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Halloween night was special, Phil could certainly gather that much by how excitedly everyone in his family was running around. He watched from the window and on his favorite fluffy pillow as the kids were carrying large orange…things into the yard and up on the deck. Fruit? Food perhaps? huh…
He stretched as he stood and hopped down making his way to the sliding glass door of the kitchen that looked out into the backyard.
The kids were…oh dear…stabbing the items with- who gave them knives?! Phil scratched at the door meowing.
These people had no idea how to look after the kids.
Honestly, if Phil didn’t bring them dead birds and mice every now and again they would never eat anything nutritional either!
Someone walked over and let him out onto the deck with them.
The youngest. She was always Phil’s best buddy. She read him stories at night and snuck him table scraps when no one was watching.
He made a circle nuzzling against her leg in gratitude before he wandered over to the table. He leaned up to get a better view of what they were doing. The little bell on his collar jingled softly as he put both front feet up on the low table. He quickly regretted this decision as one of the kids didn’t see him and accidentally tossed some yucky orange stuff his way. He hissed lightly and ran back over to safety by the patio chair to groom his fur nice and white again.
He decided he didn’t really care for this Halloween thing if it meant getting yucky mushy stuff all over him.
But then he watched as they carved faces on them and put lights inside. Alright well that looked a little cool he guessed. When the evening started to wane, the kids all headed inside. He decided to stay out a bit longer. Napping in the evening sun was his absolute favorite activity. He purred as he stretched out on the warm patio chair and watched everything slowly turn a golden hew.
When he heard the door slide open again he had expected it to be his buddy, come to carry him inside, but when he wasn’t picked up immediately he peeked one eye open.
He jumped up and hissed slightly.
Those weren't the kids at all! There was a big lizard looking thing and a fairy with the wings like on tv, and lastly a small witch. Like the one from tv! Pointy hat and all! He paused a moment when they began to talk. He walked a bit closer and sniffed. It was just the kids! They were dressed up as diffrent things but his nose didn’t lie. It was absolutely the kids. He walked over and rubbed against his bestest buddy's orange and black striped stockings.
They seemed to be excited to go somewhere. He loved outtings! oop…nono…aw they put him back inside the kitchen and slid the door closed.
He meowed and pawed at the glass. The little girl waved to him before skipping off with the family.
Well this was no fun… He scampered upstairs and looked out the window facing the street.
There were a bunch of kids dressed up as things and they were getting treats from those houses! That didn’t seem fair. He was twice as cute as whatever those children were pretending to be… He should get some of the treats those people were handing out too!
He made his way to the laundry room and purred happily as he saw a window cracked open as it usually was in there.
It was a tight squish but he finally made it through. He didn’t worry about getting back inside. His bestest buddy would let him back in later.
Outside now he was feeling a slight chill that came with the cool October wind. He was a short hair so he did tend to get cold more easily than others.
He didn’t have time to focus on the temperature however, as the excitement of those treats set in and he made quick work of hopping the fence around back and landing on the sidewalk. He scampered across the street right away and waited by the door for the lady to come back…and waited… and waited…he huffed. He didn't have all night!
When some kids finally came up to the door they shouted something and like magic the door opened. He walked over by them when he saw they were getting handed goodies. He sat politely in the lineup and waited for his turn, but when the last kid got his handful the door closed!
Rude! She didn’t give him a toy or treats or anything! When he received the same brush offs at three other houses, He was sulking and thinking about just going back home.
Perhaps Halloween wasn’t just about getting treats but he hadn’t seen anything else that looked fun or enticing about it. So if Halloween wasn’t about getting treats, what was all the fuss about?
He stopped briefly on someones stoop to take a breather. He was beginning to wonder if this whole thing was just a cruel trick to get everyone to exercise!
He was grooming himself again when he heard it.
A loud frightening sound. He whipped around and saw a large dog zeroing in on him and dashing past the lady trying to block the door.
Phil jumped down and zipped down the street as fast as his legs could carry him. He slipped under a hole in a fence into someones yard but the dog slipped through as well and was hot on his heels again.
Phil hopped the high fence in the persons backyard landing in the tall grass of a large field and hurrying through it as best he could.
He didn’t know if he was even still being chased, but he was too afraid to look! He made his way into the forest a ways and quickly climbed up a tree. He thought he would never catch his breath. He was so give out.
He decided Halloween was not much fun at all! He was more than ready to go back home but then he paused and looked around. He had clearly ran a lot further than he intended in his panic. That panic was now back tenfold as he realized he had no idea where he was or how to get home or anything!
He climbed a bit higher to see if he could see his home from up there. He did see some smoke rising from further in the forest. Smoke meant people and people read cat tags! So they could take him home!
He hurried down the tree and made a beeline for the smoke he had seen.
When he finally pushed through the brambles and underbrush he was not at all pleased to find out he had stuff sticking all in his fur.
He put his annoyance aside as he looked at the old stone cottage before him with a large fire in the yard and a large pot simmering over it.
He quickly hid behind a rock when he heard the creaky door to the house open and shut. He gathered his courage and peeked around the rock to see a woman dressed very much like his bestest friend! A witch. If she was going out for treats too, she should get a move on before everything was gone!
He suddenly remembered why he was there and that he needed help.
He started toward her when he paused stock still. A black cat with with silky smooth fur much like his own scampered out and over to the woman, meowing for attention. He had a pretty sparkly purple collar on with a black cresent moon charm dangling from the front of it along with his tag.
When she looked at him, he ran back toward the broom laying against the porch. “Not yet Dan. Soon, I promise.” she laughed.
Dan…That was a nice name… Phil walked a bit closer to get a better look at him. The full moon shone down from above and lit up the space surprisingly well.
Phil inched closer and closer.
Dan was laying on the porch step patiently waiting for something.
Phil wanted to make an impressive entrance so when he got close enough he jumped out and up onto what he thought was a pedestal for flower pots.
It was not.
When his body hit the ice cold water of the birdbath, he made the most awful sound and jumped down immediately. He darted across the yard quickly as he looked back at the offending item and ran smack into a larger flower pot full of mums, completely tipping it over.
Dan ran over and looked down at him with the utmost curiosity and concern.
Smooth..Phil…really smooth.
The lady looked over at the commotion and walked over curiously.
“Hello, where did you come from?” she murmured, leaning down and gently picking him up.
She moved his collar tag so it would catch some more moonlight.
“Phil. Well you have certainly covered quite a bit of distance for a small kitty. But nothing we can’t get back to pretty quickly by car. I can take you back home in the morning. Until then Dan can keep you company.” She smiled petting him under the chin as he purred happily.
She sat him down and Dan walked over closer to him again.
She went back to whatever she was cooking over the fire. It smelled good! It must be way passed dinner time. Oh, he hoped his bestest friend wasn’t too upset with him tomorrow.
Dan sniffed at him curiously. Cats didn’t communicate like people did. Cats had no need for verbal communication. They were just naturally in tuned with each other. He could practically read Dan’s thoughts without either of them making a sound.
‘Nice landing, you’re grace!’ Dan chuckled.
He was making fun of him! The nerve! Phil hissed at him slightly before going back to grooming the water off himself when he paused grimising at the sticky things still stuck in his fur.
Dan walked over again and watched him curiously before leaning over and gently biting and pulling the sticky things off of the back of Phil’s neck, one at a time. ‘hitchhikers.’ Dan said softly.
‘Sorry?’
‘Those sticky things are called hitchhikers. I get them on me all the time. A pain to get out honestly. Giselle has to pick them off me a lot.’
Giselle?’
Dan looked toward the woman by the pot and Phil nodded.
‘What were you waiting for by the steps?’ Phil asked, looking back that way not seeing much of anything.
‘Tonight is Halloween.’ Dan said giddly, giving an excited leap.
Phil grimaced. ‘Don’t remind me…’
Dan stopped to look at him again. ‘You don’t like Halloween? But it is such a special night!’
‘I don’t see what’s so special about it. I got locked inside by myself then when I went to get treats the neighbors were giving away they ignored me then I got chased by that dog and now I’m lost and scared. Tonight has been awful.’ he lamented.
Dan cast soft eyes his way and groomed on him some more even though Phil was...fairly sure all the hitchhikers were gone now.
‘I’m sorry you had a bad night, but theres nothing to be afraid of out here.’ Dan assured him. A wonderful smell wafted in the air coming from the large black pot on the fire.
‘Chicken broth. She makes a big batch of soup for the colder months tonight and before she adds anything to the broth we get some!’ Dan seemed super excited about this.
Phil couldn’t help but think if Dan was this excited about chicken broth, wait until he tried a bite of hamburger!
But he was pleasantlysurprised when the two bowls were sat down in front of them and either he was really really hungry or this might be the best thing he has ever smelled. He gave it a taste and it was so warm and yummy he began to purr.
Dan paused in drinking his and looked his way. a sly ‘I told you so’ creeping along his features.
When they were finished it looked like Giselle was finished adding everything to her soup.
Dan led Phil around to the side of the house where they could see the moon and stars better.
Phil was enraptured. It was always so bright in his neighborhood he had no idea the night sky could look like this!
Really? I come out here all the time. I love the moon, but when she’s full she really likes to show out’
‘She?’
‘Full moons boost magical abilities and even more so on Halloween.’ Dan explained.
‘magic for what?’ Phil asked sitting next to Dan and never taking his eyes off the sky. He paused when he felt a soft tail entertwining with his slowly, and a soft steady purr emitting from beside him.
If Phil didn’t know better he might think Dan was-
“Soup’s ready!” The witch called out. Dan hopped up urging Phil up as well.
When they came back around to the front yard, she was pouring some into another smaller pot with a lid. “Come on boys, lets go a-visiting” she smiled before locking her cabin door and holding the pot by the handle as she started off toward a dark trail leading into the woods.
Phil paused a moment when they got to the wooded area where the moon was cloaked in shadows from the trees.
Dan looked back noticing Phil wasn’t beside him and hopped back over to him, circling him once and purring. ‘Whats wrong?’
‘I don’t like it this dark…scary.’
‘It wont be dark for long.’ Dan assured him brushing up against Phil once more.
Well…the company sure made the trip seem more appealing.
When the moon hid behind a cloud He walked a bit closer to Dan. Very dark now. He was still a bit nervous. Dan meowed and ran over pawing at Giselle's stockings. She smiled and lifted out her hand closing it into a fist for a moment then opening it to reveal a floating glowing ball of light. Much like the solar lights Phil had seen along the neighbors walkway.
This one however hovered in mid air and cast the surrounding area in a soft yellow glow of light.
As they walked, she left a trail of the soft glowing lights behind her for the rest of the way.
Phil was more relaxed now. This wasn’t scary, this was pretty!
When they finally got to a clearing with another smaller cottage in it, Phil noticed how the moon was shyly reemerging.
With the full moon once again lighting everythign around them Phil could see almost as well as in daytime. He looked aroudn seeing a nice yard with a garden and off to the side and some tall apple trees with ladders and baskets near them. His family loved apple pie! with vanilla ice cream of course.
When an older man walked out onto the porch, Phil watched him curiously. Stilling behind Giselle's leg and peeking out.
Dan didn’t seem to have these reservations as he swiftly made his way over to the porch and meowed for attention.
“Danny boy! oh the pipes the pipes are calling.” he laughed, bending down to pick him up.
Glenn said that every time they came over and from the way he laughed, Dan figured it must have been a joke, but he never got it.
He still humored Glenn and nuzzled against his face anyway.
“Brought you some soup!” Giselle smiled walking closer and holding out the pot.
“Ooh that smells even better than last years!” he praised as he opened the pot lid briefly.
Dan perched on his shoulder and looked back over at Phil. Phil’s pearly white fur looked almost iridescent under the moons glow. Wow…beautiful, he thought, as he hopped down and trotted over to him encircling him again. ‘Come meet Glenn. He’s nice. He has fun stories and always has some treats on hand.’
Phil perked up at the word ‘treat’ He thought bitterly of the treats he had been denied earlier that day. Someone should call the Navy about those people!
He followed Dan over and shyly approached Glenn.
“Well hello there, who might this lovely cat be?” Oh flattery will get you everywhere with Phil. He was a slut for praise and treats.
Glenn leaned down and gently picked Phil up, giving him a few scrittches behind the ears and under the chin.
This Glenn fellow was good people!
He began to purr as Glen lightly scratched along Phil’s back.
‘I see you two are getting along’ Dan chuckled.
‘Just leave me here to die.’ Phil purred.
“Phil. He apparently belongs to a distant neighbor and got lost.” Giselle explained.
“Ohthats too bad, but at least you picked the best night of the year to get come over… Which reminds me,…Giselle? I know we talked about it last week and…if it’s too late tonight I completely understand but…I sure could use a hand getting some of those apples down before the frost comes on.”
Giselle smiled “What are friends for? But we’re gonna need a little bit more help.” she said turning to her familiar and his…friend.
Glenn let Phil down gently and he followed Dan over by the witch.
“Why don’t you two try to knock some of the apples down here and I can catch them in the baskets.” She suggested, looking up into the branches.
Dan was scaling the tree with excelent precision a second later.
Phil joined him and watched as Dan pawed and clawed at an apple knocking it loose onto the ground. Giselle ran over and just caught it with her basket in time.
Phil looked down ‘this seems kinda dangerous, what if we hit someone on accident?’
‘Then they lose the game and one of us has to go back down and run the basket back and forth.’ Dan joked as he pawed another one down.
Phil saw a small cluster of them and reached up with both paws tugging until they came loose and fell down…okay this was a little fun. He hopped to another branch and started pawing at another cluster. They slowly made a competition out of getting to an apple first. This went on for a bit as they dodged each other hopping form branch to branch as Giselle tried to keep up with the baskets.
If you asked Dan who won, he would say it was a tie, If you asked Phil who won, he would say it was himself.
The baskets were nearly full and a hundred more apples littered the ground making them easy for Glenn to pick up later.
Giselle called them back and Phil was almost sad it was over. He didn’t get to climb trees much, save for the one in the backyard, but that one had a treehouse in it so he wasn’t sure that even counted as really climbing a tree.
Glenn disappeared inside a moment while Phil followed Dan over to the porch.
‘What the helly? That was so much fun! You get to do things like this often? lucky!’ Phil was still buzzing with energy.
‘Yeah, and you haven’t even seen the best part.’ Dan’s eyes glimmered under the moonlight and it seemed to nearly stop Phil’s breath.
Dan was so so pretty.
Before he could ask what the ‘bestpart’ was, Glenn reemerged holding two small sacks of something.
Dan seemed excited about them so Phil followed his lead and encircled Glenn’s legs to nuzzle against him.
Glen sat down on the steps and held the bags out toward Phil.
Alright, you’re the guest, so you get first pick. Which one you want?” Glenn smiled holding a bag in each hand.
Phil cocked his head slightly wondering what the difference could be. He walked up slowly and sniffed.
“Pumpkin and tuna or sweet potato and chicken” Glenn explained.
Phil remembered the word pumpkin from earlier being that orange thing with the yucky mushy stuff that got his fur all sticky so he walked over to the hand with the sweet potato and nuzzled that one.
“Good choice! Sweet potato for a sweet kitty.” Glenn praised sitting the bag down and giving more scritches under Phil’s chin.
Phil leaned into it so much he fell over and looked up at Glenn and purring loudly.
Glenn chuckled and unwrapped both bags sitting them down next to each other.
Phil excitedly hopped up and ran over to his. He looked over to Dan for a moment who wasted no time in diving into his own pile.
Phil leaned down and grabbed one up. Ooh, crunchy outside and soft inside. Just how he liked them! The flavors were exquisite! He had had tuna before but this might be his first time trying sweet potato!
While they ate, A shooting star streaking across the sky caught their attention.
‘Make a wish!’ They murmured at the same time, then snapped their attention to each other.
Phil moved a little closer to Dan and gently headbutted against him, purring louder. Dan returned his affections and entertiwined their tales once more.
Giselle took note out of the corner of her eye from her place on the porch swing.
Glenn gently elbowed her and genstured back their way. They shared a look like they knew a joke Phil didn’t, but he wasn’t too focused on them at the moment.
They stayed for a bit longer but all too soon they were saying their goodbyes and Giselle was packing up their treat bags and giving Glenn a hug and a promise to come back next week.
‘Not without me, your not!’ Phil thought as he licked his whiskers. The treats were to die for!
Glenn pet them both goodbye.
Phil was almost lamenting.
‘nooodon't go, you’re my third favorite.’
‘Third?’ Dan questioned. who's in second place now?’ he asked coyly.
Phil rubbed against Dan slowly as he passed him and on his way back over to Giselle, saying nothing.
For a cat that showed up by parkouring over a flowerpot, Phil sure looked like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth right about now.
Glenn picked Dan up and gave him his scritches. “Seems like someone has a little crush.” Glenn murmured teasingly.
‘Glenn I thought we were friends, man! shut up!’ Dan placed a tiny paw against Glenn's face.
Glenn chuckled and held him closer. “You know a full moon is very rare on Halloween night. It boosts magical properties, brings hidden truths to light and has been known to…highten passion and amplify romantic intentions…” He grinned.
If cats could blush Dan would be doing it right now.
When Glenn set him down he ran over to Giselle and Phil.
Phil seemed to have not heard Glenn, thank god. How embarassing!
They made their way back and Phil was getting a bit tired. Just when they got back home- er to Giselle’s house, Phil was ready to curl up on a nice quilt and relax, but Dan and Giselle apparently had diffrent agenda.
Alright, what you have been waiting for all night, Danny. Lets suit up while the wind is still good!” She crowed walking inside briefly and thinking over how this would work with two cats.
Phil was suprised the other two weren’t tired. He had practically been laying down when they stopped. Now however, he was wide awake again with anticipation.
‘What’s happening?’ He questioned, looking at Dan then shifting his eyes back over to the door.
‘Best part of the night’ Dan replied giddily. He leaned closer and rubbed against Phil softly.
Phil leaned over and began to groom Dan’s ears and face.
So glad cats couldn’t blush! but the loud purring was giving Dan away anyhow. ‘D-did I have something on me?’
Phil looked at him a moment and ever so slowly blinked at him. ‘nope.’
Did Phil just…was that slow blink…f-for him?!
Dan gulped, It was now or never. Dan leaned in one more time and pressed their noses together gently before licking over Phil’s cheeks and head then pulling back and slow blinking at him in return.
Phil’s heart was all a flutter and he felt so so elated!
Giselle walked back out with a burlap sack around her neck. “Think you guys can squish in here?…oh…I’m sorry, am I interupting something?” she giggled looking away coyly.
Dan headbutted Phil again, peeking out at his witch. ‘can at least one of my friends be cool?!’ he murmured.
Phil purred and licked his ear.
“Come on boys, the night won’t wait forever.” she grinned bending down.
Dan perked up, encircling Phil again and running over and hopping in the sack before peeking his head and front paws out.
‘Come on fraidy cat.’ he teased.
Phil trotted up and hopped in next to Dan, also poking his head and front paws out. ‘you still haven’t told me what we’re doing’ Phil pointed out wide eyed.
She walked over to her broom by the porch and straddled it. Alright, everybody ready?” She called before she ran a few steps and then kicked off the ground.
They ascended a lot faster than Phil was expecting…actually he hadn’t been expecting to ascend at all! They were flying! Like actually not touching the ground at all flying!
Dan purred next to him, looking down and around at the many trees, houses and, lights as they flew over. His eyes were absolutely sparkling.
Phil was fascinated by every little thing! There was so much to look at! The moon looked even bigger from up here somehow!
They made circles around a tall building in town before flying a bit higher into a cloud.
Phil was only mildly disappointed when he realized you couldn’t eat them. When he had seen one of the kids eating some pink fluffy stuff on a stick he had assumed clouds were made of the same thing. Huh, You learn something new everyday!
When they circled back toward their forest she smirked. Dan pawed at her.
“I don’t know, Phil might not like it too much.” She warned.
Dan pawed at her again and turned to lick Phil’s head.
“Alirght, down we go then.”
Phil’s heart about stopped when all at once they ceased going forward and instead began wooshing backwards at a slow decent.
He would admit though it was cool watching everything zip by like this.
They landed softly and she laughed, leaning down to let them out of the bag.
There was a ‘cats out of the bag’ joke somewhere in there.
“Well now Phil, what did you think of that?” She asked proudly placing her hands on her hips and grinning.
Phil was still buzzing from all the excitement. He jumped around a few times and rolled toward her before chewing on her shoe lace.
She laughed. “You’re so cute. I’m glad you could join us tonight…not as glad as Dan apparently but-”
Dan hissed slightly at her and she laughed louder.
When she went back in the house to put the broom up, the cats had some time to talk amongst themselves.
They chatted excitedly about the trip and Phil’s envy that Dan got to do that every year.
Dan assured him that Phil would go with them every year from here on out.
They chatted about their home lives and Phil told Dan about his family. They made a plan to bring Dan over in a day or so. So he could meet them properly and they could read his tag. Then his family could meet Giselle when they brought Dan back over and she could explain some things to them.
As much as she meddled and teased him, Dan honestly couldn’t be more grateful to be a familiar. It made it a lot more easy to convery feelings and emotions between the two of them. She couldn’t communicate with him like Phil could, but Giselle could tap into his feelings pretty easily and that was good enough.
They would make this work, they had to, because now that Phil had met Dan, he felt an ever increasing need to keep close to him. Like a ball of yarn, wrapping around each of them that held them together.
Like next to Dan was where he was always meant to end up.
Later inside curled around each other in a nice cozy catbed with the firepalce crackling softly in the background. He watched the night sky out the window until he simply couldn’t hold his eyes open anymore. He purred and curled tighter around Dan and thought. ‘you know?…Maybe Halloween night wasn’t so bad afterall.’
The End.