The two kittens ran until they were exhausted. Their horse friends had pawed and whinnied in desperation. Prince, the biggest, had pawed frantically at the wall and made a hole large enough for the little animals to escape the flames that surrounded them. Mat and Fluffy had begged him to make a bigger hole or let them stay. They had run out into the frosty air just as humans came to rescue the big animals that were terrified of the monster that threatened to envelope them.
Mat came to an abrupt halt. “Where are we?” He looked around with huge eyes. “Prince said to run as far away as possible. He didn’t think the humans would be able to rescue everyone.”
“One minute I was sound asleep on Prince’s back and the next there were red flames leaping on the far wall.” Fluffy meowed. “My fur is a mess, and I am hungry. Where can we find something to eat?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know where we are.” Mat looked around again. “The flames didn’t follow us. We need to go back, but I don’t know where home is.”
Fluffy looked around trying to get her bearings but shook her head. In all of the time they had lived on the farm, they had never been this far away from home wherever that was. The moon peeked through the trees as Fluffy wondered what to do.”Maybe if we climb a tree we will see something familiar. The humans always gave us warm milk when they milked our cow sisters. We will have to put our hunting skills to use and catch our own food.”
Mat looked over his shoulder. “We have company. A lop-eared rabbit is behind us. The forest is full of strange animals, and I don’t know which ones are more dangerous. If we aren’t careful, they may eat us.”
Mat and Fluffy watched from near a tree as the rabbit hopped over. “You are new here. Where are you from?”
“We ran when large red flames terrified all the animals in the stable. One of our horse friends told us to run as fast as we could. Now we don’t know where home is. There was a white house with a veranda and a stable and other buildings. We had food on the porch twice a day. The humans always rattled the food dish when food was in it.” Fluffy meowed. “I am hungry and scared. Where is home?”
“There was a large garden all summer wasn’t there?” Miss Bunny asked as she looked at the scraggly kittens.
“Yes, we played there chasing butterflies in the sunshine,” Mat answered. “Do you know where it is?”
“Yes, but there isn’t much in the garden to eat now,” Miss Bunny said. “Have a rest and then I will take you there. There is water in the bird bath if you don’t mind drinking around feathers.”
“Oh thank you.” Mat and Fluffy followed their new friend.
