Chapter One

Elisabeth- Ann

Doodle Noodle

Barked: Fri Apr 27, '07 10:06pm PST


	It was a cool and breezy summer afternoon. Sprawled out on her house's front porch like a pig relaxing in its muck, Elisabeth Ann sighed comfortably while taking in the warm sunshine that caressed her back. The aroma of freshly cut grass, marigolds, potting soil and ocean filled her nostrils as she closed her eyes and stretched out her paws. Visions of squirrels and birds danced in her mind. A petite tabby & white Maine Coon, Elisabeth Ann was indeed very beautiful. She had white paws and a napkin that streaked up past her nose. Everyone who came to visit the house including the mailman always had to stop to admire. She belonged to a fisherman and an elderly woman who had little fortune but always managed to bring home the best for their beloved pet. They had found her in the forest snuggled up in a pile of twigs and leaves when she was only a few weeks old. She was infested with fleas and covered in dirt. Now, two years later she had grown pudgy and spoiled, spending most of her life throwing herself in bags of cat chow, sun bathing, and hunting geckos near the wood pile. Sometimes she’d go down to the dock to paw at the red spotted fish that waited anxiously near the surface for insects. Aroused by a scuffle in the trees, Elisabeth Ann sat up and blinked bewildered. Peering across the lawn to where an elm tree grew, she watched as a squirrel sat on a twig throwing nuts and shaking its fist at a robin who squawked furiously on the ground. “Grrrrr….” thought Elisabeth Ann, covering her ears with her paws. “When will that squirrel ever leave MY yard!” The fight subsided after the weak branch broke under the weight of the somewhat obese Nut Nazi causing him to fall to the ground. Shaken by the fall, he sat round eyed and bushy tailed. He twitched his nose and before either Elisabeth Ann or the robin could blink their eyes, he had darted into a bush. The disturbance had broke all peace in Elisabeth Ann’s world and she lay flicking her tail with a disgruntled look spread across her face. Laying her head down, she closed her eyes but was once more interrupted. “Elisabeth Ann! Oh come here my little angel…Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!” cooed the old woman’s voice from the kitchen window. This time the cat was delighted. She galloped inside the house through a broken screen window and arrived in front of the kitchen pantry. She danced and ran in circles until her owner opened the bag of catfood. Suddenly, she threw herself inside wading through the pounds of kibble. She could feel the chicken flavored morsels between her toes and chewed contently. Having pulled her out and placed at her dinner mat, the woman poured a small portion of kibble into the dish. Elisabeth Ann inhaled her food. After searching for any morsels that may have flown from her mouth or sat hidden under the dish, Elisabeth Ann began to clean herself as it was very unlady-like to be dirty. As she cleansed her paws with a rough tongue, she listened carefully to her owner who now sat chattering on the phone with a friend. The talk was about vacation and something about a trip to Chicago. This concerned Elisabeth Ann as she was never more than a few feet away from her owner and every trip to the market made her feel abandoned and “un-loved”. “Why does that woman need a vacation when she has me here staring at her?” spat Elisabeth Ann. "Surely there is no greater pleasure!" After several minutes of conversation, her owner hung up and went on with licking stamps and sticking them on a pile of envelopes. Elisabeth Ann meandered over and jumped up on her lap. Rubbing her head on her owner's arms and chirping affectionately, she caught the attention of her beloved. The woman coddled her and poked her pink nose. "Ohhh Elisabeth Ann! Do you know what next week is?" she said tenderly, hugging the cat close to her. Elisabeth Ann was now struggling free from her owners arms and breathing hard & dramatically. "Now..Now.. I'm going to visit my friend who lives in Chicago. I havent seen Molly in years since I moved and it would be nice to go back home. Of course, you'll have to stay here and take care of yourself." The cat still breathing hard looked up at her owner and growled. "What do you mean leave me?" she demanded, flicking her tail. The woman put the cat down and went back to her work and Elisabeth Ann sat peeved. It was only for a few days and surely she'd live. Sitting with her fur ruffled and ears pulled back, Elisabeth Ann thought perhaps a break from her owner was what she needed. Edited by author Sat Apr 28, '07 12:17pm PST