Mistress was out again. This was normal. Oxie had spent most of the morning curled up in a patch of warm sun by the window, but the sun had moved and so had the warm spot. Besides, it was time to eat. There was, of course, no food in her bowl, and so the Siamese went in search of food. Through the flappy thing that always closed on her tail and so she hated using it, and she was outside. one of those little fluttery things that she liked to chase was fluttering around near Mistress' flowers. Oxie pounced, only to be hit by a wall of thick, unyielding time, as the fluttery thing shot a stream of sparkly stuff at her and darted away.<br/><br/>The cat landed as gracefully as one could after having a fairy zap you with a slow spell. She paused to clean her paws and face. After all, it wouldn't do to be seen with dirty paws and face. She had obviously<i>meant</i>for the fluttery thing to get away. Otherwise she wouldn't be able to chase it some more, would she? Tail high and curled gently over at the end, the cat strode to the fence. A single leap and she was atop the fencepost. Next door had a nice soft patch of freshly dug earth. Presumably for planting something in. Oxie obliged them by planting something in it, then strode across their well manicured lawn, and up onto the fence at the other side. Still no food though.<br/><br/>She walked gracefully along the fence and dropped down into a passageway that was somewhat overgrown. In here there was rustling and definite movement. She froze, waited and pounced. A sharp squeak crunch and the taste of blood in her mouth.<br/><br/>It wasn't much of a meal but it woud do until Mistress came home. Oxie found a sunny spot to sit on top of a nearby outhouse and washed herself very thoroughly, before heading home. It was time for her afternoon sleep. She found one of her favourite spots - that happened to be Mistress' favourite chair, and curled up into it.<br/><br/>It was getting dark when she woke again, roused by the sound of footsteps on the path outside. The moment Albie came in the door, Oxie was there by her ankles. "Meeeer?" She told Mistress. Then again, more insistently, "Meeeeeer!" The human was being deaf as usual. Drinking that horrid smelling pink water and<i>not feeding Oxie!</i>"Mrip?" She jumped onto the couch and nudged with her forehead. "Mrew! Mrrrrp?" Humans were so thick sometimes. Instead of getting food, Mistress gives petting and scritching. Which Oxie won't say no to, but... "Meeer?" More plaintively this time. This seems to have some effect. The human picks her uo and carried her, but not into the food room, no it's into the night sleeping room, then through into the hidden room that Oxie can never seem to find except when Mistress is in there. Mistress puts her down and, because being carried is not particularly dignified for a cat and all cats<i>must</i>maintain dignity at all times, she begins to wash herself.<br/><br/>So intent on this is the feline that she doesn't notice the stuff with the candles. The breeze that ruffles her fur is noticeable, but what makes the cat realise that something really weird just happened is that her foot is suddenly moving away from her. "Mrowhar?" The sound is unfamiliar. Everything is smaller. sounds that previously meant nothing, now suddenly have significance. And sitting is now a rather more awkward thing... "Whrrrt happen to my legs?" The thought is not only coherent, it is spoken aloud. The cat is unfamiliar with the idea of ideas, she doesn't know what it means to think. And yet suddenly she is doing both? And her legs are too long...! She tries to stand, realises she's on her hind legs and feels a wave of dizziness. Reaches out for something, sees a familiar, if much smaller, figure. Mistress is still bigger than Oxie, but a lot less so that she was before. "Me-er..." It's not a cat saying<i>meer</i>any more, but a human saying what a cat would say. Like a dog saying "bark" instead of barking. The word<i>Mistress</i>is in her head, and she decides to try it out. "Mistress? Food?" Yes, that is a good word. Oxie has just increased her bodyweight tenfold. She was hungry before, s she is understandably ravenous now. "Yes. Food! Mistress." She takes an unsteady step towards the human, tail waving wildly out behind her as she tried to balance.