Page 26 of Three Meows

“I know I may find myself binge-animating through the night at some point but it will be because my efforts to do it earlier proved not to be enough not because Iplannedfor it,” I shook a warning finger at the stubborn redhead.

“Alright, alright, I will try to start on this assignment, ugh,” Chester sulked but pulled out a pencil and paper and started sketching the view from our window.

“Can the topic be anything?” I asked, observing the graphite flying over the sketchpad.

“Landscapes. And at least 50% of the sketches have to be of some kind of nature landscapes, not thirty different storefronts from the city,” Chester explained. “I have a suspicion it’s the prof’s ‘touch some grass’ agenda in play.”

As he spoke, an idea started growing in my mind, like a green seedling sprouting from the earth.

“How about…” I started slowly. “We combine those two things?”

Chester blinked at me, tilting his head like his cat alter ego when he was confused.

“A date and your assignment,” I clarified. “Let me show you my favorite nature spots outside the town?”

Chester looked stunned before he placed his sketchpad and pencil on the windowsill and threw himself at me in a hug.

“That sounds brilliant!”

The smug cat got the first date, after all.

Chapter Fourteen

“How do you know about those spots?” Chester marveled at the little creek I led us to.

“Remember Lindsey Smith, the landlord who had so graciously allowed you to stay? I was pretty tight with her family back in the day and me and mum often spent summers around here, traveling between the numerous Smith cousins,” I explained while spreading a blanket on the ground for us to sit on.

“You don’t talk much about your mom. Is she…?”

“Dead,” I confirmed. “It’s one of the reasons my father is so bullheaded about keeping an eye on me. Because my mother once walked out of the flat and never returned.”

“That’s rough, buddy,” Chester winced.

“Is your family still around?” I asked quietly as both of us pulled out our supplies and started drawing, conveniently not looking at each other as the conversation took a too serious turn.

“I don’t think so,” Chester said. “Never knew my father. That’s a rather common thing among the cat shifters. Most of us live inclowders, but it’s more like a community than a family. I joined Elijah’s old clowder when I was young, and I never regretted leaving that clowder behind when we formed our own with Rowan.”

I noted the no mention of the mother but didn’t press further.

“Elijah seems to be your leader?” I asked instead.

“Yeah,” Chester confirmed, then laughed. “Can you believe I tried to challenge him for the role?”

“And how did that work out for you?”

“He just looked at me with an unimpressed stare and said ‘Alright. You are in charge now’.”

I spluttered with laughter, drawing a long line on my paper by accident.

“What changed then?” I asked, curious how this story continued.

“Elijah gave me a list of tasks that he was about to do for our clowder and said he was taking a spa day. And then he left! And I had to deal with everything!” Chester whined. “Paperwork, appointments, groceries… Even my own meeting with some friends I totally forgot about was on the list. I thought I could boss Rowan around since I was the new leader… but guess what? Elijah giving me the reins didn’t mean Rowan accepted that. We had a scuffle and by the time Elijah returned, I found myself not only ousted from the position but at the very bottom of the pack hierarchy.”

“Why didn’t Rowan stay the boss, then?” I asked, my lips twitching in a smile.

“Because he is more intelligent than I am!” Chester threw his hands up. “He knew it was a lot of work and responsibility and he didn’t want it, so he gave the leadership back to Elijah.”

“I have a feeling Elijah was unsurprised by this turn of events…”

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