
Everyone was rebuilding their houses. I hope he likes my gift for
him. It was very rare and expensive. I used up all of my savings for
him. I feel very bad for breaking our friendship..

Chapter Ten: Crows, Crows, Crows!

We went back to Oakwood Village, to find Butch. When we asked

the mayor if Butch is here. The mayor told us about our trip and that
he never came back after heading to the city. He never came back?!
Then where is he?! The mayor also told us that Butch told him that
he was heading back home. Home.. His original home was in Catnip
Village! He is going home! We can give it to him there. But from
Oakwood to Catnip would take about a day to reach by foot. Another
journey! Yay! Charlene and the mayor wished us luck as we went.
We looked back and the whole village was smiling and waving
goodbye. We waved back and turned back around. While we were
walking, crows were flying above us. I looked up at them while
walking which made me hit a tree. Link and Pixie was looking back
at me and told be to get my head out of the clouds. I shook it off and
followed them. I kept looking up once in a while to look at the crows
who were following us, flying above us. What do they want? Do they
smell meat or something they like? Crows scare me because I don't
know what it wants.
"Navi. Keep moving."
I followed them again. This time, I did not look up. CAW! CAW! The
crows started to get closer. I know this not because I looked up. It's
because the sound became louder. That means they're getting
closer and closer. I could hear a flock of crows. Link looked up and
saw a big flock of them. This means trouble. All of us looked at the
crows. Pixie took out her bow and arrows and Link took out his rifle.
They aimed for the crows but they hold their fire. I took out my

daggers. I know daggers aren't high range weapons. But, it's just in
case one comes and charges at me. You can never be too careful.

We kept pointing and aiming our weapons to them. We weren't

planning to attack them. This is for self-defense. A crow stopped
flying and landed in front of us. We pointed our weapons at it. The
crow took a step closer to us.
"Stay back!"
The crow didn't listen and walked much more closer. It was right
near my leg. I didn't know what to do, so I took a couple of steps
back and shove my dagger to scare it away. But it wasn't scared at
all. It looked at us, taking steps closer and closer. Link and Pixie kept
pointing their weapons at it. More crows landed behind it. So there is
kind of an army of crows in front of us. Pixie wanted to release her
arrow but I grasped it before she fires. I told them that it would
enrage them. We can't shoot them, we can't run because they would
only chase us. We kept stepping back until I tripped. When I tripped,
it caused the others to trip behind me and we all fell into a hole
behind us. I got hurt, but I couldn't do anything. The crows looked
down it the hole. I don't think that they have the guts to enter the
hole. But, one of them entered the hole with us. I guess they have
guts after all! We moved back. The hole was huge. I looked behind
me. I know this place.. It's the place I've went before when Link was
taking care of Butch when he was hurt. I guess also Link knows this
place, since he followed me from a ripped piece of my clothing.

"I know this place! Follow me!"

I ran deeper with Link and Pixie following me from behind. More
crows came into the hole and followed us. We stopped when we
reached a multiple way. 3 ways. Since I know this place, we went
into the hole where I saw the golden palace. We kept running. Wait..
now that I've noticed, wasn't this place buried because there was an
earthquake..? Who dug the hole back? Hmm.. No complaining. Let's
focus.. We ran until we reached the beautiful palace. Pixie stopped
and stared at it, since she has never seen a place like this before.
The crows were still coming. We quickly grabbed Pixie and ran into
the palace and locked the door. We even locked the windows. We
looked through the windows.

The crows are already here. They stopped in a slight second and
went away. Crows are afraid of bright objects, I think..? All of them
went, leaving only one crow, staring at us through the window. I kept
staring at it while Pixie and Link try to find a way escape without
meeting any crows on the way. We kept staring at each other it
almost feels like a staring contest between Navi Cat and Creeper
Crow. When I blinked, the crow acted like a lunatic and flapped it's
wings like crazy! This crow is cuckoo! I looked at it. It looks harmless
but I don't know why would it follow us.. I went downstairs and
stopped at the door. I looked around just in case Link and Pixie sees
me. I just want to talk with the crow about why is he following us. I
unlocked the door and peeped out to see if it is still there. It looked
at me. I went outside and shut the door. I walked up to it.

"Oh hello.. Why are you following us?"

It just stared at me and CAWED in my face. I moved back. He
doesn't speak English? I looked in a treasure box near the entrance
and I took out a translator, can be used for all animals. I walked
slowly near the crow and put it on for it. I asked him again.
"Why are you following us?"
It just stared at me. I kept staring at it. When I wanted to blink, the
crow stared even more. I blinked, and it became crazy again,
flapping it's wings.
"I win.."
I got surprised. It said that it won?
"Okay.. You won.. You.. want to play?"
"YES!! YES!!"
It shouted so loud until the ground started moving. I grabbed it's
beak shut. If you talk too loud, we will be buried. We're underground,
duh!

"Let's play.. Hide and Seek?!"

We ended up playing instead. A few minutes later, Link and Pixie
saw me through the window. They we hitting the window to catch
my attention. I looked at them and waved. They went downstairs
and told me what was I doing. I told them that the crow only wanted
to play with us. They understood and played with us. A few minutes

later, we went back to the surface without a crow in sight, but only
our new crow friend. We walked to the village and waved our crow
goodbye. The crow, even if we said goodbye, kept following us,
which annoys us. Let's just ignore it. I guess the crow is lonely since
his other crow friends flew without him. It became night sooner than
we thought it would. I knew we should've went back to the surface
after the crows went. We set up a small camp. All we did was make
a camp fire. We slept on rocks and leaves. it wasn't comfortable, but
after this, we will all be sleeping indoors and on comfy beds and
couches. Let's make the most of it. Unless we want to go camping
outdoors. I lay down, staring through gaps of the tree branches
hoping to catch a glimpse of the stars in the dark sky. I looked
around and saw Link. He was already asleep. Our little new crow
friend was sleeping near Link. They look so cute sleeping with each
other. I grinned and turned to my other side. Pixie wasn't asleep.
She was staring at the sky, wondering. I wonder what she might be
thinking about.
"It's best if you go to sleep early, Navi.."
I stared at her. I guess she saw me staring from the corner of her
eye.
"Oh, okay then. Goodnight.."
"Goodnight, sweetie."
I turned to the other side and closed my eyes. I began to dream.
Dreaming.. Dreaming about life. Dreaming about love. Dreaming
about family. Dreaming.

Chapter Eleven: Dad..?

I opened my eyes.. I sat right up and tried to look around. My
sleepy eyes can barely see anything. I rubbed my eyes with my
paws and tried to look around again. I saw Pixie cooking breakfast
using the fire in the fire pit while Link packs his things up. I stretched
and Link saw me. He looked at me.
"Good morning, darling."
"Good morning, Link.. When are we going home?"
"After breakfast and packing. What's with the rush?"
"Nothing.. Just curious"

He shrugged and continued packing. Pixie headed towards me with

a plate of hotdogs with mustard and ketchup and sauerkraut. She
handed it to me and I took it. One bite of the hotdog and you will be
delighted with the results. I love hotdogs! The additional toppings
are what make it the best, the top, the king. I don't even know what
I'm blabbing about.
"How is it?"
"Delicious!!"
She smiled and turned around, heading to her backpack. Hmm.. The
crow, our friend, is mysteriously gone. Where could it have gone? I
wonder if it'll come back.. I stood up and made another stretch. The
rocks, mud, and leaves wasn't comfortable. It must've had
something to do with my back. It damaged my back. I grabbed my
bag and started packing my things. Pixie and Link were set and
ready to go. They were waiting patiently for me.
"Let's go."
We went and left that place. I hope to never sleep there again. I
didn't like sleeping on rocks. Link seemed awfully quiet today. I
wonder what's bothering him. I should talk to him to find out why.
When I asked him, he got over-protective and hesitated. What is
bothering him? I mean, seriously?

Chapter Twelve: Accepting Destiny

"I have nothing to do with Robert.. By the way, how did you-"
"Mum told us everything."
I stared at the hot chocolate. Link passed me some mini
marshmallows to put in our hot chocolates.
"Robert is a good guy. I had a little conversation with him earlier."
I started putting and throwing marshmallows in my hot chocolate.
Piece by piece.
"I bet dad would like Robert to take care of us for him. Why don't

you give him a chance?"

I took a couple sips, trying to get the marshmallows into my mouth.
"You barely know him. I just met him and I like him already. I miss
dad, too. But, I think it's for the best."
My eyes became misty as I was taking huge sips.
"Are you upset that Robert would take the place of a father?"
I slammed the mug on a side table beside me. I glared at Link.
"Robert would take a place of a father?! HE ALREADY IS! And he isn't
taking the place of a father. HE'S REPLACING ONE!!"
I stopped talking. I thought about what I had just said. I think I
must've hurt his feelings. I looked away, trying to avoid his face. I
hear him give out a sigh. I turn back, facing him, but I don't look
directly at his eyes. I don't want to see his teary eyes. I stared at the
ground. I grabbed my mug back from the side table and took a
couple more sips. I looked into my mug. The marshmallows melted.
"Navi.. I think this is what William would choose if he was here. He
would choose Robert to take care of us. Give him a chance. If mum
likes him, I bet we will, too.. What do you say?"
I look at Link. He doesn't have teary eyes. He does look hurt, but he
was also strong. I smiled. He's right. I barely know him. How can I
hate him? And besides, if mum likes him, then he might be okay. He
smiles.
"I think you're right.. I can't judge people I barely even know.."
"That's the spirit! Let's head home. Everyone was worried about
you."
I stood up and stared out of the window. The rain stopped a few

minutes ago. Puddles were everywhere! YAY! Link grabbed his

umbrella but he didn't open it. We opened the door and shut it
behind us. I jumped instantly into a puddle when I first laid my eyes
on one. Link shook his head and grinned. I bet he is thinking about
how embarrassing I am and how childish. I don't care. The age
doesn't matter. It doesn't count. I kept playing in a puddle while Link
watched me from a distance. I think he doesn't like getting wet.
After a few minutes of playing in the puddle, I became bored. So I
went out of it, shook off water from my fur, and ran over to Link,
who was now sitting on a bench, since he was tired of standing. Link
stood up because he knew that I was done playing. We went back to
our sweet, warm, and pretty house. Mum, Pixie, Keith, and maybe
Robert is waiting for us. I don't feel comfortable calling him 'dad' or
'father' or anything since he wasn't my actual father. We stopped in
front of our house and the door was ajar. I stared at it. What if a
human took our family again?! I ran directly inside, surprised to see
my siblings, mum, and Robert screaming out 'SURPRISE' with
cheering and clapping in the background. I stared at them in shock
but, a good kind of shock. Don't judge me! I'm still young! They
prepared a huge feast for all of us to eat together.. as a family. I ran
to them and gave them a hug. I also said thanked them.. Robert
wasn't in the hug, though. He was sitting at the table, fiddling with
handkerchiefs. He looks sad and very distant. I think I hurt his
feelings.. I let go of them and walked up to him. I sat beside him on
a vacant chair. He kept on fiddling, like he didn't see me. I patted his
paw to get his attention. He stopped fiddling and looked at me. I
could see that he is sad through his eyes. He looks as if he did

something terrible..
"Hey, Robert. How's.. life??"
I stuttered. I didn't know how to apologize to him without hurting his
feelings. I've made people sad these past few days. I'm going to
come clean and try not to hurt his. He looks at me and smiles. But,
he wasn't feeling happy. He gave me a fake smile so that he couldn't
make any more problems with me. I looked at him. I feel so bad.. I
can't believe that I was hurting his feelings earlier. There's only one
thing I need to do. I need to come clean. Come clean. Come clean.
Clean.
"Look, Robert. I'm sincerely sorry for being mean to you and hurting
your feelings this morning. And I'm sorry I pushed you. It's just- I
miss my dad.. and I thought you were trying to replace him. My life
was just fine without a father.. which means I don't need another
one."
Shoot! I shouldn't have said that last part. He still looks hurt. He
started talking.
"It's okay. Kids can be kids. I'm just a.. stranger.. in this house. I
should leave.."
He got misty eyes and stood up. I had to act fast. I grabbed his arm
and told him to stay. He sat back down on the chair. I knew it wasn't
okay. This is the moment of truth. If I mess this up, our family is
screwed.
"It's not okay. I shouldn't have done that. Sorry. I know that mum is
having a hard time taking care of us and providing us with food
alone. We missed William. I understand why we need a father. To

take care of us. So please, take care of us.. For William."

I started to get nervous.. There was a huge pause. Robert is looking
at the table, thinking. I need to say something to persuade him to
accept. I thought of only four words. I said it out loud.
"We need you here.."
He turns and looks at all of us. Mum, Pixie, Link, Keith, and me. He
smiles. He has teary eyes. We all smiled back.
".. Well.. Okay"
YAY!! Success! I did it! I made him stay! He went to all of us and
gave us a big hug.
I looked around and gasped! Butch is not here!! I forgot about
him! I ran to mum and told her where Butch was. She said Butch
went home and left a piece of paper, a note, for me. She handed it
to me. It was like a map from our home to his. Sorry, mum. But we
have to skip this feast, again. Friends come first. Or was it family? I
don't know.. I forgot.. Anyway, I went out alone and followed Butch's
instructions. It wasn't very clear, but it was readable. I went here
and there and finally reached his house. Huh.. who knew Butch's
house looked like an anchor. It was so obvious! I stepped up to the
door and knocked on the door carefully, hoping that it wouldn't
break when I knocked hardly. No one answered. Maybe he didn't
hear me.
"Hello? Butch??"
No one answered.
I looked around to find a doorbell. There was a fake parrot stuck on
one wall. When I came close, I could see a tag on top of the parrot

which read 'stroke the parrots' head'. I looked at the parrot. I'm
scared that it will jump scare me in some way. I don't want to touch
the parrot, but I have no choice. I carefully stroked it's head. Nothing
happened. I waited. Waiting. Waiting. Then suddenly, a pirate sea
chantey plays. A speaker was clasped in the parrots' claws. That's
where the sound came from. Then I thought, this is his doorbell?!
The lock unlocked and the door flew open. Butch looked at me.
"Finally! It took you forever to arrive. I thought you'd never come!"
I held Butchs' arm and took him to the harbor, where he used to
work. Butch stared at the harbor. Memories flowing through his
mind. I looked at Butch. He looks sad and happy at the same time. I
took him behind the harbor and showed him his gift. There was a
thing at the back of the harbor, covered with a blanket. I pulled the
blanket until his gift was revealed. He stared at it in awe with sparks
in his eyes. We bought him a boat!

Chapter Thirteen: The End?

Butch ran up to the boat, touching and kissing and hugging it all
over. I got disgusted all of the sudden. When he's done with..
whatever he was doing, he ran towards me and gave me a tight
SQUEEZE!!! I started choking and coughing. I patted his arms so
that he would let go. He lets go and apologized. I forgave him for
being so happy. Because I can't be mad at him for being happy,
right? He went on board the boat and wandered around. He touched
everything that was on the boat; the emergency life boat, the
steering wheel, the extra paddles. Once Butch is done, he went off
the boat and took my hand to shake it. I shook his hand and he lets
go. He said farewell and went on the boat. I bet he is going to go for
a test drive on water. I smiled as I watched him wave goodbye to
me. He went and brought the anchor up. I turned around and started
walking back home, to my family. They are waiting for me. I waved
and smiled to other people who were walking by. I'm in a good mood
today and I know why. From this distance, I could still hear Butch
screaming and shouting out 'I have a BOAT!'. I kept smiling the
whole way back. My house is right around the corner. The house
door flew open and Robert went outside. He puts on a hat and

started walking away. I wonder where he's going. I ran after him and
stopped him right in his tracks. I asked him where is he going.
"I'm heading to the supermarket to buy groceries. Your mum is going
to cook something special. Want to come with me? I could use a
little help."
"No thanks! I'm going to see if mum needs my help or something.
Sorry!"
He says that's okay and went. I looked at him walking away. He
looked back and waved goodbye with a huge smile on his face. It
makes me smile.
I ran inside and hugged mum. She looked surprised but she
hugged me back. I let go. I went to see what my older siblings are
doing. I entered Keith's room first. I was surprised. Link, Pixie, and
Keith all sat on the carpet with a board game in front of them. Keith
speaks.
"Hey Navi! We're playing 'Cats and Robbers'. Want to join?"
All of them are here, playing a board game called 'Cats and
Robbers', my favorite board game.
"Cats and Robbers is my favorite game! Of course I'd love to play!"
The game took longer than I expected but it was over sooner than
later. Once I was done, I told them that I was done playing and went
outside for some fresh air or for a little walk. I love my siblings.
They're the one I go when I feel bored or lonely. My family supports
me. I looked around the village. Friendly faces with smiles and
waves over-filled the village. I smiled back and gave a little wave.
The street was filled with the smell of bread and smoked salmon

from the stores up ahead. Trees and flowers all in a row. Vibrant
colors all around me. Life is too beautiful to miss. A flock of crows
flew above us. I wonder if our little crow friend is up there, flying
through the clouds and soaring high. I waved to the crows, even if I
was scared of them. I'm happy. I hope this feeling would last forever.
I have new friends, a new father, a new home, and I love it. I'm
happy with my life. My life is perfect. <3
The end

But, 'the end' is never the end. My life's just getting started. :)