Chapter Text
Raina pawed at Banner, her brother, “I’ll get you pushed onto the ground.” she hissed,
“Oh no, you won’t!” Banner shouted, Raina pushed his back with her front paws, trying to make him lose his balance, but Banner twisted away and ran headlong into her back legs! Now he would make his final move to kill! But Raina would not give in so easily! She jumped onto his back, just in time. Banner rolled to get away from her, then realizing his mistake –she’d gotten him pushed onto the ground as promised- he hissed
“that’s not fair!” suddenly, their mother, Ginger, came walking up to them, easygoing Raina forgot about the tussle instantly and ran over, excited to see her mother.
Ginger dropped to her side, and Raina began to drink the warm soothing milk, forgetting everything, and everyone else.
Banner was not so quick to forget, “I will remove you from your seat of victory, Raina!” he whispered to himself, knowing that their mother did not approve of him taking their constant ‘playfights’ so seriously.
Banner was already planning all the things he would do to his sister once they were away from their mother’s watchful eye, the reason he didn’t like her was because she always won their fights, Raina did take them seriously, and it wasn’t fair that she was a born fighter, always the one on top!
“I will get her!” Banner whispered as he started to drink “if it’s the last thing I do!” Raina heard him whisper this,
he will soon forget, and think of other things. She assured herself, he always does. Soon she was full, so she fell into a peaceful sleep.
~
Raina opened her eyes slowly, Banner was asleep, cuddled up next to her, while her other two brothers, Smokey and Dewey were on top of her, Raina realized that their owner, Mrs Turner must have put them into the large kitten room, while she was asleep;
Just then Banner rolled over, Smokey and Dewey fell onto the floor, mewing in surprise, that woke them all up, Banner, taking one look around, saw that Ginger was not around, he leapt onto Raina! Smokey saw Banner leap, and intercepted! Banner fell to the ground with Smokey sitting on top.
“Banner! What has gotten into you!” he cried, “you could have hurt her!”
“Just get off me Smokey! She brought it onto herself!” Banner growled, still holding a grudge against his sleepy sister.
“What onto herself?” their mother’s voice cut in, Raina took her eyes off Banner and saw Ginger had just come into the room,
“oh ... I ..... I ... well Raina did.” Banner finished lamely, Ginger looked at Raina, a questioning look in her eyes,
thanks Banner, just shove all that blame on me.
“Banner and I were playfighting this morning,” Raina guiltily told them how she had won the challenge, but Banner had said it was not a fair win,
“Raina! Banner! You both know that I don’t like you taking these fights seriously! Apologise now!” their mother scolded, they apologised and Ginger nodded approvingly “good kittens.”
Just then Ernest, Mrs Turner’s daughter, came up,
“Ginger!” she called “time to eat!” so, with one more warning look, their mother jumped into Ernest’s arms, who carried her away.
~
That afternoon, as Raina and her siblings were drinking off Ginger, she stood up and, despite all their pleas for her to stay, she walked out of the room, than an elderly man and lady walked in with Mrs Turner “so these are the kittens,” the lady said, pointing to Raina, she said “The girl?” than picked her up, unused to being held for too long, Raina squirmed until the lady dropped her, then Raina was unsure what to do, the man picked her up by the scruff, she instinctively flopped and the man smiled gently at her, Raina felt deep respect towards him, she could tell he understood her, it was a new feeling and she loved it, purring as he gently put her into his large hand, she never wanted to leave it, she was content.
Mrs Turner stared at her, no doubt thinking of the many times she had held and patted Raina, who in turn had only ever wanted to jump down and explore! “My husband has a way with cats,” said the lady, who was named Dianna Maple, “I think we will take her,” said her husband Henry; as they walked down the hallway, Raina realised that she would never be back, she felt torn, she wanted to stay with this man, but she wanted to stay with her mother and siblings, ‘even Banner’ Raina regretfully thought of the last time they were together.
~
Raina was put in a wooden crate, Henry clicked his tongue and the crate wobbled and banged around in the back of the old cart, she couldn’t help being frightened.
Soon they arrived at a house, Raina was put down, and they both walked out to let her settle in, soon she found another kitten that was about 8 weeks old, about three weeks older than her, Raina tried to be friendly but the kitten, Connie, hissed at her. Soon Raina gave up and decided to explore, there was the lounge room, the kitchen/dining, two bedrooms, the bathroom, which smelt yuck, and the mudroom that she had been put in first, just then Dianna called “here, kitty, kitty, Raina, Connie,” Raina came running, accustomed to being called by that name, and a little surprised that she knew it, Mrs Turner must have told them my name, she decided. Dianna had set out two dishes, she put Connie at one and Raina at the other, Raina was hungry and she slurped it up gratefully,
* * *
“Oh! Daddy, please! Can we get him?!” begged a little boy “How much is he?” a man asked
“$100.” Mrs Turner answered slowly, Smokey stepped closer to Ginger, nothing was going to take him from her, when suddenly he felt someone grabbing him, he struggled at first but then they gently patted him so he relaxed and started purring “If you come inside I’ll get you a starter pack and you can be on your way” said Mrs Turner, So the man put Smokey inside a crate in the back of the cart, then the three humans went into the house.
Soon they came back out and climbed into the cart, the whole cart shuddered as they climbed in.
“meow” Whimpered scared Smokey then he heard the man click loudly and he felt the ground starting to move all he could do was lay down then he started remembering
^ ^ ^ ^
“Remember to do it smoothly & carefully!” Mrs Turner called to Ernest as she walked into her room
“Alright” Ernest called back; she was icing a cake for her birthday! Smokey had walked in right then, and had rubbed against her legs so she would pick him up…..
He was shaken out of memories when he felt the cart stop. Then he was carried inside and put in a room; he hid in a box when he saw a black and white cat walk in,
“Jack! There you are” cried the boy “Are you going to meet our new kitten?” he asked. Smokey was curious but very scared so he hissed at the other cat who, paying no attention to the hiss, just sniffed him, then walked away. Over the next few weeks he began to enjoy the older cat’s company.