The Owl and the Pussycat Went to Sea
Mother sighed and caught up to the Pussycat and her sisters as they teetered the trunk across the pebbly path. Her voice was gentle and understanding. “Dear, your father and I already know that you are a full-grown feline and can make your own choices. Do you really need to do this in order to prove it?”
The Pussycat replied with the same explanation she’d offered the night before. “I won’t have this opportunity again. And if I don’t search for the medicine, those animals might never find a cure.”
“Perhaps it’s waiting with a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow,” Father scoffed. “The doctors and chemists are doing just fine without your help. But go ahead—have your fun.”
The Owl sprang up from the Pea-Green boat. He hopped onto the dock, waving his wings rapidly and hooting.
“Hooray, you’ve brought the whole family to celebrate! I know it’s not the most beautiful day for sailing—it is rather cloudy—but still, isn’t it exciting? Invigorating, even?”
The cat’s family’s scowling and sobbing made him pause. “Oh, dear, perhaps not for everyone?” He spun his head from side to side. “I brought a bottle of mulberry syrup for christening the boat—would anyone like to do the honors?”
No one volunteered.
“Then I don’t suppose you’d care to wear these party hats?”
Father’s withering glare of disdain had the Owl tucking the paper hats away quickly.
The Pussycat and her sisters carried the trunk across the dock and brought it aboard the wobbly deck of the Pea-Green Boat. When she’d read Jungle Jeopardy, she’d imagined the Owl sailing boats the size of naval ships. But up close, it looked so small and cramped. She hadn’t really given much thought to how comfortable the living quarters would be.
“I know we can’t force you to stay,” Tabitha said.
“But please, reconsider!” Rosemary added.
The Owl unfurled his elegant wing and gently draped it across the backs of the crying cats. “I promise you—your sister will be safe—”
Father interrupted with a loud and forceful growl from the dock. “Creatures should not make promises they cannot keep.” He looked at no one in particular, but it was clear who his comment was pointed at.
The Pussycat followed her sisters back onto the creaky planks of the dock. The sun had just reached the cliffs and was turning their white chalk to gold.
“You’ll need this.” Father held out a crisp five-pound banknote. With his other arm, he fiddled in his waistcoat pockets and pulled out a pawful of coins, which he wrapped up in the five-pound note. “Five pounds—plus all these additional coins—that’s a plethora of money—and by that, I mean plenty of money.” His voice softened and he leaned in closer. “I’ll make a deal with you, Pussycat. There are passenger ships that will bring you back. When you’ve finally had your fill, use this money to buy your ticket.” He placed it decisively into her paw and curled her white fingers around it.
The Pussycat tucked the money away in her pocket. She knew better than to refuse it. And she hated to admit—the idea was a little tempting. Perhaps she would sail with the Owl for just a few days and come back on a passenger ship if it didn’t work out.
Mother stepped forward and handed the Pussycat an enormous glass jar glowing amber-bright with honey. “Fresh from the hive. And there will be more of this waiting for you when you decide to come home.”
“My favorite…” the Pussycat whispered. What would she do without her mother’s jars of honey? Tabitha and Rosemary clung to one another, wiping their eyes and sobbing.
“Oh, Pussycat, write us letters!” Tabitha wailed.
“And please look out for whales!” Rosemary blubbered.
Mother gave her daughter one last hug and wiped away a tear.
The Pussycat felt her mother’s whiskers tickle her own, her soft fur nuzzling against her face, and she felt safe like she had when she was a kitten. What kind of daughter broke a mother’s heart this way?
Pussycat turned to her father. Her eyes met his, and she reached out for one final embrace. She breathed in the scent of his rich, striped fur. He simply patted her on the back.
And with that, she stepped aboard the Pea-Green Boat.
The Pussycat hasn’t seen the Owl since their childhood days at the schoolhouse. Now, standing before her in the apothecary shoppe, he’s every bit as handsome as his engraved portrait in the newspaper. He’s made a name for himself exploring the world and writing spellbinding travel novels—while the Pussycat has simply tended shop for her father. But now that a mysterious outbreak is spreading among the animals in her community, she wants to do more than just sell medicine. She wants to sail the world with the Owl to find the cure—the mysterious bongtree root. No one knows if it’s real or not, and against all advice from her family, she boards the pea-green boat with her feathered friend to find out.
Quickly, the Owl and the Pussycat discover three things: 1. Always look out for whales. 2. The Owl and the Pussycat might like each other as more than friends. 3. Someone else is searching for the bongtree—someone nefarious. Can the Owl and the Pussycat navigate the stormy seas—as well as their budding romance—in time to find the fabled cure for the disease plaguing the animal kingdom? This retelling of Edward Lear’s “The Owl and the Pussycat” will appeal to readers who love Gregory Maguire’s retellings of classic stories, as well as those who love a seafaring adventure.
Complete at 60,000 words
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