As they grew older, they grew cuter and naughtier. They loved our lawn and played with all the garden paraphernalia. Kallu – black and white, the most energetic of the three, very playful and adorable!
Brownie – hazel eyed, brown, beautiful, but shy. Leo – the most handsome of the lot, with the looks and aura of a leopard…less energetic but lovable. We have a three- tiered fountain and they would acquire one tier each and lay there, teasing one another. They would fight, swing on the branches of my plants, break pots and flowers (and my heart too!). I bore everything thinking… “This too shall pass.”
However, the joyful living soon turned into a nightmare! As they slept in the fountain one night, we heard the loud barking of dogs at about 11 pm. We rushed in to see the garden in a mess, broken pots and plants, as two stray dogs hurried out with something in their mouth… Meowth looked dumbstruck and there was an eerie feeling in the air! The damage was done! Kallu came running with Meowth. Brownie too crept out from under the car, very scared and horrified. We pacified them, took them indoors.
The gate had been accidentally left open and the dogs had pounced upon the cat family with a vengeance. Leo was nowhere to be seen. Another restless night! The next morning, a dreary one, led Mr. Sherlock to the discovery of the dead body of his favorite Leo… the most handsome yet vulnerable kitten. While Kallu and Brownie escaped by the skin of their teeth, he became the victim of their fury.
We were all heartbroken…No Mihir could not save him this time. He was dead and gone forever! “Survival of the fittest,” I murmured… “God has his ways of keeping a check on the cat population,” I tried to console my kids with a hopeless explanation. We all cried with Meowth… but again Brownie and Kallu lifted up our spirits with their cute antics.
