Glittered Invitations

“Oi!  Ya little ankle biter!  Get back here!”  Merle demanded with a laugh, chasing after his young daughter. 

Maddie however, did the exact opposite of what was demanded of her.  She squealed with laughter and raced away even faster, her purple wings a blur as she zigged and zagged.  She came to an abrupt halt though when she ran smack into something rather fuzzy.

Maria chuckled and helped extracted the small kitten from her thick fur.  “And just what mischief are you two up to now?”  She asked the two, shaking her head at their antics. 

Merle put on an innocent expression.  “Me?  Why’re ya accusing me o’ such things?  Tis that little ankle biter that’s causin’ all th’ problems!”

His wife just looked at him knowingly.  “You were egging her on, I know it.  Now what were you two doing?”

“Invitations!”  Maddie announced proudly, holding up the paper that she held.  “Gotta make lots!  Gotta make sparkles!” 

“That little thing there was throwing glitter all over my beautifully written invites.”  Merle growled playfully at his daughter, who just smiled widely at him.  Rolling his eyes, he pulled her into a hug, giving her a playful noogie.  “Ruinin’ my hard work, I tell ya.” 

Maddie shook her head, squealing playfully as she tried to escape her father’s grasp.  “Not ruin!  Make better!”  She declared proudly.

Maria plucked the invitation from Maddie’s paws, looking it over carefully.  She sighed, shaking her head.  “Merle, I swear, you never learned how to actually write.  How is anyone supposed to read this scrawl?”  She asked teasingly. 

“What?  Tis perfectly legible!”  Merle pretended to look offended by her words, even though he knew perfectly well that his writing was less than neat. 

“Come on.  I’ll re-write these and then you can help Maddie decorate them.”  Maria declared, heading towards the table.  “And maybe you can help control the amount of glitter so people don’t get mad at us.”  She added to him in an undertone.

“You try controlling that ankle biter.  Ain’t easy ya know.”  Merle muttered in reply with a chuckle. 

“Would you stop calling her that?  She’s going to get ideas.”  Maria asked with a sigh.  Sometimes, she wished Merle didn’t have to use such odd terms for things.  Usually she loved it, love the uniqueness it gave things, but when it came to Maddie…… She didn’t wanted the kitten getting any bad ideas. 

“Ideas?  I dunno wha’cher talkin’ ‘bout.  She’s just a cute little ankle biter, ain’tcha Maddie?”  He tickled the kitten’s belly playfully.

“Ankle biter!”  Maddie squealed in agreement, chomping her teeth.

“That is exactly what I mean!”  Maria scolded them, unable to help laughing at their banter.

“Chomp chomp chomp!  Bite all ankles!”  Maddie declared proudly.

“No!  No chomping ankles!  Bad kitten!”  Maria tried to scold her but it was hard to take it seriously when she was laughing that hard.

“Chomp chomp like shark!  Zoom and chomp!”  Maddie zipped through the air, making biting motions.

Maria sighed and face palmed, giving up.  “Come on.  Let’s get these invitations done.”  She began writing out the letters, her penmanship much better than Merle’s untidy scrawl.  Each time she finished one, she handed it off to Merle.

The splotchy male caught his daughter, bringing her attention back to the invitations rather than pretending to be a shark.  They worked together, laughing as they practically covered all the cards with glitter.  Maria glanced at them then sighed.  So much for controlling the glitter, she thought with a smile.  Still, she was sure people would forgive them, especially once they realized Maddie was involved.  That kitten had too much energy for her own good.

Eventually, they had a giant stack of invitations, sealed up and ready to go.  “Right!  I reckon we’re all good here!”  Merle declared proudly, looking at the stack. 

“Delivery!  Time for delivery!”  Maddie zipped around eagerly, clearly wanting to be the one to deliver them.  Her parents shared an exasperated look then smiled, gathering the cards into a bag.

“Well, let’s go then.  C’mon Maddie.  Time ta deliver them.”  Merle said cheerfully, leading the way out. 

Maddie zipped overhead, tumbling through the air in her excitement.  “Delivery!!  Who first?  Who first?  Special one!!”  She divebombed into the bag, rooting around until she found the card she wanted.  She knew it was the right one despite not being able to read because she’d put a special amount of glitter on the envelope as well as on the card, much to her parents dismay.

Merle rolled his eyes but agreed, leading the way.  Maria just chuckled, following at a casual pace.  She smiled to herself, watching her family tease each other playfully.  There was nothing that made her happier than spending time together with them.  It made her so grateful she’d met Merle.  He was strange at times but there was no one she would trade him for. 

Soon enough the trio found the house they were looking for.  Merle reached up to knock but Maddie beat him to it.  She zipped up to the door and began pounding on it with her tiny paw.  “Invitation!!”  She yelled at the door in excitement. 

The door peeked open, revealing the delicate features of a yellow face, though the eyes were surrounded by a dark marking that looked more like a highlighter than a mask, bringing out the pale blue of the eyes.  “Yes?  Can I help you?”  Doris asked politely, looking a little confused.  She smiled though when she saw the kitten and the obvious enthusiasm. 

Merle tried to corral his kitten, smiling sheepishly at the tall mothcat.  “Deeply sorry ‘bout that ma’am.  She’s, um, a little excited.  Ya see, it’s Honey’s birthday so we’re settin’ up a surprise party for her an’ everything.  Thought we’d send out invitations.”  He explained, struggling to keep Maddie in his grasp. 

The kitten was a wily thing though and managed to wiggle free.  “Invitation!!!”  She declared loudly, holding up the card for Doris to see.  “Invitation for everyone!”  She zipped past the sleek mothcat when she tried to take the card, disappearing into the house.

Maria groaned a little, face palming.  “I am so sorry Doris.  She is just much too excited today.”

Doris chuckled, watching the trail of glitter that was being left through her house.  “It’s fine dear.  She’s probably just looking for Peat.”  She reassured the long haired mothcat before calling into the house, “Try the living room darling.  I think he was reading a book.”

“Thank you!”  The kitten yelled back politely as she zipped through the house.

“Well… At least she said thanks?”  Merle glanced at Maria sheepishly. 

A yelp from within the house announced that Maddie had indeed found Peat – By crashing into him.  “Invitation!”  Maddie yelled at him eagerly, shoving the card in his face.  Peat blinked in confusion then chuckled, taking the card.  “Why thank you little one.  How kind of you.”

Maddie beamed widely at him, hugging the older mothcat.  “Made special card!  Extra glitter for best grandpa!”  She declared proudly.

“I, um, I can see that.”  Peat arched an eyebrow at the sheer amount of glitter being left everywhere.  “Come on though.  I suspect your parents would like you back.”  He chuckled and rose, leading the kitten back to the door. 

Maria and Merle both groaned quietly as they saw Peat arrived at the door.  He looked like he had been dunked in glitter.  It was everywhere.  Maddie was perched on his head, grinning proudly.  “Extra glitter!”  She announced happily as Peat stopped beside his wife.  The two shared amused glanced.  “Best grandpa!  Best grandma!  Extra glitter!”  Maddie declared proudly.

“Well, it’s hard to argue with that logic.”  Doris said with a laugh.  “Thank you little one.  Now, I suppose you have more invitations to deliver, hm?  Best get going on that.”  She picked up Maddie, passing the kitten back to her parents. 

Maddie grinned, chomping her tiny fangs at Doris.  “Not little one!  Ankle biter!”  She announced cheerfully, making Maria face palm. 

“I told you that was a bad idea!”  She muttered to Merle, who just laughed and ticked the kitten’s belly.  “Who’s a ferocious little ankle biter?  Yes ya are!”  He cooed to the kitten playfully, making Maddie giggle.

“I am so sorry for them.”  Maria apologized, even as she glanced fondly at the pair.  “I’ve tried training them but it’s hopeless.”  She said with a chuckle. 

Doris waved off the apologies.  “It’s all good.  They’re just having fun.  It’s nice to see a kitten so happy and well loved.”  She said with a purr, smiling warmly. 

The trio waved as they headed off, trotting towards the next house.  Maria brightened up as she heard where the kitten wanted to head to next.  “Miss Carlisle!  Gonna invite Miss Carlisle!”  Maddie bounced eagerly on her father’s head, tugging on his antennae.  As they neared the house, once more Maddie zipped off to pound on the door, as hard as her tiny paws could.  “Miss Carlisle!  Invitation!!”

Carlisle opened the door curiously, only to catch a face full of glitter as Maddie shoved the card at her.  Coughing, she brushed the glitter out of her face, shaking her head to try and see who had attacked her.  She smiled as she saw it was Maddie.  The kitten was always so eager, doing things overenthusiastically.  “Why hello there little Maddie.  And what pray tell, is this an invitation to?”  She asked, taking the card.

“Party!!”  Maddie told her happily, zipping in circles around her. 

“A party?  And who is it for?”  Carlisle absently reached out, catching the kitten and snuggling her close – Mostly to keep her from spreading even more glitter around. 

“It’s Honey’s birthday.  So we’re thinkin’ o’ throwin’ her a party.”  Merle explained with a chuckle.  “Maddie decorated invitations.”  He added by way of apology for the sheer amount of glitter. 

“Sounds exciting.  I’ll be sure to be there.  You’d best get going and delivering those invitations though.  Sounds like you have a lot to do.”  Carlisle purred to Maddie and released her.

The kitten grinned and zoomed back to bury herself in Maria’s thick fur.  “Gotta lotta invitations!  Go go go go go!!!”  She tugged on Maria’s fur, making her chuckle. 

“Well, I guess that’s our signal to go.  We’ll see you later Carlisle!”  Maria waved cheerfully to her friend, turning to leave. 

“Oh!  Before you go actually, I had something I wanted to deliver to you soon anyways, so it’s a good thing you’re here.”  Carlisle suddenly remembered the jar sitting on her counter.  “Be right back.”  She quickly brushed off as much of the glitter as she could, not wanting to track it into the house. 

Maria paused, looking curious about what the purple mothcat could have for them now.  She sat down, waiting patiently, ignoring the kitten tugging less than patiently on her fur. 

Carlisle disappeared into the house but was soon back, carrying a jar of thick green paste.  “Here.  I’ve been working on it just for your family.”  She said with a chuckle, handing it to Maria.  “It’s a paste that will help heal bruises.  Since I know you guys have your fair share of them.”  She said knowingly.

Maria grinned sheepishly.  “Thanks Carlisle.  That’s perfect and just what we need.”  Between Maria’s clutziness, Merle’s overenthusiastic sport attempts, and Maddie’s habit of running into things, the splotchy family often had a lot of bruises…

Carlisle smile warmly.  “Let me know how it works.  I’ve been trying to perfect the recipe and I think I’ve finally gotten it right.”

“Will do Miss.”  Merle nodded, turning to leave once more.  “See ya later!”

“Bye!”  Carlisle waved to the trio as they turned to leave.

“Bye bye!  Bye Miss Carlisle!”  Maddie waved eagerly only to tumble from her mother’s back. 

“And that is exactly why I made that.”  Carlisle murmured to herself as she headed back inside, leaving the merled cats to comfort their kitten before returning to delivering invitations to everyone around Morel Hollow.