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“A timeshare…” Maddy repeated, wriggling to keep her elbows on top of the fence. She was standing on a bucket to see over the fence and it was a bit wobbly. “You keep Tiger and Tom in some of the time, so Biscuit can go out without them scaring her.”

After tea, she’d turned on the computer to search her favourite pet advice websites, and found an email waiting for her from Kate. Maddy had sent her a message a couple of days ago, asking if she had any advice. The timeshare idea was something Kate had read about once, and it sounded perfect.

Maddy took a deep breath. She didn’t like talking to Josh; he always made her feel stupid. But she had to. “Please can you think about it? Biscuit’s getting really twitchy and nervous. It wouldn’t have to be long. Maybe only for an hour a day? Just until she’s bigger and she can stand up for herself.”

Josh shrugged.“How am I supposed to keep them in? Tiger and Tom have a cat flap. They go in and out whenever they want to.”

“But couldn’t you—” Maddy began.

[Ęŕđňčíęŕ: img_24]

“I’ve got football, I need to go,” Josh interrupted. And he disappeared through his back door, leaving Maddy peering over the fence after him.

Maddy sighed. The timeshare had seemed like such a good idea. Except that stupid Josh couldn’t be bothered!

She trailed back into the kitchen, and found Biscuit sitting on one of the chairs, staring anxiously at the cat flap– Maddy had moved the chair blocking it so she could get out.

“We’ll have to think of something else,” she told Biscuit, tickling her under the chin.

Biscuit rubbed her head against Maddy’s hand and purred.

She really trusts me,Maddy thought. I have to sort this out somehow…

Chapter Six

[Ęŕđňčíęŕ: img_2]

Biscuit didn’t go out on her own at all for the rest of the week. Maddy took her out into the garden a few times, as she was pretty sure Tiger and Tom wouldn’t come into the garden if she was there. But as soon as she put Biscuit down, the little tortoiseshell would race for her cat flap. And even when shewas inside, she spent most of her time hiding under Maddy’s bed. She even weed on the floor a couple of times, which made Mum cross.

“I know it isn’t her fault, Maddy,” Mum told her on Friday morning, as she scrubbed at the landing carpet. “But the smell is horrible!”

“You don’t want us to give her back to Donna, do you?” Maddy asked anxiously.

Mum shook her head.“No… But we need to sort this out. Anyway, we’d better get off to school now.”

Biscuit watched them from under the bathroom towel rail. She liked it there. It was warm and dark, and the bathroom didn’t have any windows she could see other cats from. She hadn’t gone downstairs to eat yet. She wasn’t sure she was brave enough. What if Tiger and Tom came back into the kitchen again?

As the front door banged behind Maddy, Biscuit crept out to the top of the stairs. She was so hungry, she would have to risk the kitchen. She hurried down the stairs and peered round the kitchen door. No sign of any strange cats. Gratefully, she hurried in, and started to gulp down her food, stopping every few seconds to glance around worriedly.

About halfway through her bowl, she began to relax a little, and slowed down enough to enjoy the food.

Then the front door banged and she leaped away from the bowl in fright. Was it Tiger and Tom again? Panicking, Biscuit shot into the corner of the kitchen, trying to hide. She was so frightened that she weed all over the floor.

“Oh, no! Biscuit!” Maddy’s mum said crossly, as she got back and saw the mess. “What on earth did you do that for? It’s only me.” She went to the cupboard under the sink to get some spray and a cloth. “Go on, shoo. I’ve got to wipe it up now.” She flapped the cloth at Biscuit grumpily.

Biscuit was so jittery that the flash of the white cloth scared her, and she shot out of the cat flap to get away from it. Maddy’s mum had gone to fetch the mop, and she didn’t notice that the kitten had gone.

Biscuit sat on the back step, staring around the garden. She hadn’t been outside for a week, and there were so many tempting smells. And there were bees, buzzing about by the lavender bushes. And butterflies… Cautiously, she padded out on to the lawn, shivering deliciously as the sun hit her fur.

She didn’t even see Tiger before he leaped out from under the fence, and spat at her. She turned to race for the cat flap, but he chased her, knocking her sideways and clawing her ear. Biscuit looked around for Tom, wondering if he was about to jump out at her too, but Tiger seemed to be on his own for once. Not that it mattered – he was still more than twice as big as she was and horribly fierce. Biscuit mewed with fright as Tiger pounced at her again. She was never going to be able to get away. Unless… She tried to scratch him, shooting out a sharp-clawed paw, and he retreated a little, hissing. It gave her time to think.