Shadow was soon back to her old self in a matter of weeks. She began to ask for iced tea, her drug of choice. The doctors were hesitant but they complied because Shadow became unruly when her demands were not met. Soon, Shadow was in happy land as the iced teas soon made her forget about today and tomorrow and the next day after.

Phoebe came to visit her BFF. Immediately, Phoebe realized Shadow was in never-never land. “What have you done,” said a concerned Phoebe as she shook shadow to awareness. “Hi Phoebe, let’s go Techno dancing tonight!” said a delighted and fuzzy-minded Shadow. “Do you know where you are?” said Phoebe shocked at Shadow’s response to her question. “Yes, I’m in the forest with my forest friend dancing to Fischer,” said a giddy Shadow. “That’s it. No more iced tea for you,” said Phoebe as she reached over and grabbed the glass of iced tea from Shadow’s tight-gripped hands. Phoebe got up and walked over to the bathroom sink to dump the iced tea down the sink. “NO!” screamed Shadow when she realized what Phoebe just did…

All of Shadow’s friends were gathered around her. The doctor told them they would pull the plug on the apparatus that was keeping her alive. She had been in a coma for a year and a half after being hit by a car. The doctor told the gathered friends that she would never wake up from her coma. Phoebe broke out in tears. “Is there no hope,” she asked the doctor between her sobbing. Suddenly a faint purr was heard coming from Shadow’s direction. John in shock said aloud, “Did you all hear that noise?” The doctor quickly walked over to Shadow and bent his torso toward Shadow’s head so her could hear better. He heard it. Shadow was purring. “Everyone, quickly gather around her bed and tell her you love her.” Everyone began to tell Shadow they loved her. Shadows’ eyes began to flicker open. The doctor was shocked. “It’s a miracle,” he said.

Shadow woke up and began mumbling something about the Shadow Cat Warriors were after her, and she wasn’t safe. “She must have been dreaming while in her coma,” said the doctor…

Shadow Cat Warriors surrounded Shadow. She was so scared her fur was sticking up to twice its size. After she shot and killed the SCW that rushed her, a group came out of nowhere and pulled her out of the gun turret. Shadow that this is the end. This is where I die. She looked in shock as they moved to surround her in a circle. They had on their military clothes and shoes. If she didn’t know better, she would have thought that she was in the wrong. But she knew she was not. She knew the fight to keep her alive would affect all species. The Shadow Cat Warriors wanted to sterilize all species so that the SCW sect of Catmoonians could rule the world. What Shadow didn’t know is they wanted to keep her alive, so they could figure out why she had more powers than the other Catmoonians since she was part Egyptian cat and Catmoonian. If they could harness Shadow’s power, they could control the world.

Suddenly, somebody threw a net over Shadow. “Be careful she doesn’t do any of her special powers,” said Captain Meaner to his troops, that now were within inches of Shadow. “Bind her ears and paws and put her neck in a brace. We must isolate her ability to disappear,” said Captain Meaner. When Shadow was tied up and secured, they picked her up and took her back to their ship.

Captain Cattitude watched in shock as Shadow was taken away. He was bleeding from a laser shot to his side. He couldn’t move. He screamed, ‘Nooo!!!” as he saw her disappear inside the ship. Around him lay dozens of dead Catmooonians. Their body parts were splattered on the surface of the city square where the fight first broke out. The bomb the SCW dropped came as a surprise to the Catmoonians. It killed many and destroyed Captain Cattitude’s ship.

Phoebe lay protected under Captain Cattitude. She looked on in horror as she saw her friend captured by the SCW’s.

Rocky was indifferent that his sister, Shadow, had not responded to his request to help her defeat the Shadow Cat Warriors. He felt numb and hurt that Shadow was ignoring his request. He moped about the apartment, not even purring when John petted him. Rocky wondered what had gotten into him. He loved when John stroked him, especially when he would rub his fur back and forth across his back. It was purr ecstasy. Yet, he found he felt nothing. Rocky did not want to admit he was hurt. Rocky knew in his heart he was ready to take out the SCWs.

Every day he sat by the locked room that housed the interactive satellite dish waiting for a response from Shadow. He slowly but surely gave up hope his sister would change her mind. He wanted to tell John he had communicated with his sister, but Rocky knew John would have been upset with him that he had entered the locked room. John kept it locked because he missed Shadow greatly…

Shadow awoke to sirens and alarms coming from the spaceship’s early-emergency warning system. Shadow was no longer jumping when she heard the alarms and sirens – she had become used to it. She calmly got out of bed and ran to the gun turrets to prepare for the waves of Shadow Cat Warriors making their way toward the spaceship. Shadow looked up around and saw her comrades also getting in the gun turrets. It still shocked her that the Catmoon inhabitants were willing to die so that she may live. Shadow was important to the Catmoonians as she possessed powers that were the result of the breeding of the Egyptian cats when the Catmoonians first visited Earth back during the Old Kingdom (about 2,700-2,200 B.C.E.) The Catmoonians fought to save Shadow as they knew that her powers were the key to their future…

Looking toward the horizon, Shadow saw the first wave of the Shadow Cat Warriors making their way to the spaceship. Her paws clenched on the gun turret trigger ready to take out the advancing SCW troops. We will win thought Shadow as she aimed her laser at an SCW running toward her. In a flash, the SCW turned to ashes. Here we go she thought as her mind thought about Rocky and his desire to help her defeat the SCWs. If Rocky could only see how devastating battle is in real life…

Suddenly a swishing electro sound was heard from behind the locked door which Rocky anxiously sat by. He immediately went to work picking the lock with his claw to open the locked door. Within a few moments, the door was unlocked. Rocky remembered how he unlocked the door last time, so it took him less time to open the door. Once inside, he saw that the interactive satellite dish was making a noise. A message from Shadow was now glowing on the satellite’s monitor. He read the message from Shadow:

Although I was much impressed with your offer to help me battle the Shadow Cat Warriors, I am afraid I have to turn down your offer. I can’t expect you to understand my reasoning, but I feel you are too young to risk your little kitty’s life. If you were older, I would jump at your offer. However, you have no idea what you are asking to do. You are asking and telling me you are willing to die to help in the battle. I don’t think you fully comprehend what battles are. Death usually ends up happening on both sides. It’s not pretty or comforting. It’s raw and bloody. It is disturbing down to your soul. I don’t think your young mind will handle it well. If you want to help, I prefer you stay home and look after John. I know he is upset I am not there. At least with you home, John will have companionship. I know this letter will make you upset. I am doing what is in my heart that feels right. Do you know what you could do? Pray for my brothers, and sisters, and me that we win the fight against the Shadow Cat Warriors. Take care, and wish our team luck.

Sincerely,

Shadow

Rocky stared at the screen in disbelief. He couldn’t believe his sister did not want his help. “I’m more mature than she gives me credit. I know it could cost me my life,” he said aloud.

He began to type back the following message:

Sister,

You underestimate my maturity. I know full well what I am asking to do. I know how to rumble and fight with the best. I always win in neighborhood battles when I play with other kittens. In fact, many no longer want to play with me because I always win the play fighting. I know how to fight paw to paw, claw to claw. I have been taking karate lessons behind John’s back in anticipation of beating the Shadow Cat Warriors with me by your side. Please, reconsider your decision.

In Anticipation,

Rocky, your brother.

Rocky was anxious.  It had been a month since he sent Shadow a message using the interactive satellite machine.  Luckily, John hadn’t known he sent Shadow the message. Rocky had been hanging out by the door whenever John wasn’t around.  He was sitting by the door now…

Shadow was upset that John had replaced her with Rocky. She thought after all the love I gave John, he replaced me with another kitty. She wasn’t mad at Rocky; it wasn’t his fault that John decided to replace her. She was hurt. However, as she gave the whole situation some thought, she realized John did it because he didn’t know if she would come back to him. After all, she was in a massive war with the Shadow Cat Warriors from Catmoon. The SCWs wanted to see her dead as the SCWs thought Shadow was a threat to their existence because Shadow was part alien and Egyptian cat. And because of that, she had powers that scared the SCWs.

“It’s best that you told Rocky he couldn’t join you in the war against the SCWs,” said Captain Cattitude to Shadow as he tried to comfort her over her decision. Captain Cattitude knew how bloody and brutal the war had been so far. Both sides have lost many lives. “Let’s just say the idea that cats have nine lives was a lie,” said Captain Cattitude to Shadow. “Rocky is but a kitten. He should not be here fighting the enemy. Rocky is too young to give his life to this cause. He needs to be able to enjoy his kittenhood. He still has so much to learn about becoming a cat. “He will most likely die in battle. He doesn’t yet know how to use his cat instincts to be defensive in this war,” he continued as he held Shadow. “I know I did the right thing. I don’t want to see his life be short-lived by dying in this war. He still has life to be a kitten and play and learn what it will be like to be a cat to John,” said Shadow.

“Come, let us get a good night’s rest. We have all been overwhelmed by this war, and it shows no signs of ending soon. The Shadow Cat Warriors excellent defensive fighters, and unfortunately, they believe the world would be better off if you didn’t exist,” said Captain Cattitude to Shadow, who was but a teenager. He felt bad so much had been placed on her young paws. “Yes, let’s go to bed. I’m tired. I need the rest,” said Shadow as she got up and headed to her quarters in the spaceship that had now become their home. Captain Cattitude followed her after to his captain’s quarters.

Shadow felt Rocky’s pain, but she didn’t want him to get killed or hurt by helping her battle the Shadow Cat Warriors. Plus, she thought he was too young to know if he was willing or not to die for the cause of saving the Earth. She thought she must turn down his request and tell him no. She wrote the following back to Rocky:

Although I was much impressed with your offer to help me battle the Shadow Cat Warriors, I am afraid I have to turn down your offer. I can’t expect you to understand my reasoning, but I feel you are too young to risk your little kitty’s life. If you were older, I would jump at your offer. However, you have no idea what you are asking to do. You are asking and telling me you are willing to die to help in the battle. I don’t think you fully comprehend what battles are. Death usually ends up happening on both sides. It’s not pretty or comforting. It’s raw and bloody. It is disturbing down to your soul. I don’t think your young mind will handle it well. If you want to help, I prefer you stay home and look after John. I know he is upset I am not there. At least with you home, John will have companionship. I know this letter will make you upset. I am doing what is in my heart that feels right. You know what you could do? Pray for my brothers, sisters and I that we win the fight against the Shadow Cat Warriors. Take care, and wish our team luck.

Sincerely,

Shadow

Dear Shadow,

You don’t know me but I am your brother according to John our owner, I was moved by his story about you. I find you to be a courageous cat which I can respect. To know you are fighting for Planet Earth and the invasion of the Cat Warriors here on Earth makes me very proud I can call you my sister. I wish to join you in your battle to save Earth, especially those descendants of your ancestors which John told me are the Shadow Cat Warriors’ target. I know I am still a kitten. However, this kitten is fired up about your cause. I want to fight with you against our enemy, the Shadow Cat Warriors. I too want to protect Earth, the place I so lovingly call home. I look forward to your reply and how I might get to Catmoon, so I can join in the battle! I know John will not be happy about my request, so please don’t tell him. I will talk to him about my desire to join you in the battle to save planet Earth. I hope you will be responsive to this message and allow me to join you. I feel it is my destiny.

Sincerely,

Rocky