"The word on the street is you need some help, let me introduce myself, I'm Craig Prince of the Squirrels "
So began one of the strangest encounters I've ever had, well apart from that with Greego The Pixie, of course.
I'd spent the morning going in and out of the back door flap, getting used to the noise and movement of the swinging. I'm getting very adept t it, I even heard the Daddies talking about it last night and how proud they were of me.
So there I was just going in and out and when all of a sudden I saw some movement on the fence, a little skittering about before a little head popped up, followed by a furry little body, nut in hand before being popped into a very chewy mouth.
I stood there staring, I've never seen such a thing before. Dogs au-fait with them, cats oh yes and birds tick but what this little creature was I had no idea. He was fascinating to watch even though to begin with I felt very scared and nearly ran back off inside.
Out came those words, as soon as he'd finished his mouth of food.
"Hello." I said, a bit stunned to be honest.
"Hello." He replied, "So is it true, what I hear?"
"Er what to do you mean?" I could do with some help true but I wasn't sure what sort of help was being offered.
"George said he'd heard that you need some help with something to do with a wood and something that was missing that you needed to find." He puffed out his chest and smiled, "I'm your man, woods are my domain."
He nodded towards a tree at the back of the garden. "That's where I live, up that tree, climbing tree's my speciality so if there's something you need help with that's to do with tree's...well I think I'm the one to be able to help you. Nothing I like more than solving a good mystery."
Stunned seemed to be the word for me today.
"You know George?" I didn't know where to begin.
"Do I know George!" Craig smiled, "Oh yes, George and I are very good friends, The Squirrels of Squirrel Tree and the cats of Catworld are very old and very good friends. I was particularly friendly with Lil' who used to live where you do now, so yes in answer to your question we're very good friends." Craig winked and smiled, scratched his ear and shifted his weight from his left to right foot.
This place never fails to amaze me, you never know what's going to happen from one day to the next.
"Yes all that's true, Greego The Pixie..."
Craig interrupted me "Greego The Pixie, this is something to do with Greego The Pixie?" He appeared shocked.
"Yes." I nodded back.
"Oh well you really need my help then, I've heard about this in the nick of time!"
My heart danced in my mouth, doing a rumba down my back. "Why?"
"Oh little friend of mine, Greego The Pixie is a tricky minx, you should always be careful where he's concerned, have you not heard his history?"
Well no I hadn't. "What do you mean history?"
Craig smiled and nodded, "Of course not why would he tell you."
I was beginning to panic what had I got myself into?
"Greego The Pixie was expelled, by the Grand Order of The Pixals, the highest authority in Pixie World, dropped off her the Fairies of Fairyville a couple of years back. I thought he'd been quiet, I was expecting trouble but he just seemed to go to ground, I thought he must have moved on."
"No, he's living in the secret room indoors, upstairs. I went in there one day and he said he's been waiting for me and said I needed to go and find something he'd lost in some wood somewhere."
"Um" Craig nodded his head up and down slowly. "And did you agree to help him?"
I nodded "Yes."
"Oh dear, you've made a pact with a Pixie and you'll have to follow through with it no matter what, you can't break a Pixie agreement you'll have them all on you if you do, expelled or not and you don't want that, most are good a few well let's not go there."
I felt sick, Craig must have picked it up too.
"Don't worry though, I'm here to help, I've had dealings with that little minx before, talks in riddles you know."
"Oh yes I know that alright!"
"Right so something he knows not what is lost in some wood he knows not where. Is that correct?"
I nodded again.
"Well it's a start I suppose, meet me out here tonight after everyone's gone to bed and we'll go looking, can't be too difficult."
"What? I find that very difficult." What on earth was Craig talking about.
Craig looked at me smiled and pointed his finger at me. "You're a cat and the one thing cats have in abundance is catty powers, listen to those and we shouldn't be in too much trouble, and you're double lucky."
My ears pricked up.
"What do you mean I'm double lucky?"
"You're a black cat little friend, and black cats well you know the tales of them, they are lucky, they are Witches Familiars!"
