Scout Stories: Bruised Beginnings

A Cat of Many Colours

He got back just in time to see the last skewer picked up.

"No!" It was too late. The food was already in his father's mouth. Keefe slowed considerably and by the time he reached his father, the food was already gone.

His father smiled and patted him on the back in sympathy.

"Sorry, Keefe, but I can't un-eat a meal."

Keefe frowned and scrunched up his nose.

"You knew I was coming back."

"That I did. It's why I told Keir to keep you some," he said.

Keefe smiled at the trick and ran off to find his brother.

"You're welcome!" his father called after him.

Keefe found Keir hiding under one of the bigger tables with Peigi. They had a plate of food ready for him.

"There you are," said Keir, "I was beginning to think I would loose an arm to one of those animals."

Peigi laughed and handed the plate to Keefe.

"It was pretty hard to keep the food," she said.

Keefe sat down and began to eat.

"Oisín really ruined it this time," he told them between bites. "The cat that came for the forecast today was perfect. It was so fat a strong wind could have sent it rolling, and I think that it was old too. It was such good luck and he mucked it up."

Peigi tapped on her knee with the bit of wood left from her dinner.

"Hmmm."

"What?" asked Keefe.

"Well, he only said that you couldn't mess with the forecast. He said nothing about afterwards. You could have gotten the cat as soon as it finished. Not that I care, mind you. This way you won't get to steal my wish."

Keefe thought about this for a moment. It was a pretty good loophole. He hated it when she was cleverer than he was.

"Wishing no good on an empty stomach," he said.

"Yeah," said Keir. "You'd only end up wishing for food."

Peigi rolled her eyes.

"What way did the cat go anyway?" she asked.

"Why?" asked Keefe.

Peigi gave a quick look around to see if anyone was watching them.

"Because," she said, "I say we go after it as soon as you finish eating."

Keefe glanced over at Oisín, who was talking to some of the older village members, and nodded.

"Sounds good to me."

"It's getting pretty dark," said Keir.

Keefe didn't like the hesitation in his voice. He knew that his brother was afraid of the dark but he was getting too old for that stuff. Keefe would have to fix that before the brat got any taller. The idea of him being taller than Keefe and still being a coward was insulting to everyone involved.

"Don't be a baby," said Keefe. "You're going even if you're scared."

Keir's eyebrows lowered but he couldn't keep the quiver from his voice. "I-I'm not scared."

"Keefe," called his mother.

Keefe poked Keir's nose.

"Good," he said.

He turned to Peigi. "Take him and slip around the back of the house. I'll meet you there."

He got up and walked over to his mother.

"You better not be bullying your brother," she said.

She looked over to see Peigi and Keir walking away.

"Course not," said Keefe. "What do you want, anyway?"

"Pardon?"

Keefe rolled his eyes. He hated it when she was like this.

"I mean, what are you calling me for, dear mother?" he asked.

"You never told me what the forecast is like?"

"It'll rain for a bit in the morning and again tomorrow night but most of the day should be clear enough."

"You sure? Last time you said it would rain for 'a bit' we had the biggest storm to hit us in years."

That had been over a month ago and she was never, ever going to let it go. The storm hadn't been all that bad anyway. People were making it seem worse than it was because some of the tower fell down.

"Yes," said Keefe. "I'm sure. Can I go now?"

"Fine. Off with you, you cheeky little shite."

Then Keefe made his way as quick as he could without drawing too much attention. Oisín was still busy talking to some of the other old people,. He hadn't noticed that Peigi had gone off somewhere. When Keefe walked to the back of the house, however, the only person waiting there was Keir.

"Where is she?" Keefe asked.

Keir pointed.

"She ran off that way after a cat. It was back here already when we came around. I told her to wait for you, but she didn't listen."

Keefe started to run. "Well, come on Keir! We can't let her steal our wish."

They found her fast. She was right around the next corner that they went around. She didn't notice them at first. 

She was busy petting the large tabby cat sitting on her lap.

Note: You know how sometimes things seem too good to be true?