Out of Sorts and Incognito

Mr. Fluffers

The smell of something burning.

The humans were at it again. Everything was going to plan.

He stared out the windows ledge, his fur blossomed with each gust of wind. Sorting the smells across the neighborhood- a kitties dream come true.

A calmness about everythi....ng... YANK!

The plush white kitty was scooped up and held in the air above a young girls head in her bedroom. Her arms stretched out as the kitty squirmed attempting to flee in desperation.

This wasn't what he had in mind.

"Put me down plz!!!"

The girl giggled and put the kitty down back on the ledge. A grassy knoll before them. A lawn mower, a few chairs, the smoke from a kindled BBQ.

"Keep good watch Fluffy, Daddy doing a BBQ today!"

A growl.

In a sigh she was gone and Mr. Fluffers set about to fix his perfect composure. It took him an hour or more to prep that fur. He licked his paws waiting the news from his crew, confirmation set, let the games begin.

Below the window sill and down the edges of a yellow painted house with perky baby blue window frames a coven of kitties formed a circle.

Each one prowled in a kind of congo line of precision. Until a bright faced tabby stood tall amongst them.

"Our orders ... we attack at noon.."

"Ya sure this is what Fluffy wants?"

A fat black cat chuckled as a he nodded in both directions as if to communicate solidary amongst his kin.

A smack came across his face. As a tiger striped enforcer of a kitty reminded him of his place.

"You're new eh? Its Fluffers and if you get it wrong again, you'll be in the trash..."

The plan was set. They knew what to do.

Mr. Fluffers eagle eyes trained on the bright faced tabby as it winked back at him. Clock started, dogs would be on soon, followed by burgers, ham steaks and shrimp- thats the was ticket for Mr. Fluffers and his crew. The dogs would be nibbler material for the new recruits while the burgers and ham steaks would fend of the scavenger dogs.

Fluffers territory intact for now, forever.

"Summer pride Daddy-O!"

A girl with bobby pins smiled in the yard holding up an plush giraffe- Fluffer's had competition!

His tail inflamed as he clawed at the screen on the window. A fucking giraffe?!?

One eye on the crew. They didn't just see this did they? Was his power waning?

I AM IN CONTROL!

The girl giggled as she hugged her dad, her new present, the giraffe, lifeless yet smirking back at the mad as hell kitty on the third floor of country villa home in West Chester, Alabama.

Dogs on.

Burgers next.

The man loaded up the BBQ. Endless room somehow present on the searing grill.

Fluffers clawed at the girls bedroom door but he was sealed in from the inside. No way out. All he could do is give orders in a glance thru the window at the bright faced tabby who was confused as to why Fluffers was frazzled. He hadn't seen the giraffe yet.

Compose yourself. We got this. We can contain.

Fluffer's mantra of ease and control, he was the one, the only one in charge. That inanimate object, a possession but no threat. He owned that girls heart.

Ham steaks boiled at first as the water between their pores bursted with flavor. The man ate a hotdog and watched his little girl play with the new plush toy. Sun baked them both and the wooden fence where scavenger dogs waited for their cue.

All animals standing by.

In a huff Fluffers gave the signal as his vantage point spotted the shrimp hitting the grill. The time was now.

His crew growled in unison like a angry cat fight about to bust lose and then BAM they scattered. Running frantically in circles, like parkour cats, jumping from potted plants, tall tumblers, chairs and coarse pines. They all headed for the target, the grill master.

With cats in a frenzy the scavenger dogs couldn't hold back either and busted thru the weak part of the fence. The hustled thru backyard over the mower and toppled a chair or two as the little girl screamed tossing the giraffe in the air.

Fluffers smirked as the giraffe spun in slow motion as both cat and dog tackled and tripped the grill master. The man fell back, his chef hat stolen, the hot dog in his mouth nearly choking him.

In a rush of madness it was over. The grill was on the ground, the treats scattered and taken.

The operation was a success, not that Fluffers would dine on any of the spoils, his position was the reward.

"Daddy!!!"

The girl raced to her father, fallen, as if slain by the commotion. Together they sobbed in locked arms as the critters poised behind plants and mowers tore into the heated flesh of their well deserved treats.

As a bonus the giraffe was torn to pieces by old bulldog named Larry. He looked up at Fluffers in the window knowing exactly how much that giraffe was worth.

Whatever debt paid the scavenger dogs, it wouldn't be enough, not now.

Mr. Fluffers stretched out his paws as the clock tipped just past noon. Sun pooling into spot on his belly. Sleepy time is here.