Planet Earth--Chapter 9

Planet Earth

Chapter Nine: Friends in Paradise



  The early morning sun’s rays peeked through the white clouds and shone down onto Mystic Jungle’s land, waking up the animals from their slumbering and causing the lake to glitter and shine. A small mist lightly covered the tip of the lake’s waters, almost as if the water itself was trying to hide a secret beneath its depths. Aquatic animals of all kinds came out from hiding as they swam about stretching their bodies and limbs from the stiffness that had since they were asleep. Small dragonflies would dance about of the lake’s surface while a cool breeze blew the trees and a certain cat’s fur.

        “Mreeow.”

  A small pudgy kitten leaned its body towards the edge of the lake, waiting for a perfect moment to strike. He glanced at the fish swimming about in their happy aquatic home, but all that matter to the feline was getting some food to satisfy it’s grumbling tummy. This 10-year-old kitten wasn’t your typical house pet-- his fur was a purple hue while his belly, muzzle and inner ears were colored in white. Parts of his fur contained patched of dark purple in them, the tip of his tail was soft, but pointed, but what made him even more unique were his rather large ears—ears so large that he could hear the fish swimming in the depths of the lake.

  He leaned in closer, eyeing on one fish that was going slow and then dipped his head down into the water and in his fangs was the caught fish. He purred happily and laid the fish down on the shore, grasping it with his claws as he ate his meal. As he chewed the tender parts of the fish, he sighed and looked at the collar in his reflection, remembering the nice male that had visited him two years ago. It was back when he was resting on the Jungle’s ancient temple. He didn’t think it was any special to him than just a relaxation spot, but to that male, it meant big for him.


         “Wow, and to think all this time, this temple was lying right here deep in the jungle,” the explorer said as he began to examine the structure, “Wait till the guys back home hear about this! This will definitely change history.”

         “Mreeew?” the kitten tilted his head, looking at the male giggle with glee.

         “I can’t believe how intact this temple is. It has to be thousands of years old,” the explorer pondered, “I wonder if the Mayans or even the Aztecs could’ve build such a magnificent structure.”

         “Mrrooow!” the kitten hissed as his fur stood on his ends.

         “Hmm…well hello little kitten and how did you end up in such a vast jungle?” the explorer smiled, “Or maybe you are the guardian kitten of this temple?”

         “Meww?” the kitten titled his head confused.

         “Ah, yes, you have to be, I mean a little kitten that spooked me, you are indeed a protector,” the explorer said jokingly, “Or maybe I only disturbed your resting spot, am I right?”

  The feline snorted at him before jumping off the structure and heading down the dirt path to another location to the forest. The explorer smiled and quietly followed the feline up to a small pond. There, the kitten would kneel down and happily mew as a tadpole poked its head from the surface and playfully squirt water at its face—the two of them seem like the best of friends.

         “Friendship is such a wonderful thing isn’t it?” the explorer smiled before he backed away from a swipe, “Whoa! Easy! I promise I’m not here to harm you or your friend.”

  The kitten still hissed at him, but noticed his friend poked its head out of the water to get a better look at the explorer. The tadpole had a bit of trust in him, the same amount of trust in his friend.

         The explorer kneeled down and gently extended his hand, “The name is Robert Dunworthy. I’m in this beautiful jungle in hopes to find numerous artifacts, ruins and new species. Hmm…and your names are?”

  The kitten eyed him suspiciously and gave a soft meow as him and the tadpole gave him looks of uncertainty.

         “Seems like you don’t even know your names,” Robert smiled as he gently petted the kitten’s head, “You sure are a big fella aren’t ya. Anyways, how about you two come with me to my campsite. I’m sure it’ll be much better than sleeping on the dirt.”


  The kitten finished his last meal as he left the bone on the grass and went in search for another meal. On the way, he saw his friend happily swim about in the lake—he noticed the arms and legs it has grown ever since that man came. He was happy it could hop, but it still needed practice on land a bit more. He smiled and sat near the water’s edge, remembering the warmth of the fire that night, in a small wooden shack, it was just a few weeks after they’ve both bonded with the male. In fact, it was the first time they’ve bonded with a human in such a long time.


         “You are a pretty cool cat you know that? And you tadpole friend is an awesome as well,” Robert smiled as he leaned back against the small cot, “Hey, I’ve got a present for you, but only if you are willing to accept it.”

  The kitten looked at his friend before looking back at the human and saw him pull out a yellow collar. He sniffed it curiously and nuzzled his hand, knowing that he would finally get a home and gladly accepted the gift. Robert smiled and snapped the collar around his neck before looking at the tadpole.

         “As for you, I have a lovely fishbowl for you to stay in on our trip back to my home,” Robert grinned, “I know you two are the greatest friends and to be honest, friends shouldn’t be separated. And I know that you guys consider me as a great friend as well right?”

         “Mrroww!” the kitten mewed happily as the tadpole swam excitedly in circles.


  The kitten mewed as he watched his tadpole friend grab small specimens to eat within the lake—it munched on them happily like someone would do with a bag of chips. The feline meowed again, warning it not to overeat; he sighed and stretched his body as he looked up to the sky, wondering where that human could’ve ended up and if he would ever see him again. He closed his eyes, trying to remember what happened that night, but it was all too hazy due to the fact that he was asleep all the time, but the tadpole looked at him, remembering that event clearly since it was awake that entire night.


  Robert quickly, carefully and quietly placed the tadpole, the kitten and his book underneath the cot before placing a plank of wood on top to hide them. The tadpole glanced through the crack of the wood, watching the human hurriedly stuff his research into his bag when sounds of footsteps trampled above them and grabbed the man. Grunting and screaming echoed from the human as the other strange group tries to force information upon him, but Robert wouldn’t tell. He wouldn’t allow those men to take his friend away from him.

  The tadpole glanced at his feline friend, astonished of how he could sleep through all this noise, but at the same time, he felt glad that he was asleep, otherwise he would’ve seen a sharp object piercing right through Robert’s flesh as a drop of blood dripped through the floor boards and into the tadpole’s fish bowl. Large footsteps stopped above them as the strange man surveyed the area, destroying everything within the shack before snorting and trudging off with the human in the group’s hands.


  The kitten yawned and stretched his body, realizing how late it was getting and how tired he was becoming—he mewed softly as the tadpole hopped onto his head and found a comfortable spot to lie down on. The kitten smiled and walked back to the broken shack, ready to go back to slumber and wake up to another relaxing day of sunshine and fishing.