Free Misty the Abandoned Kitten by Holly Webb

Chapter One
    Amy yawned and rolled over to go back to sleep. But then she stopped halfway and bounced up in bed. It was her birthday! Was it too early to go and wake up Mum and Dad? Amy grabbed her watch off the bedside table. Half-past six. Surely that was late enough, on a birthday?
    Shivering slightly in the chillmorning, she threw on her dressing gown, and hurried along the landing to her parents’ room.
    “Oh! Amy… Happy Birthday…” Her dad yawned hugely. “Is it as early as it feels?”
    “It’s already half-past six,” Amy replied. “Can’t we get up? Please, Mum?”
    Her mum was already starting to climb out of bed. “You’d better go and get dressed.”
    “OK!” Amy grinned. She dashed back to her room and started to put on her school uniform, sighing a little. It was so unfair to have to go to school on her birthday. Still, as she was up early, at least Mum might let her open some of her presents…
    Amy ran down the stairs eagerly andburst into the kitchen.
    “Oh, wow!” she said, as she sat down at the table in front of a pile of birthday presents. She smiled as she saw that her mum had draped fairy lights round the window. “That looks fab!”
    “Well, since you’ve got to go to school, I thought I’d try and make breakfast special.” Amy’s mum put a chocolate croissant in front of her.
    Just then, Dad came into the kitchen. “I hope there’s one for me too,” he said, giving Amy a hug. “Happy Birthday!”
    “Go on, open your presents,” her mum said, smiling.
    Amy reached out for the nearest parcel, which was enticingly squashy.“Oh, it’s lovely. Gran’s so clever!” she said, as she tore off the paper and shook out a purple hoodie top, with a pink satin cat stitched on to the back, and glittery stars all around.
    Her mum smiled. “I told her anything with a cat on it.”

    When Amy had finally unwrapped all her presents, her dad shook his head. “Do you know, anyone would think you liked cats!” he remarked, staring at the cat T-shirt, cat lunch box, kitten pencil case, and the gorgeous toy Persian cat on Amy’s lap. Her mum and dad knew how much she loved cats. But they just didn’t think she was old enough to have one as a pet, however much she begged.
    “Come on, we need to get to school,” Mum pointed out. “I’ve arranged for you to go for tea at Lily’s today, Amy.”
    Amy looked up in surprise. It was the first she’d heard about this.
    Her dad winked. “I need a bit of extra time to sort out your surprise present from us. Didn’t you notice we haven’t given you anything yet? It’ll bewaiting for you when you get home.”
    “Oh!” Amy beamed at him. That sounded really exciting…

    “Do you think the surprise could be a kitten?” Amy asked Lily, for about the fifteenth time that day. The girls had finished their tea and had gone up to Lily’s room to chat.
    Her best friend sighed. “I still don’t know! Did it sound like they’d changed their minds the last time you asked?”
    Amy shook her head. “Mum said I wasn’t old enough to look after a pet properly. I told her you do!”
    Lily smiled and stroked Stella, her big tabby cat, who was curled up on theduvet between them. “I was lucky. Mum loves cats. I didn’t have to beg!”
    “Dad could have needed the time to go and fetch a kitten.” Amy was thinking aloud. “I can’t think of anything else it would be. Oh, I just don’t know!” She leaned down so she was nose to nose with Stella, who stared back at her sleepily. “I wish you could tell me. Am I getting a kitten at last?”

    Stella yawned, showing all her teeth.
    “Hmmm. I’m not sure what that means.” Amy sighed. “Oh! Is that the doorbell?” she exclaimed, scrambling to her feet.
    Lily frowned. “It’s rude to be so happy about going home!” She laughed at Amy’s suddenly worried face. “I’m only teasing! Go! Go on! I’ve got all my fingers crossed for you! Call and tell me if it is a kitten!”

    A few