It went up as a joke. Of course it went up as a joke, there was no other way it could have happened. Mistletoe was forbidden in school, the one teacher who had tried to bend the rules now facing probation, and being gay was gross. So when the plastic sprig appeared in the boys’ dorm, it went without saying that it was a joke. Boys hooted and laughed and when two of them got caught under it, it more often ended in a fist fight than a kiss. No one took it seriously, except them.

I saw them, when they first exited their respective rooms on the Saturday morning the mistletoe appeared. It was the first of December. I was up before anyone else. Bad dream, but that doesn’t matter. Jimmy walked out first; I saw him from the entryway, where I’d gone for water from the fountain, and in the time it took him to wake up and glance at the source of general commotion in the entrance to the common room, Gary was up and out, too. Which meant that they both registered the mistletoe at exactly the same time, unidentical stricken looks crossing their faces in unison, and they turned to each other from down the hall with sharp jerks of their heads, looking straight over me somewhere left of directly between them, as they usually did. When they saw each other looking, their expressions cooled, but they were still just as electric. I saw an obvious conclusion. A mutual agreement. They never tell me, so I’ve gotten good at guessing.

Throughout the day they found repeated excuses to go back and forth, in and out of the common room, walking by each other several times without incident, as if to prove it didn’t matter to them. Jimmy got into a couple brawls, and Gary made a freshman run off crying. But every time they passed each other, the electricity got stronger. By the end of the day, I was surprised no one else could feel it. The wordless tension filled the whole dorm. Like them, it was almost angry, but not. It’s hard to describe it any better than that. It’s like they were magnets, drawn in and apart by unalterable science. Have you ever tried to force the wrong ends of two magnets together? Yeah. It was sort of like that.

The magnetic strain lifted when the lights-out bell rang at 10:00. They went to their rooms in silence, without even looking at each other, but I knew what would happen. I’ve known about them for a while.

At 12:00 midnight on the second of December, their doors opened. Mine was open, too, just enough that I was sure they wouldn’t see. Maybe I shouldn’t have been watching. But after the stress of watching them go pointedly back and forth, back and forth all day, I felt I deserved some compensation. There was no light except the TV, which someone had left on mute to display reruns silently through the night, and no sound except the faint buzz of the corner arcade game which I couldn’t see from my half-closed door. I could just see them, Jimmy with his jaw set and his hands shoved deep in his pockets, Gary looking as though Jimmy had summoned him there specifically to waste his time. They met each other in that doorway, under the mistletoe. The artificial light of the TV formed a halo around them, and the hum of the game console became an accompaniment to their quiet voices, which I only half heard and half imagined.

“Well?” muttered Jimmy. His eyes were on Gary for the first time since the morning.

“Well what?” Gary halfheartedly snapped back. His mouth was silhouetted well, and there was no doubt what he said. But they both already knew what. Why had the school’s most violent rivals met each other in the secrecy of dark under a sprig of mistletoe? After a short machine hum of silence, Jimmy decided not to pretend he didn’t know.

“Come on,” he said in his low, firm voice, and held out his hand. Gary immediately pushed it away, and Jimmy let it fall, because Gary had stepped closer to him, kissing-close, almost.

“If you think I’m holding your hand, you’re dumber than I thought, Hopkins.” But the tone wasn’t there, the movements of his jaw not so sharp. And as Jimmy took the extra half step in, he did find Gary’s hand, and held it behind them in a way that I couldn’t see it; except just as they were coming in, Jimmy closed his hand on Gary’s retreating one, and Gary gripped it back, and I couldn’t see his knuckles, but because it was Gary, they were white. And they kissed. And parted, faces red in the dim light, and looked at each other, for a short, short moment, without false expressions, without guards. And they went back to bed. And I quietly closed my door the rest of the way, and briefly imagined both of them sitting on their beds, staring holes into the floor as red hot as their faces were. And then I went to bed, too.

I looked around the vast room and immediately spotted my other siblings. Strawberry and Blackberry were attacking a ball of string, getting thoroughly wound up in a thick, navy blue thread. Muffin and Popcorn were playing with a squeaky mouse that was bright lime green and mesmerizing. Oreo was in the corner lapping up some creamy, white liquid that looked exceptionally tasty.

Then there was me, Sylvia Longstrider who was staring vividly into a big wall that was reflecting everything. I touched my nose to the wall and immediately sprung back for it was icy cold. I stared into the depths of the wall and a short-haired silver tabby kitten glared back at me. Her tail was swirling uncertainly and her eyes were a brilliant emerald slowly fading to amber on the outer rim. Her silvery, glossy fur was emblazoned with dark, grey stripes like a stormy sky and her tummy was a very pale silver with black spots coating it.

I slanted my neck sideways and the mirror image did the same. I wondered what this contraption was but I was losing interest fast. I wandered over to Oreo, who was still lapping up the white substance. He was a rich, chocolatey brown with a pale lemon tummy. "Can I have some of your juice?" I asked him.

"Sure" he replied smiling in an utmost handsome way.

"Thanks!" I said enthusiastically and started to slurp the drink down.

It was creamy and delicious I kept on lapping it up my head buried in the bowl and then I lifted my head up. I licked my lips and wondered what the liquid was called. "umm what is that juice called Oreo?" I asked deep in thought.

"Milk" he replied.

"Milk" I murmured dreamily before thanking Oreo and scooting off.

I slowly strolled over to Strawberry and Blackberry. Strawberry was a faun colored tabby with pale, hazel nut brown stripes and pale yellow eyes. Blackberry was a black cat with longish fur and deep violet eyes. "Hi" I exclaimed as I reached them.

"Hello" they both replied.

"Can I join in?" I asked politely.

"Alright then" Blackberry replied. So we continuously attacked the navy thread until we were so exhausted we had to drag ourselves over to the pillow and then fall asleep.

I awoke to a voice that made me melt like butter on toast. "Time for dinner little pussies" the silky smooth voice said "C'mon now its your first ever meal with chunky pieces of meat in". I drowsily tilted my head up and saw a young girl with honey blonde curls and sea-green eyes. It was our carer who always gave us strokes and cuddles, the one who always smiled.

I felt cold hands around my waist and immediately mewed in protest but I was already being carried off, into the air. I curled up in a neat ball and allowed her to stroke and mother me as she slowly walked across the room, carefully dodging other kittens. all of a sudden I felt the hands under my arms and knew I was being put down.

I hobbled around on the floor for a minute or two before smelling a warm aroma coming from a bowl identical to the one the milk was in. I scurried over and cautiously intook the smell of freshly fried salmon, flaked into tiny pieces small enough for a miniscule kitten mouth.

"Mew" I cried as I once again buried my head into a bowl and started chomping. It was absolutely delicious, tender and succulent. Everything a small puss like me could want, and then it was gone. I had eaten everything in the bowl yet my stomach yearned for more. "meow?" I asked inquisitively.

"No my little wittle Sylvia" the voice as sweet as honey replied. I groaned in protest but just a teeny little while later I realized I couldn't have managed to eat it, my stomach was full and I was feeling a little sick, but it should pass fairly quickly I thought.

I carefully walked up to the gigantic, cream leather sofa and decided I wanted to go on it, so I jumped.

The air swirled passed me and my claws protruded from their sheaves. For a short while I was carefree flying upwards and then plop. My claws dug in to the leathery surface of the sofa and I opened my eyes. I was at the very top of the sofa next to the panda bear. I snuggled up close and yawned sleepily.

What a busy day I've had I thought drowsily as I was whisked away into the world of nod.

I was in a high up place and there was green all around me. Emerald leaves lay before me and gigantic tree trunks in different shades of brown were everywhere. I could hear the low hum of noises. I leapt down from my tree and let myself fall to the ground. Slowly and cautiously I walked along the moonlit jungle path until I reached a lake. The wind was humid and the sweet aroma of salmon lingered in the air. I waded out until my feet could no longer feel the tickly sand.

The ocean was cold and swayed me back and forth. I gazed behind me just to check land was still there but it was an empty horizon. I started to worry and I mewed in distress but I was on my own. All alone.

I felt suddenly frightened, the curiosity that kept me going had stopped and reality fell upon me. I kept mewing in distress but no one came to my aid. I put my head under the water to see if anyone was there.

Underneath it was a deep blue, schools of fish, oh not just any fish. Salmon. They were pink and flaked with big round eyes and they called to me saying "eat me, eat me". I couldn't resist and my second nature took in. the nature to hunt. I made myself very small and slowly started swimming towards them, my pupils dilating and my tail in between my legs, gently swaying, curling up and down.

All of a sudden I shot down as fast as I could; my eyes were only for the salmon that were absentmindedly lolling, waiting for me to reach them. Their perfume overpowered my senses and I swiped.

The salmon didn't scatter but instead just pretended to act normally, even though I had just caught one of their siblings. I had failed to notice at this time as I was already gulping the fleshy, pink salmon down hastily. I kept going around eating all the salmon until my belly was bloated and I could not eat another morsel.

I blinked twice and was instantly disorientated for the blue world had turned to a pale cream. I sat up and realized I was on the cream sofa that I must have fallen asleep on. I wobbled around still a bit dizzy, rubbing sleep away from my eyes and scanning the room for my mum.

Now most of you wont know my mum but she is the most pretty, kind and generous cat in the world. She has quite big ears and a pale nose. Her colour is fawn with a softer coating, like sand but softer and less dark. Her paws are like velvet and she always knows how to cheer me up.

I spotted her other in the corner fast asleep with all my brothers and sisters. I immediately felt distanced away from her and jealous. I just stared and became discouraged quite swiftly. I still wanted a cuddle and I was becoming inpatient of myself. I mustered up all my courage and started pawing my way over to her. I nudged the others a bit as I moved about but they didn't as much as stir. My mum however opened one eye almost lazily, licked my head and then nuzzled me affectionately. I purred softly and lay there in the faded lighting of the room. "I love you mummy" I whispered into her ear. "I love you to sweetie" she replied in her pretty, delicate voice.

I looked up into her eyes, her pretty emerald eyes that faded to amber, her eyes that were identical to mine. I mewed in delight for I was her only child with her eyes. I kept lying there until the first of my siblings stirred. "Oreo?" I asked "are you awake?".

"…Mmmm…yes" he replied still half asleep.

"Can I play with you today?" I then again asked.

"Alright Sylvia" he then mumbled still not awake.

So as soon as Oreo was fully awake he led me over to a glass door. "What's this?" I exclaimed.

"Don't you know?" he then replied.

"No?" I then wondered.

"Oh well you see Henrietta…"

"Henrietta?" I asked.

"You know the one who feeds us, strokes us and all that?" he then said.

"Oh that's her name".

"Yes, anyway she said that today would be the first day that we would be aloud to run around in the garden"

"oh really?"

"yes" he replied nodding his head.

"wow" I then breathed. We waited at the glass door for several minutes our ears straining for her footsteps to sound down the creaky, wooden stairs and our tails curling around our necks. Then her footsteps echoed and we instantly knew that she was coming.

"Hello pussie wussies, oh look you're so eager to see the world" she said, smiling at us. We mewed in unison as she took a shiny ob
ject with a kitten coloured hilt. She inserted it into a small gap in the door that I had not noticed before; she turned it whilst holding the handle up. The door opened with a pushing movement from her hands and we streaked out, our tails high in the air.

The minute I stepped outside a spring morning breeze blew past me, making my fur stand on end. I shivered, "Are you ok?" Oreo asked me.

"Yeah" I replied as I took one more valiant step towards the garden.

I looked ahead of me and saw green grass, gently swaying in the wind, the small dew drops that were once on them were falling down to the now wet ground. The ground was quite damp and a dark, musty black. I extended a paw and softly placed it upon the damp ground. It felt crumbly and very moist as it stuck to my paws in an odd sort of way. "Are you getting mucky paws already Sylvia?" Henrietta wondered. I mewed in reply and started walking on the soil, my head only just reached the top of the blades of grass.

Once I had gotten to the edge of the carpet of grass, I spotted a light green plant with crinkly leaves. It was like I was drawn to it for some unknown reason as I could not help walking towards it. Oreo came over to ask something but as soon as he became in range of me he started to look distracted. He then rolled over on his tummy, swatting at non see-able things in the air. I continued to walk as in a trance to the plant and its perfume overcame me. I only just had time to look at the silver sign and read the word Catnip before everything went a bit hazy.

I had only heard stories of it, about how they were like a beer to cats, about how they made you drunk and forget everything. They could even seduce the poshest most dirt-hating cat to just rolling around in the mud.

I immediately felt cautious and tried to back away, but I didn't have enough will power, the plant had already seduced me and from then on I was controlled by my instincts.

I couldn't remember much from then, but when I woke up I was in a basket. it was night now and the moon shone at me with its beautiful gaze. I looked around and spotted Oreo doing the same. "Are you ok?" I asked my voice was down to a whisper.

" I think so, what happened?"

I looked at him but immediately knew what he thought. I mustered up a deep breath and had only just enough power to say it "Catnip".

"That explains" he says to me in his sweet purr. We looked at each other and stared into the others eyes. I instantaneously knew that we would be friends, friends for a very long time.