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Lucy started to cry again, and her tears smudged the ink on the page. She scrunched up the unfinished letter and threw it in the bin. It was just so unfair! A beautiful kitten, just like she had always wanted, but her parents had only got Sky to make Lucy forget her real home.

“Well, I won’t!” Lucy muttered fiercely, gulping back sobs. “They can’t make me! Not even with a kitten…”

By now Lucy had cried so much that she was desperately thirsty, and her head ached. She threw on some clothes, and opened her bedroom door quietly. Kieran had gone out to play football, and Mum and Dad were in the garden, looking at the rickety old shed. She could creep down and grab a glass of juice without having to talk to anyone.

Upstairs in her room it had been terribly difficult to tell herself she didn’t want a kitten. Downstairs in the kitchen, with Sky staring at her with huge, confused, sad blue eyes, it was completely impossible. Lucy held out for as long as it took to go to the fridge and pour her juice, and drink a few thirsty gulps. But the sight of Sky lost in her too-big basket was irresistible. Lucy put the glass on the table and knelt down beside Sky.

“You don’t know what’s going on, do you?” she asked gently. “I’m not trying to be mean, honestly,” she sighed.

Sky just wanted someone to play with her. She stood up, stretched, and put a paw on Lucy’s knee. She gazed at her, her head on one side questioningly. “Maaa?” she mewed pleadingly. Lucy’s mum had left a cat toy in the basket, a little jingly ball with ribbons attached to it, and Sky pawed at it hopefully.

Lucy shook her head, smiling.“OK. When it’s just you and me, I’ll play. But we have to pretend, all right? When Mum and Dad are around, I won’t be able to play at all.” She looked at Sky. She knew a kitten wouldn’t understand that sort of thing, even if she did look very intelligent.

Sky batted at the ball again. Enough talking. She wanted to play.

Lucy danced the ribbons in front of Sky, bouncing the little ball up and down, and sending Sky in crazy, skittering circles all over the kitchen. It was so funny! Lucy hadn’t known Nutmeg and Ginger when they were kittens, and she hadn’t realized how much more playful a little kitten would be than her two middle-aged, rather plump cat friends. Sky danced, she jumped, she tumbled over and over, attacking the fierce ribbons. “Oh, Sky!” Lucy giggled.

[Ęŕđňčíęŕ: img_11]

Then she heard voices coming up the garden path. Mum and Dad! Swiftly she stood up, and dropped the jingly ball back into Sky’s basket. Sky watched her, puzzled. Was this a new game? Was she supposed to jump into the basket and pull it out again? She dived in, and popped up with a mouthful of ribbons. But Lucy had turned away. She was standing by the table, drinking her juice. Sky waited. Maybe she was supposed to creep up on Lucy, and give her a surprise? Yes! It was a hunting game! She dropped the ball and leaped sneakily out of her basket. Tummy low to the ground and ears pricked with excitement, Sky crept across the kitchen floor – slowly, slowly, now pounce on Lucy’s foot!

Just then, Lucy’s parents came back into the kitchen. They saw Sky standing on her hind legs, her paws on Lucy’s jeans, gazing pleadingly up at her. Lucy was ignoring the kitten entirely, not even looking at her.

Lucy’s mum sighed, and went to pick Sky up and stroke her. Sky gave a tiny purr – it was nice to be cuddled – but she was still gazing at Lucy. She was confused. Why didn’t Lucy want to play any more? What had gone wrong? It was as though Lucy was a different person. And not a very friendly one.

Chapter Four

[Ęŕđňčíęŕ: img_2]

By Monday morning, Sky was even more confused. Lucy gave her lots of cuddles and was wonderful to play with when they were on their own, but as soon as anyone else came into the kitchen, she would pretend that she couldn’t even see Sky. It was horrible. Sky couldn’t help feeling that she must have done something wrong, and she was desperate to make it better. Lucy’s mum was trying to keep her in the kitchen until she settled in, but Sky had other ideas. She wanted to follow Lucy everywhere. She trailed determinedly round the house after her, and tried to climb into Lucy’s lap every time she sat down.

Lucy was sat at the table eating breakfast, so she tried it again now. But Lucy gave her one quick, unhappy glance and slid her off. Sky crept back to her basket, her whiskers drooping. Kieran made a huffing noise at Lucy, as though he thought she was being stupid.“Here, Sky,” he murmured, holding out his hand. “Kitty, kitty.”

Sky sniffed his fingers politely, but it was Lucy she really wanted. She gave him a little purr as he tickled her ears, though. Then she looked up hopefully at Lucy one last time, but she was staring firmly at her cereal bowl.

[Ęŕđňčíęŕ: img_12]