Maggie and the Kits, Part VI

Back to the adventures of Maggie and her two kittens! Jack and Fiona take an unusual action.

“I wonder…” Fiona mused.

“What? What?” Jack was a kitten of action. He wanted to fix this problem, and fix it now. But he knew his sister was thoughtful and careful, and he usually listened to what she had to say when a situation was dire.

“The humans at the house have never hurt us. They might even be our friends. What if we brought them here? Do you think they would help mama?”

“And just how are we going to do THAT?” Jack scoffed. His sister was losing it. Get the humans here! What was Fiona thinking?

“I don’t know,” Fiona replied. “But let’s try. Let’s go down to their house and see what happens.”

Jack stared at this sister as though she had three heads. Mama had told them to stay away from the human den. This would be breaking the rules big time. And what if the humans didn’t want them there, and tried to hurt them?

Fiona looked confident, though, and her calmness helped him. He thought it through, not something he always did. But he and his sister were a good influence on one another, and by the time they were old enough to have their own territories, they would have the boldness and thoughtfulness needed to survive.

Jack hesitated, and then stood up. “Okay, I’m in. Let’s go.”

The kittens looked in on their mother. She was sleeping restlessly. Even though Maggie kept her leg clean, the healing process was going very slowly.

Fiona decided they should leave and not wake their mother. The kittens made their way down the hill and headed toward the human house. They weren’t sure what they were going to do when they got there. The sun was starting to go down. They didn’t want to scare anyone, but they were desperate.

They arrived at the house and sat at the edge of the clearing. The smell of the chickens and goats was like a perfume. They were so hungry! It would be so easy to jump the fence and get a chicken or two. But they remembered their mother’s rule - never, never, never steal from the humans. It was a big lesson for them, but they remembered it well, and restrained themselves.

They continued sitting at the edge of the clearing and watched the human activity. A man came out of the house and locked the chickens and goats in their respective houses. Just as well, those chickens were looking mighty tasty the longer the kittens sat there. They watched lights go on in the house, and the man glanced around the clearing.

The man saw the kittens and stepped back a couple of paces. He didn’t seem afraid, his scent didn’t change, but he was definitely a little more cautious, and moved a little more quickly toward the house. The lions had never come this close to the house. Even though they were on the very edge of the clearing, it was unusual. Fiona and Jack were starting to understand what their mother had meant about the humans being afraid.

Fiona and Jack saw one of the windows get brighter, and saw two human faces looking out. The kittens stayed where they were. They could be patient when necessary. Knowing their mother needed help, they were patient.

The next morning, the kittens were still in the same place. The man came outside. He glanced at the kittens again. He fed the chickens and goats, and gathered up some eggs and went back in the house. He always kept one eye on the kittens, but when they didn’t move, he relaxed a little bit. He didn’t release the chickens or goats outside, but kept them in their barns.

Fiona sent Jack back to the den to check on their mother, and if she was awake, to let mama know they were okay. Jack reported back that their mother looked no better. She was sleeping soundly. He left scratches in the dirt so she would know they had been there.

The kittens continued to wait.

The man and woman came in and out of the house a few times during the day. The woman went to the back of the house and came back with what looked like something they would eat. It was some sort of leaves and vegetables, not very appealing to mountain lions, but the woman looked and felt happy. The man and woman kept an eye on the kittens, but never approached them, and the kittens stayed where they were, on the edge of the clearing.

Jack was getting a little impatient. “I think we need to let them know we need their help.”

“How do you suggest we do that?” Fiona asked. She was very patient, sometimes too much, although it was useful when hunting voles and rabbits.

The next time the man came outside, Jack stood up. The man froze. Jack gave a soft “Mew”, using his most friendly voice. Then he sat down again.

The man tilted his head and turned toward the kittens. He didn’t approach, but he looked puzzled. “What’s going on?” He asked. His voice was also friendly.

Jack smirked at Fiona.

The man then went back into the house, and again, two faces were centered in the window, looking out at the kittens.

The kittens both stood up, and both made a soft “mew”, then sat down again.

The humans looked at one another, and then were gone from the window. The house became quiet. 

The kittens settled down for another long night.