This is the 2006 Christmas short story

The Powerful One watched the Pretty One, who was making herself as small as she could. She was smaller than the Powerful One anyway. What she couldn’t do, was make herself truly invisible.

Powerful and Pretty were under the dining–room table. There were more legs than normal there today, too many for the small table in the kitchen. Faces bent down to both of them and strange fingers had tickled their cheeks and unknown voices had made unrecognisable noises at them.

At last the legs disappeared and humans went up to upstairs lounge. The voices became quieter now, almost enough to send Powerful to sleep.

Powerful noticed that Pretty seemed more bothered by it all than she was.

“As long as they don’t actually try to pick me up, it’s all right,” thought Powerful. The implant was just under the place where they squeezed her as they took her in their arms and as well as hurting a bit, goodness knows what might happen if they actually activated the thing. They could be sending messages to anywhere in the universe, and it could be the wrong type of creature who picked them up.

No, it was actually quite peaceful here, compared with the pub where Powerful used to live. Not so many people, and certainly not those two crazy dogs who had occasionally thought it fun to chase her until she had to leap up on to one of the highest shelves to get away from them. The floor was warm here as well. There was also one of those doors, like the one she used to have to her roof garden. Beyond that, was another door, and Powerful could see a lot of the rest of the world through that; there were trees, grass, birds flying around and occasionally people walking past. It reminded her of home and she felt less homesick. Were the humans going to open the other door soon, so that she and Pretty could go out? Of course, Pretty didn’t seem to know how to use the special little door, so Powerful had the advantage there: she could get away from Pretty anytime she liked and sit and watch the world go by in peace.

From the kitchen came noises a bit like those that they made when they put the food bowls down. Pretty sauntered past, swinging her hips like the barmaids in the high heels used to do at the Old Mill. In fact, her white legs with the little black dots looked a little bit like high-heeled shoes. The humans, Powerful realised, called her Tara.

Tart would be a better name, thought Powerful. Still, they were not bad with names, these humans. Magic they called her. If only they realised how close they were.

There were fifty of them altogether. All big and black almost all over, with the one little triangular patch of white on their chests. They’d all made the same mistake of just materialising in their chosen homes, instead of outside and then walking in through an open door or window. So all of them  had acquired rather supernatural names – Wizard, Warlock, Witch,  Merlin, Harry, and so on, and all of their humans boasted that they had an extraordinary pet. Tara, of course, was actually the name of a female Buddha, and Powerful could just not see it. She’d seen her catching spiders and flies. Just wait until she was let out of that door. She’d be after the mice and birds for sure. Followers of the Buddha were not supposed to harm any living creature.

Powerful ambled after her adoptive sister into the kitchen. There was no point getting there before or even at the same time as Pretty. Pretty was the boss. She was already in the house when Powerful arrived. So, every time they were given bowls of food, Pretty got first pick. Powerful didn’t mind. It was all show really. She could tell Pretty hadn’t been there all that much longer than her. She walked about with her nose in the air all the time, but she didn’t let even the humans who lived there all the while get all that close to her.  Just look at her today! That was not one who was used to this building. Besides, even Pretty was not so stupid, was she, to have lived here more than a month and have not learnt how to use their special door?

As soon as Powerful’s head was half way into the kitchen, Pretty snarled and pulled out her claws. It irritated Powerful. Didn’t the silly girl realise that she was only a third the size of Powerful?  Most of the time Powerful just ignored her. Even if she couldn’t, one cuff or even just standing up on her hind legs was enough. It was tempting, very tempting indeed to use some of her other powers, but that was actually forbidden.

Why had they insisted on this form? It made them so reliant on the humans, supposedly the most intelligent life form on the planet Earth. If that was intelligent, how inferior must all the other ones be. Actually, she was beginning to think the species she had taken on was actually more intelligent. She’d communicated with the other 49 and some of them had reported that they thought this creature was brighter than the humans: humans seemed to run around all the time, as if they were chasing the tails they did not have, just to keep fed, sheltered and entertained. As for the likes of Powerful, Pretty, Wizard … all they did all day was sleep and their food was dished up to them at regular intervals. For entertainment, they just watched the world go by, chased things or washed themselves.

Pretty snarled again. Oh, enough was enough. Powerful reared up on her hind legs and cuffed the smaller animal around the head. Pretty yelped and dashed out of the kitchen, her tail flicking. Powerful investigated the contents of the bowl. Interesting! Definitely better than the normal tined stuff. In fact, much more like the food she was used to at home. But the problem was, her insides were now so used to the pappy mixture that it would not be a good idea to change. It might not be too good for this delicate Earth body. She took a couple of mouthfuls, all the same. Yes it was good. Definitely good. So was she. She ate no more and made her way out of the kitchen.

Pretty was lying on the warm floor, licking the soft long fur on the inside of her belly. She gave Powerful a warning look. Powerful chose to ignore her this time.

The humans came down the stairs. And the dog. It was a harmless enough-looking dog, not nearly as big and fierce as the ones Powerful was used to. It had a long, thin body and short legs. Powerful had the impression that it was also female. She purred meaningfully. Then the humans started chattering again. The dog barked softly. It was more like a greeting than a threat.

Pretty’s body stiffened. She spat towards the dog that began to growl quietly.

Don’t be such a fool, thought Powerful If she thinks you’re frightened, she will bark.

Pretty darted between the legs of the humans, under the computer desk and into the little cubby hole where there were lots of brightly coloured rolls of paper. Powerful knew that that was one of Pretty’s favourite hiding places. But Powerful was concerned. She could still smell the fear from the small animal even though she could no longer see her.

It’s a shame, really, thought Powerful. I’m glad I’m not so scared.

But she stayed under the table while the humans made their way to the front door all the same. Best to keep her distance. It was tempting to try and sneak out, but it would mean going past all of those legs. Sure, it would be great to get some fresh air, but she didn’t want to risk getting locked out. She was here to learn.

There was a lot of cheerful mumbling and at last the door closed. It seemed to be mainly the humans who always lived here now – though there were one or two extra.

Then, panic. They seemed to be looking for something. A face appeared below the dining room table and its owner cried out loudly. Then the searching continued. So, they were looking for her and Pretty.

It’ll be difficult but they will find her, thought Powerful. But when they do, she might be so scared she’ll die. I could help her I really could.

 Her implant started throbbing.

“You are not supposed to interfere,” said the Commander.

“I could do a deal,” replied Powerful. “I could bargain with her when I bring her back. Support from the natural species might be helpful.”

“Only if you can do it without telling her too much,” replied the Commander. “How would you go about it?”

“Make her invisible. Suspend her in no-time-no-place until all is past,” replied Powerful.

“Mmm. How will she know you have helped her?” asked the Commander. “And how will she pay you back?”

“Oh, I think she’ll just know,” replied Powerful “Very intuitive, this type of Earth inhabitant.”

“Well, just this once,” said the Commander. “Be careful.”

Powerful concentrated hard. She felt the strength go from her as she whisked the other cat out of time and space and into eternity. For a while she noticed the humans carry on looking for her. Then  they calmed down and soon she could hear one of them snoring from the lounge upstairs.

She was tired now. The warmth from the floor made her drowsy. Her two sets of eyelids drooped. She should be able to hold Pretty at bay, even in her sleep.

She was woken, several hours later by the sound of a tin being opened in the kitchen. She dropped her guard and suddenly Pretty reappeared in the cubby hole under the computer. She had fallen back out of eternity into time and space and was enticed into the kitchen by the sound of opening tins.      

Both of them bounded into the kitchen. The human mumbled something at them in that voice he always reserved for their kind. He placed the first of the silver dishes on the floor. This time, it was the normal slosh. Pretty stared at Powerful. She waited until Powerful had her head down in the first dish. She then walked demurely over to the second dish. The human looked puzzled.

Thank you, Powerful heard Pretty think. You may always eat first now.

“You see,” Powerful said to the Commander. “If we give them just a little help we get loads in return. And just look at what I’ve found out about Earthling psychology.”

“Okay,” said the Commander. “But no more interference.”

“Fine,” said Powerful. We’ll see, she thought. I’ll see what I can do with the humans next.