Fuzz the Cat Ch. 02

Fuzz's presence in Maria's life quickly settled into a routine. Every day when she came home from school Growl would immediately pounce on her at the door. Fuzz waited calmly until Growl was done with his clownish antics before lightly jumping down from his perch on the back of the sofa and greeting her with a dignified purr. Then Maria would pick him up and they'd all go into the family room to watch TV, Fuzz on her lap and Growl at her feet, his pink tongue often tickling her dangling toes.

There was only one part of Maria's life that Growl was allowed into that Fuzz wasn't... every day Maria would put a collar on Growl's neck, there was a long leash attached to it and they would go outside. The first time Fuzz tried to follow them, only to be picked up by Maria's mother. She held him so that he could see Maria and Growl trotting out of sight. Fuzz was very confused, why did Growl get to go somewhere that he didn't?

It didn't take Fuzz too long to realize that he was never allowed outside. Growl was allowed out a door in the back of the house almost every day, anytime he wanted to go out, while Fuzz was left to sit watching as Growl chased birds and squirrels and had all kinds of wonderful adventures. Fuzz would settle down at the glass door and growl madly until Growl was called back in. He didn't think it was at all fair that Growl got to go all these places that Fuzz couldn't, and Growl always came back with such fantastic stories... Fuzz wasn't sure whether or not to believe him. He talked about multitudes of people, fast bikes, children, lots of space, being able to run around a large green field...

How could Maria love Fuzz so much and not allow him some freedom? No, Growl had to be making it up. Perhaps he was taken somewhere terrible... or maybe he was being brain washed... maybe he was just taken somewhere so boring that he had to make up fantastic stories in order to keep himself amused.

Surely Growl couldn't be enjoying something that Fuzz himself wasn't allowed to partake in. At home they were absolutely equal.

At home.

But that didn't stop Fuzz from waiting every day for Maria and Growl to come back, Growl loping up the front walk like a stupid clown with his tongue hanging out. Fuzz hissed displeasure every time they left together.

Then one day, after getting Growl ready to go, Maria put down Growl leash and went and picked up something from the table. Walking over to Fuzz she pet his head and back, making him stand so that she would get the itchy spot just in front of his tail. Curious he looked up at her...

and she snapped a collar around his throat.

Fuzz screamed and ran, ran around the entire house yowling at the top of his lungs, trying to get the awful thing off. It hung on him, weighing him down! A terrible, terrible slave collar, trying to stifle him! Maria just sat, laughing, watching as he rolled in despair, claws trying to shred the evil thing and failing. It was too strong for him.

Finally, panting, Fuzz collapsed in defeat.

Once he was done with his race around the house, Maria's mother helped Maria put a harness on Fuzz, at the back of the harness was a little clip that Maria attached the leash to. Growl bounced around happily as he realized that his best friend in the whole wide world - other than Maria of course - would be joining him on his walk today.

But when Maria tried to get Fuzz up, he wouldn't move. He couldn't move. The whole thing was just too awfully heavy, an itch on his back that he couldn't scratch. Obviously this was some kind of trick, showing that she would be fair and allow him to come along too, but weigh him down so horribly that he'd never make it.

That, or they really were going to some awful place and now she was going to take him too! Maybe that's why the harness... she knew he was smarter than Growl and so took extra precautions that he wouldn't be able to escape!

Fuzz yowled and whined dismally as Maria picked him up and carried him outside, her mother following her with the excited growl. Flopping down on the sidewalk, he watched with defeated eyes as Growl's leash was handed over to Maria and she started walking.

"Come on Fuzz," she said, tugging at him.

He was defeated. He might as well go. Slowly Fuzz got to his feet, walking with funereal dignity down the sidewalk, his head hanging low. Stupid Growl was still bouncing around, acting like this was great.

"See? See? See?" Growl continually asked, grating on Fuzz's nerves unbearably. He refused to sniff all the awful things that Growl was so interested in, preferring to concentrate on their utterly dismal fate that surely awaited them at their destination.

Maria took them into a park, filled with children, animals and a playground. There were even a few other cats there, also on harnesses. Fuzz perked up when he saw that they weren't looking too glum... perhaps it would be alright? Looking over her shoulder, she waved to her mother who was watching them from the back window, picking up Fuzz so that Mommy could see he was ok.

Fuzz protested as he was lifted into the air, settling immediately onto Maria's lap when she let him. Since everyone coming in and out of the small park closed the gate, and only friendly animals were allowed, she let Growl off his leash and he immediately dashed off to play with some of his friends. Fuzz stayed adamantly on Maria's lap.

"Aww, poor kitty scared," Maria said, stroking him comfortingly.

Of course he wasn't scared. How ridiculous. He just didn't like strange situations was all. It was much better to observe and wait, not just jump straight into the unknown. Not like stupid Growl.

But the next day, when Maria brought out the harness, Fuzz was waiting.