Hunter tried to stay on his feet as the cage bounced around the back of a moving car. This might be his second time in a car, but it was still as terrifying.
The noise and the stench of the car were overwhelming. He hoped the trip would end soon. He could feel the car slow down and come to a stop. Was this the end, or would it start moving again like it had so many times before? Then there was silence. Not complete silence. He could still hear noises in the background. But the car was silent and still, and the vibrations had stopped.
Taylor, his mother and a man—the vet—talked. There were metallic clanging sounds and then a loud slam. Hunter jumped. The car door opened, letting in light, and Taylor was standing beside him. He reached in and picked up the cage. Hunter crouched and tried to stay balanced.
Hunter soon realized where he was. They were in the alley beside the junkyard. Hunter’s heart raced. He was home…well, almost home. If only he wasn’t in the cage.
Hunter cried out, meowing, “I’m here! I’m here! Mittens, can you hear me?”
There was no answer, but he hadn’t expected one. The vet pulled back the junkyard fence to make a hole wide enough for them all to fit through. They were in the junkyard! Hunter was so excited he called out again. His meow was so loud Taylor almost lost his grip on the cage.
As they approached the colony, the humans talked. Hunter should have been listening, but he was too excited. They were getting closer and closer to the colony.
As they approached the clearing, Taylor walked ahead and the other two humans fell behind. There were cats in the clearing. A couple of them roused from slumber, and one got to his feet. They hadn’t noticed Hunter was in the cage, or had they? A few cats poked their heads out of the wrecks and others entered the clearing. Why weren’t Mittens or the kittens here? Was something wrong, had something happened to them? He had to get out of the cage. He had to go find them.
“Mittens, I’m back!” he yelled. His tail swished back and forth anxiously. He had to get out!
Taylor put the cage down. He rattled something and an opening appeared in the side of the cage. Hunter tensed. He had a way out. All he had to do was jump through the opening before it closed again. But he was too confused to move. He owed Taylor something. How could he say thank you? Hunter pressed against the bars, touched Taylor’s hand and started to purr. Taylor pet Hunter’s head through the bars. It felt good, but this wasn’t his life.
Hunter sprung through the opening and landed a few lengths away. He should have run, but he didn’t. He spun around and looked Taylor right in the eyes.
Taylor smiled. Hunter nodded, turned and walked away, toward the other cats. They looked shocked to see him. It was as if he had returned from the dead. None of them had expected to see him again. But these weren’t the cats he wanted to see. If only—
“Hunter!”
“Daddy!”
Mittens and their four kittens raced up and practically bowled him over. “I thought—I thought I’d never see you again,” Mittens said.
“Did you think you could get rid of me that easily?” he asked.
Mittens pushed her face against his. “I never wanted to get rid of you.”
“Let’s go home,” Hunter said.
Hunter started toward the den. He was here, with his mate and his family. He was almost home. He was so happy. And then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something move and he jumped. A blur rushed by him. King! Hunter spun around, puffed out his fur and snarled.
“I’m going to rip you apart!” King hissed as he took a swipe at Hunter.
Hunter dodged his blow and leaped onto the roof of a car. He crouched down, ready to strike if King followed, but he didn’t.
“You’re going to regret ever coming back here!” King screeched.
“So far you’re the only one who seems to be bothered about it.”
“Come down here, and I’ll show you,” King said.
“Why don’t you come up here, and I’ll show you, unless of course you’re too fat to jump this high.”
They both knew it would be to Hunter’s advantage if King tried to jump.
“No need for me to go up there,” King said. “Eventually you’ll have to come down and—”
“Leave him alone!” Mittens screamed.
“Stay out of this,” King said.
“Leave her alone!” Hunter said.
“Or what?” King asked.
“Or else you’ll be the one who’s ripped to shreds.”
“You think you can do that?” King asked.
Taylor rushed forward, shouting. He threw a rock at King and it bounced off the ground beside him.
“Not me. I’ll have help, and it won’t be from other cats,” Hunter said.
King looked shocked.
“You bother me, my mate or my kittens and that human will hurt you,” Hunter said. “He does what I tell him to do.”
“Do you really think I believe that?” King asked.
“Let’s find out.” Hunter turned to face Taylor. “It’s all right. You can leave him alone.” He paused. “For now.”
King looked up at Hunter, and Hunter could see his doubt. But more than doubt, he saw fear.