Double Trouble (3 page)

“I'll take care of you, don't worry.” She bent down quickly and picked Flame up. Her fingers tingled faintly as his fur sparkled, and as the sparks faded they left a warm glow in her hands. “You can come and live with me! My parents won't mind. We sometimes take in cats and kittens for the local pet shelter.”

Flame reached up two paws and rested them on her chest. “You must tell no one, Kim,” he purred, a serious look in his eyes.

“You'll be my secret,” she promised, cuddling his little body.

Kim was determined to take care of Flame and keep him safe. He was so gorgeous that she loved him already. Even Mia's meanness wasn't going to ruin this vacation now.

She carried him toward the open kitchen door, where her mom was preparing hot drinks and Bibi was licking her dish clean of cat food. Just then, Mia came into the kitchen and saw Kim. “Where did you get that kitten?” she asked in surprise.

“I found him behind the shed,” Kim replied. She turned to her mom. “Flame must be a stray. He seems hungry and scared. I'm going to feed him and then I'll make a bed for him in my bedroom. That's okay, isn't it?”

Her mom smiled. “It looks like you've already made your mind up. I like his name.” She pet Flame's head. “He's adorable, isn't he? Just don't get too attached to him, in case someone comes to claim him. I'll go and call the pet shelter and say we have him, in case someone reports a lost kitten.”

“Okay, Mom, thanks,” Kim said. She felt pretty sure that no one was going to claim this particular kitten!

While her mom went out to use the phone, Kim took a spare dish from a cabinet. She filled it with cat food, and set it on the floor some distance away from Bibi. “There you go, Flame.”

Flame scampered over to the dish and started munching.

Bibi stopped licking her lips and froze as she seemed to notice Flame for the first time. She pinned her ears back and glared.

Kim recognized the warning signs and took a step forward, ready to grab Bibi. Mia just smirked as she looked on.

But Kim was too late. Bibi charged straight at Flame and wopped him across the head with her big front paw.

“Yow-owl!” Flame went bowling across the floor and the cat food flew everywhere. He skidded to a halt against the table leg. Scrambling to his feet, Flame gave himself a shake and turned to face Bibi.

Kim saw big sparkles fizzing all over his silver fur. His whiskers crackled and his eyes glowed like green coals.

She felt a weird prickling sensation down her spine.

Flame lifted a paw and sparks sprayed out toward the angry Persian.

Bibi went stiff all over. Her paws pointed downward and her tail stuck up as straight as a broom. She jerked as if she was trying to run away and started bouncing across the kitchen on tiptoes.

“Eeek!” she squeaked loudly, her orange eyes rolling around and around as she bobbed up and down like a windup toy. “Eeek! Eeek!”

Mia, who didn't seem to have seen the sparks fly from Flame, stared in horror at her pet. “What's wrong with her? Why's she squeaking like a mouse?”

Kim bent down to check that Flame was all right. He nudged her hand with the top of his head to let her know he was fine. “Bibi can't be like that for much longer or Mom will call the vet and it will be a big mess,” Kim whispered to him urgently.

Flame frowned, but pointed a paw, so that one big silver spark shot out and hit Bibi on the nose.

Bibi stopped suddenly. The big Persian flopped onto the floor and lay there blinking in surprise at Flame.

Mia rushed over to her. She examined her pet and frowned. “She seems fine now, but she must have had some kind of jealous fit. Pedigrees are very highly strung, you know! It's because of Flame. She doesn't like him. You'll have to get rid of that kitten, Kim. It's only a scrappy little stray anyway!”

Kim felt herself getting angry. “Highly strung? Bibi's just a spiteful fleabag! I don't care if she's got a pedigree as long as my arm! And Flame's a lot more than a stray. He's m . . .” She only just managed to stop herself in time. “He's mine!” She had been about to say “magic.” She was going to have to be a lot more careful about keeping Flame's secret. “Anyway, Mom said Flame could stay and that's final!” She ran off.

Mia raced after Kim. “You can't talk to me like that!” she fumed.

Just then Mrs. Taylor came back into the kitchen. “What's going on?” she wanted to know.

Kim and Mia began talking at the same time.

After a second or two, Mrs. Taylor held up her hand for silence. “That's enough, both of you. Bibi seems fine now, Mia. Why don't you take her for a walk in the garden and calm down? Kim, you'd better feed Flame.”

Mia tossed her head and glared at Kim. “All right. Come on, Bibi.”

Bibi sidled past Flame and gave a half-hearted hiss as she dashed after Mia.

Kim cleared up the spilled cat food and then set more out for Flame. He went straight to the food and began eating, purring loudly in contentment.

Kim felt a little guilty for giving in to her temper and shouting at Mia. Maybe she'd try and make up with her later. She went and gave her mom a hug to make herself feel better. “Thanks for letting Flame stay, Mom.”

“Hmm. I might have answered too quickly,” her mom said. “If Bibi's going to bully Flame, maybe it would be better if we found another place for him to stay.”

“No!” Kim burst out. “I'll make sure I keep an eye on them both. Please, Mom. Flame chose me for his friend and I've promised him—er, I mean I've promised myself—that I'm going to keep him safe.”

Her mom smiled. “Okay. I just hope there's no more trouble between those cats.”

“There won't be!” Kim declared.
I'd bet a week's allowance that Bibi learned her lesson,
she thought.

Chapter FOUR

Kim poured hot chocolate into a thermos, put chips and cookies on a tray, and tucked a couple of flashlights under her arm before heading for the backyard. “Come on, Flame.”

As she and Flame reached the tent, Mia and Bibi came up through the backyard toward her. When Bibi spotted Flame, she stopped in her tracks and then walked around him very slowly, making a big circle of space.

In cat language, Kim guessed that meant, “I'm not going to give you any more trouble.”

There was an awkward silence.

“Have you been exploring?” Kim asked Mia in a friendly voice, still feeling guilty about earlier.

“Yes. We went to see the sheep in the field that is attached to your garden,” Mia said in a subdued voice. She glanced down at Flame. “He's pretty cute for a regular kitten, isn't he? I hope Bibi didn't hurt him.”

It seemed that Mia was willing to make up, too.

“Don't worry. Flame's fine,” Kim assured her. She was happy they were talking again but wondered what Mia would say if she knew that Flame was a royal prince! “Is Bibi okay?”

“Yes, thanks,” Mia said. “Er . . . Are those chocolate chip cookies? They're my favorite.”

“Help yourself. We have so many.” Kim smiled and this time Mia smiled back.

It was dark inside the tent now, so they ate by their flashlight. Bibi curled up on Mia's sleeping bag, still keeping a watchful eye on Flame.

When the food and drinks were finished, Kim tucked Flame in beside her. He yawned and curled up close. “I feel safe here, Kim. Thank you,” he meowed softly, so that only Kim could hear.

Kim pet the top of his silky head. She loved having Flame with her.

Mia also lay down and closed her eyes. “Good night, Kim.”

“Good night, Mia,” Kim said as she turned off the flashlight. She snuggled down into the sleeping bag. “Sweet dreams, Flame,” she whispered.

She felt him touch her chin lightly with the tip of his little cold nose.

Kim woke up with a start. It was still pitch black outside. Someone was shaking her arm urgently.

“Mia?” she said sleepily. “What's wrong?”

“There's something outside the tent!” Mia whispered hoarsely. “Listen! Can't you hear it?”

Kim listened hard. At first all was quiet and she thought Mia must be imagining things. Then there was a rustling noise and the tent's walls shook as something brushed against it.

Kim caught her breath. There was something out there!

Beside her, Flame gave a low growl.

“What is it?” Mia said faintly.

Kim's fingers trembled as she felt around in the darkness for the flashlight. She switched it on and the beam wobbled all over the place as she pointed the light at the tent flap.

Suddenly a long, bony head pushed inside the tent. It had no hair and pale staring eyes. A low mournful cry came from it.

“Aargh!” Mia screeched. “It's an alien!”