It was almost seven-thirty in the morning when Dukee hopped up onto the side table in the front living room. He walked to the other end of it and sat down. Outside he saw a couple of small birds hopping around on the tree branches. Dukee started to chatter at the birds when Mia trotted into the room.
“Who are you talking to?” Mia jumped up onto the coffee table.
“Oh, the birds out there,” Dukee looked at Mia.
Mia walked over to her water bowl and got a drink before she climbed up onto the kitty tower.
“Were you out here earlier?” Dukee asked her.
“Probably, why?” Mia looked at Dukee.
“Well, because when I hopped down off the bench over there I thought I heard something behind me. But I didn’t see anything,” Dukee said.
Mia started to giggle, “I scared you pretty good didn’t I?”
“So, it was you. And you only startled me,” Dukee said.
“I scared you so bad that I heard your claws scratched the floor,” Mia said
Dukee looked at Mia and sighed, “Okay, you scared me. But where were you?”
“I was under the table and hiding behind Mom’s scooter thing,” Mia giggled. “I saw you on the bench when I came through the kitchen so I went under the table and waited.”
“Well, when you scared me I looked but didn’t see you. So, because I wasn’t sure what that noise was I hurried through the kitchen… Why didn’t you come out?” Dukee asked.
“I don’t know, I just didn’t,” Mia looked out the window.
“Well, the next time you do that, I’m going to chase you,” Dukee said.
“You can chase me but you won’t catch me,” Mia giggled again.
Dukee shook his head and then looked out the window. There was more bird activity outside now. Mia and Dukee watched as the different birds flew in and out of the tree. Some flew down to the ground while others fluttered around the branches of the tree. Just as Dukee saw Carrie, Mia saw her too.
“Hey, isn’t that Carrie?” Mia asked.
“Yes, I think so. Go up to the window, maybe she’ll see you,” Dukee said.
Mia stepped onto the window sill from the kitty tower and looked up at the tree. Just then, Carrie the cardinal flew down to the flower bed. Mia and Dukee watched her as she hopped along the dirt and up to the ledge outside of the window.
“Hello Mia, hello Dukee. How have you both been?” Carrie asked them through the window.
“Other than various people being in and out of the yard, I’m doing good,” Mia said.
“Yeah, same here,” Dukee resituated himself.
“Yes, I see that they cut a lot of branches down off the trees around here. Did you see that they even got rid of the one along side of the house?” Carrie asked.
Mia shook her head no, “no, we can’t see that side of the house.”
“Oh… Well, I hope that they don’t take down any more,” Carrie said as she fluffed her feathers.
“I think I heard my human say that the people were done,” Dukee said.
“I sure hope so. Harry and I had to move last year because humans cut down our home,” Carrie said.
“Awe, I’m sorry to hear that,” Mia hung her head.
“It’s okay Mia, I try not to dwell on it. We were able to find a nice home in this area so I hope that we can stay here for years,” Carrie said.
“Speaking of Harold, where is he?” Dukee hopped down onto Mia’s litter box cabinet to get closer to the window.
“Oh, he’s doing some twig searching for our nest. It won’t be long before we try for another child,” Carrie looked at Dukee.
“Another one? Don’t you have enough children already?” Mia cocked her head.
“Well, we try and have a couple of children every year. It’s how we keep our species alive.” Carrie said.
“Oh, I didn’t think of it that way. Yeah, I enjoy seeing your species,” Mia said.
“Me too. It’s always nice when you come to visit,” Dukee looked at Carrie.
“Awe, thank you both,” Carrie stretched out her right wing.
My mom said that for my species, I’m part Main Coon and maybe Siberian, but other than that I’m not sure what else,” Mia said.
Dukee looked at Mia, “you’re a cat.”
Mia huffed, “I know that and so are you, but look how different we look.”
“Well, Auntie said that I’m an Orange Tabby cat,” Dukee said.
“Well, no matter what breed of cats you are, you are both beautiful,” Carrie said as she tucked her wing.
“And you’re a beautiful bird,” Mia looked at Carrie.
“Thank you Mia.
“Yes, you are beautiful, but why is Harold a brighter color than you?” Dukee asked.
“It’s funny that you ask that. You would think that the female of my species would be that pretty color but we’re not. The males are that vibrant red so that they are attractive to us females. It is up to us females to accept the male and allow the parenting process to happen,” Carrie explained.
Mia and Dukee looked at Carrie with confused faces, so she explained it a little easier.
“See, when I saw Harold, his bright red color attracted me to him, and when I talked to him, I liked his personality. Once we liked each other for a while we decided to have a family together,” Carrie said.
“Oh, I understand. The males need to look prettier so that the females will like them,” Mia stood up and fluffed her tail.
“Yes, and if we like them, we say when we want children,” Carrie said.
Dukee looked at Mia and then Carrie, “It sounds like a trap to me.”
Mia giggled and looked at Carrie.
Carrie giggled, “well, I must be going now. It sure was nice to see you both again.”
“It was good to see you too Carrie. Come and talk to us again soon,” Mia put her paw on the window pane.
“I will… Now, you two be kind to each other. Family is important,” Carrie opened up her wings.
“We will,” Dukee said.
Mia and Dukee watched as Carrie flew up into the air. She quickly turned and waved with her wing before she flew up over the house.
“Boy, it was nice to see her again. It felt like we hadn’t seen her in a long time,” Mia turned around and climbed onto the kitty tower.
“Yes, it does seem like a lot of time has passed,” Dukee laid down on the blanket.
Please join me again for more of: The Day With Dukee And Mia.
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