Cats don't Dance: The Song of Love

Chapter 7

Later that night, the rain continued pouring down. At the cafe, all the animals were there, eating and recovering from the events. Meredith eventually left the alley after she made sure Danny was gone and joined the others.

Jose and Evora were relieved to see her though saddened when she still could not speak.

"Good-bye showbiz, hello farm work," groaned Cranston.

"Well, there's always Broadway. Yeah, Broadway! I hear hippos are very, very big on Broadway," voiced Tillie, trying to keep her excitement up, but it was clear she was losing hope too.

"They're big everywhere, darling." droned Frances.

"You know? This is all Danny's fault!" T.W. said with a frown.

Meredith heard that and got upset as she bit her lower lip. How could that turtle say such a thing? If anything, she was also to blame. She should have tried harder to get others to listen to her. If only she had arrived sooner she could have helped prevented the disaster.

Seeing her downtrodden expression Jose and Evora shared a worried look at the tabby sitting between them.

Cranston nodded as he agreed. "You got it, brother. That toe-tapping Tom!"

"I never trusted him. Too happy." agreed Frances upset.

"Well, I have to admit. We were better off before." said Tillie with a sigh giving in. Looking up from her drink, Meredith gave them appalled looks. She couldn't believe this.

"Well let's face it, that cat ruined our already miserable lives!" complained Cranston some more.

"Well he's just a... well he's a cracker jack is what he is!" Tillie smacked her hoof down on the table, spilling some coffee.

"Old happy feet better not show his face around here again," said Cranston with a frown.

Meredith couldn't take it anymore. She got up, her chair squeaking as she walked toward Cranston, and slapped him in the face. The old goat's eyes widen and he nearly fell back in his seat, Frances and Tillie gasping in shock. Meredith glared at Cranston. Practically seething.

Jose and Evora jumped from their seats, shocked at their friends actions and unsure of what to do and whose side to be on. Jose looked between the cat and the goat before getting some ice and handed it to Cranston.

"Meredith..." Tillie frowned softly, slightly confused at the tabby's behavior as Frances glared a bit as Cranston held the ice to his face.

"Wha-what was that f-for, Meredith?" asked T.W., shaking nervously, thinking she was going to hit him too as he cowered in his shell. Meredith turned sharply and glared at T.W. since he was the one who started this.

"N-Now Meredith, let's be reasonable here." began Cranston as he flinched when she looked at him. "It-It is all Danny's fault. Let's not forget who betrayed your trust, and made you lose your voice in the first place..."

That was the last straw for Meredith. With a leap, she tackled Cranston to the ground and tried to claw him. Tillie and Francis pulled her off of him, while T.W. helped get Cranston away. They all looked at her in shock, never having seen her so upset as the cat hissed.

Sawyer grabbed a hold of the girl tabby. "Meredith, Meredith! Meredith?"

Meredith's eyes were all misty.

"What's the matter with you..." murmured Sawyer under her breath as she wiped Meredith's tears away. "You've changed so much, ever since..." She frowned, but Tillie's eyes widened. She was beginning to figure out why Meredith was acting the way she was.