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Dad had found a big shallow plastic storage box up in the loft when he was looking for the sterilizer and he’d brought it down to use as a pen to keep the kittens in. It meant they had space to move around but they were safer than they would be loose in the kitchen. But it hadn’t lasted long. They still used it to sleep in but they’d learned to wriggle and scramble their way out after just a few days.

“Stanley – he’s my favourite,” Lily said, pointing him out. “He’s like a little fluffy snowball!”

“He is cute,” Mara agreed. “But I love the stripes on the other two as well. Isn’t it loads of work looking after them all?”

“They’re starting to eat proper food now – special kitten food mixed with a bit of their milk. At least that means we can just feed them really late at night and then early in the morning. No one has to get up in the middle of the night any more.” Lily reached her hand into the plastic box and Stanley staggered determinedly towards her, licking at her fingers.

“They’re so gorgeous. If it was me, I don’t think I’d be able to give them away,” Mara said, lifting one of the tabby kittens on to her lap. They were both girls, and Carly had named them Bella and Trixie. “You’ve spent your whole summer holiday looking after them but then you don’tget to keep them. That doesn’t seem fair!”

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“I know.” Lily sighed. “But we were never going to keep them. They were originally supposed to go to another foster family as soon as they had the space. But when Amy came to check up on them, a couple of days after they came here, she said we were doing so well maybe we should just keep themuntil they were ready for rehoming. And luckily Mum and Dad said yes!” She smiled as Stanley butted his head against her hand and let out a squeaky little mew. “It’s not food time yet, baby…”

“So they won’t go to the shelter, then?”

“Their photos are up on the shelter website already but they’ll just send anyone who’s interested in adopting them round to us. So at least the kittens won’t have to get used to a new place.”

Mara nodded.“And I suppose you’ll be able to see if the people are nice.”

Lily nodded. She didn’t like thinking about the kittens’ new owners – especially not Stanley’s. Even though she was making the best of it to Mara, she couldn’t imagine not having a box of kittens in their kitchen… But they already had Hugo.

“Do you think Hugo will miss them?” Mara asked, as she heard scrabbling at the kitchen door.

Lily opened the door, checking that the kittens weren’t about to dart through and Hugo trotted in, immediately coming over to inspect his kittens.

“Definitely.” Lily stroked his nose. “He does that every time he’s been out for a walk. He has to come back and make sure they’re all OK. Yes, don’t worry, I looked after them for you. Trixie’s over there, see?”

Hugo was looking around for the other tabby kitten, and when he spotted her peeking out from behind the kitchen bin he went to round her up, gently nosing her back over towards the plastic box.

“He wants them all in the box the whole time,” Lily explained. “He’s like a sheepdog, herding them about.” She watched proudly as Hugo picked up the tabby kitten in his mouth and dropped her, wriggling, back into the box.

“I thought he was biting her!” Mara said, looking a bit worried.

“No. He’s so gentle. He just holds them in his mouth. Their mum would have done the same thing. Oh, Hugo, look, Stanley’s coming out now.”

The white kitten was clambering out of the box, half falling, half jumping out on to the kitchen tiles. Hugo seemed almost to sigh. He lay down in front of the box between the two girls, making a big furry barrier between Stanley and the rest of the kitchen.

Stanley nuzzled him, nose to nose, and both girls“aaahhed”. Stanley marched along the whole length of Hugo and started to pat at his feathery tail as Hugo twitched it from side to side and then jumped on it with fierce little growls. Hugo watched him, clearly enjoying the game. As soon as Stanley was clinging on with all four paws, he swishedhis tail faster so that the kitten swept across the floor and both girls burst out laughing.

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“They go together so well,” Mara said. “Both of them white and fluffy.”

“I know.” Lily nodded. They really did. If only they could keep Stanley, he and Hugo would be a perfect pair.

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Lily giggled as Stanley wobbled down her bed. He wasn’t very good at walking on the squishy duvet and he kept nearly falling over. He stopped to inspect her teddy bear and then jumped at it, sinking his tiny claws into the ribbon around its neck.

Lily was so busy watching Stanley, she didn’t notice the gentle scuffling noises from outside her bedroom window. Then there was a loud hiss and she glanced round in surprise. Pixie was standing on the sloping roof, peering in at the open window, the fur on the back of her neck raised. She was clearly furious – this was her place and now there was another cat.