"Willow's Missing Tail" 11

The stink weeds were placed strategically near the entrance and along the path to Avery’s hidden domain.

Willow had provided all the felines and humans with a bubble of protection from the stink and when Robin complained he needed a bubble too, Max provided the bird-man with a sent protective cover.

Ram was hidden near the entrance to Martha’s garden waiting for Daphne. When she arrived, Ram would give the signal to Robin, who was sitting in a tree not far from the cat and Robin would alert Willow.

Willow was a few feet away from that tree and ready to inflict her brand of trouble on the intruder. 

Chaos and Max were close to Avery’s house so once they heard from Willow, they would alert the humans Daphne was here.

 

Morning birds sang in the trees and Robin eyed a worm in the grass; he was conflicted by his duty was to remain on the branch and his desire to eat.

A seed bell suddenly appeared on the branch above him and Robin's eyes went wide with surprise. Then he looked down and saw Willow's twitching tail. He offered a happy thank you to the cat and thought, maybe the cat wasn’t such a bother after all. Then he began to peck at the seeds to appease his hunger.

The morning hours had past and it was nearing noon. Ram was napping in the tall grass, Chaos and Max were napping near the house, but Willow remained wide awake and focused.

The willow branches swayed but there was no breeze to stir them. Daphne, in her potent camouflage of invisibility, had entered the meadow.

Thistle and Sahara were with her, hidden by a deflecting shield, unseen by the meadows occupants but several steps into the meadow, an awful smell penetrated their cover.

“What is that?” Daphne complained holding her nose.

Thistle backed up and refused to go any further, in fact she turned tail and ran back out of the meadow.

Sahara was considering following the cat when Daphne fixed the bird with an angry look. “Don't you dare leave me!”

Sahara began to squawk loudly as the sharp odor filled her delicate nares. “Squawk! That is a foul odor, Squawk!”

It was Sahara’s high pitched complaint that woke Ram; he quickly flicked one ear to send an electric bolt over to Robin’s tail.

Robin flew off the branch in a panic when he felt the jolt, but soon realized it was a message from Ram. The intruders had arrived! He wasn’t pleased by the delivery of it but knew his part was now. He flew down to Willow and told her Daphne was here.

Willow sent the message on to Chaos and Max and they alerted the humans.

*

Daphne began to gag and choke on the stench as her eyes watered. She ran from the entrance but needed to get away from that smell. “I can’t stand it!” She said to Sahara, “Fly ahead and find a place this smell is not lingering over.”

Sahara flew ahead and Daphne followed her lead.

Ram had not seen which way Daphne had gone but he hoped she'd continue heading towards the house, but he had a sinking feeling she hadn’t.

 *

After ten minutes of running perpendicular to the entrance, Daphne and Sahara were 'foul smell free' but they found themselves in an unknown part of the meadow without Thistle to direct them.

Daphne didn’t know which way to go, to get to Avery’s house from here. Thistle wasn’t there to show them the way.

“Where are we; do you know?” She asked Sahara.

Sahara had mapped the general direction from the entrance from Martha's garden to the hidden house Avery occupied with Thistle’s help but without Thistle, she had no idea where they were. “Squawk, we’d have to go back to the entrance for me to know the way, Squawk!”

“No thank you; let’s see if we can find another way to his hideout.”

They kept walking, passing bountiful gardens of herbs and large patches of exotic flowers. Daphne was impressed with Martha’s meadow but what delighted her even more, was the willow tree she saw up ahead.

“Do you think it’s another exit?” She asked the parrot.

Sahara flew over to the tree and under its sweeping branches. It was several minutes before the bird returned but when she did she was squawking with information. 

“Squawk! It’s an exit to another garden and home, Squawk!”

“Do you know who lives there?”

“Squawk! From the name on the mailbox; it’s Perfidia Mishapsham, squawk!”

“Oh, that’s lovely,” Daphne said with a wicked giggle, ‘Let’s pay my cousin’s home a little visit and regroup.”

 *

Martha, Perfidia and Avery were ready with a trap for Daphne but after twenty minutes passed and they didn’t hear her approaching, they suspected something wasn’t right.

“I don’t hear any gagging do you?” Perfidia asked.

“No, and she should have been close to the house by now; if she kept on the path to Avery’s.”

“I don’t like it; I think she’s slipped through our defense.” Avery said with an annoyed look at Martha as he added, “She never did do the expected.”

“I’m afraid we underestimated how far she’d go to escape that smell; she must be on a different path.”

“We did underestimate her,” Avery agreed with Martha, “So how do we find her?”

 *

Willow was aware something had gone wrong too and flicked her tail at Robin causing his branch to shake and gaining his attention.

The bird flew down to Willow and landed on the ground near her. He knew she wanted to know where the intruders were, and he had no idea.

“I don’t know where Daphne is; the odor was overwhelming her but after a few chocking sounds and cries to get away from it, it grew quite and I couldn’t see them to know which way they’d gone.”

Willow’s eyes narrowed, calculating the paths they may have taken to avoid the stink weed.

Ram, Max and Chaos appeared at her side as Willow ran ahead onto one of the paths. The three other cats and Robin followed her.

Although Daphne was shielded, Willow could see indents in the earth where she'd walked and Willow was confident she knew the path they'd taken.

Willow turned around and ran off to tell her human.

Martha was already walking towards the entrance to her garden when Willow found her. “

You know where Daphne went?” Martha asked the cat.

Willow gave an affirmative meow as Perfidia and Avery caught up to Martha. They heard Willow’s response.

“She took different route to Avery’s house?” Perfidia asked.

“It appears so, but Willow can track her. She can see her footprints”

“Good, then let go!” Avery commanded and told the cat to lead on.

Willow led them to the path and Martha knew where it would lead, but she wasn’t sure she should warn Perfidia, just yet. And maybe Daphne hadn’t found the alternate exit that led to Perfidia’s house, but Martha wasn’t confident in that conclusion.

*

Daphne stepped into Perfidia’s garden and stared at the vast expanse of land that surrounded a luxurious home. It was Impressive.

“Wow cuz, you sure do know how to live, don’t you?” Daphne said with a wide grin, “I’m going to like it here, while I come up with an alternate plan of attack. Don’t you agree Sahara?”

Sahara was eyeing the trees that stretched far beyond the house. She couldn’t wait to explore the grounds.

Daphne walked to the front door and, with Sahara’s help, entered the magnificent home. She stood in awe at the grandeur before her and as she toured the house she exclaimed in rich accolades as she entered each room. "Magnificent, unbelievable luxury!"

Daphne was coming back down the stairs when she heard Beethoven’s Für Elise fill the air. She realized it was the doorbell.

She opened the door to a fine looking man and gave him her most beguiling smile. 

“Hello?” She cooed.

“Hi,” Jon returned the greeting but he was unsure of who the beautiful woman was, answering Perfidia door. “Is Perfidia in?”

“Not at the moment, but I’m her cousin Daphne…and you are?”

“Jonathon,” he said and held out his hand.

Daphne grasped his warm hand in hers and didn’t let go as she offered, “Why don’t you come in and wait for her?” She said it with saccharin sweetness, knowing Perfidia wasn’t coming home anytime soon. She’d have plenty of time to get to know this adorable looking man; who was in all probability, Perfidia’s boyfriend.

*

Willow was still following Daphne’s tracks and Perfidia began to get a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.

“You don’t think she could have found her way to my…,” she couldn’t finish the thought it was too upsetting.

Martha gave her a sympathetic look and shrugged. "I'm not sure."

“Great! But Willow’s here now, so she can get us out of the meadow right? I can get out of the meadow and protect my home…can’t I?”

Martha looked at Willow and hoped it was possible.

Willow led them to the willow tree that did in fact exit into Perfidia’s garden. Daphne’s dainty footprints had gone under the swinging branches, so she had exited the meadow here.

“She’s in my home Martha!” Perfidia exclaimed.

Avery sighed with relief that it wasn’t his home and Perfidia shot him a nasty look. “Don’t even think it,” she warned.

“What? I didn’t say a thing.”

“She may be at my home now, but she’s still plotting to get to yours.”

Avery’s smile faltered and he nodded. ‘You’re right, so can Willow get us out of here?” he asked.

Willow had slunk under the branches and found the entrance had been tampered with but it was her meadow and no one could cancel her authority in it. 

Willow flicked her tail in command and the meadow opened the doorway for her.

Martha slipped under as the entrance opened and she saw a familiar car in Perfidia’s driveway. She was about to go back and prepare Perfidia for the situation when Perfidia slipped under the branches and saw it for herself.

“Is that Jon’s car? Is he in my house with Daphne?” Perfidia’s voice went up several octaves.

“Calm down; he’s probably in there waiting for you.”

“I’ll bet,” Perfidia said darkly and turned to Willow, “Get me out of here, now!”