Louie, “Good work, Brothers, from here on the east side of the building in progress, we see across the parking lot the traffic from the north and south sides of the buildings east of us. Tico, Rico, you stay here. Watch for raccoons and our cats returning home. Be strong. Be safe.
Sister, do you see the big hole at the bottom of the old cypress tree in the center of the parking lot?”
“Yes, Louie,” Susie replied.
“You will be safe in that lovely den, far away from resources. Go, curl up in there. Go to sleep. DO NOT LEAVE THE DEN, UNTIL I COME FOR YOU, SUSIE. Your brothers are nearby, watching you. You are safe. Stay in the den.” Louie re-iterated.
Susie scampered off to the safety of the old cypress tree.
Louie, “I remember what the Gray said about how to get to the meeting. You stay here to warn the others. I’ll look for them in City Park.” Louie shook his tail to tell his feelings and was off.
He raced down the west side of Building Twenty-three. He burned up the soccer field on the southeast side of twenty-three. Almost to Building Ten, he stopped to check his bearings and his breath, young Louie met a Muscovy. “Hello, Mr. Duck, have you seen cats crossing the campus to the park?
Muscovy, “Not for a couple of hours, but before that we were tripping over them.”
Louie, “Mr. Duck, do you know the raccoon? Is he a friend of yours?”
Muscovy, “Young fella, the raccoon is no friend of mine. They steal our baby eggs right out of the nest. They’re bandits, vermin. Why do you ask?”
Louie, “Raccoons invaded our homes. I must tell the grownups. Can you help me?”
Muscovy, “See the glow in the darkness?” The kitten nodded. “I’ll fly low, so you are safe to go to the stadium. Stay with me.”
With that the Muscovy flapped his wings. He flew a few feet off the ground with a baby cat running in his draft. The pair breezed across the Delgado Campus. With no traffic this time of night on Orleans the Muscovy flew low, faster with the kitten in tow. The youngster ran like a cheetah across the park and into the stadium.
Big Black had just taken the podium. “Thank you, Sister Cat, a very inspirational message. May we learn to accept our reality and to love the reflection of the creator in all. We purr for the power to live our lives in harmony. As Big Black recapped handling the hardship of living in the street, an exhausted Louie staggered into the stadium. He landed at the feet of the first Black Cat he happened to see.
“Sir, I have something to report,” Louie gasped
Black Cat, “Hold on young fella, with all the peace and harmony here tonight; how can you be so tense? Young cat hitting the human pharmacology; makes sense to me. Let’s get you out of here.”
Louie, “No, Sir, raccoons have invaded our homes. Everyone we know is about to get ambushed.
Black Cat looked at Louie in dazed disbelief. “Boy, do you know what you’re saying?”
The fatigued little feline crumpled on his side tried to catch his breath. “Yes, Sir, he said sides heaving.
More kindly Black Cat asked, “Where you from, Son?”
Louie, “The west side of the Delgado Campus on General Diaz, Sir, my brothers and sister are waiting for me to come back.”
When the shocking news caused the Black Cat’s hair to stand on end, the other Black Cats hair stood on end and they all looked in Louie’s direction.
Sister Cat slipped through the crowd formed around Louie’s prostrate body. Big, burly Black Cats surrounded Sister Cat as she stopped in front of Louie, who struggled to a sit.
Sister Cat bowed and rubbed her forehead to Louie’s. A soft white glow engulfed Sister Cat and Louie. She whispered, “Gurji, I’d know you anywhere. Nasmaste.”
Louie meowed weakly, “ I must get back to my sister and brothers.”
“You have done well, Guruji.
Purring in the stadium ceased. Silence whittled the night. A million cats wanted to know what was amiss. In stillness the cats strained to gain insight into what wasn’t right. Who was this kitten that their beloved Sister Cat revered and called Guruji?