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Elsa was so busy watching Lilly and worrying that she almost missed the scratching, scraping noises by her elbow. There was a whisper of soft fur against her hand, and a curious black kitten put his front paws on the window frame and leaned out, wobbling as he sniffed the winter cold.

Elsa yelped and Pepper glanced round at her in surprise, his paws suddenly scrabbling against the slippery frame. His ears flattened back and he hissed in panic, clawing wildly at the painted wood.

“Pepper!” Elsa yelped as she grabbed at him. It was like trying to catch a handful of water, or sand. He wriggled and twisted and Elsa scraped her wrists against the roof tiles trying to catch hold. But at last she stepped back from the window, panting. Pepper was snuggled against her cardigan and she could feel his heart hammering against his skinny little ribs. “It’s OK,” she whispered shakily. “It’s all right. Oh, wow. I thought you were going to slide all the way down.” There was a frantic tapping from the window opposite, and Elsa’s eyes widened. So much for her secret.

The sign in the window now read,Are you OK? But Lilly was wrenching at the window catch and as Elsa watched, she pushed it open at last.

“Did you hurt yourself?”

“Um. I’m a bit scratched. Not Pepper – the tiles.”

“Is that his name? Pepper?”

“Yeah – but please don’t tell your mum and dad. He’s not mine. I mean, not really. He’s a secret, a bit like a mystery… Oh, and don’t shout too loudly either – my sister’s room is next to this one.”

Lilly frowned again. She hesitated and then she said,“OK… Look, can I come round?”

[Êàðòèíêà: img_4]

Pepper lay slumped in Elsa’s lap, exhausted. He’d been chasing bits of ribbon and a bouncy feather all morning with Elsa and the other girl, and then Elsa had built him an obstacle course out of boxes after lunch. Now he needed a nap. Elsa was tired too, he thought. But happy. He could feel it in the way she was stroking him, slow and soft, all relaxed.

He yawned, a yawn so huge it stretched the muscles around his jaw, and then padded his paws up and down on Elsa’s jeans to get them properly comfy. He sagged down, slumping on to Elsa’s leg. She was so soft and he was so sleepy.

Then his eyes popped open and his ears flattened back, and Elsa squeaked as the door banged open.

Pepper shot off her lap in fright, darting under the bed to hide in the safe shadows. There was a second of silence and then a yell from the doorway. He cowered back even further.

“What was that? Was it a rat?”

[Êàðòèíêà: img_25]

“No, Sara! Don’t be stupid!”

“You have, you’ve got a rat in your bedroom. I knew there was something. I thought I heard scratching noises!”

“It isn’t a rat!”

Pepper pressed himself against the wall as he heard footsteps. He didn’t like this noisy, screechy person. The girl who’d played with him earlier had been quiet and gentle, like Elsa. And they’d both given him cheese, which was definitely his favourite food. He watched anxiously as the strip of light at the edge of the bed darkened and two faces leaned down to peer in – Elsa and the loud person.

“Elsa … where did you get a kitten?”

[Êàðòèíêà: img_26]

Elsa wriggled back from the bed and sighed.“We’d better leave him for a little while. You scared him, screaming like that!” She looked accusingly at her big sister and Sara rolled her eyes.

“You can’t blame me, Elsa! I only saw it for a second and it really did look like a rat darting under your bed. You know I hate them.”

“Since when are rats black with furry tails?” Elsa demanded. “He doesn’t look a bit like a rat. And don’t call him it. He’s a boy kitten. Or I think he is.”

“But Elsa, where did you get him?” Sara frowned. “Is he the secret Christmas surprise? Because Dad is not going to want a kitten for Christmas, I’m telling you now!”

“I didn’t get him on purpose,” Elsa said slowly, trying to think how she could explain. “You know those weird noises I said I heard? All the scrabbling around in the attic?”

“That was a kitten?”

“Uh-huh.” Elsa nodded. “And then I found him under my bed. He likes it there, I think he feels safe.”

“You’ve been hiding him in your room?” Sara sounded a bit shocked.

“Only since yesterday after breakfast.” Elsa smiled at her sister. “He slept on my bed last night. Oh, shh, I think he’s coming out.”

They watched, holding their breath, as the black kitten crept forward. He paused at the very edge of the bed, eyeing Sara suspiciously.

“Don’t be scared,” Elsa whispered. “Come on… Come on, Pepper…”

“You named him!” Sara shook her head. “Oh, Elsa. Dad isnot going to let you keep him…”

“He might,” Elsa said stubbornly as Pepper rubbed his head cautiously against her jeans. “You don’t know.”

“He is very cute,” Sara admitted. “Can I stroke him?”

“I don’t know…” Elsa looked at Pepper doubtfully. “I had to tempt him out with food, but he’s a lot less shy than he was. Maybe if we sit on the floor and keep still he’ll be brave enough to come closer.”