Misty had left home, and she wasn’t coming back. Not while the dog was still there. She had plodded dismally through the garden, crawled under the back fence, and set off down the alleyway that led to the main road. She wanted to be far away, and by the time Jess had finished shouting at Katie and Timmy, and raced after her, Misty had gone too far to hear her frantic calling.
Misty liked being outdoors. She was good at hunting – she loved to give Jess mouse presents – and she adored sunbathing in the garden. Only now it was freezing, and she could smell snow in the air. And it felt different being outside all alone and knowing that she couldn’t just slip back in through her cat flap to be safe and warm again.
She spent the night huddled under a garden shed, a few streets away from her own house. It was horrible; still, she couldn’t go back. But when she woke in the morning, hungry and stiff with cold, Misty wished that Jess was there to cuddle her, and open one of her favourite fishy tins for breakfast. Maybe she should go home, just for some food, then she could leave again, after she’d seen Jess…
Misty crawled out of the grubby little den she’d found, and sniffed the air anxiously. Home was – which way?
In a sudden panic, Misty leaped on to the top of a garden wall, looking worriedly around. She didn’t know! She had been so desperate to get away yesterday that she hadn’t tried to remember. Now all the gardens looked the same, and none of them was hers…
Chapter Nine
It was the saddest Christmas Day ever. The whole family was sitting in the living room, with the Christmas tree lights on, trying to be enthusiastic about presents. Carols were playing, and it looked like a perfect Christmas scene. Even Timmy had tinsel round his collar. But there was a cat-shaped hole, where Misty should have been perched on the back of the sofa, waiting to pounce on the crackly wrapping paper. Everyone was thinking about her.
“Your turn, Jess!” Mum said brightly.
Jess stared at the pile of parcels in front of her as though she wasn’t really seeing them. She was holding a plastic packet in her hands, with a picture on it that looked very much like Misty. Katie looked over at her miserably. She’d been with Jess at the pet shop when she’d bought it – the luxury cat “chocolates” that were meant to have been Misty’s Christmas present.
Tears started to seep out of the corners of Jess’s eyes, and Mum sighed. “Let’s leave the rest of the presents till later.”
Dad stood up. “Come on, Katie, it’s time for Timmy’s best Christmas present!”
Katie nodded. She and Dad had planned ages ago to take Timmy for his first walk on Christmas Day. Katie had been looking forward to it ever since they got Timmy – they’d had to wait until he’d had all his vaccinations before he could go out and meet other dogs. They were going to take him just as far as the park near Katie and Jess’s school, so as not to tire him out too much. “Timmy, walk, come on!”
Timmy raced to the front door, leaping excitedly around Katie’s legs, squeaking and whining with delight. They were going out! Katie had his lead. He’d seen other dogs at his old house with them on, and he knew it meant a walk.
“Timmy, calm down! Sssh! Look, if you don’t keep still, I won’t even be able to get it on you!” Katie was half-laughing, half-cross. She was trying to clip the lead to Timmy’s collar, but he kept licking her hand and barking, and then rushing to scrabble at the door.
Katie’s dad grabbed his coat, and stuffed a handful of papers into his pocket.
“What are they?” Katie asked.
Her dad sighed. “Just some more posters. I promised Jess.”
“Oh…” Katie nodded. Suddenly the excitement about their first walk faded a little. Jess had papered their neighbourhood with “lost” posters over the last couple of days, but no one had called to say they’d seen a fluffy grey cat. Katie wondered if she should go and ask Jess if she should take some too, but Jess still wasn’t speaking to her.
Timmy looked up at them, and whined again. He felt the change in Katie, that suddenly she wasn’t happy any more. He guessed it was because of Misty – everyone was unhappy about her. He missed her, too, even though she would never play with him. He hung his head sadly.
Jess wandered into the hallway, followed by Mum, who was looking at her watch. “I need to sort out the roast potatoes and things. You go with them, Jess. You can’t sit around all day. I know you don’t want to, but honestly, getting some fresh air will make you feel better.”
“Oh, Mum, no…” Jess murmured.
“I mean it, Jess. Go and get your coat on.” Mum gave Jess a quick hug, and a gentle push in the direction of the door. “Go!”
Even Jess trailing along in a miserable cloud couldn’t stop Timmy dancing about and winding his lead round Katie’s legs as they headed out of the front door. There was so much to see, so many delicious new smells. He was sure there must be at least a hundred other dogs on this street, he could smell them all! Timmy suddenly stopped, nearly tripping Katie up with his lead.
“I think Timmy might need some obedience classes soon,” Dad said, laughing.
Katie tried to coax him to move, but Timmy wasn’t listening. He’d had a brilliant idea. He could smell all those dogs, so clearly. He was good at smelling things. So maybe he could sniff out Misty! He bounded ahead, his nose busily at work. There were lots of cat smells, too…
Misty was hiding out behind a big, smelly bin, in a tiny yard behind a row of shops on the way to Katie and Jess’s school.
It was horrible. There were rats, and although Misty liked to hunt mice, the rats were not the same thing at all, they were big and frightening. She was huddled inside a tattered cardboard box, and every so often a rat would scurry past. The only good thing about the yard was that there was quite a lot of food around, although it wasn’t as nice as those special tins Jess gave her.
Jess… Misty got up and turned round, anxiously. She didn’t want to think about Jess. She missed Jess so much, but Jess didn’t care about her any more. Jess had let a dog into the house. Even into Misty and Jess’s room. That wasn’t Misty’s home now. Jess didn’t love her any more.
But what was she going to do? Another rat scuttled past, baring its teeth at Misty. She couldn’t stay here, but she had no idea where to go. I need a new home, Misty thought miserably. But I don’t want one. I want my old home back!
And I’d even share it with that dog, if it meant I could still be with Jess…
Timmy was the only one enjoying the walk. He danced about, snuffling and scrabbling happily as they reached the shops, and all those interesting smells. There were definitely cats here, too.
Jess was silent, trudging along with her head down – except when they happened to see a cat, when she’d look up hopefully, then sigh and stare at the pavement again.
“I think it’s going to snow.” Dad was looking up at the sky. “The clouds have got that yellowish look. And it’s certainly cold enough. I’m freezing. Shall we turn back, girls?”
“Mmm. Come on, Timmy.” Katie tugged gently on his lead. But Timmy wasn’t listening. He was straining forwards against the lead, looking excited. Then he turned and gazed anxiously at Katie, and uttered a sharp, urgent bark.