Lifesaver

by BlackJack

GiGi was a very small calico kitty who lived with her family in a nice house. The family included three other kitties, all of whom picked on GiGi because she was so small. Her humans tried to always protect her, but it was hard sometimes to keep her from being harassed by the other cats.

Late one very cold winter night, GiGi was sleeping in her little hiding spot under the couch. She awoke for reasons unknown, but sensed that something was wrong. There was something strange in the air, and it frightened her.

She crept out and went over to ask Rose, one of the big cats who was the most friendly. GiGi mewed, but Rose seemed to be sleeping really soundly. GiGi gently tapped Rose with her paw, but Rose didn't stir. GiGi began to worry, and crept down the hall to the area where the human bedroom was. The other two cats always slept in that room, and GiGi was very worried indeed to be heading in there.

The house was eerily quiet, and GiGi was very nervous. She hopped up onto the bed, and saw Jade and Queenie sleeping. She gently mewed at them. Neither cat stirred and she reached out a small paw and tapped Jade. Jade kept right on sleeping, and didn't move a muscle. Queenie was the top cat in the house and took her name seriously, thinking of herself as the queen cat and acting as such. GiGi was the most afraid of Queenie, but she felt that something was terribly wrong, and she tapped Queenie gently. There was no response from her either, and GiGi began to feel very scared indeed.

There seemed to be something in the air, and she was beginning to feel a little strange herself, but she knew she had to do something. She went over to her humans, both were sleeping very soundly, and she knew she needed to wake them up to get help. She started to meow in her loudest voice, and kept on meowing. She meowed right in the humans ears, and then started tapping their faces with her paws. They stirred a bit, and GiGi had a feeling she was going to have to resort to extreme measures to wake them up. She hadn't ever clawed her humans, but they weren't waking up with meows and taps.

The female human was sleeping with her arm out from under the covers, and GiGi reached out and scratched with all her might. Now this finally got a response, albeit a very sleepy one. The humans seemed almost drugged, and GiGi started meowing in earnest and gently biting the arm also.

The human then sat up, and started trying to wake her husband. Finally both the humans were awake, and staggered out of bed, trying to wake Jade and Queenie. They kept saying something about needing fresh air, and they all stumbled toward the front door, grabbing the sleeping Rose along the way. The humans and the cats all staggered outside into the cold air.

After a few minutes of fresh air, the humans were much more awake, and Rose, Jade and Queenie were finally awake also. Everyone looked rather befuddled except for GiGi. She was padding around checking on her housemates and making sure they were alright. The humans called the fire department and a carbon dioxide leak was discovered. The firemen picked up GiGi after hearing of her heroic efforts, and one of them called her a hero for saving her family.

The whole family stayed outside until the air cleared, and for the first time since she had come to live here, GiGi felt a real part of the family. When they all went inside, Rose went and got her favorite toy mouse and presented it to GiGi. Jade came over and washed GiGi's face, a friendly smile on her kitty face. The humans opened a can of tuna and GiGi got to eat it all, and the other kitties didn't even try to stop her. They all headed back to bed after a very scary night, and as GiGi walked towards her spot under the couch, Queenie came over and nudged her away from the couch, and led GiGi down the hall to the human's bedroom. Jade, Rose and Queenie sat on the floor, and in a most humble kitty manner, they asked GiGi to join them on the bed, and to take the place of honor, on the pillows next to the humans.

As GiGi settled down to sleep, she was gently washed by all three cats, and petted by the humans. By saving her family, she had shown everyone just what a special kitty she was, and she had a most special place now in her family.

As GiGi gently drifted off to sleep, she said a special purr to the Great Cat in the Sky for giving her this opportunity and for helping her to be brave.