The Wish Rewrite with the Cat

Chapter 5

Asha

Arden was a cat again, licking themselves under Charo's watchful eye.

"Yes, get right behind the ears; it took a while for me to get the hang of grooming. I never understood why it came naturally to my sisters. And there! Properly groomed!"

Poof!

He sniffed them and proudly waved his paw over their feet. "Voila! No more human stink."

"Thank you, Charo."

Valentino stuck out his tongue. "He taught them how to lick themself? And he claims he's the superior life form."

I drew away from her and opened my pouch. "Arden, in here."

Arden shrank into a ball of light and zipped into my pouch.

I pulled my cloak off the rack and tied it around me.

Soon, I entered the town square with Charo and Valentino.

Valentino's head swiveled to every person who passed. "Good morning! Hello. Good day. Nice purple scarf!"

Townspeople turned their heads, too.

"Who said that?"

"Did that goat just talk?"

Oh boy. "Valentino, can you try to keep quiet?"

"Why?" He cocked his head. "I love talking."

"You're a goat," Charo hissed. "Talking loudly is only going to get you—" His eyes stopped on a stall stuffed with fish, which was being run by a squat older woman in a blue dress. "Ooh, she's selling fish!" He bounded toward the stall.

"Charo!" I sped after him with Valentino behind me.

Charo climbed onto a crate near the stall and cleared his throat. "Excuse me, Madam. May I have your largest catch of the day, please?"

"Oh my goodness!" The woman squealed. "A talking cat!"

"I'm so sorry, ma'am," I snatched Charo up. "We're not buying anything. Come on!" I resumed our route to the castle.

"No! My fish!" He flailed in my grip. "You blasted human!"

"Can you stop squiggling, please? You're drawing attention."

Yehuda came over with Mimi. "Good morning, Asha."

As I said. "Hi, Sr. Rodriguez."

"Hi, Asha!"

"Hi, Mimi. I'm sorry your dad didn't get his wish yesterday."

"That's okay. He could get it next month."

"You're right. I'm rooting for him." Once I returned Saba's wish, nothing would stop me from helping Yehuda.

Arden accidentally kicked Yehuda in the gut inside the pouch.

"Oof!"

"Sorry, Sr. Rodriguez! Excuse me!"

Mimi: What's in your bag?

I pushed Valentino and Charo into the chicken coop. "Okay, you can come out now," I opened my pouch.

Arden flew out and expanded into their human form.

The hens clucked excitedly.

"Oh, hello!" Arden started petting the chickens.

"These are the castle chickens," I giggled. "I need to talk to Dahlia."