He found it around the corner of a house. Just darting from one rubbish pile to another, searching for food. Thats when he stumbled upon a tiny grey kitten.
The little thing was crawling across the pavement, mewling desperately. A big, dirty, skinny ginger dogor at least, it mightve been ginger. The dust coated him so thickly it was hard to tell. He hesitated, and the kitten
The kitten spotted him, squeaked, and wriggled closer. The dog growled, but the kitten didnt flinch.
*”Blimey,”* the dog thought. *”Just what I needed. Hey, hey! Your mumll be back any minute. Dont bother me.”*
He tried nudging the stubborn little thing away with his paw, but the kitten ignored him. Instead, it pressed against his filthy paw, clinging with tiny claws, and went quiet.
*”Fine,”* the dog huffed. *”Ill wait till his mum shows up, then scarper.”*
The kitten curled up and dozed off, peaceful and content. The big, grimy dogwhatever colour he really waslay down too and waited.
And waited. And waited.
Truth was, the mumthe catnever came.
A day passed, then evening, then night. The dog finally understood. She wasnt coming back. Something terrible mustve happened.
The kitten woke up and nuzzled his belly, hungry.
*”Now this,”* the dog grumbled. *”What am I supposed to do? Leave him here to starve?”*
Alright.
Hed take the little thing to the bins behind the pub. They always threw out decent scraps, and there was a hole in the side of the big bin where he usually sneaked in to scavenge.
*”Feed him, then leave him. Cant be lugging him around forever.”*
Gripping the kitten by the scruff, he got up and trudged off. It wasnt far. He left the kitten in the bushes so it wouldnt wander while he rummaged.
The dog twitched nervously, listening to the pitiful mewling. The little grey thing was calling for him. For its mum.
*”Oh, for”* the dog muttered under his breath. *”What mum? Blokes barking mad.”*
He found a few half-eaten yoghurt pots. Returning, he lapped up the sweet, sticky messbut didnt swallow. Instead, he smeared it on the kittens face, and the little thing licked it off, purring.
*”There. Sorted.”*
The dog wagged his tail, pleased.
*”Thatll do.”*
Then the kitten clambered onto his warm side, dug its claws into his matted fur, and fell asleep.
*”Right,”* the dog sighed. *”Just till morning. Feed him, then Im off.”*
But the kitten woke in the night, crying. The dog licked him quiet, soothing him till he slept again.
By dawn, when the dog stirred, tiny grey eyes were staring up at him. The kitten booped his wet nose and mewed.
*”Mum.”*
And suddenly, the dog knew. He wasnt going anywhere.
So it went.
He chewed food soft for his little cat, and the kitten ate, then cuddled close. It hugged him, played with his tail, slept on him. And somehow, the dog felt calm. Like hed found a home.
They ate together, slept together. The rest of the time, the dog taught the kitten to pounce and dodge.
*”Might as well learn to survive,”* he reasoned.
By summer, the kitten had grown. The dog, though, got thinner. Then autumn came, endless rain, and warm, dry spots were hard to find.
Sometimes, the dog wrapped his paws around his kitten, shielding him from the cold and wet. He shivered, but licked the little one clean. Keeping him warm and fed mattered most.
The dog caught a cold, sneezing, wheezing. The kitten watched, worried.
*”Mum? Whats wrong? Are you poorly?”*
*”Nah, Im alright, love,”* the dog rasped. *”Dont fret. Snuggle up, Ill keep you warm.”*
Tears and snot blurred his vision, so he didnt see
Rain hammered down, and the rubbish heap had nothing left. They had to move.
As usual, he carried the kitten by the scruff.
Water gushed down the pavement, the road. The kitten couldnt get wetcouldnt catch cold.
He darted across the street.
And didnt see the car rounding the corner.
Thank God it was slow. The wipers couldnt keep up with the downpour.
The bumper clipped him, just enough to send him sprawling onto the kerb.
The driver stopped, got out, and approached. The dog lay on his side, left hind leg tucked under, hurt.
*”Let me see,”* the man said, but the dog
The dog curled tighter around something in his paws and snarled.
*”Easy,”* the man soothed. *”Im a doctor. Let me help.”*
Rain poured harder.
The doctor winced as water soaked his back. But the dog clenched his jaws, shielding whatever he held.
*”Whatve you got there?”*
He peered. And gasped.
Two kitten eyes blinked up at him.
*”Right. Youre coming with me.”*
He shrugged off his coat, laid it on the wet pavement, and gently bundled the dog onto it. Then carried them both to the car.
His old mate, a vet, was in.
*”Bloody weather,”* the vet grumbled. *”Whatve you brought me?”*
Without a word, the doctor laid the soaked dog on the table. The creature still cradled the kitten.
*”Interesting,”* the vet mused. *”You hit him?”*
*”Yeah.”*
The vet pried the kitten from the dogs paws and handed it to the doctor.
*”Sit over there. Dont get in my way.”*
He prepped a needle, tools. The kitten squirmed, desperate.
*”Mum! Mum!”* it yowled. *”Im here! Dont be scared!”*
*”Shh,”* the doctor murmured. *”Hes in good hands.”*
He held the kitten close. It stared wide-eyed as the vet worked on its dog.
Exhausted, cold, it finally slept in the mans arms.
Hours later, the vet said the dog could go homewith medicine, and a check-up in a few days.
*”Tell you what,”* the vet added. *”Ill pop round tonight. Check on him. Well have a pint.”*
Days later, the vet saw this:
The big ginger dog was awake, being fed treats by the doctor. He couldnt stand yet. Beside him sat a lanky grey kitten, watching anxiously.
*”Worried for his mate,”* the doctor said.
The vet shook his head. Hed spent years with animals. Had dogs and cats of his own.
*”No,”* he said, crouching. *”Hes not worried for his mate. Hes worried for his mum.”*
*”What?”*
The vet scratched the kittens ears and winked.
*”Dont fret. Shell be fine.”*
The kitten purred, butting his hand.
*”You keeping them?”* the vet asked later, over a drink.
*”Aye.”*
*”Good. Whatll you call them?”*
The doctor thought.
*”The dogMum. The kittenSonny. Suit you?”*
The vet grinned and raised his glass.
*”To Mum and Sonny.”*
They drank, laughed, talked. And Sonny?
He climbed onto Mum, hugged her bandaged leg, and dozed off.
The dog gazed at him, wondering
How had he ever lived without this kitten?
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