Night of the Werecat (4 page)

Oh, no! What did I do? She stared at the torn sofa, then tried to pull away. She was stuck! Wendy tried again to free her claws. She pulled and twisted. The leather ripped loudly.

Still her claws were tangled in the leather. Finally, desperately, Wendy gave a sharp yank, and with another
rrrrippp!
her claws came free.

She stood in the middle of the torn sofa, panting from fear and effort.

“I can't find Shal anywhere,” Tina's voice called from the hallway.

Tina! She couldn't let Tina see her like this!

Wendy leaped from the couch, streaked across the floor, and jumped out the open window.

Just as they had been the night before, all her senses were super-sharp. The moon was nearly full, and its light shone bright as day to Wendy's cat eyes.

Tina's going to wonder where I went, Wendy thought. But she had no choice. She couldn't let Tina see what she had become.

A wild animal.

A
werecat.

Wendy's cat instincts began to take over. Her eyes darted back and forth as she watched tiny insects flittering in the moonlight. From far off she heard the sounds of mice burrowing in the ground.

The moon seemed to be calling to her—telling her to prowl. Wendy jumped up onto the fence that separated the backyards. She was eager to explore.

Exciting smells filled her nostrils. Where should she go first? Should she follow the delicious scent of mouse? Or maybe she should play with the moths.

An awful smell stopped her in her tracks. Dog! She glanced in the direction of the smell.

One of Tina's neighbors had a bulldog chained to a doghouse. Wendy perched above him for a moment. She knew him—he chased all the neighborhood cats. She dropped into the yard.

Wendy arched her back and hissed. The dog barked and lunged for her, but he was yanked back by the chain attached to his collar. Wendy stood just outside his reach and calmly washed her paws with her rough tongue. Doesn't the dopey dog know he can't reach me? she thought. The dog went crazy. He looked silly, tugging at his chain. And he barked really loudly.

This is fun! Wendy thought. Serves you right, picking on cats so much smaller than you.

When the lights went on in the house, Wendy bounded out of the yard. She went on prowling. The night breeze was cool on her fur and whiskers. Wendy stopped and reached her front legs up a pine tree. She plunged her claws into the bark and stretched.
Mmmmmmmmmm.
It felt as good as scratching a really bad itch.

A fluttering moth caught her eye, and Wendy chased it through an empty lot. The exercise made her body feel great. She leaped up onto the high fence where the moth had alighted.

Wendy's head whipped around to gaze at the house behind the fence. A strong, familiar scent floated to
her from the house and through the yard. It was Nancy's scent!

Wendy the werecat found Nasty Nancy's house.

An image of Nancy's sneering face filled her mind.

Nancy hates cats, Wendy remembered. She's allergic to them.

Wendy thought of Nancy's mean pranks and teasing.

I think I'll pay Nancy a little visit, Wendy decided. I'll see if she is allergic to werecats, too!

Wendy strolled along the top of the fence. She jumped into a leafy elm tree and climbed it to the top. Then she leaped into another tree and onto the roof of Nancy's house.

Her super-sharp nose told her she was directly above Nancy's room. Without even thinking about the height, she jumped down onto the windowsill below her. Good! The window was open a few inches.

Just enough space for Wendy—in cat form.

She pushed her head through the opening. She scanned Nancy's room. Posters of rock stars covered the walls. A pink teddy bear sat on the dresser. On the opposite side of the room Nancy lay sleeping. Her covers were pulled up around her ears.

Wendy bounded into the room. On a large armchair next to the bed she saw a neatly folded pair of pink leggings and an oversize purple sweater. Nancy's clothes for tomorrow, Wendy realized. Well, she thought, if Nancy doesn't like cat clothes, she'll really hate cats
in
her clothes!

Wendy leaped onto the chair. She made a nest of
the soft clothes, kneading them with her claws. She rubbed her body all over the outfit. She knew she was leaving her scent and cat hairs in the fabric.

She glanced over at Nancy sleeping peacefully.
You're in for a big surprise, Nancy
, Wendy told her silently.
I bet you're going to sneeze your head off tomorrow.

Nancy still didn't wake up. Wendy watched her for a moment. Then an idea came to her.

Should I?
she wondered.
Do I dare?
Wendy felt her werecat wildness tug at her. She approached the bed. Wendy gracefully leaped up beside Nancy. She waited a moment, making sure the movement didn't wake Nancy. But Nancy never stirred.

Nancy slept with two pillows. Wendy stepped carefully to the pillow Nancy wasn't using. Then she plopped down on top of it, rolling back and forth.

When she was done, she daintily walked beside Nancy and sat at the foot of the bed. It was so easy! So much fun!

Wendy was pleased with herself. She'd been very bold. Much bolder than usual! She began to groom herself. She licked her right paw and rubbed it across her face.

Suddenly Nancy stirred.

Wendy's paw stopped midair. She stared at the sleeping girl.

Then Nancy opened her eyes.

Wendy froze. What would Nancy do when she saw her?

Luckily, Nancy's eyes immediately scrunched up tight as she let out a humongous sneeze.

“AH-CHOOOOOO!”

Quickly Wendy burrowed between the sheet and the bedspread. She made herself as flat as possible.

“Ah-choo! Ah-choo!” Nancy sat straight up in bed. She reached for a tissue from the box on her bedside table. She sneezed again.

“I can't get a cold!” Nancy muttered. “I better shut the window.” She climbed out of bed. Wendy peeked out from her hiding place and watched as Nancy crossed to the window. Nancy sneezed once more, then reached up and slammed the window shut.

Shut completely.

There wasn't a crack, an inch, any kind of opening at the bottom.

Wendy was trapped.

7

W
endy wriggled down to the end of the bed
What was she going to do?
She tried to make herself smaller.

Nancy yawned and returned to bed. Wendy knew she would be discovered any minute. She was too large to hide very well.

Nancy sneezed again, then lay down. But a moment later she sat up again.

“Ah-choo! Ah-choo! Ah-choo!”

Nancy turned on her bedside lamp and reached for another tissue. But she must have noticed Wendy hunkered down under the covers.

“What's that lump?” Wendy heard Nancy say.

Then Wendy felt the blanket being pulled away. She stared up at Nancy.

Nancy stared back. Her eyes widened. “A cat!” she shrieked.

Wendy froze.

“How did a dirty cat get in my room!” Nancy cried. She jumped out of bed. “Get out! she shouted. “Out! Get out!”

I'd love to! Wendy thought. But how? She leaped to the floor and scurried under Nancy's bed.

“Get out!” Nancy yelled again. “Out! Ahhhh-choo!”

Wendy peered out from under the bed. She glanced around, searching for a way to escape. But all she saw was Nancy coming toward her. Waving an umbrella.

Wendy's ears flattened against her head and she hissed.

Nancy knelt down and shoved the umbrella in Wendy's face. Wendy easily ducked out of the way. Then Nancy had a sneezing fit. She dropped the umbrella and ran over to get more tissues.

Wendy watched Nancy standing by the bedside table. “The window!” Nancy exclaimed. “The stupid cat must have come in through the window.” She yanked it wide open, then raced to the opposite corner of the room. “Now get out!” she ordered Wendy.

Happily! Wendy thought. In a flash Wendy streaked across the room toward freedom. With one fluid movement she leaped up to the windowsill and out into the night. She landed on a tree branch.

“Don't come back!” Nancy wailed.

Don't worry, Wendy thought, I won't!

As Wendy headed for home, she thought that it was fun to be so daring! As long as she never got trapped inside again.

She suddenly became aware that she wasn't alone. She glanced back to see a large black animal running swiftly in her direction.

Instantly Wendy's heart began to beat faster. Her fur began to puff out. She felt herself grow angry.

Hey! It can't come here, she thought. This is my territory!

Wendy wanted to fight.

No one comes onto my turf!

Wendy's sharp hearing picked up a low growl from the black animal. Wendy leaped up onto a garbage can and watched the black animal approach. It moved more slowly now. It crept along the ground, its eyes focused intently on something.

As Wendy peered down from her perch, she realized the black animal wasn't after her. It didn't know she was there. But it was stalking
something.

Wendy's back arched when she recognized that the black animal was another cat. It was much larger than she, and black all over. Except for a white star on its forehead.

A white star.

The mark of a werecat.

It growled again. Then it lifted its head and gazed straight at Wendy.

Wendy stared into the glittering eyes of another werecat.

8

W
endy froze. She was face-to-face with another creature just like her.

Only much bigger.

But Wendy didn't care. Her fur puffed out in a challenge. All she could think was how much she wanted to fight the larger cat. That she had to drive it from her territory. She prepared to attack.

But the black werecat turned away. It began to creep along the ground again.

Wendy didn't take her eyes off the animal. What was it stalking? Wendy peered down the sidewalk. Then she saw it. A small striped alley cat. That was what the werecat was after, Wendy realized. The alley cat cowered by a Dumpster.

The werecat sprang. An instant later the horrifying
sounds of a vicious cat fight reached Wendy's ears. Somehow, the alley cat slipped away from its much larger enemy. It ran off, yowling in fear.

The black werecat's eyes darted up and down the street. Its tail flicked back and forth. Who's next? it seemed to be thinking.

Its eyes locked on Wendy's face.

“Mowwwwwwrr!” it howled in challenge.

“Mowwwrr!” Wendy called back.

The black werecat advanced toward her. A part of her wanted to stay and fight. But another part, the human part, was afraid. Knew she couldn't win.

The werecat sprang. It was so big, so heavy, it knocked over the garbage can.

Wendy scrambled to regain her balance. She found herself on the ground, looking up at the much larger cat. Its sharp fangs glittered in the moonlight as it moved in for the kill.

Wendy knew she was no match for the black werecat. Even though she wanted to fight, she forced herself to turn away. She streaked out of the alley. But she could still hear the black cat's footsteps, smell its scent.

Her house was two blocks away. Wendy picked up speed and raced into the street.

SCREEEEEEK!

She heard the squeal of brakes as a car swerved to avoid hitting her. She bounded through the neighbors' yards, flying over fences.

The black cat stayed right behind her.

At last she saw the familiar wall that surrounded
her house. Wendy leaped over the wall and into the yard. I'm home! she thought. I'm safe!

But the black cat leaped after her. Wendy could sense it snarling down at her from on top of the wall.

Her wall! Wendy's werecat senses were on full alert. She was furious. How dare that cat invade my yard? This is my home. Mine!

Wendy stopped running. She knew the other cat was much bigger, much stronger. But it didn't matter. Her instinct to defend her home was more powerful than her fear. She turned to face her challenger.