I'll Be Dog-Gone (17)

"Send word that the sherrif is on his way." He turns to Kara - "so how do I get out of this without a fight? You know I can't actually shoot anyone - I don't even know how to use one of these."

Artist hands the pistol back to Kara. "You'll need this. You know I'm hopeless with a weapon" Artist confers briefly with Kara then talks quietly to each of the dogs.

"Tell them I'm coming out unarmed," he says and strides toward the door of the passenger car. Kara and the dogs sneak out the back. Sherrif Artist steps out of the door of the passenger car - his holster empty - his hands in the air. Jesse James and his gang level their guns at him.

Before the bandit can answer, he and two of his men are thrown from their horses - each man lands heavily on the ground with a dog on top of him - muzzle at his throat. Kara shoots the rifles from the hands of the other bandits with four expert shots - shooting simultaneously with both hands.

Artist calmly walks out and disarms the bandits and ties each with a length of rope while Kara and the dogs cover him. It takes over an hour to load the bandits and their horses onto the train.

"Glad to see you haven't lost your eye, Kara," Artist says as they re-board the train. The passengers in the front car all want to talk to them. After some polite conversation, Artist and Kara retreat to a pullman and set the dogs to guard.

Actually, the pith helmet was a blessing, because it held the filthy sack cloth away from her face. The sack smelled so badly that she came close to throwing up twice.

She knew she sat in between Jila and Artickat. They weren’t allowed to talk, trying that had only gotten them the threat of being shot. The accents of the men were German and Vi guessed that one of them had been the man who had tried to kidnap Artic. What had they been thinking? she chided herself. Granted, this was only a movie land, but they were in as much danger here as anywhere else they had traveled to. And of course, she thought ruefully, none of them had any talent for mind to mind communication.

The big open car they were trapped in rolled on through the night. Where it was headed only their captors knew. The fools had tried them up; fortunately, there wasn’t a knot that Artic couldn’t wiggle her way out of. Artic’s free hands had undone Vi’s ropes a while ago. Now Vi was silently working to free Jila.

There. It was done. Vi smiled in satisfaction as Jila gave her a little pinch of thanks. Now she was free to explore the new clothing she had on. Viridian suppressed a chuckle when she discovered that unlike the simple dress she had worn in Casablanca, the jodhpurs, camp shirt and jacket she now wore all had pockets in them-- and her collection of “stuff” was exactly where it should be. Although it was pitch black, she moved slowly and carefully as she felt her way through each pocket-- no point causing suspicion by shifting around too much. She retrieved a Swiss Army pocket knife, single edged razor blades, her retractable mat knife, a laser pointer, two tiny flashlights, a packet of shiny confetti and a tube of Crazy Glue. Some of her finds she kept, others she silently pushed into the hands of her friends.

Their captors spoke rapidly in German. Frell! Vi thought. Ghostie spoke German, and Vi knew either 6th or Rae did as well. Fat lot of good that did her, or Jila or Artic!

The car came to a stop. Quickly, Viridian hid her weapons and tried to make it look like she was still tied up; she hoped the others had done the same. She held her hands together as she was dragged from the car-- one of her captors grabbed her and kept her from falling to the ground. Her sack was yanked from her head, the pith helmet with it and she took in deep gulps of blessedly sweet air. She had just enough time to look at the imposing side of a pyramid that rose up before her and the torches that lit it when her helmet was dropped roughly on her head and she was ordered to walk.

Jila was dressed the same as Viridian and Vi figured that Jila must be as grateful as she was to be wearing sturdy boots and not the fragile platform shoes they had worn in Casablanca. She couldn’t see Artic for they were walking through the torch-lit corridors of the pyramid in single file. The pyramid was a maze, try as she could to remember they way they had come in, Viridian was lost in minutes.

At last they came into a large room. Even though the torches that lit it cast dark and strange shadows, Jila could see that the walls and ceiling were ornately decorated with murals. Her eyes swept the room; there was a huge altar-- or was it a sarcophagus? that dominated the space, but it was the murals that caught her attention. They depicted an Egyptian goddess-- a woman with a cat-shaped head. What had Artic told her? Did this room have to do with the statue that went missing? The other two Scoobys were pushed to stand next to Jila; she saw Vi was dressed the same as she was, but Artic! Artic looked like an Egyptian kitty goddess!

Wait.....a... minute.....Jila thought. She looked from Artic to the murals on the walls and back again. An awful idea started to creep into her head. She nudged Vi, but Vi’s expression was one of total confusion-- she hadn’t heard Artic’s story.

From a door on the other side of the room came a small procession of men. Although they were dressed as ancient Egyptians, their features were anything but. They looked like they were... well, from Hollywood. Their leader climbed the steps leading up to the sarcophagus. His robes shone gold in the torchlight and his voice, when he spoke, was upper-class British. It was what he said that the Scoobys could not believe.

“At last!” the man cried. “You have found her-- the daughter of Bast! Bring her here to be sacrificed so that the power of the Goddess may be released upon the world!”

Kitten wagged her little paw at Elvis, admonishing him to be quiet. Elvis nodded and tried to look serious. Kitten padded foreward, slinking low. At the edge of the alley she paused...a raised rear paw reached back and pushed on Elvis's nose. Looking at him she again held her paw up for silence. He nodded.

In an expert artickat stalking crawl the little fuss ball laid her ears back and peered around the corner. Yes the mean old alleycats were still there. She grinned as much of a ferrel grin as her swollen jaw would allow.

"Now calm down Mr. Dreamer. As the duely appointed animal control officer for this district I can assure you the problem will be taken care of. We have strict rules about animals in eateries sir."

She didn't like it in the little kitty carrier at all. Even artickat didn't stick her in time out like this. She was starting to miss artickat...and crunch..and Mr. Duckie...and....

Kitten sat with her face pressed against the bars of her cell, a lone tear slowly rolled down her face as she stared solemnly at Elvis in the cell next to her. "Ahhh, don't cry" Elvis said nervously (it always made him nervous when anyone cried) "Duh, it will be okay". Elvis licked kitten on the side of her face wiping away her tear, stretching her face backwards until her teeth showed while lifting her off of the floor and then dropping her back to her original position.

Once kitten regained her balance from Elvis's lick she sniffled a little "Thanks...but my tail hurts! And I miss...sniff...sniff...I miss Artic and the gang...and my CRUNCH!" Kitten looked up at Elvis with forlorn eyes, his slobber dripping from her whiskers "I just wanted to find Duckie!"

Just then the door at the end of the hall opened and one of the 'guards' walked up to the cell Elvis was in "Come on…it's your turn...sorry big feller." The guard came into the cell and put a collar on a silly mutt that trotted right up with its tongue hanging out. "Good boy…to bad no one has any money to feed themselves let alone a dog right now." The guard walked with the dog down the hall.

With a panicked look Elvis tried to cover Kitten's mouth with a paw "Ahhh, you don't want to go there...you don't come back...duh...now be quiet or they will hear you" Elvis nods his head towards the guards standing in the doorway.

"Honey child...you don't want to go that way. Now why don't you introduce me to your handsome protector...hmmmm sugar?" A small longhaired dog sauntered up next to Elvis, her eyes hidden by the hair hanging over them. Her hips swaying back and forth in such a way that Kitten wondered how she could walk.

With a quizzical look as Kitten noticed Elvis blushing a deep red "His name is Elvis and my name is Artickitten" Kitten stifled a chuckle as Trixie rubbed her head against one of Elvis's legs and he blushed an even deeper red (if that was possible).

Elvis pulled his leg away from Trixie's affection and cleared this throat "Duh, there will be none of that Lady Trixie...Ahhh...there are kittens and puppies about"

"Lady Trixie, did you say?" Trixie chuckled, as she looked up at Elvis "Hmmm...no one has ever called me 'Lady Trixie' before...I like it and I have to say…blushing becomes you." Trixie winked at Elvis.

Kitten just rolled her eyes and chuckled, totally forgetting that her tail hurt, which was Trixie's plan all along. *Poor thing...she doesn't belong in here* Trixie thought...

"What a shame! Yer Mother letting ya out wandering alone, with all that could happen to a wee bairn such as yerself. I'll be talkin' to her about her responsibilities, sure enough!" the cop muttered, almost to himself. Thor wondered how the cop would find his dinosaur mother for a moment, an interesting mental picture of the cop yelling at his impressive and quite dangerous mother, the man dwarfed next to her giant size...but then Thor realized the man still thought he was a human child.

Thor didn't think so, the cop's head seemed only full of thoughts of doing his duty as a good cop, and something that was called colcannon that his pretty wife was cooking at home. Thor shied away from the other thoughts the cop was having, as they involved his pretty wife, and Thor thought they weren't any of his business.

"Aye, lad, but me bike is this way. Fancy a ride in a side car?" the cop grinned down at Thor. Thor liked this man immensely. He liked children, he had three little ones at home, Thor picked up.

The cop stopped beside a shining police motorcycle, sidecar attached. He plopped Thor gently down into the sidecar, then tried shifting Sweetiepie from his shoulder down into the sidecar as well. The bird only squalked laughter and flew to perch on the handlebars.

"Almost!" Sweetiepie bristled, but Thor cut in. *My ma's friend trianed him. She's a real smart lady.* Well, Kara did seem to be the one Sweetiepie favored the most.

"Well..." the cop couldn't think of much to say on that. He didn't want to belittle the child's mother in front of him, but he was quite angry inside at whoever this poor child's ma was. Imagine, letting the poor kid wander around downtown by himself!

He picked up his helment instead and handed it to Thor, who juggled it carefully in his little claws. The cop hadn't noticed Thor's lack of human hands, since they were enveloped in the sleeves of his coat.

"You'll havta be puttin' that on. I don't want you ta hit yer head on anything." the cop said. He stood by, watching Thor. Thor looked at the helment in his hands. Then back up at the cop.

"Well, lad, ya havta take yer hat off first!" the cop said, taking the hat off of Thor. The cop's laughter died in his throat, and the hat fell from his fingers as he stared at the shamefaced little T-rex sitting in his sidecar. Sweetiepie glanced around to see if anyone else had noticed this, but the cop had blessedly parked his motorbike on a side street, which was free of possible onlookers.

"A monster needs my help! Oh, St. Bridget!" the cop said softly, his face pale. Then he straightened up. He was a cop, after all. "Now look here! You have no right going around pretending to be a child when yer not! Imagine, ya could ha' bit my arm clean off!"

*If I had wanted to bite you, I'd have done it first thing!* Thor yelled *I wore these clothes because you people seem to think I'm some kind of monster! All I want is to find the darn cat and go back to the boat before 6th finds out what happened!*

Sweetiepie continued, ignoring Thor, "But all that isn't important, except for the cat. We have to find her, it's our job to guard the boat, and the kitten. She ran off looking for some stupid duck, and there will be quite a few people mad at us if we don't get her back and get back to the boat before they do!"

*No.* Thor said wearily, slumping his head to rest on the edge of the sidecar. *No trick. And I'm sorry we scared you. But you picked us up. I thought you could help us. My mistress,* he stressed the word, eyeing the parrot, who snorted derisively, *charged me to keep things under control on the boat while they went off, and we have to find artickitten! Please can you help us?*

The cop stood still for a moment, looking at the three. Then he sighed. "Alright. I'll help you find the cat." he swung his leg over the cycle, cranking it up. Then he took the helment back from Thor and clamped in down over his own head. "You get down in the floorboards though. We don't need ta be scarin' the public now."

*No, we don't.* Thor said, crawling down below the seat, and curling up in the coat, Louie curling up beside him. Sweetiepie fluttered to the sidecar's seat and hunkered down low.

Indiana had followed the group into the pyramid. Even with his years of experience in old ruins and tombs, he found himself starting to get lost inside the labyrinth-- that is, until he noticed the trail of shiny confetti that had been sprinkled on the floor. Someone’s using her head, he thought.

He rounded a corner; suddenly a hand went over his mouth and someone pulled him into the shadows. He started to fight back until a voice whispered harshly into his ear, “Stop making noise, you bloody Yank! You’ll get us both killed!”

“Well, that crackpot has taken three young ladies captive with the aid of the bloody... what do you call them now? The Nazis? And he’s going to sacrifice one of them!”

“Lower your voice!” Ned punched him in the arm. “He thinks the little catgirl is the embodiment of Bast and killing her is going to free some sort of primordial power that he will then use. The man’s bonkers, but he’s dangerous.”

At that moment, Indy understood that Artic had never stolen the statue. He fingered his bullwhip and glowered at his desert buddy. “He won’t harm a hair on her furry little head,” he growled..

The scream had come from Lord Ellis, who had tripped over his golden robes at the vision of the Goddess. With the distraction, the Scoobys whipped into action. Viridian kicked Major Strausser hard where it counted, (Practicing on Captain Hook had helped) and Jila slashed the arm of her guard with the mat knife that Vi had given her. She yanked the guard’s revolver from its holster and pointed it at him. “Don’t mess with me dog face, or you’re SO dead!” she hissed.

Vi reached over and cocked the gun for her. She was pretty sure this was the first time Jila had ever even held a gun. “Naughty boy, you’ve pissed Jila off.” Uncapping the Crazy glue, Vi poured it into the eyes of the Major as he tried to get up. He howled in agony. “God, my mother would be horrified,” she muttered to herself.

Lurkingghost had been trying to pull Artic away out of the chamber; it had been obvious to everyone that she was the intended target. But Artic was acting strangely; she stood transfixed by the sight of the Goddess and despite Ghost’s efforts, she would not budge. “C’mon, kitty! The effect won’t last long!!” Ghost cried.

Lord Ellis rose to his feet. The look on his face was of madness complete. “I WILL have my sacrifice!” he screamed. He held a golden knife high, then launched it at Artic.

Time seemed to slow down. Vi saw the knife coming toward her friend. She saw Ghost valiantly get in front of Artic to save her, but being a ghost, the knife flew through her harmlessly and continued toward its target. Vi felt the scream start from her throat; she heard one coming from Jila as well, but they were too far away. The blade flashed in the torchlight as it neared its victim who stood silent and helpless. The horrid thought that she was about to see a friend die started to form in Viridian’s mind.

For a moment nothing happened-- there was silence-- then all hell broke loose. Jila’s guard lunged at her. A shot was fired and he fell to the ground. Jila looked confused and horrified. “I didn’t...” she began. Two men leaped into the room, one in a familiar leather jacket, the other in the robes of the desert. The man known to the world as Lawrence of Arabia put his pistol back in its holster and took the gun from Jila. “It was I, Madame,” he said in his British accent. Now, if you would be so kind as to follow me.”

Everyone stopped and looked at Artic. Her mouth was open and the enormous roaring was coming from her. It sounded like a thousand lions all at once. A golden light surrounded her; it gathered itself above her head and flew down her arm and through the tip of the knife. A beam of light as bright as any laser fired itself toward Lord Ellis. It struck him so hard that the walls began to shake and its golden flame consumed him until there was nothing left of the madman.

Frantically, Jila grabbed a still stunned Artic. She turned to the robed stranger. “We’ve got to get out of here!” she yelled. “And just who in the hezmana are YOU?”

“Ned Lawrence at your service, Madame.” he replied and sketched a little bow. If you will be so kind as to leave NOW, we will leave these villains to their just desserts!” He lead the way out of the chamber and into the maze of corridors.

“Confetti?” Viridian cried, “Purple confetti?” she looked on the ground and there it was: a tiny purple trail that sparkled in the shaking torchlight. “I gave the confetti to Artic,” she told Indy. “She must have left a trail!”

They all made it out just in time. Indy was the last; he drove through the entrance way seconds before it collapsed. Everyone ran until the shaking ground knocked them down. A storm of dust and sand flew over them, leaving them coughing and gasping for air and then all was quiet.

Jila sat up and rolled Artic over. “Artic?” Honey? Wake up!” Jila shook her friend gently and Artic opened her eyes to the sight of everyone looking down at her.

“Whaa happened?” She sat up and rubbed her head. “We were in the pyramid with that nut and then everything went black and my head hurts and Yowzer! Indy! I didn’t take your statue! You gotta believe me!”

Ned Lawrence stood up and surveyed the damage. “Well, the villains’ car has been destroyed. Fortunately for us, I have superior transportation.” He whistled loudly and four camels came from around a sand dune and come trotting obediently toward him. “I’m afraid we will have to double up-- Madame,” he bowed again to Jila, “if you don’t mind riding with me, I would be fascinated to hear of your journeys.”

Viridian found herself being suddenly helped up the side of a camel. “C’mon lady,” Indy said, “he won’t bite-- just spit a little. You can ride with me. If Artic is true to form, she will seasick from the camel and hurling over its side in no time.”

The sun broke over a distant dune and the day promised to be hot. Fortunately, this was Classics Land and not the real Sahara, so the trip would be short and pleasant. Just wait until the Viking hears of this, Viridian thought, he’ll NEVER believe it!

"Morning Diary. You know, this is sort of a funny time to start writing this way again. Perhaps it's been too long.It has been quite some time since i traveled the lands. Admittedly I'm older now, with a lot more experience under my belt, but somewhere deep inside i can feel that adventure bug still stiring.

"Funny how I spend more and more time musing as I get older. Before long I'm going to be an old man in body and soul. Never thought that would happen. Not back then.

"The lands have changed a lot over the years but suprisingly much remains the same. I wish I could show the others some of the things I've seen. Then maybe they'd understand better the concerns and worries I voice about Reality. Alas they've never been here before so they really don't have anything to compare it too. We still have some time. It'll take Reality a while to take hold.I only hope we have enough time. Maybe this goofy dog trip has a silver lining afterall.

"Rae's fixing something from her sack for us to eat. You haven't met Rae yet, nor IQ for that matter. As companions go, they're not bad at all. IQ has a certain growing confidence about him, and Rae? Well Rae is someone you just have to experience. Actually all the Scoobies are. When I've got a little more time, I write and tell you all about them.

"My other two companions are two of the unluckist guys around. We've crossed paths before. Pedro in Mexico and Jeff at Momma's if not before. Both them and their type are well known to me. They'll stick with us because they're scared and lost but first chance they get they'll be gone. I think this adventure has put a bit of fear into them but it won't last. The world has too many temptations for small time muscle with little future.

"They're not really the violent type. They don't have it in them. Mostly bluster. Maybe I'll have to steer them a bit...I could have turned out just like them long, long, ago.

"They're not too close to us at the moment. First safe body of water I come to and I'm tossing them in. I told Jeff not to walk on that side of the trail. Did he listen? Nope. A few paces and he was waste deep in a dung pile. Pedro got elected to help him out. Builds friendships...also kept Rae from wholloping him. I think he's scared of her. He should be. IQ might suprise him as well.

"OT oh, speaking of Rae, I see her giving me the evil eye again. I guess that's my cue to come help with the meal. Next chance i get I'll try to fill you in some more Diary. Someone probably should keep a set of annals on these journeys. "

Ragnar folded the small notebook closed and slipped it back into his pocket. The wind was shifting anyway, time to find a seat upwind of the dynamic duo again. If they started stinking much worse he might settle for moderately safe pond scum instead of water.

Arctic, Jila, 'Ghost, and Viridian abruptly appeared in older clothes, like something out of a cheesy horror movie. The surroundings had changed unexpectedly from endless desert to dark and slightly menacing forest.

...IQ began building a fire. He had to tell Jeff and Pedro (a.k.a. stinky and putrid) repeatedly that he did not need their help, and that they should stay away. Suddenly, IQ had an idea of how to get rid of them...

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH" yelled Stinky and Putrid as they ran back toward the camp. When they got back to the camp they were to scared to put a sentance together, and stammerd something about big teeth.

Ned Lawrence commented. "If you ladies want to go on, I'm afraid I'll have to take leave of you here." He got the camel to kneel so Jila could slide off. He grabbed her hand and kissed it. "Until we meet again, my dear."

Jila smiled at him and turned bright pink. "Hey! I thought I was the only one to do that!" Viridian said as she dismounted. Realizing how dumb that sounded, she promptly changed the subject. "Listen do you two fellows want any dogs in your life?"

Vi told them where the dogs were kept. "I haven't been out of Classics Land for years, but I could use the company," Ned told her. He smiled over at his friend. "And you, Indiana-- a dog just might help you stay out of trouble!"

"Yeah right." Indy chuckled and tipped his hat. "Ladies, it's been a pleasure. The next time you want to get in trouble," he grinned at Artic, "just give me a call."

bedded down in the sleeper car of the train. Each bunk was only big enough for onw but since they were both completely exhausted it was ok. The dogs took turn standing guard.

Kara was awakened next morning by piano music of all things. There was no sound of the train clacking and they didn't seem to be moving so she assumed they must be at a station. She looked out the window. They were not at a train station.

Outside, everything was white, snow was everywhere. Kara shivered. She turned to wake Artist. "Artist, Wake Up!" she tried to say but no sound came out of her mouth. Instead a title appeared across the bottom of the screen.

Kara sighed (soundlessly) and shook Artist's shoulder to wake him. When he rolled out of bed he was no longer in white. He now sported a bright red Mountie uniform. Kara realized that she was now wearing a long dress trimmed with fur.

As the sky grew darker and the wind colder, they knew they were heading closer to the dreaded Witch's lair. The flying monkeys began appearing at regular intervals and the trio knew their movements were being watched.

"Right. We need a plan. I think we should go charging in there and find the dogs and drench that witch with enough water to sink the Titanic," said Kaybe, still upset.

Kitten was curled up in her cage, clutching her swollen tail and meowing restlessly in her sleep. She sweated, yet the night was cool. Elvis feared for her for there was no vet. The unhealthy animals were just induced to take 'the walk'. Try as he might, he had yet to concoct a means of escape. Exhausted, he too was sleeping.

Tweety bird came strolling smoothly down the way. He was dressed from head to toe in the latest in surgerical scrubs, complete with little booties and a showercap that stood on end to cover his top feathers. On his neck hung a stethascope, on his head rested his magnifier head band, and in his hand he clutched his medical bag.

"You think it means to attack?" IQ asked joining them. He hadn't exactly clamed Jeff and Pedro down, but he HAD managed to convince them to shut up if they didn't want to get eaten.

"I don't know." Rae repeated. "I think if it wanted to attack us, it would have by now. I think it would have taken Jeff and Pedro down before they could warn us. Maybe that's not what it has in mind at all."

IQ nodded. "Probably. It's expected you know. That big viking image being what it is and all. Cann't have it getting tarnished at this late date. You turning into an old man on us and all." expressing a little mirth at the vikings expense. "Besides rescueing fair damsels is kind of fun." He smiled. Ragnar looked at him.

Mouse sat at the controls, humming a tune. Spyral sat next to her, enjoying the cool breeze. 6th sat on the side of the boat, looking out over the water. Drumheller had

6th looked over his shoulder, trying to make some sense out of the strange writing in the book. For a split second, she thought she could make out a few of the words, then they were gone. Giving up, she sat back, and tried to relax.

The boat, still running at full speed, was quickly approaching a small island. 6th didn't seem to notice, she kept right on going full steam ahead, still screaming about

and away they went. Thor was crouching in the sidecar with Louie but Sweetiepie was having a fine time riding up in the wind. He was perched on the forward edge of the sidecar leaning forward into the wind with his wings tucked up tight. The wind in his face was marvelous.

While the policeman was gone, Sweetiepie hopped up to the handlebars and perched there. The occasional passerby looked surprised to see a parrot perching on a motorcycle but since it was a police motorcycle nobody seemed inclined to molest him.

"Well, the folks from the humane society were here this evening. They caught several strays which they took to their facility downtown. We'll go there in the morning to look for your kitty."

Rae calls cheerfully as IQ and Ragnar enter the clearing where she is standing conversing with what can only be described as a 'lizard-man'. (Or lizard-woman. It's so hard to tell with reptiles.)

This particular reptile is standing on its hind legs and balancing on a very large tail. It's scaly skin varies from yellow to orange to red in an appealing pattern. It regards the two men and bares its teeth.

Rae grins. "Appearantly, that's what scared Jeff and Pedro. The hissing, I mean. So she chooses not to use it around you either." Rae grins suddenly. "I told you so."

"On our world, no comet came. Without the comet, no dead dino-race, and no rodent-race in our place. We evolved in the way we were meant to." she licks her lips with a forked tounge. "And we avoid human people."

"Accident." the lizard frowned thoughtfully. "My people told me to watch. I erred. You're dirty men got one look at me and ran off yelling. I tried to SSSStop them." The 's' in 'stop' came out as a hiss that made IQ and Ragnar jump back. "My apology." she muttered.

"See?" Rae says. "Hissss." Rae laughs mockingly. "I knew Jeff and Pedro were excitable, but really, I had no idea." She turns to the lizard. "I happen to think you have a lovely."

"My people do not like outlander people: why I came to watch you. However, if you are truly losssst and in trouble... We can make arangement to help if you so desire. A guide through the jungle. Around Doctor Moraeu and hissss territory. To be avoided."

opened her eye, reaching up with a paw she felt her other eye and her jaw *Ouch! Still tender* Slowly getting to her feet, Kitten does a test stretch...front paws, back paws....wiggle wiggle....*Huh?

*YAWN! What the? Something seemed heavy!* Turning her head she squeeks in suprise. Her tail! it's stuck in a pair of sticks! And all wrapped up too! ...wiggle, wiggle... her tail moves left and right and the splint swings back and forth . She doesn't remember taking the 'walk' so they could make her feel all better. *Hmmm...wonder how that happened?*

"Duh... Kitten, look at look what I found. Isn't it perty?" Elvis smirks as he pushes a small yellow feather towards Kitten through the bars "Ah...It's for you to make you feel better. I didn't even know they allowed birdies in here." Elvis looks up in case a birdie should feel the desire to drop a little something-something on his head."Uh...when did they fix your tail?"

But kitten was no longer listening. Her eyes lit up as she clutched the feather to her and began to twirl around and around her cell *MR DUCKIE! Mr Duckie was here!* she giggled with a silly grin on her face. CLANK CLANK as her splint hit the side bars.

Trixie just watched and took it all it. She had no idea what those little morsels on the floor were, but the kitten sure seemed to. Crunch...crunch...crunch...the little noise echoed on the mile.