Trixie and the Stray Cat

It was a cold stormy afternoon. The rain was hitting Trixie's wagon like an angry bear. The wind was howling, sweeping leaves across the city of Canterlot, where Trixie had done a show about half and hour ago. Luckily, it was done inside so it still happened, the audience cheered and enjoyed her show at a great and powerful amount. The wind and rain hadn’t picked up during her show. It also wasn’t canceled before due to a lot of persuading. So, after the show ponies took out their umbrellas, donned their raincoats and hurried home before the storm started.

Trixie had packed her stuff and took it all into her wagon after her show; it was easy as she was a unicorn and could levitate it all into her wagon and put it in the boxes it belonged. The wind and rain did, however did pick up while she was packing up. Luckily she grabbed her hat in time before it blew away and stuffed it in her wagon. Her mane, tail and cape were all whipping in the wind, but that was all in the past now.

She was quick to do it and had plenty of warm towels in the wagon. Despite the rumours, she did not mind getting wet all that much. She wished she knew where it came from, even when it was proven false many of times. She simply doesn’t like getting wet all the time or when inconvenience. In fact, in the rain, all she had to do was be quick, the cape and hat protected most her coat from getting soaked, anyway. At worst her coat would just be slightly damp in some spots.

Now Trixie was rummaging through her stuff, wanting to start preparing hot chocolate. Fur and mane slightly damp from the storm that started a few minutes ago. She did wonder why dogs often got sick from chocolate. Never happened to Trixie, and she wasn’t a vet! Or a dog... But whatever. Trixie soon found her mug! Customized with her favourite shade of blue with stars of her favourite shade of purple. Just great! And powerful, of course.

Soon she found her jar of hot chocolate powder and a small carton of milk. The carton had a spell on it to keep the milk cool. Good for travelers so the milk didn’t spoil while they were out. Anyway, Trixie hummed as she poured most of the milk into her mug, then started to use a spell to heat up the milk. She levitated and focused on the spell for a little while, until the milk was at her desired temperature, once it was she put a spoonful of sugar and powder into it and stirred. Soon she jumped into her hammock and sipped the drink happily.

The rain pelted her wagon, Trixie was used to this noise shw found it oddly relaxing. If she wasn’t in it, ugh, how horrible to get stuck in the rain! Trixie didn’t like being in the rain. She absolutely hated it. She also absolutely had never been caught happily enjoying being in the rain. Twilight surely never spotted her sitting in the rain, enjoying it and check up on her to see if she was okay. That never happened, Trixie would deny it. Even tho it did happen, she doesn’t mind the rain as much as she makes others think.

Soon enough there was a loud meow! It snapped Trixie out of her daydreaming as she looked at the door. Her ears twitched as she took a sip. The loud meow happened again. Trixie groaned, a cat was stuck in the storm it seemed. Maybe a stray, maybe a pet. Hopefully they’d run off and find a place to hide, she had no time for those.

But as there as a sudden noise of thunder, Trixie heard the cat yowl loudly in pain. Before it started to seemingly scratch at her door. After glugging down her hot chocolate, and putting the mug down, leavinh behind a milk moustache she hurried to the door, getting annoyed. “Who dares to try and damage the great and powerful-“ She was interrupted when something soggy and wet rushed past her hooves and into the wagon.

“Hey!” She shut the door and looked to see where the critter had gone.

Soon seeing it between two boxes under a table. She groaned as she headed towards it. “Hey! You were not invited!” She shouted. It appeared to be a calico cat and looked kinda scared. Eyeing Trixie closely. “You cannot be here, this wagon is too great and powerful!” She exclaimed. Reaching for the cat. Flinching in shock as it scratched and hissed at her hoof.

‘Ouch!” She exclaimed then mumbled. “How dare you attack Trixie!” She exclaimed. Then whimpered as it hissed again, growling until she backed up. “Fine, you win! But once the storm is over, you are out!” She yelped.

She muttered under her breath as she laid down in her hammock. Shivering a bit and whimpering, looking around at her window that was open a slit. She had slammed it shut before she headed back to her hammock. But just before she jumped in, she had heard the cat meow as it went though something.

“Hey!” She shouted, eying towards the cat that had something in its mouth. It meowed before it jumped off with one of Trixie’s slices of bread?! It was sure confusing for it when the bread teleported out of her mouth and ended up falling on Trixie’s head, toasted.

She did not want to do that… She was only trying to get it away from the cat. “Trixie meant to do that.” She lied.

The cat meowed as it looked up to her, looking rather big, actually. Its meows sounded a bit distressed, Trixie noticed that she looked rather thin, too.

“Are you… a stray?” She asked.

The cat only meowed again.

“I have no cat food to give you.”

It only meowed clawing at her and looking like it was in pain. The meows were loud and showed no signs of stopping, the cat looked hungry and ill. Trixie had only just noticed this cat was limping her belly bulging out despite her thin structure. Surely it was a stray. There was no way nopony would let their cat get to this shape, right? Unless it was really ill with a heart disease or a tumor of some kind. She had heard of a cat who was well looked after, but became thin when he got sick.

Trixie looked out into the rain, then back at the meowing cat. The winds were heavy, the rain was violent but not at the predicted peak yet. It was still safe to travel if necessary. Perhaps she could make it back in time she could make that cat be quiet, that'd be great. The cat was lucky she wasn’t cold-hearted, most the time.

“Fine! You are lucky Trixie had change of heart! I’ll get you something.”

Trixie looked out into the rain again, then back at the meowing cat. The winds were still heavy.

“Fine! I’ll get you something.” She repeated.

She sighed as she quickly put on a clear raincoat and a pair of purple rainboots. Quickly she hurried outside in the rain. Running through it towards the nearest pet shop. Which was further than what she would have wanted it to be. But she had no choice.

After galloping down a street, going down an alley and running down another street. She found herself in front of a huge store with pictures of multiple different animals painted all on it. She sighed as she went in not really caring about being seen in a pet shop. None of their business, for all they know, Trixie could have a great and powerful pet! Which would actually be cool, but unfortunately, she does not have one. It’d take too much room in her wagon, besides all the traveling could possibly get stressful.

She hurried down an aisle. The whole store has the aisles labeled obviously, which she had not noticed in her rush, hurrying down the first one. Grabbing a random bottle off the shelf and reading it.

“Hungry Fish.” Was the name of the brand, she felt a little off as she read more. But shrugged it off. “Goldfish flakes?” She read the words above the picture of two goldfish looking happy. She always thought goldfish as a pet, not something you’d feed to your cat! That is weird, but well, cats do like fish, right? She then looked back at she shelf, looking for more options.

Slowly looking more confused as she noticed the lack of cats on the packaging; or anything other than “Beta fish flakes, Goldfish flakes, or whatever other pet fish there was with the words ‘flakes’”

She peeked down the isle a bit more, noticing not a single cat toy was in sight. Except there were aquarium decorations, fish medications, travel tanks and other responsible fish stuff.

“Why is this so fishy?” She asked, but then it hit her.

“Ow!” She exclaimed as a large tub of fish food fell on her head as an earthpony reached up towards the ones on the top shelf, balancing on her hind legs.

“Sorry bud…” She apologised. “Just looking for food for my aquarium! He needs the best stuff.” She said. “What fish you got?”

“Uh…” Trixie said, looking at the bottle, slowly realising she was in the wrong isle, it was so clear now. “Silver fish!”

The earth pony only laughed, not noticing her run off into the next isle. “Heh, silver fish. Good one.”

The next isle had a large case of frozen pet food. She had a quick glance in the clear lid, gasping in shock before stepping back in slight disgust, frozen mice?

“Eugh…” She shuddered before looking back at it, but cats do like hunting mice, so… This might be suitable for the stray? But… Can’t she get fish or something? At least she was used to the idea of feeding animals fish, since she had watched Fluttershy do so, but never watched her feed a rodent to any animal. Alive or dead, but cats gotta eat too. She opened the freezer, trying to not feel bad for the fate of these frozen mice. They are dead, anyway, so they won’t know a thing.

As she was reaching into the freezer, she jumped back as soon as something leaped on her. She almost shrieked in fear as she jumped at figuring what it was. It was a snake slithering up her leg, which she instinctively shook off, it landed on the floor and slithered up the freezer, a unicorn stallion apologising.

“Sorry, he gets really excited when that freezer is opened.”

“How dare you get your pet snake to attack Trixie and lie about it!” She shouted angrily.

“I said sorry…” The unicorn sighed noticing Trixie scoff and walk down the other isle.

This one was obviously cat food! But the main trouble was how much would she need? A few tins should be enough, hopefully.

She stopped right near the tins, looking up at the variety with a smile. Most of them were fish meat, a few were chicken, which was kinda gross. But Trixie’s a herbivore, she wouldn’t understand. She’s be far more powerful than a blue heeler, even if her name was Trixie.

“Yeah, Trixie knows exactly what she needs to get!” She smugly told herself as she grabbed two tins of salmon cat food. Before turning around and seeing another pony, almost jumping back in surprise.

The pony was an earth pony mare who was covered in cat hair. Her mane was short and her tail was tied in a braid.

“It appears you have grabbed the last salmon…” The mare said, glancing at the three tins in Trixie’s magic.

It did appear that she had, a smirk appeared on her face. “Yes! Of course Trixie had! She was obviously far too great and powerful to miss out on the salmon.” She smirked. “So there! First come, first serve! Trixie Lulamoon is gonna get cat food and that’s final!”

“Well, you can get the chi-“ Then the mare paused and raised a brow. “Wait. Your full name is Trixie Lulamoon!?”

“You didn’t know that!? You can’t be a big fan of Trixie, then.” She scolded, the pony pausing and then pointed behind her.

“Look! What's that! A whole group of your fans asking for signatures!?” She pony asked, Trixie gasping with glee as she turned around.

“Where!?” She cried out, not noticing the earth pony snatch the food from her magic aura and run away. When she turned backed around, she squealed in annoyance. “Aaaargh!” She stormed over to the tins and picked a few random ones. “Fine! Trixie Lulamoon will get the beef and chicken instead! She’ll like it more than salmon anyway!”

The moment she said that, a nearby pony deopped a bag of cat biscuits in shock. There was an awkward pause. “You eat cat food!?”

Trixie gave an absolute disgusted expression as she gazed over at the mare. Disgusted she suggested such a thing. “Trixie obviously meant ‘she’ as in the cat she’s babysitting…” She scoffed.

Trixie muttered to herself as she re-entered her wagon, looking down at the hungry cat that just started meowing. She sighed a bit. “Trixie’s got your food and no, Trixie doesn’t always talk in third person…” she mumbled. “Dunno why ponies keep saying Trixie does!” The cat only meowed, looking at the four tins in the bag she was carrying. She rolled her eyes and took one out, putting it on the floor. The cat only sniffed it and looked back up at her, meowing louder.

“Well, open it, if you are hungry. They ran out of salmon, so chicken is what you are getting…” She responded, slightly annoyed. Getting more so when the cat meowed louder, patting the tin with its paw. Looking up at her and meowing.

“Don’t tell me you can’t open a tin.” Trixie grunted with annoyance before grabbing it in her magic and placing it in her hooves. Hoping it would not smell as bad at it sounded. Dead birds rarely smelt that good. Neither did any dead animal really… Now watch Trixie, closely…” She said, grabbing the pull tab with one hoof and glared at the cat, making sure she was paying attention. She smugly pulled at the tab on the tin, only for it to snap right off, she froze there as she looked at it. Realising this was gonna be a lot harder… “Why must Trixie Lulamoon do everything the hard way!” Trixie complained, using her unicorn magic to try and pull the stuck lid off. When that didn’t work she started shaking it and banging it against a table as the cat watched on, very puzzled. “Open you stupid thing!” She shouted before dropping it on the floor, a pale liquid oozing out, much to her disgust.

“Ugh…” She groaned as she picked it up in her magic and finally got the lid out. The liquid oozed all over her floor. “This better not soak in…: She grunted, placing an old rag on the spot then placing the tin on it, expecting the cat to eat from the tin itself. She didn’t want such putrid food touching any of her dishware! Well, at least it didn’t smell as bad as she imagined. The cat seemed pretty happy about eating straight from the tin. As Trixie sat there, she watched in confusion as she noticed the cat’s plump and jiggly belly. She also seemed pretty hungry as she wolfed down the tin in seconds before meowing at Trixie.

“What?” She asked, noticing the cat was eyeing another tin. “Y-you want another?” She asked before the cat gave another very large meow. “You won’t be quiet till Trixie gives you another, will you?” She asked, getting a loud meow as a response. She groaned as she rolled her eyes and opened another tun. Successfully pulling the lid off by the tab this time, and put it on the rag. The cat ate this one quickly, but she seemed satisfied and jumped up on a chest before kneading some towels. “Hey! Don’t scratch Trixie’s towels!” Trixie scolded, the cat meowing loudly as she moved her off with her magic. “No!” She scolded, the cat glared at her and scurried into a hiding place between two boxes.

She groaned in annoyance, not really caring if she didn’t see it again for the rest of the day.

That night Trixie was awoken by loud meowing, she groaned as she lifted her head, looking around on the ground, she saw the cat meowing loudly at her, she also looked exhausted. All she did was groan. “What is it!?” She shouted and looked at the cat as it meowed. She wasn’t gonna stop, was she?

“What is it!? It’s late!” She shouted, getting no response. She groaned as she looked down, seeing her laying on the cold, hard ground. She looked uncomfortable, and her stomach appeared to have been jiggling in an odd way. “You’re cold, aren’t you?” She asked, groaned as she laid back. “You aren’t gonna be quiet till I do something, aren’t you?” She asked. Getting a loud meow. “I’ll take that as a yes…” She then glanced around the room. Seeing a small cardboard box she usually put her bathing stuff in. She quickly held it in levitation and tipped out the contents into another box filled with material, cloth and similar stuff. She also grabbed two random towels from over a chest and laid one in the box and threw the other onto the cat before laying the box down. “Now good night!” She exclaimed before laying down, trying to go back to sleep.

That morning, Trixie had awoken to the noise of tiny squeaks and mews. Plus a tongue licking something. She slowly lifted her head and peaked towards the source of the noise. She gasped as she lifted her head. The mama cat and her kittens. She was pregnant this whole time. Despite being curled up on her favourite towels inside a box she put down from the drawers. She had a small smile on her face at the sight. “Wish you told Trixie you were pregnant…” She added softly before getting up and tidying her hair. But as she looked at the mother cat, she couldn’t help but notice a sick look in her face. Her eyes were glassy and she let out a coughing noise, like she was choking, but she wasn’t.

“You okay, kitty?” She asked as it laid down, breathing heavily and closing her eyes. Giving birth was tiring for a cat, but she never thought they acted like this. She let out a weak, weary meow, which made Trixie more concerned as she glanced at her, slowly opening her door. It was tugging at her heart to think of her next move, she was going to kick her out in the morning, but she just had kittens! Besides, it was sure she wasn’t feeling the best… If she was in such a bad shape from living in the streets in Canterlot, who knew what her and the kitten’s fates would be? She couldn’t bear to imagine an ill mother cat struggling to survive with seven kittens in an uptight city. It would be so cold, and with the ponies being unwelcoming to strays due to their dirty coats, lack of training, unknown pasts, injuries, illnesses, fleas! hardly anypony in Canterlot would want to take in an animal that had a chance of messing up their homes. They’d rather spend money and time on clothes, make-up, fancy food and whatever. This was no place for a stray. But, not everypony in Canterlot is like that… She just needed to find somepony to take in a mother cat and her kittens…

“Trixie’s gonna find you a safe home…” She said, getting the cupboard box upright and padding it with the towel she was on. She seemed to understand and get in the box. But shaking slightly. As if she was scared of something, after carrying her kittens inside, she let out a weak meow.

Trixie carried the box through Canterlot. No one wanted them yet, but she had to keep trying! She was the GAPT! She could do this! Sure there was screams and shoutings from up-tight cat haters, but surely somepony had to take them in. They just had to!

She kept moving through the busy streets. Too many grumpy ponies, or any that tried to accept them, looked off. Like a cat skeleton on display… Or another that Trixie heard mutter was going to sell the kittens on the market. Or another that sounded as if they’d kill the mother because she's sick. Trixie wanted to save them all, she would not let a single one in bad hooves…

After an hour of searching, Trixie sat near a fountain with the box, the kittens suckling as she tried. Sure, she only tried like three-five percent of the population. But the mother was looking more stressed and scared the further they went along. To the point she started pouting. After a long sigh, Trixie felt there was some hope. “How do you feel of moving to another town?” She asked the mother cat. She was planning to pass through Ponyville on the way. The ponies there were nicer to strays in general, so the mother had a better chance of finding a home there. She’d also hate to admit, but Fluttershy might become helpful with this. She was a magician and Fluttershy was an expert with animals. She’d know how to take care of a cat with kittens and give them a suitable home, she’d know how to treat whatever illness the mother had! Trixie wouldn’t be as good for the job. But she would have to put her pride aside for the sake of the kittens and their mother. “Trixie knows somepony there who will be able to help.” She said softly, the mother cat letting out a slightly more cheerful meow and started purring on advance. She smiled a little. “Trixie will get the stuff necessary for the trip…”

As the journey went on, the mother cat’s conditioned worsened. Trixie tried to hurry her pace, it was at least a day and a half trip! Depending which way you went. But she had to get there soon, for the mother cat! She wouldn’t let any cat get worse on her watch! She had to make it.

“Hang on, just a few more hours…” Trixie exclaimed one morning as she fed the mother a tin, who ate it like she hadn’t eaten in days. She could hardly move, she was shaking a bit as she let out a soft, weak meow.

When she finally got to Ponyville, galloping as soon as she saw it in the distance and stopping when she reached her wagon’s usual place. Near Twilight’s castle, she panted a bit as she undid her wagon harness. She was feeling sweaty from the marathon. But they were finally here! She would go to visit Starlight, but she had a cold at the moment. Also, Trixie had an urgent quest! As soon as she opened the doors heard the kittens meowing from inside the both, seeing them in the blanket. She smiled a bit and looked around her for the mother. Her face fell as she realised she was missing. No mother cat. “Huh? Mother cat? Where’d you go?” She asked. Starting to frantically look around for her, she was inside the wagon when she started moving it, so she can’t have escaped! Or could she? Trixie looked behind every draw, inside every chest and box for any sign of her. The meowing echoing as she went into panic.

“C’mon. Trixie’s the only one that is supposed to have a disappearing act here!”

She was meant to help her, not lose her! She looked towards the open window, open enough for a cat to jump out. Her heart skipped a beat, she had stopped in her tracks a few times during the trip, so she must have jumped out then. But why? She was going to end up in some caring hooves! She told her who Fluttershy was and explained she could help? So why would she leave all that behind!? Leave the kittens in Trixie’s care?

Trixie’s breathing went rapid. Hoping this was some sort of prank or something. There was no way the mother cat would just leave her babies behind! She didn’t know how to take care of kittens! Her heart raced as she stood there. Thinking of her next move until her ears perked up, she looked back at the box of healthy kittens. Did they know their mother abandoned them? Do they know what happened to her? Do they know that she failed to save her? The kittens meowed loudly once more, snapping Trixie out her thoughts. The loss was tragic, but she had to keep going! This was another reason to get somepony like Fluttershy who knew animals! She would know how to take care of newborn kittens with no mother! After shaking her sadness away, she grabbed the box and headed out.

Trixie stopped in front of fluttershy’s cottage. Sighing as she slowly approached it. The kittens meowing loudly, until Trixie let out a sigh. She did what she had to do so far, even if she lost the mother. Now was the next step, the hardest one. Admitting somone is better at a job than you… Plus saying goodbye… She let out a soft knock. Behind the door was a loud gasp, followed by Fluttershy’s voice. “O-oh! C-comming!” The door slowly opened, revealing a familiar face, who was slightly surprised. “O-oh, Trixie! You are back already?” She asked in a soft voice, her ears perking up as she heard the meows in the box. She had kittens?

“Trixie was passing through…” She said, looking at the kittens. Knowing that this was the best move for them. “She need- Uh- She has something to show you.” She added, not even realising she was speaking in third pony.

“O-oh! Sure, come in.” She said, inviting Trixie who soon sat on the ground, keeping the box close and looking at the kitten. Sad she was having to say goodbye. But she couldn’t take care of newborn kittens. Not seven anyway… She was constantly travelling, busy and there wasn’t that much room in her wagon for seven cats when they got older! She heard Fluttershy gasp as she looked into the box, gently picking one up in her hooves. “Oh, poor kittens. Were they abandoned by their mother?” She asked, noticing how upset they seemed. It was a sad thing when a mother cat abandoned their children…

Trixie glanced at her and back at the kittens. She opened her mouth, thinking of what to say. “Trixie… Trixie failed to save the mother…”

“Huh?” Fluttershy asked, noticing her sad expression.

The guilt was heavy dor Trixie. She couldn’t save them all. But she decided to explain to Fluttershy, venting a little. “The mother appeared on Trixie’s front step yesterday. She was ill and just got worse… Patches of fur were missing, she was making choking noises often and lost her appetite just before she disappeared…” She admitted, sounding more defeated as she went on. “When Trixie returned to Ponyville, she was gone… I had to keep going on my quest to bring her to the pony I know can care for them, since I won’t be very good at it. I wanted to bring the mother, too. But she-“ She said, stopping when she felt more sadness building up. “I wanted to save them all… Trixie knows you would have been able to help her”

“Oh Trixie…” Fluttershy’s heart dropped as she heard her story, thinking of what to say. "You didn't fail the mother... You gave her kittens a future...“ She said trying to help Trixie. She was hurting, too. She experienced many pet deaths, they never got any less sad, but it was life... “You can't save everyone..."

"Why not?"

"You can't save every animal. It's out of our control. There are so many animals that need help. Some of them just can't be saved. But it's very responsible that you decided to take sick animals to somepony who can care for them. But not even I can save every animal out there, she sounded very sick. Sometimes when cats get too sick and know they aren’t going to make it. They think it's better run away to avoid the heartache for the owner- or whoever they bonded with.” She then paused. “But I think she knew she could trust you with the kittens. Because she could sense that you meant well and were going to take the kittens to where they could be taken care of. But she must have sensed she wouldn’t make it herself…” She paused. “It doesn’t mean you failed. I mean, you did bring each kitten to where you wanted to get them too, did you?”

“I guess… But why. Did she know she was going to die?” Trixie asked.

“That’s possible. Maybe she came to you for her kitten’s future and not her own.” She responded. Sad about hearing of the mother cat, but speaking with some hope on her voice. Confident that the mother wanted to find somepony who could take her kittens to safety or take them in when she passed. Which she did! Trixie knew she’d be able to take care of them and took them to her. It was also nice to see Trixie accepting someone else as better at the job than she was and not trying to raise them on her own to fill her pride and ego.

“You will be able to save the kittens, right?”

Fluttershy nodded. “Of course! In fact, I think you and the kittens can be at ease now.” She said, looking over at a mother cat who had came over, attracted to the kittens meows. It appeared she had a missing eye. “This is Leaf. She lost her kittens to an attack a few nights ago. I think she’s actually interested in them, let’s have a look, shall we?” She asked, putting down one of the kittens. Leaf started to purr slightly as she laid down, licking the kitten, allowing it to suckle. She sniffed each one as Fluttershy slowly lowered each one out the box and they waddled towards her as she meowed softly. She then looked at Trixie. “I’m sure the mother cat would be extremely proud of you. She made a great choice coming to you for help.”

“Trixie knows.” She put of a slightly confident smile. Taking a relaxed breath to realise she completed her quest.

The mother and her kittens were in a better place now. It was sad to say goodbye. But at least they were with a pony who was more skilled at this. Trixie sure wished she kept them and took care of them. But the feeling of doing the right thing was too great.

The mother cat put the fate of her kittens in her hooves. She never gave up, she really didn't let her down...

At least she can visit them when she returns to Ponyville.