Mittens Part 5

 It's getting serious in the world of Mittens 

Mittens Part 5

Scrabbling to get out from under the table, I watch Lars dart off between the legs of the other people at the party.

Crawling on my bare knees, I slowly look up to see the other guests looking at me so very confused as I why I’m under the table. I give them all a wry nervous smile as I get to my feet.

Brushing down my dress, I swiftly walk in the direction that Lars ran off.

“Lars!” I call out, trying to be discreet as I push through the crowds. “Slow down…”

That’s when I catch sight of him on a windowsill. He looks back at me before jumping straight out the window.

Pacing towards the same window, I see a fire exit just to the side. Standing in front of the fire exit, holding the metal bar across it, I look back at the party in hopes no one is watching me. I really hope my parents aren’t watching!

Taking a deep breath in, I push open the door and burst out into the car park of the building. As the sunlight causes my eyes to narrow, I see Lars standing just beside a car in the distance.

“Lars!” I cry out, holding up the slack of my dress with one hand, so I can run after him. Not made very easy in this silly girly attire!

Scurrying across the car park as best I could, I hope again that no one is watching me. What on earth would mom and dad say if they saw me leaving the party! This darn cat is going to get me in so much trouble!

“Oi cat!” I cry again, as he darts off under the car before I can get close.

Still running after him, I feel my face go bright red as I imagine what I must look like running after him. These shoes aren’t my first choice for running!

Still, I can’t let him get away! He’s my ticket to getting back to normal! He is my only lead and I seriously can’t lose him—no matter how much trouble I get into.

Coming to the main road, I look left and right up the block. I don’t see him!

Pacing a little left then instantly turning back to head right, I form fits with my hand in frustration. Where on earth did he go!?

That’s when I spot him standing at the corner of a nearby building across the street. Risking life and limb, I dart across the road to catch him.

Approaching the corner where he was standing, I find a dark alleyway facing me. Trash litters the sides of the alleyway and a large mound of old dumped tires sit at the end. Not very inviting at all! Not somewhere I should be hanging around dressed like I am either!

Nervously stepping forward, I get a bad feeling deep in my guts. Like this alleyway is bad news and somewhere I shouldn’t be. Like it’s almost pushing me away.

“Good work keeping up…,” Lars says confidently, appearing to my side, out from behind a pile of trash. “Our destination is at the end, between the tires.

I look down at him and pull a sour face. “You couldn’t have waited for me! It’s not easy running in these shoes y’know.”

Lars doesn’t react, he just prowls forward towards the end of the alleyway. Turning to look back at me, I again get a distinct sinking feeling.

Shaking it off and pushing through it, I follow him. “Where are we going?” I ask.

“I have to show you this,” Lars replies, focusing on the tire mound ahead of us. “You won’t believe it if you don’t see it with your own eyes.”

Stepping ever closer, my mind races at what he means. What won’t I believe! Does he realize I’ve been turned not a half-cat girl? I’d believe anything right now.

“Stop,” Lars commands, stopping inches from the tire pile, and turning to face me. “An entrance to my world lays here. Stay close to me, princess.”

He’s gotta stop calling me that. “Cat….,” I say dismissively. “Can you just call me mittens or Mitzy or something? Enough of the princess crap already—I’m no Princess!”

He ignores me and slowly wonders between a gap in the tires. I roll my eyes and get back down onto all fours. My tail sticks up in the air pushing up my dress to reveal my underwear.

“Lars,” I say, nervously following him, pulling down my skirt. “Just…slow down this time. I’m a lot bigger than you.”

Grime falls into my face and hair and my bare knees scrape against the dirty floor. I do my best to keep up under the circumstances, but these tires aren’t very wide!

Lars every so often looks back to check on me.

Just as I start to feel like I’m ruining my sister's dress, a dull light appears in front of us. An exit at last!

Scrambling out still on all fours, I shake my head and hair to brush off any dirt. Getting to my feet, I brush off my dress and wipe my dirty knees.

“My sister is going to kill me,” I flippantly comment, wiping at the dirty marks on her dress. “

No answer from Lars which makes me look up to check he’s still there.

What I find myself looking at, blows my mind completely!

As my eyes grow wider, I go completely limp at the sight of my surroundings. I’m definitely not in my hometown anymore!

Standing on the top of a rolling hill, we are surrounded by blackened fields of what clearly were once crops. The ground was clearly blighted in some way. The soil is dry and crumbly beneath my feet.

In the distance, I can see buildings turned into piles of rubble and debris. There are few buildings still standing and the architecture is nothing like I’ve ever seen before in my life!

I turn my terrified eyes to the sky. The winds blow hard and the clouds swirl with anger. I can feel the bitter cold biting at my skin.

This is a place of pure devastation.

“This p-place….,” I stutter, still awestruck by what I see. “Your…h-home?”

“Sadly,” Lars sullenly replies, standing on his hind legs just to my side. “Yes.”

“What on earth!!” I gasp, stepping away in surprise. “Why are you s-s-so tall all of sudden! Why are you walking on two legs!”

Lars gives me a concerned look, before adjusting the leather belt that he now has around his waist. Hanging from his belt is a short sword. So he is a knight!

“I haven't grown,” Lars answers, smiling gently as he places a helmet on his head. “You’ve shrunk princess.”

“Impossible!” I retort, looking down at myself to see no difference in my appearance.

Ignoring me as Investigate my body further, Lars takes a step forward. I hear his sigh of worry.

“We can’t stay out here for long,” he explains, worry tainting his voice. “I have a friend who remains here and her place is at the bottom of the hill.”

I look ahead at the devastation around us. Surely nothing lives here.

“Really?” I ask sarcastically.

“Yes Princess,” Lars replies, turning to give me a confident smile. “You might know her.”

“Huh…?” I reply bemused, as he struts off in front of me. “What do you mean…. I know her…?”

Grabbing up the skirt of my dress, I Jog after him. “Oi cat…answer me!”

Undeterred, Lars keeps strutting forward without looking back. His sword gently clinks as he moves.

“Oi cat!” I screech, catching up to walk beside him. “You’ve gotta start answering my questions! You’re saying I’m supposed to be the princess of this ….place?”

“See that flickering light,” Lars answers, ignoring my questions and pointing across a ravaged dusty field. “That’s her home. We need to hurry.”

I look off into the distance and he’s right. I can see a hovel built into the hillside with a dime flame of a candle in the window.

“What happened here…?” I ask with genuine curiosity, looking around at the desolation. “Is this why you’ve decided to basically kidnap me?”

“Ha! Kidnap!” Lars playfully laughs, still focused on marching forward. “You crawled in here on your own accord. I think you know as much as we do Princess….how much this place needs your help.”

“How on earth do you think I’m going to help with all this!?” I reply, extremely puzzled and a little worried. “I’m just a kid!”

Lars stops marching for one second and I halt just behind him. He rubs his face with his paw and lets out a long breath. “You must Princess.”

As he restarts his brisk march, I jog to catch up. As I do, I see Lars pull a secret smile.

“But how!?” I question franticly, totally bemused. “And please! Stop calling me Princess.”

Lars remains quiet on the matter. Every time I ask again, he walks at a slightly quicker pace. What on earth is he not telling me!? What has all of this got to do with me!?

I pull a sour face and glance to the side as my thoughts swirl. It was supposed to be my sister doing all this…not me!

Finally approaching the broken wooden door to the hovel, Lars pushes it open and gestures for me to go inside. Being a little cold, it did look inviting inside so I wasn’t going to wait around.

Stepping inside the small and very modest home built into the hill, I see a small fireplace crackling in the corner. The small candle in the window flickers as Lars closes the door tight behind him.

Taking a further step inside, I look around and see only a single chair and a single bed. Someone lives here alone.

Startled, I snap my attention to movement from the other side of the small room. A small dark nook in the corner hides someone or something.

“Lorelei…?” Lars calls out, striding closer, clearly looking to protect me.

Seconds later, a small dark figure appears from the corner of the room. Stepping into the light, It’s another daintier-looking cat.

However, this one’s odd luminous fur looks familiar! Kinda…like that cat this morning!

“LARS!” Lorelei screams out in joy like she hasn’t seen him in a long time.

Rushing over, she throws her paws around Lars and embraces him tight. Their faces both light up and they share a passionate moment together as they touch noses.

Watching with intrigue, my mood is almost uplifted by how much they seem to care for each other. Maybe this is his partner?

“I brought her,” Lars says as they let go of each other and turn to face me.

“I see,” Lorelei replies lighthearted, giving me a warm smile. Her smile makes me feel warm inside. Almost like she’s long-lost family.

Lorelei then turns to Lars and taps him gently on the shoulder. “Still think I got the wrong one…?” she asks teasingly.

Rolling his eyes, Lars scratches the back of his head with one paw. “Well…you erm—you did actually get the wrong one.”

Lorelei smirks and stands directly in front of me. She looks me up and down and raises a paw to touch my face. “Quiet the transformation.”