Shrimp trotted out of the tree trunk full of energy and ready to play. She looked up at the branches of the tree but saw no one. She looked around the ground near the tree and saw no one. Shrimp skipped and hopped out into the field but saw no one. Hmm, where is everyone, she thought. Just as she was looking toward the barn, Billy the blackbird swooped down and landed in front of her.
“Good morning Shrimp,” Billy bowed down to her.
“Oh, good morning Billy, I was looking for you,” Shrimp said.
“Oh yes, what did you need?” Billy asked.
“I was hoping that you wanted to play?” Shrimp hopped up and down.
Billy was happy to hear that Shrimp wanted to play with him, “of course, I would love to play with you, and I know exactly what we can play.”
“What is it, what can we play?” Shrimp asked.
“How about a game of hide and seek?” Billy asked.
“What is that?” Shrimp cocked her head.
Billy went on to explain the game to Shrimp. He told her that one of them hides while the other counts to fifty and then looks for the other. So Shrimp hopped up and down, and said that she would like to hide first. She watched as Billy turned around and started to count. Shrimp understood that she was now supposed to hide. She ran about fifty feet away and hid behind a pink flowery bush.
“Forty-eight, forty-nine, and fifty. Ready or not here I come,” Billy called out.
Shrimp stayed behind the bush but peeked through the branches. She watched Billy as he turned and glanced around. Billy hopped over to the flower bed and looked, but didn’t see Shrimp. Then he jumped and flew low to the ground over to the big tree. Billy peeked inside the tree and only saw Momma and Tiger sleeping. Shrimp giggled as she watched Billy fly back into the field. He hopped toward the pond until he heard a sneeze.
Billy looked toward the flowery bush where he thought he heard the sneeze. Shrimp lowered her body to the ground hoping that Billy wouldn’t find her.
Billy hop hop hopped over to the bush and peeked through the branches, “Hmm, I thought for sure that Shrimp was here.”
Shrimp held her breath and waited for Billy to hop away, but Billy stood there and looked toward the pond.
“I bet she is hiding by the pond,” Billy took one hop toward it.
Just as Shrimp took a deep breath, Billy jumped up and flew over the bush, “I caught you,” he looked down at her.
“Hey, that’s not fair. You flew up and saw me,” Shrimp stepped out from the bush.
“No, I knew you were here because of your sneeze,” Billy landed behind her.
“Oh, I was hoping that you didn’t hear that,” Shrimp giggled.
“Now it’s my turn to hide,” Billy said.
Shrimp closed her eyes and started to count. Billy flew up and over to the pond. He landed down behind a patch of tall weeds and waited for Shrimp to start searching.
“Forty-nine and fifty. Ready or not, here I come,” Shrimp called out.
Shrimp glanced around as she walked away from the bush, “where would he hide?”
Shrimp trotted in the tall grass looking all around. She then looked toward the barn. He didn’t say if we could hide in the barn, she thought. Shrimp walked around the flower bed full of daisies and peeked inside but didn’t see Billy. I’ll look around the pond before I check the barn, Shrimp thought. So she trotted toward the pond and looked in some of the tall grass at the edge of the water. He wouldn’t be in the pond, she thought. Shrimp looked and looked around the tall grass by the pond but couldn’t find him.
Then, she trotted around the pond to the other side where she saw a patch of tall weeds. She quietly crept toward the weeds while Billy ducked down close to them.
Just as Billy thought he was going to be safe still, Shrimp pounced around the weeds.
“I found you,” Shrimp said.
“Why yes you did,” Billy laughed.
“This is a fun game Billy,” Shrimp hopped around.
“I’m glad that you like it Shrimp. So, do you want to hide now?” Billy asked.
“Well, to be honest, all this searching made me tired. I think that I want to take a nap,” Shrimp said.
“Oh, okay. Well, I will see you later then,” Billy said.
“Billy, I’d like to take a nap with you if that’s okay?” Shrimp asked.
“Oh, how sweet. Well, I have the perfect place for a nap. Follow me,” Billy hopped and flew toward the shed.
Shrimp followed Billy to the back of the small red shed. When they got there, Shrimp saw a bunch of wood stacked up high. Billy flew up to the top of the stack where he had some straw lying flat. Shrimp walked to the end of the woodpile, looked up, and then jumped up onto a log that was almost two feet off the ground. She looked down behind her, and then looked up at the next log. Shrimp jumped up again to the next log which is now four feet off the ground.
“Come on Shrimp, you can do it,” Billy looked down over the edge.
I can do this, Shrimp thought as she looked up at the next log. Shrimp wiggled her butt and jumped up onto the top log. She looked at Billy and then looked out at the pond. Shrimp and Billy were about six feet off the ground now and that was pretty high for a kitten.
Billy hopped over to the patch of straw and laid down, “come here Shrimp.”
Shrimp carefully walked across the wood and laid down next to Billy. The sun was shining down nice bright which made the straw nice and warm.
“This is really nice Billy,” Shrimp looked out at the view.
“I told you. And you can come here anytime Shrimp,” Billy said.
“Thank you, Billy, you’re a good friend,” Shrimp put her head down on her paws.
Shrimp looked out at the view one more time before she closed her eyes and went to sleep.
Please join me again for another story with Shrimp the pale orange kitten.