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The tiny kitten sniffed thoughtfully. The smell was familiar. Those strange round things he’d found before! They were from the girl, too? Well, he preferred ham sandwiches, but he wouldn’t complain. Still, he had to climb under the fence to get them.

He padded closer, peering through the hole. It seemed big enough. And he’d been hoping to find the girl, and a way out. Now she had made him one. Ginger stared up at Rosie, his big green eyes hopeful, and almost trusting. He would do it.

Rosie stared back, her eyes hopeful too, and pleading, desperate for him to trust her.“Hey, little one,” she whispered. “Come on…”

[Êàðòèíêà: img_31]

Ginger crouched down, and started to wriggle under the fence, the wire just skimming the fur on his back. He popped out the other side, shook himself and sneezed from the dust. Then he eyed the cat treats, eagerly.

“Go on, they’re for you!” Rosie reassured him, and Ginger gobbled them down, a curious expression on his face. Such an odd flavour. But he could get used to it. He licked his whiskers to make sure he hadn’t missed anything, and looked up at Rosie. Then he put one tiny paw on her knee, and mewed.

More?

“Are you still hungry?” Rosie smiled. “You could come back to Gran’s with me… She’s making ham sandwiches, your favourite.” She stood up, very slowly, and stepped backwards. “You coming? Hmmm? Coming, Ginger?”

And Ginger stepped out after her, his tail waving, following her home.

11. ALONE IN THE NIGHT

Chapter One

“Jasmine! Hurry up! You’re going to be late for school!” Jasmine’s mum glanced at her watch – and then at all the other children wearing the same uniform as her daughter, who were streaming past the end of their road.

Jasmine looked up.“Oh, but, I was just saying hello to Tiger, Mum!” The marmalade tabby cat sitting on the wall ducked his head so Jasmine could rub his ears. Then he stood up and leaned over to bump the side of his head against her chin. Jasmine had read lots of books about cats and knew that he wasn’t just being cute. He was rubbing his scent glands on her. It was pretty cute, too, though. All the cats in the street loved Jasmine – which is why it always took her so long to get to school.

“Jasmine, we left the house ten minutes ago and we haven’t even got past next door!” Her mum sighed. “You’re going to belate.”

“Sorry, Mum.” Jasmine smiled at her apologetically. “Let’s run!”

She was just picking up her school bag when she stopped again.“Oh, Mum, look! In next door’s window!” She pointed across the garden.

“Oh, a kitten.”

“Mum! Agorgeous kitten! I haven’t seen her before. Did you know the new people next door had a kitten?”

The kitten was tiny, perched right in the middle of the big window sill, which made her look tinier still. Jasmine could just about make out her beautiful stripy brown tabby markings.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_3]

“No, I didn’t,” Mum said, leading her away. Jasmine walked backwards, still staring at the kitten, who stared back. “You know we haven’t really said any more than a quick hello while they were unpacking.”

“Poor little kitten. They must have left her all alone while they’ve gone to work,” Jasmine said sadly.

“Oh, Jasmine! Cats don’t mind being on their own,” her mum laughed. “Besides, how do you even know that kitten’s a she? It could be a boy.”

“She just looked like a she,” Jasmine said. “And cats do get lonely, Mum, especially when they’re only babies.”

“I’m sure they’ll play with her when they get home,” Mum comforted her. “Now run!”

[Êàðòèíêà: img_4]

Jasmine turned out to be right– the kitten was a girl. Her mum invited Helen, the new lady next door, round for coffee, and found out all about her beautiful cat.

“She’s called Star,” Jasmine told her best friend Lara, as they walked home from school together. “She’s got such cute tabby stripes; she’s really gorgeous.” Jasmine sighed. “She looks exactly my dream cat – you know, the one I’d really like to have for my own some day.”

“Oh, you’re so lucky having her next door. She might come into your garden,” Lara said enviously. “Do you know how old she is?”

“Nearly three months. They were given her by a friend whose cat had kittens. They were a bit worried she’d be upset by the move, but she doesn’t mind. Except she’s desperate to go out!”

“Can’t they let her out?” Lara asked.

“Not until she’s had all her vaccinations in a couple of weeks’ time,” Jasmine explained. “See you tomorrow!” she called, as they got to her gate.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_5]

Over the next few weeks, Jasmine watched for Star every time she walked past the house next door and always waved hello. Sometimes, if she was sitting on the window sill, the little cat would stand up on her back legs and scrabble hopefully at the glass with her paws, as though she hoped she might be able to slip through and come out for Jasmine to stroke her. Jasmine wished she could, too.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_4]