She was talking in a weird way, not like I had ever heard her talk before.
She threw up her arms and spun around. The workers at the bank were very confused
when we tried to exchange Neopoints for American money. They thought it was
"fraud" money, or whatever that means. We had to leave the bank.
Catnip said she was going to take me to her "ranch" and let me ride in the
"tractor." I remember she had said "I'll let you see the kittens!" Those are
the things I want to see!
It was okay we didn't have any money, and since no Unis we around, we had
to walk to the ranch. It was a good thing it wasn't very far off, or I would've
needed some food. It was a big, red, wooden NeoHome on a large piece of land.
Carrots and cabbage must have been growing. Yuck!
Catnip stuffed me in her carpet bag just before knocking loudly on the door.
I managed to peak my head through, though. Aishas have that skill to get through
any small space. A tall owner with long brown hair opened the door. She covered
her hand with her mouth and ran upstairs.
"John! John! Come downstairs! She's here!"
A tough, big man came to the door.
"Where have you been!?" The lady asked.
Catnip tried to answer quickly.
"I was... on a business trip... to... to... Japan!"
"Ha!" I thought to myself. "Japan?"
"I... it... was a long business deal."
"A two year business trip?" the lady began.
"Yeah!" I thought. "A two year business trip!? That's a laugh." I didn't exactly
know what I was talking about, but I didn't know why Catnip was lying.
"Yeah..." Catnip continued, "it was a big deal."
I guess the lady let it go, because she said, "Okay, let's all go inside.
Have a nice dinner. You like steak, don't you?"
"Actually mum, I'm a vegetarian, remember?" Catnip reminded the lady.
"Um... I don't know..."
"It's okay mom," Catnip cut in, "I brought a couple of sandwiches. I'll be
fine."
Mum?
"Pahhh..." the father complained. "You're in the south! And any ways, you
need some meat on yer, kid!"
"Sandwiches are fine, dad." Catnip said with a tint of anger in her voice.
"I'm going upstairs, all right?"
Dad?
Catnip pushed her parents out of the way as if they were doors, and suddenly
you could smell the delicious aroma of hearty steak stew.
"I'd like some of that!" I whispered to Catnip as she quickly climbed the
dark and creaky steps.
Catnip turned the corner in the hallway to a small room. It had a cozy feel.
A bright red quilt had been thrown over a cot, and the light seeped through
the window. A tiny stool stood next to the bed, topped with a dim lamp.
Catnip jumped onto the bed, and dust flew up, and we both started to cough
hysterically.
"This was my old bed," she yelled, as if the dust was a wall.
"Really?" I said, hopping out of the carpet bag.
The dust started to settle.
"It probably hasn't been used for years."
Catnip leaned over on the bed and reached for the side table. She pulled open
a small drawer, and gasped.
"Ohhh!" She cried. She picked up a book and started to flip through it.
"What's that?" I leaped onto the bed and crept up behind her. The bed was
stiff, like a wooden board, but the quilt was warm and comforting from the sunlight
that had been absorbed.
Catnip didn't answer my question. She stuffed the book in the carpet bag and
brushed her hands across the wall. She was savouring every last bit of her old
room. She suddenly dropped to her knees and searched under the bed. When she
stood up, she was wearing a beautiful but worn, black cowboy hat.
"This, Snow," Catnip fitted the hat over her head, "is something that you
can't get in Neopia."
Okay, it was interesting and all, but an Aisha has those certain... weaknesses.
I tuned out the rest of the world as Catnip rambled on about her cowboy hat,
and I peered out of the hallway as if I were crossing the street. I tiptoed
down the stairs and into the kitchen.
What can I say, I was hungry, and nobody wants to let good food go to waste,
do they?
I leaped onto the countertop and went straight towards the stew. I poked my
head into the pot and lapped up some of the broth. I stuck my paws into the
broth and pulled out some of the chunks of meat and vegetables. Suddenly, while
feasting, someone grabbed hold of me under my arms and turned me around. It
was Catnip's mom.
"Whoa! Now what do we have here, eatin' at my dinner?"
"John!! C'mere a second."
John came running into the kitchen, and his eyes bulged.
"Is it a deformed cat or smoothing?"
"How dare you!" I thought. "I'm an Aisha! That's a-i-s-h-a!!"
"Well, I've never seen a striped cat with four ears before." Catnip's mom
remarked.
"I'll take it down to the animal shelter," John started. "Poor feller, forced
to feed off other people's food!"
"WHAT!?" I screamed in my head. "NO! NO!"
John picked me up and held me like a baby.
I flew out my claws and dug them into his shoulder.
"Whoa! Lil' feller, don't go gettin' frisky on me, okay?"
I couldn't think correctly. I let out a large cry of help. I wanted to talk,
but I didn't want to get Catnip exposed.
John took me outside by the tractor and hopped in the driver's seat.
I kept crying and yelling out the window. I could see Catnip at her bedroom
window. She saw me, and she seemed to scream, although I couldn't hear her.
John started the engine, and rolled away.
To be continued... | 
