The Cats of the Solar System

Chapter 32

WARNING This chapter contains a hint of self harm and some blood (not a lot though).

"Hey. Hey, Jupiter. Wake up," a soft voice spoke. Snapping out of his slumber, Jupiter looked around wildly. He was in the Sun's bedroom, laying on the floor beside Pluto's bed. The Sun was standing beside him. Sitting up, the gas planet cat rubbed his forehead as he muttered, "Morning Dad..." Patting his son on the back with a gentle paw, the celebrity star cat meowed, "Good morning to you as well. Thank you for watching over Pluto."

"No problem. I'm gonna get some more sleep in my bedroom for a little bit," Jupiter yawned. He was dead tired and he had a crick in his neck from sleeping in a weird position all night. Waving his tail at his adoptive father, the gas planet cat exited the bedroom and headed for the stairs. He was relieved to see that the house was clean. Someone else must've cleaned up the mess last night. Heading up the stairs, he went over to the bedroom he shared with Neptune and opened the door.

The room was dark.

"Neptune, I get you like the dark and all but seriously? Curtains shut, lights off," Jupiter rumbled. Squinting to see with his only good eye, he could just barely make out the ice giant planet kitten curled up on his bed. Entering further into the bedroom, the gas planet kitten threw the curtains wide open. The room filled up with natural light instantly. Relieved to not having to squint, Jupiter looked over at Neptune. That's when he saw the bloody scratches on the other feline's wrists.

"Huh? Is it morning already?" Neptune yawned, at last waking up. He felt like he could sleep forever and honestly he wanted to. Blinking his eyes slowly, he noticed that Jupiter was standing next to the window staring at him. No, not at him, at his wrists. Horror rushing through him, Neptune quickly tucked his paws under his chest in a loaf position as he stuttered, "It's... it's not what... I'm sorry... I'm so sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, sorry sorry sorry..."

"Shh, it's okay man," Jupiter murmured quietly, daring to step closer. The smaller feline was obviously upset. He needed to be careful, something that he struggled with time and time again. As gently as he could, the gas planet cat set his huge paw on Neptune's shoulder. Gasping, the ice giant looked up at the larger feline. "It's alright man, there's nothing to be sorry about," he whispered softly, "Come on, let's get you cleaned up."

"Oh man my back..." Mars muttered, waking up with a groan. He attempted to stretch but found himself in a cramped space. That was weird though. His bed shouldn't feel like a cramped space. The terrestrial planet cat dared to open his eyes. He found himself inside a closet. "What in the name of Celestial..." Mars muttered, bewildered by his current predicament. Feeling around in the dark, he miraculously found the doorknob. Giving it a turn, he took a tumble and fell out of the closet.

"Watch it you moron, we're walking here," Jupiter growled. Glancing up from his position on the floor, Mars watched as the gas planet cat in question and Neptune padded over towards the bathroom at the end of the hallway. Wait, was Neptune limping? Mars shook his head, he didn't know for sure. Heaving himself to his paws, the red furred cat made his way downstairs to the bedroom he shared with Mercury. However, when he opened the door to the bedroom he didn't find Mercury. Instead he found Saturn.

"Ah, another glorious morning!" Saturn purred, waking up with a big stretch. Blinking his eyes, he looked around the blurry room. He could just make out a red figure in the doorway. Mars perhaps. "Hey Mars, what is this splendid visit about?" the gas planet kitten meowed, hoping he got the right cat. He was already feeling around on the nearby dresser for his glasses. Where were they? "Um, Saturn?" Mars murmured, "I don't know how to tell you this but... this isn't your room."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Saturn asked. He was now frantically searching for his glasses. But the more he felt around, the more he began to realize this wasn't his bed. His pillows were gone, his comforter was gone. Turning back to Mars or at least the blurry shape he called Mars, he mumbled, "What in Celestial was in that concoction last night?"

"I don't know and I don't wanna know. All I know is I woke up in a closet and you're in my best friend's bed and I don't know where he is," Mars grumbled, rubbing his forehead worriedly. Jumping slightly when Saturn bumped into the door frame, he added, "We are never ever drinking or eating anything that Uranus makes ever again."

"Fair enough. Have you seen him by the way?" Saturn asked as he willingly allowed Mars to drape his tail around his shoulders. Guiding his younger brother through the house, Mars answered, "I haven't. Don't worry, we'll find him eventually." Just then, there was a loud caterwaul outside. Intrigued, Mars and Saturn dashed to the outside courtyard with the Sun and Pluto in hot pursuit. Looking around frantically, the Sun cried, "What happened?!"

"Someone shaved my fur off!" Mercury's yowl sounded. The terrestrial planet kitten in question came running into view and so the rest of the family could see what had been done, which wasn't much actually. Yes, his fur had been shaved. But it was his shaggy overcoat. All there was left now was a soft and beautiful spotted pelt. Dark colored spots adorned the pale yellow fur. Clearly freaking out, Mercury yelped, "Look what they did to me!" Scratching his chin thoughtfully, Saturn remarked, "I can't see much but I love the new look. Also, your bed is very comfy." Confused, Mercury rasped, "What?"

"Were you sleeping outside all night?" Mars asked. Just then, a familiar voice called from above, "I think I have!" Everyone looked up to find Uranus up on the roof. "Ooh, can I go up there Dad? Please?" Pluto asked, pawing at the Sun's leg. The star cat's attention was currently on the ice giant planet kitten on the roof as he cried, "How did you get up there?!" Looking pretty terrified, Uranus called down, "How do I get back down?!"

"What is going on?" Venus asked sleepily as she and Earth entered the courtyard. Both girls looked pretty tired. Padding over to them while the Sun and Mercury went to grab a ladder from the pool shed, Mars replied with a question of his own, "Are you guys okay? Where did you wake up this morning?" Scratching herself behind the ear sheepishly, Earth mumbled, "I woke up outside around midnight or something so I just went back to our bedroom where I slept for the next few hours."

"I went back to our bedroom too after I cleaned up the place. Wait, Earth. You were outside?!" Venus exclaimed when she realized what her older sister just said. Shrugging her shoulders, Earth remarked, "Good thing I got inside before you locked the doors, huh?" Turning to Mars, the colorful terrestrial planet kitten gasped. Cringing a little, she stuttered, "Mars... you got a... a little problem with your... ear..."

"What?" Mars squeaked in an undignified high pitched voice. His paws immediately shot up to his ears, feeling them. His right ear was completely fine. His left ear, however, now possessed a triangle shaped notch caked with dried blood. The red furred terrestrial planet cat had no idea how he got the notch. Facing the girls, he murmured, "We are never tasting anything Uranus makes ever again."

"Agreed," Earth declared while Venus pointed out, "I told you all not to do it."