An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (Alternative)

Chapter 2: Miss Kitty's Departure

A lone figure stood above the alley, watching the bright moon. He was a young brown cat wearing a red shirt with gold buttons, a red hat and a single monocle. His crimson cloak fluttered in the cold evening breeze. Then, a black, hairy tarantula wearing a cowboy hat and boots appeared behind him.

"Uh, boss..." the tarantula said. "Yes, Chula?" the brown cat asked in a velvety British accent, without turning around. "Everything is in place. The others are waiting for your signal." Chula said. "Excellent. Jolly good, Chula." the brown cat said as he watched the dark clouds obscuring the moon from sight. Lost in thought, he then looked at his claws, making sure they're well-sharpened. Then he snapped out of his thoughts and clenched his paw in a grip. "Right. We'll leave on my signal." he said as he turned around and walked off.

Back at the Mousekewitz household, once everything quieted down, Papa Mousekewitz relit the candle. "They call America the land of opportunity." he said as he extinguished the match. "Opportunity for what? For children to play in the dirty streets? To never see the sunshine? Fievel's birthday is coming. " He slumped on the floor sadly. "And we don't have enough money for presents." "Oh, Papa, I don't care." Fievel said sympathetically. "Well, I could sing in front of the gift shop." Tanya suggested. "Maybe they'll throw presents." Papa Mousekewitz smiled and embraced his children lovingly. "How blessed I am to have such wonderful children. Maybe things will get better." he said.

Then, they heard a loud crash outside. Fieval could tell that it was Tiger, his cat friend. He ran to the window and saw Tiger chatting to his girlfriend, Miss Kitty. But tonight, Tiger seemed flustered and anxious about something. "Can we have an expresso and talk this over?" he asked, panting. But Miss Kitty doesn't seem to be slowing down. "Listen, Tiger, you're an alley cat." she said as she walked up the fire escape. "Pretty please?" Tiger begged, trying to keep up.

"Born and bred." Miss Kitty added. "How true." Tiger said sarcastically. "I got a ticket to sunshine and I'm going out west. There's a town that promises a new frontier and a brand-new breed of cat." Miss Kitty said as she hopped up onto the railing. "Is there anything wrong with my breed?" Tiger asked worriedly. "City cats got too much purr in their fur. Not enough growl in their howl." Miss Kitty explained as she walked on the railing to the other building. "Look at you. You catnap, cat around. Heck, I don't mean to be mean, but..." She paused as she looked at Tiger struggling to keep his balance on the railing but failing. She gently put her paw on his toe and helped him gain balance. "You're even a bit of a fraidy cat." Tiger's fur stood on end.

"Who told you that?" Tiger said, not believing a word he was hearing. "I'm no fraidy cat! I'll show you! I'll show them! I'm no fraidy cat!" Tiger refused to believe that he could be a fraidy cat. But Miss Kitty sighed. "Tiger, I don't want a tomcat, top cat or a tough tabby. I just want....How do I say this?" she said. She thought for a moment, then she turned to Tiger. "I just want a cat who's more like a dog." she said finally. Tiger's jaw dropped. "What, a dog?!" he thought in disbelief. As Miss Kitty reached into her bag and took out her perfume jar, they could hear a horse's neigh from a distance.

Miss Kitty looked right and saw a stagecoach coming down the road. "That's my ride out West." she said. Then she turned to Tiger. "Show me you're tough. Don't make a fuss when I'm gone, okay?" she asked as she sprayed her perfume. But Tiger was shocked. It turns out Miss Kitty is planning to leave New York...for good! "You don't mean this is good-bye?" Tiger asked in horror. But Miss Kitty gave him a sweet smile. "There are no good-byes between you and me." she said before turning around. "After all, we always have the Bronx. There's looking at you, kit." With those words, she hopped off the balcony and landed on the stagecoach roof as it passed by.

Tiger watched her leave. "The Bronx, that's right" he said to himself. "The Bronx, right. I don't make a fuss! I can handle it. I can..." he paused as he caught a whiff of her sweet perfume. "I can..." His lip started to quiver. Tears formed in his eyes. Then, he let out a loud wail of sorrow that echoed through the dark streets of New York.

Meanwhile, in the far part of the alley, everything was quiet and peaceful. But hidden in the shadows, a silhouette stood. It was the brown British cat. His name is Cat r. Waul. "How long are we gonna wait?! Come on, let us go!" a big, one-eyed cat said impatiently. "Patience, my friend. I'll say when it is time." Cat R. Waul said calmly. He looked up at the moon in the sky. It was fully obscured by the dark clouds. A clap of thunder was heard, then little raindrops fell from the sky. "Alright. Now." Cat R. Waul said. The cats made their move.