Up before the school bus

[rolanni]

Asyouknowbob, we live in the country, surrounded by woods and fields and occasionally the Mice of the Field will send a Covert Operative into the basement to see if we've let our Security Contract lapse.  In fact, we haven't, and while the fate of the Covert Operative isn't necessarily foregone, it does appear that the Mice of the Field are usually in receipt of the message that, whatever is in that basement, It Got Charlie, too!

Last night there was apparently An Infiltration about the time we were winding down to go to bed.  Sprite heard the perimeter alarm go off, and rushed down to the basement, followed by Belle, with Trooper bringing up the rear.  When I looked down before lights-out, Trooper was sitting in back-up position at the foot of the stairs; his job to make sure that the Covert Operative did not make it upstairs.  Neither Belle nor Sprite was in evidence, and the basement was Vewy, Vewy Quiet.

I went to bed.

Now, usually in the course of these Operations, a cat will make a point of stopping by the bed at some point in the evening, just to check in and make sure we're dreaming right.  Last night there was no check-in.  Not one.  Which, when you're used to being walked on by cats when you sleep can be a little disorienting.

I woke up around five, took my Necessary Medications, noted the lack of cats on the upper levels, put on my robe, and opened the basement door.

Trooper immediately charged up the steps, and gave me multiple hugs around the legs, possibly encouraging me to stay abovestairs, but I was adamant, and down I went.

I was met by Sprite, who, prancing, led me to the sad remains of the Covert Operative.  Belle was nowhere in sight. 

I went upstairs to procure a coffin, so that we might show proper honor to a worthy opponent.  Belle appeared as I came back downstairs; she and Sprite and Trooper stood by solemnly while the late Operative was transferred to his empty butter cup.  Trooper and Sprite came upstairs with me, as an honor guard, while Belle stayed behind to continue her survey of the perimeter.

The Covert Operative was consigned to the gentle grasses, and I went back inside, now thoroughly awake, to find Steve up and about, also, having heard the kitchen door close.

So, we praised the cats, who came upstairs in shifts, drank coffee; and were just finishing breakfast when the school bus went by.

I see a nap in my very near future, but, for now, since I'm up and caffeinated and all, I should probably do some work.

Comments

[malkingrey]

All hail the Security Team!

We're going to have to look into acquiring a catling one of these days, since our Security Team is getting on in years -- Brushy was already a cat of late middle years when she joined on, and Plushy's age is unknown. (She showed up in our basement one winter night a few years back, looked into the kitchen, said "mew", and moved right on in. All we know is that she was a fully grown neutered female who'd clearly been well-sociaized before something caused her to hit the road.)

This is a rural area; when the time comes, somebody is almost certain to have a barn cat with a litter of kittens being trained in the Way of the Mouser.

[cgbookcat1]

Does Scrabble participate in Perimeter Defense in the capacity of field general?

[rolanni]

Scrabble takes the role of the cops in "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues."

[theowlunderground]

I did have a very fine ensemble cast of three once upon a time. I've only got one left now, and his job is to come tell me things -- only I have to guess what he wants to tell me. (His fancy electric poop box needs attention, his bowl is empty, his fountain is running low on water, thunder has happened, the postman has been up on the porch, the yard guy is mowing the lawn, a quantum anomaly has occurred somewhere in the house, he's bored . . . .)

His response to a security threat is to come put his paw on my arm so I can guess what it is. (He's not a security guard, he's a security monitor . . .) Unless it is a moth, at which point he goes spectacularly ballistic. His portly is way more portable than you'd think to look at him.