THE BAD GUYS IN: THE LAST WISH

Puss's new life and friend

The compound was Mama Luna's place. Everything at Mama Luna's was cat-themed, from the weathervane spinning on the roof, to the chimes ringing in the breeze, to the porcelain cat mechanically waving its paw.

Puss sharply bent at the waist as he assumed the stance of an average, four-legged cat. Then he knocked at the door.

From the inside, a voice rang out "Now, I done told you health department people, there are no cats here!"

"Uh," Puss cleared his throat. "Meow?"

This was the magic word. The woman -Mama Luna-opened the door.

"Oh! You're not from the health department, are you? No, you're not," Mama Luna said.

She picked Puss up and clutched him close to her chest.

"We better get you inside because, baby, they are always watching"

Mama Luna gently carried Puss into her parlor. It was teeming with stacked bags of kibble and kitty-litter sacks. Puss had never seen anything like it.

"I am Mama Luna. And this is my home. Now it's your home, too. Your forever home," she said, emphasizing the word "forever." True to her word, Mama Luna did take care of Puss.

She dunked him in water and gave him a sudsy bath.

Then she dried him off with a towel and gave him a pair of mittens.

"I bet you've never even had a name," she remarked to Puss.

"But you know what, I have thought of something perfect! I shall call you Pickles!"
Mama Luna held up Puss, now with a leather collar that said "Pickles," to introduce him to the other cats.

"Brother cats! Sister kitties! Meet your new roommate.

She set Puss down and stared at him. "Say hello to your new family!"

Puss watched as the crowd of cats stared at him.

"Meow?" Puss offered.

The cats hissed and covered their mouths, both shocked and offended.

"What, did I say something salty? It's actually my second language," Puss said.

Later that day, Puss needed to use the toilet, so he shimmied into Mama Luna's bathroom and stood on the rim of the toilet, per usual. But then -SPRRRT!-a spray bottle squirted him!
"Oh no, silly Pickles.

This is a person potty. That's your potty," Mama Luna cooed, pointing to a litter box, which was currently being occupied by a cat named Checkers, followed by a horde of waiting cats.

Puss looked at it, feeling dismayed.
"So, this is where dignity goes to die," he said.

It was difficult for Puss to adjust to-er-lap-cat life. For mealtime, Mama Luna ripped open a bag of kibble with her teeth and set out the pellets for everyone to eat.

Puss sniffled the kibble. Was it food? The other cats seemed to think so, but for Puss, absolutely not. Later, when he was sure that Mama Luna wasn't looking, he stood at the stove, ready to make himself a meal. But alas, Mama Luna found him.

She sprayed him with the testy bottle and said, "No cooking." Relaxing wasn't much better.

When Puss found a patch of sunlight to lay in, the horde of other cats surrounded him, wanting to lie in the sun, too.

Puss gazed up toward the ceiling. He felt like a crowded sardine.

On day two at Mama Luna's, Puss decided to do something out of desperation. He tried some of the kibble.