Biscuit stood up, ready to creep out of her hiding place, but then she collapsed, mewing with pain as her paw seemed to double up underneath her. She’d forgotten. She tried again, putting her weight on her other front paw, but she could hardly move. She was so stiff, and her injured paw was dragging painfully as she limped through the damp grass. She had to stop and rest every few steps, and her paw was hurting more and more now. Finally, Biscuit sank down at the edge of the weedy gravel path. She couldn’t go any further for a while. She was frozen, her fur was soaked through from the dew, and she was aching all over and so very tired.
How was she ever going to get home?
“If we don’t find her soon, maybe we ought to make a poster?” Becky said. They’d searched all down Maddy’s road again, and gone round the park, and the maze of little streets between the park and school. Now they were going back down Becky’s road.
Maddy swallowed. “Yes,” she whispered. It made sense. They’d been searching all morning. But it seemed like admitting that Biscuit was properly lost.
Lost Cat posters always made her so sad. She couldn’t imagine seeing Biscuit’s photo stuck up on all the lamp posts.
“Let’s keep calling her for a bit longer,” she whispered. She rubbed her eyes to wipe away the tears, then shouted, “Biscuit! Biscuit!”
Curled up by the garden path, Biscuit was startled out of her cold half-sleep. That was Maddy, she was sure! She struggled to get up, but she couldn’t stand on her hurt leg at all now. What if Maddy didn’t see her? The garden was so overgrown, Maddy might easily miss her. Biscuit wailed desperately, a long heartbroken meow.
On the other side of the road, Maddy stopped suddenly, almost bumping into Becky. “Did you hear that?”
“Yes! Do you think it was Biscuit?”
Maddy’s dad came running up the road. “Maddy, I think I heard—”
“I know! We did too! Come on!” Grabbing Becky by the hand, she hurried across the road. “It sounds like Biscuit’s in that tangly old garden!”
Becky nodded. “I think you’re right. No one lives in that house any more, it’s really quiet. And spooky. I don’t like walking past it. But it would be a good place to hide if she was scared.”
Biscuit could hear Maddy getting closer. She called again, mewing desperately, and scrabbled her way down the path, dragging her useless leg.
“She’s here!” Maddy flung the gate open. “Oh, Biscuit, you’re hurt! She can’t walk, Dad.”
“Has she been hit by a car?” Becky asked anxiously.
Maddy picked up Biscuit, as gently as she could. “I’m not sure. Her paw’s hanging a bit funny, but it’s not bleeding. She’s scratched, though, all round her ears and nose. I knew Tiger and Tom had been after her again!”
“We’d better get her looked over by the vet,” said Dad, taking out his phone.
Biscuit lay in Maddy’s arms, purring faintly. Maddy had found her. She should have known. She rubbed her chin lovingly against Maddy’s jumper. She wasn’t leaving her, ever again.
Chapter Eight
“Is she going to be all right?” Maddy asked, exchanging an anxious look with Becky. Becky had begged to be allowed to come to the vet; she was desperate to know if Biscuit was going to be OK.
The vet nodded slowly. “I think she’s just torn a muscle in her leg. She probably jumped and landed badly. She just needs to rest it. And I’ll clean up these scratches and give her an injection of antibiotics, just in case. You said she’s had trouble with the neighbour’s cats? Looks like she’s had a hard time.”
Maddy nodded. “She won’t go outside, she’s so scared. They even came in through her cat flap. I think that was the worst thing. I’m not sure she feels safe even inside the house now.”
The vet glanced at his computer screen. “She is microchipped, isn’t she?”
“Yes, we had it done with her vaccinations,” Dad said. “Why?”
“There’s a new kind of cat flap you can get – it’s a bit expensive, but it works off the microchip. So only your cat will be able to use it, you see.”
Maddy looked up at Dad hopefully. “Can I have one of those for my birthday, just a bit early? Please?”
Dad was grinning. “Two months early? We might be able to stretch to it.”
“You can program it, as well, so you can keep Biscuit in at night, if you like,” the vet added.
Maddy nodded. “Then if Josh and his dad agree to keep Tiger and Tom in some of the time, we could tell the cat flap only to let Biscuit out when we know they’re inside!”
“Was it two tomcats who were fighting her?” the vet asked. “Are they neutered? Boy cats can be rough, if they haven’t been. It might be worth suggesting to their owner that he gets them done. I’ll give you a leaflet.”
“We’ll talk to Josh’s dad, Maddy,” Dad promised.
As Dad drove back home, Maddy cradled Biscuit in her lap. They’d gone off to the vet’s in such a rush, they hadn’t had time to put her in her travel crate.
“I’ll drop you two off, and then I’ll go and see if that big pet shop by the supermarket has those special cat flaps,” Dad said, as he pulled in.
“Look, there’s Josh and his dad!” Maddy got out, carrying Biscuit.
“You found her!” Josh’s dad hurried forward. “Is she OK?”
“She’s hurt her paw and we had to take her to the vet,” Maddy explained.
“She’s really scratched, too…” Josh’s dad peered at Biscuit’s nose. “Was that our two?”
Maddy nodded. “I think so. Um, are Tiger and Tom neutered? The vet said maybe that would help. He gave us a leaflet.”
Becky pushed the leaflet into Josh’s dad’s hand. “Probably not,” he said. “We didn’t have them done – they were strays, you see. They turned up at work, about three years ago now, and I brought them home. They were only tiny – about the size of your little one.” “Ohh…” Somehow, knowing that Tiger and Tom had been stray kittens made Maddy feel less cross with them. And Josh and his dad. It wasn’t as if they’d asked to be cat owners, and they’d never realized how important it was to have the cats neutered.
“We can try and keep them in sometimes as well, like you said,” Josh put in suddenly.
“That would be brilliant,” Maddy said gratefully. She brushed her cheek lightly over Biscuit’s soft furry head. It was all going to be OK…She should ring Kate to tell her what had happened, she thought suddenly, smiling. It was a nice thought. It didn’t make her feel teary, like it would have done a couple of days ago. She missed Kate loads, still. But it wasn’t as bad any more, somehow…
“I suppose I’d better get home,” Becky said, as they reached Maddy’s.
“Would your mum let you stay for a bit?” Maddy asked hopefully. “That’s OK, isn’t it?” she added to her mum, who had come to the garden gate and was looking anxiously at Biscuit. “It’s good news, Mum, the vet says she’s probably just torn a muscle.”
“Of course you can stay, after all your help. Ring your mum, Becky. Is she really all right?” Maddy’s mum stroked Biscuit gently. “Oh, she’s purring.”
Maddy beamed. “She is! She must be feeling better, now she’s home.”
“Maddy!”
Maddy looked round, and saw Becky come racing across the playground. “How’s Biscuit?”
“Loads better,” Maddy said happily. “She walking again now. She’s got a bit of a limp, but it’s not too bad.”
“I bet you’re fussing over her like anything.” Becky laughed.
“I love spoiling her,” Maddy admitted. She looked at Becky shyly. “Mum said I could ask you over, so you can see how she is.”
Becky beamed. “Really? Yes, please! Can I come today? Just to pop in and see her on the way home?”