Free Willow the lonely kitten by Tina Nolan Page A

up to Rocky’s door. “Are you wondering how come nobody wants to adopt you?” she murmured. “Becks gets all the attention, doesn’t he? That’s because he’s little and cute.”

    Rocky lowered his head and gave a short whine.
    “I’m not saying you’re not cute!” Eva insisted. “You are – you’re totally beautiful. But not so many people want to give homes to dogs as big as you.”
    Rocky’s long tail wagged slowly. He stared longingly at Eva.
    Tearing herself away from him, Eva went along the row of kennels until she came to Dougal.
    The long-haired Labrador-cross came quietly to the door. All around, other dogs barked and yapped.
    “OK, Dougal, it’s your big day,” Eva explained. She went in and began brushing the soft, cream hair on Dougal’s chest. “We’ll make you look your very best – yes, I know the brush tickles, but you have to stand still and let me groom you!”
    “Can I help?” Annie asked, pushing open the door to the kennel unit. She was dressed in jeans, wellies and a sky-blue padded jacket.
    Eva nodded. “Dougal’s ticklish. Can you hold his collar while I brush him?”
    Together the two girls brushed out every tangle as Dougal wriggled and sighed. When they had finished, he stood up and shook himself.
    “You look gorgeous!” Annie laughed.
    “I have to take him to Reception,” Eva told her. “You can give Becks a quick brush if you like.”
    So Annie unlocked the Yorkie’s kennel and began a pamper session. When Eva came back it was time to take Rocky for his walk.
    “See how good he is on the lead.” Eva led Rocky out of a side door and acrossthe yard. She handed him to Annie and slipped into the house, coming back out with an excited Holly. “I thought Rocky might like some company!” she grinned.
    They set off down the narrow footpath to the side of the rescue centre, letting the two dogs off the lead as soon as they reached the riverside. Rocky bounded ahead, with Holly scampering beside him. When they came to the old stone bridge they waited for Eva and Annie.
    “Good dogs!” Eva told them. She patted them, then drew a ball out of her jacket pocket. “Watch this, Annie. I’ve taught Holly to fetch.” She threw the ball back along the path.
    Holly raced after it and brought it back.

    “Woof!” Rocky’s deep bark begged the girls to throw again.
    This time Annie threw and it was Rocky who grabbed the ball.
    “Rocky’s gorgeous. How come he ended up at Animal Magic?” she asked.
    Eva shrugged. “The dog warden in Clifford found him. He was a stray, so they brought him to us.”
    There were more throws and chases on the way back, until the girls and the dogs were safely in the Animal Magic yard.
    “Do you fancy coming over after lunch and helping in the stables?” Eva asked.
    Again, Annie nodded eagerly. “I’ll see you in an hour.”
    “See you!” Eva replied, taking Holly inside to clean her paws on a towel and give her a nice dish of fresh, clean water.

Chapter Two
    The afternoon turned out to be as busy as the morning. When Eva finally finished up at the computer in Reception, she was exhausted. She and Annie had mucked out the stables where they were housing two ponies, Peggy and Oliver, brought over by Cath Brown from Leebank Pony Sanctuary earlier that week. Then the girls had cleaned the litter trays in the cattery while Karl had stayed by the phone, leaving Jen and Heidi free to deal with two newadmissions – a hamster called Maxwell, and Piper, a sleek white greyhound.
    Meanwhile, Mark Harrison and Holly were out in his parcel van making deliveries. Eva had waved them off and smiled at Holly perched cheekily on the passenger seat next to her dad.
    Now it had grown dark and all was quiet in the rescue centre. Jen had cycled home to Clifford. Annie had said goodbye and gone out with her mum and dad. And Karl and Heidi had gone over to the house to make tea, leaving Eva in charge of ordering more sweatshirts. “Animal Magic, Main Street,