Cats of The Cliffs

Biggs: The Failed Plan

Biggs and his companions sat in his backyard, cleaning their ruffled fur.

Cream, the appropriately named cream she-cat, lay flopped on her side as Foxy, the big tailed pale brown stray, patted her wounded belly with moss.

"It hurts," she whimpered.

"That's obvious," Foxy responded without emotion. 

The big tailed tom had three long trailing claw marks down one side and a nick in his left ear, both of which he was paying no attention to. Tabby she-cat Maggy was missing tufts of fur on her rump and he had scratches on his back from when one of the cats had leapt on him.

"I thought we were supposed to chase them away," Maggy whined. "But they chased us off instead. And we didn't get the smudgy cat either."

"Hey at least I clawed her," added Cream. "But then that big tabby tom clawed me and I'm bleeding and it hurts and-"

"Alright we get it!" Foxy snapped, then his voice softened. "We can all agree it didn't quite go to plan. However we managed to claw the smudgy cat at least once and stop her from picking any more marigold. And, we stole some of their prey."

He gestured with one paw at the two mice and the bird that they'd stolen.

"And if anyone doesn't mind. . ."

He clawed the fattest mouse over to him and ate it in a few neat mouthfuls. He ran his tongue around his jaws.

"Much better."

"I hope you left something for me," a voice rumbled.

"Of course Shag," Maggy promised as a solidly built tortoiseshell tom with torn ears leapt down from the fence and joined them. "We didn't see you last night at our meeting. Where were you?"

"I was out in another part of town," Shag replied, pawing the other mouse over to him. "I decided to stay the night in that part rather than tire myself walking here before morning."

He flashed them a sly, toothy grin. 

"In fact . . . It proved to be worth my while. One of those cliff cats was about. That ginger tom that's always wandering. Y'know him? He wasn't paying attention so I attacked him and. . ."

Shag's claws slid out. 

"I pushed him out onto the road. A monster got him."

Cream gasped in admiration. 

"Is he dead?" she asked.

Shag shrugged. 

"Dunno. I saw him get hit and he didn't get up again. So I'd say he's as good as dead at least."

"Well done!" cheered Maggy.

The rest of them joined in, mewing congratulations to the big stray.

"With you around we actually have a shot at winning this," Foxy praised. "We'll show those cliff cats that they're not so tough!"

"Yeah the cliffs are ours to play at!" Cream agreed. "They can't just take it away from us!"

"Shag! Shag! Shag!" Biggs chanted.

He felt proud of the stray tom. Shag was great. He was their key to victory.