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But then she heard a familiar thud on the boards of the tree house, as Misty jumped from the branch. The tears spilled down Amy’s cheeks, as the kitten ran to her, leaping into her lap.

Misty rubbed her head lovingly against Amy’s arm, and then stood up with her paws on Amy’s shoulder, and licked the wet tear trails with her rough little tongue.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_28]

“That tickles!” Amy half-laughed, half-sobbed. She picked her up gently. “Sorry, Misty, we have to go and find Mum.” Amy carried her down from the tree house and across the garden. Misty purred in her arms, so happily. She was such a different kitten from the nervous little creature Amy hadfirst seen. It felt so wrong to take her back!

“Oh, you found her!” Mum came over to stroke Misty, as Amy opened the kitchen door. “Please don’t cry, Amy.” But she looked close to crying herself, as she gave Amy a hug. “I don’t want to give her back either, but we have to. You know we do. Look, shall we wait until tomorrow? So youcan have tonight to say goodbye?”

Amy shook her head.“No. That would be worse. We should go now. Come on, Mum, please, let’s just get it over with.”

“All right. I’ll call the number on the poster. Rose Tree Close isn’t far. We can just carry her there, can’t we?”

Amy nodded, and sat down at the table with Misty, half-listening as Mum explained to someone on the phone that they’d found their missing kitten. With shaking fingers, Amy started to take off Misty’s pink collar. Misty wasn’t even Misty any more! She had another name.

“They’re really glad to know she’s safe,” Mum told her gently. “I said we’d bring her round.” She grabbed her bag, and they set out, Amy with Misty held tightly in her arms as they walked down their street and along another road, to the little turning that was Rose Tree Close.

Misty looked around her curiously, wondering what was happening. Amy had never carried her outside like this before. Then, all of a sudden, her ears went back flat against her head, as she recognized where they were going. Why was Amy bringing herhere? She struggled in Amy’s arms and mewed with fright as they walked down the path.

“Oh, Mum, she doesn’t want to!” Amy protested, but her mum had already rung the doorbell.

The door opened, and an old lady stood there, staring at them in delight.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_29]

“Jet! It really is her! Oh, thank you so much for finding her!”

Amy only just stopped herself from shouting,“No, her name’s Misty!” Instead, she stared at the brooch on the old lady’s cardigan, which was a little silver cat, with green glass eyes.

“Come in, please! Oh, Jet, where have you been?” Mrs Jones stroked Misty, and Misty actually relaxed and purred, and let the old lady take her from Amy.

Amy felt the tears starting to burn the backs of her eyes again. This really was Misty’s owner. It was true. Her little cat belonged to someone else.

Chapter Eight

[Êàðòèíêà: img_2]

Misty felt very confused. She was back with Mrs Jones, but Amy was there too. She wasn’t sure what was happening. Mrs Jones had Charlie now, so why had Amy brought her here? But it was so nice to have Mrs Jones holding her again. She rubbed herself against the old lady’s cheek lovingly.

Mrs Jones led them into the sitting room, and sat down with Misty on her lap.“Where did you find her?” she asked, smiling at them so gratefully that Amy felt guilty.

“She came into Amy’s tree house,” her mum explained. “We did ask around, but no one seemed to have lost a kitten. She’s actually been with us a couple of weeks. I’m sorry, you must have been so worried.”

Mrs Jones nodded.“I was terrified that she’d got lost or had even been run over. I’ve only just moved here, you see, to live with my daughter, so Jet doesn’t know the area very well.” She scratched Misty behind the ears, and the little cat stretched her paws out blissfully. “She kept wandering off – we hardly saw her – and then she disappeared. I thought she’d gone too far and got lost.”

Mum gave Amy a look, and Amy stared at the carpet, feeling miserable and guilty. Mrs Jones had hardly seen her because Amy had been tempting her away. She’d been so stupid! Mum had been right – she really had stolen someone else’s cat.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_30]

“Amy looked after her very well,” her mum said, giving Amy a hug. “We’d always thought she was too young for a pet, but we’ve changed our minds after watching her with your cat. We’re definitely going to get a kitten of our own. I mean it,” she added to Amy in a whisper. “We’re soproud of you.”

There was a scuffling noise at the door, and Misty suddenly tensed up. She had forgotten! It had been beautifully quiet, almost like things used to be, with just Mrs Jones. But now Millie and Dan were home!

“Gran! Gran! Oh! You’ve got Jet back!” A little boy raced into the room, and tried to grab Misty.

Amy gasped, as she watched Misty cower back against Mrs Jones. A little girl came running in after him, and tried to pull her brother away so she could reach the kitten too.