The Secret Life of Mittens

Lily loved watching Mittens. Her fluffy orange cat had a secret life, and Lily was determined to discover it.

Every afternoon, Mittens would slip out the cat door and go running across the backyard. She'd leap onto the thick cable that stretched from the telephone pole to the house, balancing like a tiny acrobat. From her bedroom window, Lily would spy on Mittens with her binoculars, wondering what her cat was up to.

"She's definitely a spy," Lily whispered to herself one Tuesday. "Mittens is on a secret mission!"

That day, Lily decided to follow. She tiptoed outside and crept toward the cable, but Mittens had already disappeared. Then Lily heard something—a tiny meow from behind the old oak tree.

Peeking around the trunk, Lily gasped. Mittens wasn't alone. There, sitting on a cozy blanket someone had placed between two tree roots, was Mittens—and beside her, a tiny black kitten with the biggest green eyes Lily had ever seen.

The two cats were sharing a bowl of tuna, taking turns eating. They groomed each other's fur and played with a fallen leaf like it was the most wonderful toy in the world.

"You're not a spy at all," Lily said softly, stepping out from behind the tree.

Mittens looked up, unafraid. The black kitten shivered, but Mittens nudged her forward with her nose.

"This is Midnight," Lily realized. "She's your friend, isn't she?"

Every day, Mittens had been running to the cable not to spy on anyone, but to visit her secret friend. Midnight didn't have a home—she lived in the woods behind their house. So Mittens brought her food and warmth and friendship.

That afternoon, Lily brought something special: her own lunchbox, filled with two tuna sandwiches. She sat with Mittens and Midnight, and for the first time, the little black kitten let Lily pet her soft fur.

"You're not a spy cat, Mittens," Lily whispered, scratching both cats behind their ears. "You're the best friend in the whole world."

And from that day on, Mittens still went running across the cable every afternoon—but now, she had two friends waiting for her.