The next morning was really the first morning. The first morning of Smushie and Lila’s new life. Smushie was so happy. Finally, the boys were gone. It was her and Lila. The new house was so big, and there were windows and light. Smushie learned what it was like to lay in the sun for the first time here.
Smushie and Lila would follow the sun around their new house and nap together. They were inseparable and precious. There were also more giants in this house. They were OK. Smushie liked it better when they weren’t around, but she allowed a few of them to be around her on occasion. They liked to touch and brush Smushie and Lila. They also fed Smushie. So, Smushed assumed they were her slaves.
It went on like this for almost 300 sunrises for the fluffy little girls. Three hundred opportunities to follow the sun with Lila. These were the happiest sunrises of Smushie’s life. Year’s later, when Smsuhie would nap in the sun, her mind often went back to those sunrises with her sister.
Things changed with the giants pretty gradually. At first they stopped brushing Smushie, but that was ok for a little while. Lila and Smushie would help each other with their long hair and hard to reach places. But over time, it got hard. You see these girls have lots of hair. Smushie did her best.
Slowly, things continued to get worse. The girls could hear the giants roaring at each other. They were ignoring the girls. What was happening? Food starting coming more sporadically and Lila starting having trouble keeping up. Smushie, with her lion heart, had always been the strong one, and this new challenge was no different. Smushie knew she had to do something to save her sister.
As time continued to pass, the giants were never around. What had once been their happy sun chasing home, turned into a potential casket. Lila was in bad shape. Her hair had gotten matted and she’d lost so much weight. Smushie wasn’t doing much better, but remember she had the heart of a lion. She could still feel it beat. Smushie hadn’t had to roar since she left her sweet mother. But she knew her roar was the only thing that could save her sister today. Now, Smushie knew why she had her special gift and exactly what she had to do. She had to save Lila.
Smushie, during her many days with Lila in the windows, noticed that giants would frequently pass by Smushie’s house. The giants had brought Smushie to this place. So, maybe they could get her and Lila out. So, Smushie waited. She sat in the window and waited. Occasionally, she would leave to check in on Lila, but her focus was finding help, because she knew time was running out.
Finally, Little Smushie had her chance. There was a giant out in front of the house. Smushie had to act fast. The giant was walking towards Smushie. Yes!, Smushie thought. Smushie focused her eyes and let out a roar. Nothing. The giant hadn’t noticed? How? Smushie noticed the giant had white plugs with wires hanging out their ears, but Smushie tried again. Nothing. By now the giant was very close to the window carrying a large brown box. Again, Smushie roared. Again, nothing.
The giant dropped her box and turned around. This was Smushie’s last opportunity, because Smushie knew this was Lila last chance. Smushie looked over at her sister matted and hungry laying curled in the corner. Smushie cried. Don’t give up Smushie… she thought. She was tired and hungry herself, but she could muster one more roar. It had to be her strongest roar yet. In that moment, Smushie thought about her mother.
For this roar, Smushie would make it her best. By now, she could barely see the giant, her only hope. Still thinking of her mother and worried about losing her sister, Smushie gave it everything she had. Her eyes wide and her hips wiggling, Smushie straightened her back, and as her lion heart raced in her chest, Little Smushie put everything she had into one final roar. It was magical.
The roar was so strong that the kick back actually blew Little Smushie right aross the room much like the recoil of a shotgun. But the roar was much louder than any gun. Instantly, all the windows in Smushie’s house shatters and glass blew out in to the world and rained down on the giant. He couldn’t ignore Smushie now.
The blast had dazed the already weakened Smushie and now she was next to Lila. Smushie had done all she could and used her last bit of strength to snuggle next to her sister. I did it for you, she thought. Smushie could feel Lila’s warm body next to her. Smushie heard something as she looked up she could see the giant. Were they going to be saved? Smushie could feel the giants wrapping their hand around her tiny body as she passed out.
The next few days were a blur for Smushie. She went from cage to cage and bag to bag. No windows. No naps. No Lila. What was happening? The good news is that she had all the food she could eat and a warm safe place to stay. Smushie hoped that Lila was OK. Was she in the same place? Smushie had to find out, and she knew the only way she could get Lila a message was with her lion heart and her mighty roar. Smushie moved to the edge of her cage, dug deep, filled her lungs and opened her mouth, but this time… nothing came out.
You see, Smushie had lost her roar to save her sister, and her silent meow would forever be her constant reminder of her greatest love lost and the pure triumph of saving Lila. The greatest talents are only gifts when you choose to give them away. Smushie had given hers for the life of her sister. Now, with each nap in the sunshine and glance out the window, Smushie thinks of Lila.
Smushie life is better now. Sunshine on her face almost every day, a new giant mom that reminds her of her birth mother, and more windows than you could imagine. Each silent meow is a call to Smushie’s past and while she misses her sister, she doesn’t miss her roar. She still has the heart of a lion and if she ever needed that roar again, the universe would help her find it. Smushie purred.