Ava dug her nails into her palms, trying to stop herself panicking. She didn’t know that Tiger was in next-door’s garden. How could he be? He wasn’t big enough to get over that huge wall and there were no gaps that he could have squeezed through. It couldn’t be Tiger that Charlie and Max were barking at.
Ava wasn’t completely sure, though. Not sure enough.
Tiger had been right down at the bottom of the garden, stalking a blackbird. It had been cheeky enough to flutter down on to the grass right in front of him. The kitten had been so surprised he almost fell over his own paws but as soon as he realized what was happening, he sank into a hunting crouch. He had seen birds hopping about in the bushes before but never one so close up. He inched forwards, hardly breathing, creeping nearer and nearer. Then, all of a sudden, the bird spotted him and shot into the air with a frantic beating of wings. Tiger dived after it but the bird was too fast. It was gone before he landed, up into the scrubby lilac that grew against the wall.
Tiger scrambled after the bird, and it squawked furiously at him and fluttered away over the wall.
He looked up as it flew off, with his ears laid back. He had been so close. Tiger clambered the rest of the way up the lilac, on to the wall, but the bird had disappeared. Then he gazed around curiously. He had never climbed on to the top of the wall before. He was high up enough to see all along the garden – and into next-door’s garden. A whole new place to explore!
He paced along the bricks, wondering if there were any other cats down there. A huge white cat had appeared in his own garden a couple of days before and hissed at him as though he wasn’t meant to be there. He had been furious and scared all at the same time. But then Bel and Ava had come outside and started shouting, and the white cat had dashed away.
The new garden seemed quite still, so he sprang down on to the grass and began to wander about, sniffing curiously at the plants. He was just investigating the tiny pond next to the patio when there was a sudden bang, followed by an ear-splitting series of barks.
Charlie and Max came shooting out of their dog flap, barking so loudly that Tiger just froze. He stood perched at the edge of the pond, trembling in fright.
Tiger had seen the dogs before, out of the window – he’d even heard Charlie and Max when he was in his own garden. But he hadn’t known they lived here! He hadn’t realized that this garden belonged to them.
Terrified, Tiger ran at last, racing towards the gate.
“Ava, are you all right?” Grandma Shirley called up the stairs.
“I can’t find Tiger!” she said, dashing down to Gran. “And the dogs next door, they’re barking like mad. Do you think Tiger could have got into their garden?”
Gran looked doubtful. “Surely not … with that big wall? But then, cats really are amazing climbers…”
“I know. I have to check, Gran, but I can’t see over the wall from the back windows, I’ve tried.”
Ava hurried out into the garden and looked up at the wall helplessly. She’d never be able to see over it. It was more than two metres tall. Ava drew in a deep breath – the wall was just too big. Tiger couldn’t have jumped on top of it, could he? But then, he’d managed to jump on to her bedroom door… He might have managed it if he’d jumped on to something else first. She had to make sure.
“Gran, can you hold on to this chair for me?” Ava asked, pushing one of the garden chairs up against the wall. “I need to look over the top.”
She stepped up on to the chair. “Oh no. That’s no use – it’s not tall enough.” She was still a long way from seeing into next-door’s garden.
“Oh, Ava, be careful,” Gran gasped as she jumped down. “I don’t want to ring your mum and dad and tell them I’ve had to take you to hospital with a broken leg!”
“I am being careful, Gran, I promise. But I have to see if Tiger is there…” Ava shuddered. “Charlie and Max are nice dogs, Gran, but listen to them. They sound so fierce. Look, do you think you can help me push the table up against the wall? I can get on the chair, then the table and then I think I’ll be able to see over the top.”
Gran sighed. “I suppose there’s not much else we can do. I’m so sorry, Ava, I really don’t think I can climb up there.”
“I’ll be fine, Gran, honest. Here, just push this for me.” Ava grabbed the edge of the metal table, dragging it towards the wall. “It’s coming!” With Ava pulling and Gran pushing, the table bumped and juddered up against the wall.
“Why are you in the garden?” Bel was standing at the back door, with Lucy peeping round her.
“Oh! Go back inside, you two!” Gran sounded harassed.
“What are you doing?” Bel’s bottom lip stuck out. She was going to cry, Ava realized.
“They won’t go back in,” Ava told Gran. “Not without having a real meltdown. We have to tell them what’s going on.” She turned to Lucy and Bel. “The dogs are barking a lot and I can’t find Tiger. I think he might be in Megan’s garden.”
Bel stared at Ava, her eyes round with horror. “But they might eat him!”
“Tiger!” Lucy wailed. “I want Tiger!”
“I do, too,” Ava said, stepping up on to the chair. “So that’s why I’m climbing up here. Now, you have to be good and not cry.”
Gran nodded. “Ava’s right. Come out here, you two. I know you’ve only got your slippers on, it doesn’t matter for once. You can help me hold the table so Ava doesn’t wobble.”
Lucy and Bel pattered out, and held on tightly to the edge of the table. It was clever of Gran to get them to help, Ava thought as she crawled cautiously up on to the table. Now they wouldn’t whinge about being left out.
“Is he there?” Lucy gasped, as Ava balanced herself against the wall and stood up.
“I can’t see yet.” Ava peered over the top, looking anxiously round the garden. “Oh! Oh, Tiger!”
“He is there! Is he all right?” Gran called up. “Oh, be careful, Ava!”
“He’s there but I don’t know if he’s all right,” Ava said, her voice shaking.
Tiger was curled up in a tiny ball, right by Megan’s back gate. Charlie and Max were standing over him, still barking. The gate was a solid one, with no gaps in it and hardly any space underneath. And it was high, too. It looked like Tiger hadn’t been able to scrabble his way up and over – he was trapped.
“I don’t think he’s hurt,” Ava called down. “Just really, really scared. But I can’t tell for sure.”
Max realized at last that someone else was invading his garden. He trotted over to the wall and barked at Ava.
Even though he was huddled up with his eyes closed, Tiger heard the difference in the barking. One of the dogs had gone! He opened his eyes a tiny bit and looked over.
Ava! She was there, looking over the wall! He tried to get up to run to her but the other dog leaned over him, barking even more fiercely, and Tiger huddled back down to the ground. He didn’t dare move – he was frozen with fear.
“Oh, Tiger,” Ava whispered. “Gran, I have to get him out! He’s so scared, and Charlie and Max might hurt him.”
“What about the lady next door – when’s she going to be back?” Gran asked. “Do we have a phone number for her?”
“The home number’s in Mum’s address book but that’s no good. She’s at work.” Ava looked down at Gran. “It’ll be hours till she’s back. Megan works till about six on Saturdays, I know she does because she told Mum she doesn’t like it.” Ava leaned over the wall again. “I’m coming to get you, Tiger. I’ll be back in a minute.”