An Unusual Cat

Prologue

"I'm getting a cat! I'm getting a cat!" Willow squealed in glee.

She was bouncing in the passenger seat as Bumblebee drove her and Rafael to the Autobot base. After school, the girl's parents made their decision, reluctantly agreeing that a pet can be brought home. She always wanted a companion to call her own; Someone to curl up with for naps and who can comfort her when she was upset. She promised her parents that the cat would be her responsibility and hers alone. She would pay for any pet supplies with her allowance.

"I'm really happy for you, Willow," Raf beamed from the back, "Do you know what breed of cat you're gonna get?"

"No, my dad left early to go to the animal shelter that's in the next town. The kitty's gonna be a surprise." She replied.

:.:"What's a cat?":.: Bumblebee beeped through the radio.

Willow could, for some reason, understand what Bumblebee was saying. She wasn't a tech-wizard like Raf, but she did know a little of the universal Morse code. Willow could always decipher the different beeps and mechanical noises he used and connect the dots to the sentences. The others regularly claimed she had an analytical mind. When he first found out, Bumblebee was obviously thrilled and wouldn't stop dancing like a little kid.

Back to the topic at hand, the twelve year old boy was explaining to the yellow and black bot what a cat was. Willow listened to the conversation, occasionally adding details about the feline's different breeds and their wild counterparts.
Time flew by as they soon approached the missile silo that disguised the base. Willow was excited to share the news to the other bots and children. She shifted in the seat as the muscle car exited the entrance tunnel and into the main hangar. The moment Bumblebee stopped, the girl jumped out and skipped to the stairs that led to the human area. She dropped her school bag by the couch and approached Ratchet who was by the monitors.

"Good afternoon, Ratchet." Willow grinned.

The medic glanced her way with a small smile, "Good afternoon to you too, Willow. You're more energetic than usual, what's got you all charged up?"

The girl looked at the green glyphs and graphs on the screens. She then answered with her own question;
"Are you too busy? I can tell you later if you are."

Ratchet was always touched by her sensitivity to others. That was what made the older bot like her in the first place. Plus, she didn't cause as much trouble as the other humans. She was patient and quiet, no matter how badly she wanted something.

"Today has been slow regarding the Decepticons." He mused, "I suppose taking a few minutes wouldn't do much."

A bright smile adorned the girl's face. The orange and white mech stepped toward the elevated platform. He busied himself with one of the tools that needed fixing for the umpteenth time. Willow had made herself comfortable on the middle bar of the railing.

"So what's going on?" He gave her an expectant gaze.

The others, human and Autobot, gathered to hear the news that made Willow so excited. With Raf and Bumblebee already knowing, they went a little ways away. The two entertained themselves with a racing game on the boy's computer.

"My birthday's in two days," she began.

"Your birthday's on a Saturday?" Miko exclaimed, "Lucky! My birthday's on a Wednesday."

"And my dad went to get my present that's in the next town over." Willow continued.

"Aurora Nevada? That's a fifteen hour drive." Bulkhead, Miko's guardian, said.
Jasper was a small town off the highway. There was no neighboring civilization for miles, only a barren desert.
"That's why he left this morning. He said he'd be back tomorrow night." Willow shrugged.