A Strange Time / A Strange Place
January 1, 1003

by Kitty The Great

YAAAAAAWN! Stre-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-tch.

Oh mew goodness! Where am I? This is not my furry soft couch and this is not my home. Let me hop up on this bed and see who this is sleeping here? Furry suspect... she LOOKS a lot like my meowmie, but Meowmie doesn't wear her hair like that, and she doesn't smell like that, and this isn't her room! Meowmies room is definately not made of stone. That is a nice fireplace there though...

I'm hungry. What's that? A pot of ... ewwww... that lady must have forgot her way to the bathroom last night!

I'll follow this hall, maybe it will take me to the kitchen. What is with all the candles in this place? Why doesn't somebody turn on some lights? WoW! Would you look at that staircase? That's humongous! We don't have a staircase like that at home. This house must be gigantic. I wonder what's down there. Oh BOY! A mouse! I see him... I will follow... furry slowly... careful... whoa! He almost saw me... brrrrr... it's cold in here! They need to turn up the heat! Even my beautiful gray fur can't keep me warm in this. Hey mouse! Come back here! He snuck through a crack in that wall... darn. I like the walls at my house better. No mouse ever walks through my walls. When you got 'em cornered, they're cornered... good and proper! These halls are long in this house. What? More stairs? Where do these go? I hope to a kitchen!

Oh. I do feel some warmth coming from over there. And something smells good. Well, it certainly lacks some of the modern ammenities, but I guess it's a kitchen of sorts. Purrrrrrrr... sure feels nice in here. Oh... who are you lady? What are you cooking? I want some of that! You gonna wash those hands before you touch my food? Mew. Oh. Mmmmmm... this is yummy. Better than Kitty Gourmet!

What did you say? A dance at the castle? Tonight? Where's the castle? I wanna go! Scrubb the great hall? They all look like great halls to me. This place is something else! I better leave all that to you humans... I'm feeling a nap coming on. I think I need to lay by this fire here.... what do you mean SCAT now? I am not in the way! All I want is a little nap! Ugh... too much work, too much work... take a load off! Put your feet up! Relax! Okay... I'm getting! Put that broom away! Hissssss!

I wonder if I can find my way back up to that lady's room. I need to lay by a nice fire while my belly is full. What's that noise? I hear voices too... there coming from that room... I'll just slip in there.

"Aye! M'Lady says alllllllllllll the royal families will be coming! Even that pretty Prince Harold from Wallace! hehehe... Last time he were at the castle, I got to shine his shoes ... while they were on his feet girl!" "Aye! He's a bonny one! But you've no business daydreaming about the likes of a prince in your life! Except for the shinin' of his shoes!"

Hey! What are you guys doin' with that big ol' tub? What's IN there anyway?

"Awwww... now where in the world did YOU come from little fella? Ye best be off catchin a mouse or two -- earn yer keep -- or we'll be washin' ye in this tub instead of these clothes! Cook might want to stuff ye fer supper! Aye!"

YIKES! That's WATER in there... I know that stuff! Furry dangerous! Meowmie put me in that stuff once. I am outta here! Where ya hidin' those mice anyway? Ohhhh... there's the stairs... I'll go up and take a nap in that room now. Hmmm? I wonder which way I go here? I don't remember... well, first I'll check down here... an open door. I'll just peek in and see. Ohhhhh, look at that nice big window. Oh! From up here I can see down ... wow... THIS must be the castle! And look at that garden! I wonder how you get out there? Ohhhhh Meowmie would just get mad if I went out there anyway... and this sun is sooooo warm.... I think I'll just lay here and... rest... maybe if I dream of home I'll wake up back there...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz