A Cat's Life - 1. Chapter 1

A Cat’s Life - Metamorphosis

It had been a long time since the cats had needed to check on one so early in its life. Each had gone through their lives displaying their usual lack of interest in the people that surrounded them. They knew the secrets of the world around them and they rarely, if ever, shared what they had gleamed from life with others.
The rain had been falling all day long. Unfortunately Ron's car had broken down and he was forced to make due by catching the local bus to work and home again today. It had been a miserable day considering everything that had happened. The customers were more irritating than usual, a sure sign that he had stayed too long in another dead end job. Maybe it was time for him to consider moving up a bit in the world.
The rain was coming down really hard as he climbed off the bus. There was sure to be flooding in the area and he had to trek uphill to get to the small rooms he called home. As he made his way slowly up the steep hill he noticed that the damn garbage men had yet to pick up. The smell of three day old garbage and dampness permeated the area, making his stomach twist with the disgusting aroma. It was just what he needed to make a bad day a little worse.
"Oh damn," he muttered as he started to race up the hill through the sheeting rain. As Ron started to make a little progress a car came barreling down the wet road and he made a mad dash to the side of the road and barely got out of the way. As he made it to the edge of the roadway he slid in the slick garbage and came down hard on his knee.
"Fuck!" was the first thing that radiated through his mind. "Shit, that really hurts. Oh Christ, I ripped a hole in the fucking knee. This is just what I needed to today, something else to go wrong on me. What the hell did I do to deserve this?" Ron questioned the universe in general.
Ending his tirade at the world, he caught a noise coming from the pile of garbage on his left. He wasn't sure but it sounded like someone was crying. Gingerly, he got to his feet and hobbled over to the stinking pile of garbage. Taking a deep breath he stood silently for a moment listening again for any sound.
"I have to be losing my mind," he thought to himself as he turned to walk away home.
"Merrowwww!"
Ron had heard something. It was soft but it was there. Carefully he began to move the piles of rotten garbage looking to find what had been making that sound. Digging toward the bottom of the pile he located a canvas bag that was tied up with a damp string of some sort. The bag wiggled slightly as he held it aloft. He maneuvered himself over to the wall by the side of the street and began to dig at the string, trying desperately to unknot it.
It took some doing but finally he managed to get the knot lose and the string off the bag. Inside the soaked canvas bag was a small kitten. It was black with a white face and it appeared to be half dead and shivering in the cold as the rain continued to fall on them both.
"Now who in their right mind would do this to an animal?" he thought angrily to himself. Taking the kitten out of the bag, he held it close to his body and began to continue the climb up the hill to his home. Behind him, totally un-noticed, six cats gathered together and began to follow him home as well.
As he walked into the doorway he kicked off his soaked shoes and headed toward the bathroom. As he moved he looked down at the small creature that was cuddled close to his body, doing its best to steal his body heat. Shaking his head he clicked the light on and headed over to the linen closet to grab some towels.
"I still can't believe someone would do this to a poor defenseless animal," he grumbled as he began to dry off the kitten. "What am I suppose to do with you anyway? I don't particularly like cats. Don't get me wrong here little guy, I don't dislike them but you are usually a little too independent for my tastes. However I can't believe someone would be so cruel as to do this to you!"
He strolled into his bedroom carrying the kitten wrapped up in a clean thick towel and set it on the bed next to him. The poor creature sounded like it was rasping for breath. Not exactly a good sound and it worried Ron the longer he listened to it. He could see the tiny body of the kitten shake with each breath it took. He bundled the kitten up on his pillow and then stood there looking down on it.
"Well, little guy I better see about getting some help for you. You don't sound too good."
Leaving the kitten on the bed, he crossed the room to the closet. He bent down and began to dig through the bottom of the closet. He tossed out some old sweat pants, a few tee shirts, a book of photos, and an old pair of sneakers. Leaning further in he seemed to grunt and then slowly rose from his kneeling position. Evidently he had found what he was searching for. In his hands he held a small yellow book and he marched toward the phone in his other room. He was unaware of the six sets of eyes and ears that had been noticing his every move since he had entered his apartment. He quickly dialed the phone while taking off the soaked clothing that clung to his body.
"Yes, Animal Shelter? Yes. Good. I'm calling about a kitten. No, I'm not looking to adopt one! I just found one. Yes. I don't know how old it is. No, it is small enough that it barely fills up my hand. Yes, I'm worried about the way it is breathing. Well, it doesn't sound too good and I would think the poor thing is starving. Yes. No. No. Tomorrow? Is that the earliest appointment you have? Yes, I understand. 9 AM tomorrow morning. Yes, I can do that. Listen, what should I do about feeding him tonight? Yes. I don't have that here. Yes, I suppose I can buy some tonight. What? Oh, thank you. I'll be in first thing tomorrow morning then."
Ron wandered back into the room with a towel wrapped around his waist and gently rubbed the kitten behind the ear. He bent over and dug through the clothes he had on the floor and slowly pulled them on. As soon as he was dressed in the old sweats and a tee shirt, he gathered up his wet clothes and deposited them in a basket he had near the door.
Ron walked back toward the door way and called in to the kitten, "Okay, kiddo. I have to run to the store to pick up a few things. You try to hang in there and I'll be back as soon as I can." As he watched the kitten seemed to look at him and then close its eyes again. Once Ron was sure the kitten would be safe on the bed he grabbed his wallet out of his damp pants. He paused in the bedroom doorway and decided he better leave the light on for the kitten too.
As he headed for the door he stopped long enough to grab an old rain jacket from the rack he had by the door. At least that would keep him dryer than nothing. As he headed out the door the cats watched him from their places by the outside of the windows. Once he appeared on the street below, the cats seemed to lose all interest in him. They all turned as one and seemed to walk through the glass of the various windows of Ron's apartment.
The cats slowly made their way through the apartment and gathered at the foot of the bed. Three of them sat in a row near each other. A long sleek Persian cat jumped up onto the bed and began to slowly circle the bundle of fur on the pillow. Finally it sat down near the kitten’s tail and stared intently at the row of cats sitting on the floor.
"This is completely unfair," she announced in something of a huff. “He hasn't even gotten a chance to begin his life yet! Something needs to be done about it!"
Four of the other cats seemed to sit and stare at her and wait. The fifth cat got up and began to make a tour of the room and then the apartment in general. Seeing she wasn't going to get much help from the others she turned to the yellowish orange tabby cat that sat in the center of the room. It was to this creature she would have to make her plea.
"Face it Prime," she began softly," this was not the way it was suppose to be. I mean we all had our chance at life. What is to be learned from being cut down before you have even begun to live your life?"
The tabby cat sat back on its haunches and cocked its head at her. Slowly, it spread its paws out and began to stretch. It looked back at the Persian cat through lidded eyes.
"What is it you ask of me? We all have our chance at life. When that time is up, it is over."
"That is the biggest load of shit I've ever heard," hissed the Persian. "You know as well as I do that this is unjust. I also know it is within your powers to fix this."
The Persian moved over to the kitten and curled itself around the furry ball of fluff. She was the only one of the six to have had kittens as a female. She knew how precious life was, even if one only had one small liter of life. Among her own kittens there had been a prime and a ninth, and she knew this as all cats did. To see this kitten have its life cut so short was just unfair to her. As a mother and a cat, she knew she would have to change Prime's mind and give this kitten another chance at life, even if it was a different type of life.
As the Persian watched the last cat in the row got up and walked toward her and the kitten. It seemed wary at first but jumped up on the bed and again sat down. Staring directly into the Persian's deep blue eyes the calico cocked its head and seemed to pause. It looked back first at Prime and then at the Persian known as Five.
"I agree that it is much too short a life, Five, but what do you wish Prime to do now?"
Five stared at Three. Three was always taking the middle of the road. He had been the only cat who lived with a lawyer during its lifetime. She still found him to have taken on too much interest in the human's life and personality. He seemed to want to always argue every point. Then again, she had been living with a human family, so who was she to judge what traits Three had taken on. She remembered how the human family had stood close to one another and always watched out for each other. It was something rare and precious that she had seen them share. It would be something she would never forget.
"I want this kitten to have a chance at life," she stammered out to Three.
Five had to admit she hadn't thought this all the way through. Did she really want Prime to remake the kitten? It was definitely possible but it would alter the kitten's life and the lives after it. It would also make them sought after in ways that might not always be good for them from now on.
The tawny alley cat that had been sitting next to Prime was the next to make a comment. Once Three had moved to the bed she had begun a quick look at the room around her. During her lifetime she had belonged to no one and was the only cat never to have taken a partner. She had lived a very solitary life and knew the others had very little influence upon her life.
"I have something to announce," she purred loudly at the others.
"Yes, Two, did you have something to say?" asked a suddenly curious Prime.
"Yes," commented an amused Two. "Before you two start in with the claws and the fangs, I have a few things to point out. First, this life is in deep danger. If we are going to do anything, we must do it soon. Secondly, I am not about to let the old lady who did this to Seven get away with this. She must be punished for her deeds against us. Finally, I agree with Five. You know I don't like to get involved but I think the time has come where one of us needs to be altered."
Five sat back completely surprised. Two rarely if ever spoke to any of the others. She was as contrary as any one of them could be but perhaps more so. The fact that she had spoken and agreed with Five was something of a real shock. It would give the others pause and maybe give the kitten a chance.
"I am surprised you feel this way, Two. You truly feel that the change should be applied here? You know what that will mean for him! It will also mean a huge change for us."
Two looked over at Prime. The look said more than words. Five was suddenly pleased that she had decided to fight for the life of this kitten. Five turned and seen that Three was watching everything with fiery determination. Maybe Three was not as cold and clinical as she had supposed.
She turned and seen Four sitting on the floor. His dark grey fur was striped and the overall effect was that of a small grey tiger. Four never seemed to like to make decisions. As Five's eyes settled on him he slowly sauntered over to Prime.
"I will agree with whatever the group decides to do."
So much for help from that area, thought Five sarcastically to herself. That just left Six. Where was he? Looking around she finally found the white and tan cat strolling back into the room. He had been a house cat like her; only he had belonged to an older gentleman who had lived to the end of his life alone. Six had been his only companion in the last years of his life.
"Are you all done?"
Prime suddenly shook all the way down to his tail. Six had not been his favorite. Six seemed determined to act completely independently. Hell, they had tried on four different occasions to advise and tell him the way of things and he had flatly refused to listen to any of them. He had told Prime that this was his life and he would lead it as he saw fit. Not only did he tell Prime off, but also since the end of his life he seemed to know more than the rest of them except maybe Prime himself. That in and of itself did not sit well with Prime, after all he was the alpha and that should mean he made all the decisions.
"And what do you want to tell the rest of us?" questioned Prime in a very tight voice.
"I'm glad you asked. First off, ask the kid what he wants. I mean this is his life after all. Second, you should do what I did. I checked out this guy who saved him. He is living alone. There are signs and faded scents that tell you he was not always this way, but he has been for at least a year or so. Also the guy is lonely, did you notice how he talked to the kid? Finally, if the kid wants it, I say we give him the chance at a new life."
Five was awed. Not one of them had ever dared to confront Prime the way that Six did. She could not believe that Six had come out with most of what she had been thinking and gone one step beyond. He had actually told Prime to do it and dared Prime to ask the kitten if he wanted it. That was something that had never been done before.
Prime sat looking somewhat stunned. His large green eyes deepened to a dark emerald green. His tail was held rigidly against his body and the fur near his neck was beginning to rise. Five knew that Six was about to face the awful wrath of Prime.
"Excuse me, Prime. I think Six maybe right."
All eyes turned to Three. Three had dared to come off the sidelines at last and go up against Prime. Five was truly surprised at the unusual events occurring all around her. The actions of Two, Three, and Six had emboldened her. It was time the talk ended and action was taken.
"I agree Prime; in fact I am going to talk to him now."
Before Prime could even begin to act, Five stood up and suddenly became clear as glass. Then she began to glow brighter and brighter. Finally she stood beside the kitten looking like the perfect Persian cat. She bent over and pushed her nose against the kitten, waking him.
"Wake little one. I need to speak with you," she purred into his ear.
The kitten slowly raised its head and faced the Persian. It blinked as it examined the cat before it. Slowly understanding dawned in its mind and it tried to lift its laboring body off the warm towel that was wrapped around its body.
"No, little one. Do not rise. It is not necessary. I need you to just listen to what has to be said to you. Wait just one moment more," continued to purr Five. She turned and looked at where the others gathered on the other side of the curtain of life.
Prime knew it was no use. Five had made a move that would force his paw. He had hoped to be like so many others and just reach the final stage with no need to alter things. Five had made that a slim chance now. He hated that they didn't all follow him but realized that this was a cat's nature, to be contradictory to everyone and everything. Still, he was Prime and now he had some decisions to make.
Moving stiffly he crossed to where the kitten and Five stood on the bed. Prime stood there looking intense until he began to go clear as glass and then glow. Soon he stood before the kitten a brilliant orange tabby cat that looked very content with his life.
"I am Prime," stated the cat simply.
The kitten nodded and watched the cats before him intently. It was very rare for one to see the Prime before the end of one's life. That scared the kitten from the tips of his whiskers to the end of his beautiful tail. He wasn't sure what number he was but he knew he wasn't nine or prime. This was sure to be a most memorable meeting.
"Sir, I am honored," he bleated to the cat before him.
"Listen carefully Five and the others all agree you are dying. We know, as only a cat can know, that this is for certain. Your time is drawing rapidly to an end. Is this not so?"
The kitten has listened to Prime with a growing sense of horror. He was stricken and wanted to shout that it couldn't be true. After all he had been saved from the sack, and the human was going to take care of him now. However, he knew what Prime said was true. He could feel the touch of the cold darkness even now slowly wrapping around his form. There would be no end to that coldness and by morning he would enter forever into its final embrace.
"Yes, sir, I know it to be true," whispered the kitten in a voice shaking with fear.
"Listen then, I will offer you a choice," stated Prime. “You may go on as all cats go and join us until called again by the Creator of all. You will learn much and be able to offer help in many ways to others. You will be able to influence others if you choose to do so as well. I offer you this as well as one other choice."
Prime had stopped speaking and shot a dark look at Five. The kitten watched the exchange and wondered what was happening here. What was this other choice? Why was Prime looking so angry at the Persian cat? Why was he being made this offer anyway?
"You may do as cats have done since the beginning of time” began Prime, "or you may be remade."
Remade? Remade how? What did this all mean? The kitten seemed to be finding more questions but few answers.
As the kitten stared at the other cats, in his mind a thousand questions toppled over each other. Before he had a chance to even begin to think about what he might do a third cat suddenly appeared. A white and tan cat strolled over to where the other two cats sat gazing at him.
"I hate to interrupt the doom and gloom fest here guys, but the human is at the corner right this second. Unless you plan to take this talk into time-space, I suggest you make the decision and be done with it in about two minutes or less. Otherwise the human will be will be finding no one here and you will have to do much more than remake him and make him fit into the human’s life."
"Six, you are a true pain," grunted Prime as his attentions once again brought to the small kitten shivering before him.
Six sat down and looked rather smugly at his paws. The kitten looked at him and he winked. The kitten smiled in spite of himself.
"I need your decision right now. Will you remain a cat or will you take the change being offered to you?"
The kitten shook with sudden fear. He had no idea what the change would be, but he knew the others were offering him something rare and special. He wished he had the time to ask questions but like all he cats, he figured he would land on his feet one way or another.
"I'll take the change," he softly stated.
"So be it," growled the immediate response from Prime.
Five and Six sat back and seemed very happy about the whole thing. The two cats sat whispering to each other. Meanwhile, as the kitten watched Prime seemed to grow larger and larger. The whole room seemed to slowly fade and soon only the eyes of the yellowish-orange cat remained. They seemed to fill every area that the kitten could see.

For a moment the door to the apartment opened and Ron walked in. Then darkness filled the air and everything simply ceased to exist for moment. The kitten felt like he was stretched out thin and then his memories expanded to fill in a much different sense of time and being. He felt very tired, curled up on the pillow and fell into a deep sleep.

The morning light was pouring through the window in the bedroom he shared with Ron. There had been a knocking at the door a moment ago. Finally he felt the sheets being pulled off his body.
"Sean, wake up. Damn, you sleep as much as a cat does. I swear if you could you would sleep all day in the sunshine."
Sean rolled over and looked around the room. It suddenly seemed so much smaller than it had when he had fallen asleep last night. As he stretched in the bed he found that something was bothering him. Under his body he felt a small lump and when he looked he found that he was sleeping on a rolled up towel. Turning he looked spotted Ron standing in the doorway, holding the bed’s sheets in his hands. He slowly reached his hand toward Ron to signal he was awake.

“I’m going to go make some pancakes for breakfast. If you don’t get moving I promise I will drink all the milk,” stated Ron firmly as he dropped the sheet into the clothes hamper by the door.

As Sean got up from the bed he noticed the soft caramel color of his skin. Slowly he got to his feet and sauntered over to the mirror by the door. He could see the soft curls of dark hair, hair not fur, curling around his face. His eyes were the dark brown of rich soil and seemed to have flashes of gold through them. Traces of his kittenhood showed at the soft curve of his ear, and the two long clear hairs that grew under his nose almost like whiskers.
"Hmmm," he thought to himself as he looked into the mirror. "I guess some changes are a bit harder to understand than others. I can still remember being a cat."
"That will fade as your life becomes more human. However you will still have many of your powers. This may be more of a curse then a blessing but time will tell. Good luck, Seven or should I say Sean."
Sean turned catching a flash of tan from the corner of his eye to see the cat sitting by his window. He seemed to know the cat but the idea seemed to fade from him. Bending down he lifted his grey cat from the floor and held him close. As he crossed toward the window the cat jumped down from view. By the time he was there the street below was empty except for the puddles which pooled everywhere in the road.
"Sean are you ready?" questioned Ron.
Shaking his head Sean stepped forward into his life, while six cats went to have a meeting with an old lady.