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Wonder Goes Exploring Part 5
By Roalee

"Another street? How many more must I endure?" I asked piteously.

"Well, at least we're in the city now," said the large tan tomcat beside me.

"Yes, we just have to get across it and to the Junkyard," said the other tom beside me.

"Great," I growled. My black fur was still spiky with fear from the last time we crossed a street. I just didn't bother after the third road.

"Okay, Wonder, it's clear!"

My new friend Plato ran beside me and Blue nipped at my tail. I hissed at him and he smiled impishly.

The afternoon was long gone. Nighttime stole upon us like a hunting lioness. We had made it into the city without much incident. Apart from the constant road crossings, we made good time. Now, the moon smiled down on us as we made our way across an empty street.

"Exactly how large... is this... city?" I panted when we reached the other side of the street safely.

"We'll have to find someplace safe to sleep for a few hours, then, if we have no problems, we'll be there before next nightfall."

I focused on the source of information, curious. "For a cat who's not from around here, Blue, you sure seem to know your way around."

"Um... yes. Er... Plato?" Blue asked, ignoring the statement.

"Hmm?" He too, was curious about Blue's knowledge.

"Is there any way to get to the Junkyard without crossing more streets?"

The smaller tom shook his brown and white head. "We'd have to stick to the alleys. The cats there don't take kindly to strangers, especially House Cats."

My ears perked. I'd never met an Alley Cat before. "I'm willing to risk it. They can't be as bad as the threat of getting run over."

Plato and Blue both looked at each other.

"Your wish, madam," said Blue, gravely.

"I'm not promising you won't cross any streets. I actually haven't been in this part of the city before, so I wouldn't know." Plato frowned. "We should rest before we go on. This place is as safe as any. Let's go up on that ledge up there." Plato pointed his tail and whiskers to the spot. I was a fairly wide ledge, jutting from the side of a building. We would make good use of it.

"So far, we've been very lucky. It's probably because we have a black cat around, Wonder," Blue said as we all snuggled together for warmth.

I smiled sweetly at him as I said, "Oh? So you don't attribute it to your excellent leadership skills and all around greatness?"

Blue trembled his whiskers. He thought it over. "Oh, it's that as well."

I swatted playfully at him and we settled in for a couple hours nap. I must have been exhausted because I fell right into a deep sleep. The first thing I noticed when I woke up was a very defensive Blue and half asleep Plato.

"Blue," I asked as I yawned hugely. "What is wrong with you?"

Then, I felt it. Another presence. It wasn't another feline, though. It was human... a child. I turned my head. A little away from us, a little girl peered at us from a window.

"Blucarrock, you are not afraid of that young human, are you?" I asked sternly.

He flicked his tail, irritated. Without taking his eyes off the child, he hissed, "It's been staring at me for awhile."

"So?"

"It's challenging me!" Blue growled, his tan fur slightly spiked.

Plato, still only half alert, said, "You know, she is behind glass. There's not much she can do but look."

"Besides," I patted Blue on the shoulder. "I do believe she is admiring us."

"What are you talking about? She's staring at me, trying to intimidate me," my tan friend growled.

"No, she's not. Here, watch this." I gave Blue a nudge so he would move over and poked Plato with my tail so he would move too. As soon as I had some room on the ledge, I stretched luxuriously. I straightened my tail, perked my ears and yawned. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the little girl lift her head from her crossed arms and smile hugely. I also noticed Blue was watching me instead of the girl.

"Blue," I hissed. "I thought you were looking at the girl."

"What...? Oh, well, she stopped staring at me as you began you stretching." He smiled at me embarrassed. "You were right."

"I know it. Now, tell me what she does when I do this." I sat on my haunches and swiped at the air with one paw.

"She clapped her hands and now is waving," he said and looked back at me. I stopped and grinned.

Blue smiled and sidled up to me. I was licking my paws when he whispered, "I see you're doubly blest."

"What do you mean?"

"Your little bit of white, there."

"By the Moon, you have sharp eyes, don't you?"

By this time Plato had fully waken and finished cleaning his brown and white pelt. He looked at the both of us expectantly. I had, frankly, forgotten he was there. "Are you two about ready to go?" he asked.

I slowly turned my head to answer him. "I am."

"Me too." Blue jumped down from the ledge. Plato followed.

I gave on last paw waving to the girl in the window and leapt after the toms.

"Humans certainly entertain easy," Blue spoke as we walked along.

"Have you never had a human look at you before?" I asked.

Blue shrugged. "I usually just stay out of their way."

"What about the old woman who left scraps at The Shed?"

"Her? Well, I've never actually seen her. She always puts the food out and scoots back into her house. I'm not usually at The Shed during the day."

"I see."

For some reason, Blue felt the need to defend himself. "I'm not afraid of humans. I just don't trust them."

"Considering what little experience you have with them, you have no real reason to feel that way," I told him sternly.

"Whatever you say, lady cat," he replied.

I flicked my ears, irritated at his tone. Then, I noticed Plato was warily stalking something. I became aware of a slight scrabbling noise. The clouds had covered what little moon was out, but I could clearly see a pile of cardboard boxes in the alley.

"It smells like a mouse. There's probably a nest of them," Blue said quietly.

Plato and Blue looked at each other and nodded. They came up on either side of the boxes while I stalked head on. Sufficed to say, we all had enough to eat. And the boxes gave the cover we needed from the rain that had started fall. Plato yawned sleepily, "We'll be there soon."

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