The Colony

by Henri of Twin Brook

I had been sitting in the window, looking out over the garden and the cold nights of the past week had turned the foliage brown and the leaves of the huge maple tree, a glowing red. I could smell winter in the air and remembering the cold days of my past I hunched my shoulders and tucked my paws beneath my chest. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of a bird darting back and forth among the branches of the tree. Out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of a gray rat standing upright on its hind feet gazing through the window at me....Its thick gray fur glowed in the sunlight. "Hey, Pussycat," it squeaked, "what's for breakfast?"

It was Raymond, the rodent activist, grinning at me from a patch of wilted lilies in the garden. Frankly, I was amazed to see him again. It was only a month ago that he had accidently wandered into our home, believing the monthly meeting of R.A.T. would be held in our attic. "Well, Raymond, how are you? I didn't expect to see you so soon. How did the meeting go? Did you change any of the bylaws?"

Raymond licked his lips and ran his paws over the back of his ears. "As matter of fact, the meeting went very well," he chortled. "More rats attended this meeting than any prior meeting. And yes indeedy, Pussycat, we did amend the bylaws. Yes, indeedy....." Raymond's nose quivered. He began to briskly stroke his sides and belly with his paw. " He sniffed, wrinkling his nose in distaste. "A city is so dirty, doncha know. All this dust and soot flying around it takes a rat the whole day just trying to keep the fur coat clean."

"I guess...." I meowed, nodding my head. "It takes me awhile in the morning to put a shine on my coat," I remarked.

"You do it with kitty spit!" Raymond rocked on his heels, his head thrown back in laughter. "I was raised on a farm, doncha know....Fresh air, good grain and veggies....The good life, pussycat."

"Hmpf," I hissed. "The names Henri, Henri of Twin Brook, if you don't mind, Raymond!"

"Henri, it is then, cat. Raymond at your service. Raymond Hazelwitz, rodent activist."

"Interesting name for a rat," I meowed.

"My ancestors came from abroad, you know. Came from Europe on a ship. Great hardship in the old country. Came for freedom from persecution and a chance at a better life in the great melting pot of the new world...." A tear appeared in Raymond's eye.

"I guess nobody liked rats very much, then?" I growled.

"They blamed us for everything, famine, the plague....You name it, we got blamed and called terrible names, like dirty rat .. They never understood how we rodents suffered. Thousands of innocent rats died during the plague for lack of proper medical care...." More tears appeared in Raymond's eyes. "But enough about me," he squeaked loudly. "I came to tell you about the colony of felines over by Evergreen Lake. I suppose you must have heard about them.....?"

"Well there was some meowing about them in the neighborhood," I replied, "but I haven't been over there myself..."

"I'll put it to you, this way, Pussycat. They are hungry. They are cold. They are miserable and winter is coming. I thought, you being the Big Meow, might organize some of the fancy felines in this area and get some decent food to the less fortunate kitties.. Thanksgiving Day is coming up and I thought it would be appropriate to honor the day and season by sharing our bounty with those who are not doing so well. What do you think, Pussycat?"

"It's a wonderful idea, Raymond," I purred. I'm having a bunch of cats over next week to help plan the Leonid party I'm having....We could make arrangements then....Most of us can sneak a few boxes of cat food from the pantry and a few tins of gourmet kitty meals will hardly be missed."

"At our council meeting, we rodents agreed, in the name of friendship and good will to all cats, we would lend our paws. We are experts at transferring edibles from one place to another. We are also well versed in the art of food storage. Within an hour I can call up the assistance of five hundred rodents, strong and robust.. This will be a joint effort. It will be a cat/rat coalition to save the feral kitty from hunger during this oncoming holiday season!" Raymond stood tall on his hind feet and puffed out his chest. My, he was a big rat! "Do you think you could prevail on all the kitties in the neighborhood to be a little more respectful of our rodent sensitivities? Like not look upon us as a possible entree for din-din every time we happen to pass within whiff distance?"

"Well, I certainly will do my best, Raymond! And it is really awfully good of you to think about those poor cats over by Evergreen Lake!" I purred loudly.

"What's a rat to do? You know, peace on Earth, good will toward all rats, cats, bats, d*gs and whatever.....How about you and me taking a hike over to the lake to meet the beneficiaries of our generosity?"

Actually I had never ventured that far from home, at least not within the past few years. Reluctantly, I meowed yes. "Fine!" chattered Raymond. "See you tomorrow night!" Like a flash, he disappeared beneath a tangle of grasses, stiff from the first nights of frost.

That night, I could barely sleep. How would the cats in this colony feel toward me? Would they resent my warm home and good food which was now a part of my life and which I often took for granted? Would they hiss and spit and at me, raising their paws in anger, driving me off as if I were an intruder....

I needn't have worried. I never did get to see the colony. The next day, Raymond scratched at the window in the computer room. I pried the window open just enough to stick my head out through the opening. "What's up?" I meowed, surprised to see him at such an early hour.

"Will you be able to get out of the house tonight? " Raymond squeaked..

"I think so...." I replied, my mind formulating ways I could outwit my dear protectors.

"I want you to meet someone, Actually, he's the top cat of the colony at Evergreen Lake"

It sounded like a good idea to me, that is, it sounded like a good idea until I met this top cat from Evergreen Lake. It was seven o'clock in the evening, dark and quiet damp when Raymond scratched at the window and signaled me to join him in the back yard. Fortunately, my persons were watching a television game show and didn't notice that the back door was slightly ajar.....I slipped through the narrow opening and raced across the backyard. Raymond was waiting for me, hiding within the knurled roots of the maple tree. Together we raced across the street, darting from one backyard to another until we had reached Beldon Street. Out of breath (and out of shape) we paused to survey our surroundings. This place was strange to me but not to Raymond. "These humans feed the birds in winter." he chattered. "Great place to find grains and seeds. Birds are rather dumb creatures. They dump most of their dinner from the feeder onto the ground. Of course the squirrels help a bit......"

"I bet," I agreed. This yard was surrounded with tall, dense bushes. My eyes searched the thick tangle for signs of danger. A cat never knows where an enemy may lurk. I head the hushed rustle of dried brush, the sound of paws stepping on newly fallen leaves. Out of the shadows stalked a huge figure of a cat, its head twice the size of mine. Its coat was matted and dirty, its right ear misshapen by the many blows and bites of feline wars. The cat approached, its shoulders hunched, head lowered as if ready to attack.

"Hi, Clarence!" squeaked Raymond. "I'd like you meet Henri of Twin Brook. He's going to help us round up a thanksgiving day dinner for the colony!"

"Clarence," I hissed. "What a strange name for a cat, especially one that looks like him..."

"You got a problem with that, kitty? You don't like the name?" Before I could even shrug my shoulders or agree or disagree, Clarence lunged. His huge body smashed into me, knocking me back onto my tail. With all my strength I brought up my right front paw and landed it squarely on the nose of Clarence. He staggered, clutching his jaw. "Hey, Henri of Twin Brook! That's quite a powerful right paw you've got there!"

"I can hold my own, Clarence! I have now quarrel with you! I see no reason why we can't cooperate on this venture," I growled.

Still rubbing his nose and jaw, he spoke in a softer meow. "You know, Henri of Twin Brook, you remind me of another cat I knew years ago. He was one tough pussycat. He was from another neighborhood, but around here they called him, Happy."

My face and ears grew warm with embarrassment. Should I reveal that I, Henri of Twin Brook was the notorious Happy? It was another life then, one I had chosen to discard in favor of warm beds, good food and human companionship and adoration. (The humans adore me, not vise versa.) I cleared my throat and meowed loudly, "Clarence, I am the former cat known as Happy."

"Well , whatyaknow! Pleased to meetcha, Henri of Twin Brook, who was formally known as Happy!" He extended his paw and pumped my paw with vigor. Raymond, Clarence and I sat down together to discuss the ways we could get food to the colony of cats at Evergreen Lake.

Raymond tapped me on the shoulder. "My good friend, Brenda said she cased out a shed that would be a great place to store collected food. The shed belongs to an old human who likes cats and rats. She's going to approach the human tomorrow and ask him..."

"This here, Brenda can talk to humans?" Clarence has the gruffest meow I've ever heard from a cat. "That'll be the day!"

"She's a very good looking rat, Clarence, and is highly regarded by our community. I have no doubts that she will be very persuasive. Actually, she lives with the human. She's been his pet for a number of years. On occasion, she has slipped the confines of her cage and joined our community and its activities. She just happens to be my mate....." Raymond's chest puffed up with pride. "I am the envy of all the other males in the community....."

"And how will we get all this food? Where's it going to come from?" asked Clarence, washing his paws and smoothing his whiskers back into place.

"I have already organized the house cats from Westside," I mewed. "They have started collecting food. Sebastian has talked to the house cats on Bradford Street and they have started collecting. The Pleasant Street house cats have agreed to help out and some big tom cats from Wooden Stree have contacted me about transporting the food to the storage area."

"And don't forget us rats!" chattered Raymond. I can raise an army of five thousand in a matter of hours. We're experts at food transfer, ya know..."

Clarence wiped his nose on his paw. "Okay. I can see that it might work out okay. I just don't want the colony to be promised somethin and then nothin shows up."

"That won't happen," I assured him. "I, Henri of Twin Brook, shall not fail the cats of the Evergreen Lake Colony! I, Henri of Twin Brook, a cat of one, if need be, shall collect, transfer and distribute the food myself! I shall not let you down, Clarence!" Our meows blended together in purfect harmony.......

On the way home, Raymond trotting along at my side, a warm glow encased every step of the way. "We'll pull it off, pussycat," squeaked the rat. "I know we'll pull it off!"

And of course we did! What a sight to behold. Hundreds of cats gathered on Wooden Street, each with a box or can of food. Thousands of rats gathered on Wooden Street, each one pulling a small card board carton. In each carton were cat treats, catnip herbs and small tins of gourmet cat food. "Wherever did you get all those cartons?" I asked Raymond.

"Oh, well, humans store eggs in them. The cartons have all these little compartments built into them and they come in very handy for lots of things. If you put marbles underneath, they roll around like a real wagon. Clever, huh?"

"Yes, indeed. You are such clever animals you rats. I have to paw it to you, Raymond," I purred.

Never in my life have I been part of such a wonderful event! The sight of all those cats, led by Clarence of Evergreen, marching through the street toward Evergreen Lake, a bag of cat food or treats slung over each feline back, filled my heart with pride and happiness. The sight of two thousand rats, led by Raymond Hazelwitz, rodent activist, pulling cartons laden with cat treats and food through the street toward Evergreen Lake, filled my heart with gratitude. The cats from the colony met us at the gates of the park and helped carry the heavy loads to where the colony lived. I watched as the boxes and tins were unloaded and put away for the big event. Raymond jabbed me in the ribs. "What's that?" I asked, looking at strange object the rat was holding in front of my face..

"Can opener." His eyes glinted with amusement. "I don't think even Henri of Twin Brook can open a tin with his teeth!" He chattered with laughter. I patted his head. I had no idea, that rats liked to be petted....

He walked me home that night. Our shoulders sagged. We were both tired. We were both elated. We were both friends for life....

"Good night, pussycat," he squealed as I slid through the narrow opening of the back door. "See ya....."

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!

To you and yours from Henri of Twin Brook
Clarence of Evergreen
Raymond Hazelwitz, Rodent Activist