Evita and Pattycake Skate to Glory

This is my final Christmas cat story. It is for Eve and Patrick.

Evita and Pattycake were two little cats who lived in a town far away from Clawsville where Santa Claws had his workshop. They had spent their  lives listening to stories about him.

Santa Claws by Vay D’Aquila (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

They listened eagerly as their, Mommy told them stories of the eight reincats who pulled Santa’s cardboard box all over the world on Christmas Eve, delivering toys to good little kittens and cats.

dax with Antlers by Gordon Dymowski Flickr Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Their eyes shone as they heard stories of the little mice who worked in Santa’s workshop making cat treats and toys.

 

Christmas Mice by Natasha Fadeeva Flickr Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Evita and Pattycake had toys that their owners had bought them, but how they longed for ribbon and gift bags and boxes  – the kinds of toys that Santa Claws brought.They always had plenty of cat food but very rarely did they get cat treats. They dreamed of Christmas Eve when Santa would come from Clawsland and bring toys and treats for them to open on Christmas morning.

Evita and Pattycake played together all day.  Their favourite activity was skating. Pattycake spent hours skating on the pond by their home.  Every day he tried to skate farther and faster than the day before, and soon he was known all around as the fastest cat skater. Pattycake was a gorgeous ginger cat. He looked so handsome as he sped along the pond on his claws for cats do not need skates to skate.

What’s Down There Mack by Kerri Lee Smith Flickr Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Evita was a beautiful black cat. She was sleek and regal.  Evita loved to do tricks on the ice. Her sharp claws enabled her to spin around so swiftly that other cats got dizzy just watching her.   She looked at books on figure skating when her Mommy wasn’t home and learned how to do axels, double salchows  and double toes.  All the cats in the neighbourhood were amazed at her abilities.

Kritze staunt by hsing_nice Flickr Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

One day the two friends were skating when they heard the sound of meowing overhead.  They looked up and there was Santa Claws’ Sleigh box pulled by the reincats who were making a ferocious noise.  In the days before Christmas the reincats made several journeys picking up Christmas letters from kitties.  It looked like two of the cats  were arguing and in the process the box was twisting and turning and almost tipping over.  This was an exciting scene because the reincats usually travelled at night when picking up Christmas letters.

Evita and Pattycake stood transfixed, getting their first view of the sleigh box and the reincats.  After a few minutes the quarrel must have been resolved because they proceeded on their way.

Suddenly Pattycake shouted, “What’s that?”

Two white objects were floating to earth. They ran to see what they were. Two envelopes lay on the ic, and Evita and Pattycake realized that two Christmas letters had fallen from the box!

Letter to Santa by Kate ter Haar Flickr Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

This could mean disaster for two cats.  Santa would not get their letters and they would have no treats and toys for Christmas from him. Evita was distraught.  She always cared for other cats and felt terrible for those two  who had written the letters. But she knew what to do.  She and Pattycake would skate to Clawsland and deliver the letters themselves.

They started right away because it was along journey. Thank goodness Pattycake was such a fast skater.  He didn’t want Evita to fall behind, though, so they found a branch from a tree and he pulled her behind him.  They made great time. They passed many towns and in each one cats came out  to cheer and wave them on.

Things were going well until they were almost at Clawsland.  That is when Evita saw something move up ahead. It was a huge, ferocious looking polar bear.  Both cats were terrified. The bear was coming closer and closer.

Polar Bear (Sow), Near Kaktovik, Barter Island, Alaska Polar_Bear_-_Alaska by Rubyblossom tribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Evita had an idea. She skated to a flat smooth area of ice. She skated around a few times before performing her repertoire of jumps.  First she did a double toe, then an axel.  The bear was transfixed.  Next she did a spin, twirling around and around as the bear looked on.  She continued for five minutes, the bear staring at her all the while.

When she had finished, the bear continued to stand there as if mesmerized by her performance.The two cats skated on and were soon at Clawsland.

They were amazed at what they saw.  Everything was hustle and bustle. Cats were going to and fro carrying bags of letters. Others were transferring boxes of cat treats to a storehouse awaiting Christmas Eve.  Little white mice were coming and going.  Work was happening at a fast pace everywhere.

Pattycake and Evita managed to stop a cat and ask where the reincats were.  After getting directions, they hurried off to return the Christmas letters.  The cats were ever so grateful to have them returned.  They were not even aware that they had lost them.

Evita and Pattycake were getting ready to leave when they heard someone at the door. It was Santa Claws!  What a treat! They had not expected to actually see the big cat himself.

Santa Claws thanked them when he heard what they had done.  He held a big feast in their honour with every kind of cat treat that Mrs. Clairessa Claws made. Next he had Pattycake do a speed skating demonstration and Evita perform her jumps.  They stayed the night and next day returned home.

Their Mommy was frantic with worry when they returned.  She cuddled and kissed them, never knowing what a wonderful adventure they had had.