My name is Tigra,That's not my human name.My human name is Rachel.Iam a werecat.Yeah,a werecat.No not a werewolf.A werecat.Sit down,pull up a litter box and let me explain. I was at a yard sale on a lazy Saturday,going through a box of $.25 stuff,when I saw a Beautiful cat necklace.I brought It over to the lady running the yard sale. "Miss"I said trying to get her attention,"Miss,I would like to buy this necklace." She looked at me then looked at the necklace."No!" What did she have against me,I thought. "Here is $1.00 for it."I said. "No.I said-"she didn't finish because a girl about my age was shouting,"HEY,MISS,COULD YOU HELP ME OVER HERE?"she had the same necklace I had.The girl winked at me. I slammed down $2.00,and ran all the way home.When I got home,I ran to my bedroom and slammed the door. "Rachel?Is that you?"I jumped.It was only my mom.I tried to calm down. "I'm coming!"I yelled back. I put the necklace on my dresser Monday morning: At school I asked my friend Alyssa if she liked the necklace.She said it was O.K.I wondered if I should tell her about the strange woman,and that girl with the same necklace,but just then the bell rang,oh well,I can tell her some other time.School that day went by in a blur. When I got home Mom asked me to watch my sister and brother,Sallie and Seth,while she went on an errand.I said sure,as long as they whould be good. That night after my shower I went to take the necklace off,it didn't budge.Must be stuck,I thought,but no matter how hard I tried,it whouldn't come off... My hands were itching,in fact I itched all over.I looked at my hands. They were covered in blond fur!I looked in the mirror,my face was covered in the fur also.I had a white star on my forehead.My teeth were growing long and sharp,I felt the tips hit my gums. "Ow!"I tried to shout,but it came out as "meow".My fingers came in and my fingernails grew into small razor like claws.My ears were moving toward the top of my head,and growing upward.I was now covered completely with fur.In fact I was now what seemed to be a cat,a VERY large cat. I looked out of my open window. The night was calling me.Comanding me to explore the outside world.The evening scents drifted inside of my room,filling my nostrils.I smelled an owl in the tree outside of my window,a fox going through the garbage cans,a mouse scampering in the grass...easy prey. I jumped out the window and landed gracefully on a branch.I was hungry for mice.Here mousy,mousy,mousy, I thought.I listened.The drip,drip of the faucet leaking,the neverending question of the owl saying"who,who?" But no mouse.I listened harder. There. I heard it.The little vemin was by the garden hose.I ran to the backyard as fast as I could. I pounced,and landed on a what the...? Another werecat!I hissed.How dare it be on my turf!It was a little bigger than me,but I still would have fought had the sun not come up. I started changing.My hands grew back to human hands.My ears,feet, and everything else was back to normal.I looked at the other werecat.It was changing,too... It was the girl from the yard sale."Hi!"she said cheerfully. "Hello."I said,uncertain. "I'm glad we didn't fight,I could have killed you!"she said. "Killed me?No way!I'm far better than you at fighting!"I said proudly. "Whatever.What's your name?"She asked. "Rachel."I said "My name is Angel,my werecat name is Avar.You need a werecat name,too." Angel said,"How about Tigra?" "Sure,uh,what name should I call you?" I asked. "When I am in werecat form,call me Avar,when I am a human call me Angel." I saw Angel in school the next day.Which was wierd, because I had never seen her before,and what was wierder was that she is in ALL my classes.My homeroom teacher said that she was new in town.Somehow I didn't think that was completely true,but I didn't say any thing. After school,I had to go shopping with my mom.That night I told myself I couldn't go outside.It wasn't safe. What if I ran into a dog?Or a werewolf?Then I whould be in a lot of trouble. But Angel was waiting for me.Maybe I wouldn't turn into a werecat tonight.Yeah right! Just then I began to change into a werecat.Faster this time.When I was completely a werecat I jumped out the window.Perfect landing.I climbed down.There was Angel...I mean Avar. I wish we could talk to each other,I thought. ^We can^Avar said. ^Cool!^I said^All I have to do is think!^ ^Must not be something you are used to,huh?^Avar said. ^Ha,ha,ha.very funny!Shut-up!^I shouted. ^O.K.^Avar replied. ^What are we going to do?^I asked. ^I don't know what we're going to do,but I do know that I'm hungry!^ she said. ^Let's hunt!^I said,ready to eat. ^Uh...T-t-t-igra...a-a-a D-d-d-^ Avar stammered. ^What are you talking about?^I asked completely confused. G-G-G-R-R-R-R-R I had my answer... ^RUN!^Avar yelled. I didn't need any encoargement at all!I ran,man,did I run!I raced after Avar at lightning speed.Going as fast as my werecat legs whould take me. The dog was close behind me.So close I could feel the dogs BAD breath on my neck,and I mean bad! There was trash cans in front of us.We were going into an alley. I looked behind me...Big mistake!I saw the giant Doberman.I used to like dogs a lot.But that was when I wasn't about to be Chow-Chow! I jumped onto one of the canisters of trash,turned around and hissed, and that was when I started to change back into a human.I must have been funny how I looked.I was sprawled out onto the can. The dog turned around and left not intrested in eating a human.Ha-ha! I stuck my tongue at the departing dog. Where was Avar,or Angel,I mean. "Hey,Rachel help!"I heard angel call from behind me.I turned around.Angel was stuck,head first in a trash bin. I pulled her out."Thanks."she said. "Bye,I've got to be getting home before my mom notices I'm gone."I said. It took some time getting up the tree and climbing into the window.When I did finally get in my alarm went off.Strange I thought,I'm not even drowsy.I got dressed and wrote a note to my mom telling her I was going to school early,because I had some research to do. As I walked along I thought about what we were going to do that night. "Hi,Rachel!"I heard behind me.I turned around.It was Angel. "Hi."I said. "Can I walk with you to school?"Angel asked. "Sure."I said. We were silent the rest of the way to school. In Social Studies,Angel passed me a note.Before I could read it the teacher,Miss Greenfield,snatched it away from me."Should I read this to the whole class,Miss Rachel?"She asked.I just sank into my seat. "Well then,if you will not answer me then I will go ahead and read it."she paused,waiting for me to say something."It reads:'Meet me behind the dumptsters at midnight.'Rachel what in the world does this mean?" "I,uh,-"I started. "What it means,Miss Greenfield,if I may say..."Angel said. "Continue"Miss Greenfield said. "Rachel and I are trying to write a story,see,and it's about two cats that can talk and they are going to go against human like in The Birds. And they have to hold a meeting somewhere,and we didn't know,but I just figured it out."Angel ended. A few giggles came up through the class,but other than that,the room was totaly silent.Miss Greenfield broke the silence."Well,I am impressed at your writing skills,but next time decide on plots outside of class." At lunch I sat with Angel."Thanks for getting me out of trouble."I said. "That's what friends are for."Angel said."Are you going to eat the rest of that?"she pointed at the macaroni and cheese on my tray.I hate school lunches."Sure,be my guest."I said. "Thanks."she said as she snatched my tray. On the way home Angel walked with me."How 'bout we go over to your house and study for that math test."I asked her. "Uh-I don't think my mom would like it.Bye."And she ran off.I walked the rest of the way home alone. I tried calling her house,but no one answered.Where could that girl be?Well,I'll see her tonight. I changed into a werecat that night very quickly and jumped out the window.I grabed for a branch... missed and fell.I twisted by body and fell on my feet.I let out a cat sigh of relief. ^Wow,Tigra,you sure took a fall!^ Avar said. ^Yeah,and scared me to death, I always wondered if cats always land on thier feet.^I said. ^You just found out.^ ^I hope I'll never have to do that again.^ ^Shhh.^Avar said^I hear a mouse.^ ^Easy prey^I replied. ^Ever caught a mouse ? ^ I asked. ^No^ She answered. We both quietly stalked through the grass,Avar ahead of me. Suddenly Avar pounced. ^Yes ! ^she cried out in triumph. She tossed it to me.I caught it in my mouth and threw it up in the air and caught it. She raced after me. We had a blast until Avar ate it. ^I got to go home^ I said .I slept the rest of the morning. At least it was Friday.The last day of school this week. I woke up and looked at the clock. I said 9:23.I was late!Oh no.My alarm must not have gone off. "Honey,are you awake?"My mom called from down stairs. "Yea,but I'm late.Could you drive me to school?"I called back. I heard someone coming up the stairs."Dear,you have a fever I called the scool and told them you couldn't come today."My mom said."You can go down stairs and watch t.v." "O.K."I said. I was stuck inside all day.My fever broke around 2:30.As I was watching the movie Star Wars:Episode V-The Empire Strikes Back,I heard a knock on the front door."I'm coming,I'm coming!"I said as I got up. Knock!Knock!"Hold your horses!"I yelled.I opened the door."Angel.Hi. What are you-" "Rachel,no time to explain,follow me."Angel dragged me out the door. "Where are we going?"I asked. "Just follow me."she said. We walked for several blocks.When we stopped we were at a Flea Market. "Why are we here?"I asked,then I saw it.Over by some old furniture was a box of cat necklaces like Angels and mine."What are we going to do?"I whispered. "Watch and see if anybody takes them."She replied.We watched for an hour and finally A small girl came over and bought one.We followed her and kept our distance.She went into a house."Got a pen and paper?"Angel asked. "Yeah"I said as I handed them to her.She wrote down the address and turned to me. "Meet me outside of your house at midnight."And she ran off. Getting down the tree that night was easy.When I got down she was pacing back and forth. ^What took you so long?^She demanded. ^Let's just get going,what are we going to do about that girl?^ I asked. ^Follow me^ she said as she dashed off. And let me tell you something, werecats are fast.Very fast. Soon we found ourselves at the girl's house. There was a black and white cat slipping down the storm drain. When she got to the gound she started coming our way. ^She's coming our way.^ I said to Avar. ^Duh.I know.^ She said. I steped out in front of the cat.She looked surprized, but she didn't run or get mad. ^Hello?^I said. ^W-w-ho a-a-re you?^she sounded so pathetic. ^I am Avar^ Avar said as she stepped out of the shadows. ^And I am Tigra...and you?^ I asked. ^My name is Sarah.Why am I a cat?^She asked. ^It is because of the necklace you bought at the flea market.^Avar said calmly. ^Am I going to be a cat forever?^She asked. ^No, we just become werecats at night.^Avar said. ^Are you sure?^She asked,still not convinced. ^Yes,we change back into humans during the day.^I said,reasuring her and myself. ^Do dogs chase werecats,too?^ Sarah asked. ^Yes,but I think we are safe here.^I said. GGGGGRRRRRRRRR. ^Um,Maybe not...RUN!!^I yelled. ^Hahahahah!^Avar burst out laughing. ^This is no time to laugh!^I said. ^Just...look...haha...behind...you.^ she said,she was laughing so hard that she was gasping for breath. I turned around.There standing right in front of me was a small,skiny little dog,yaping it's little head of.If I had hands I whould of choked it. "Yap,yap,bark,yap,bark,bark,yap"the dog said.I hissed.It backed off a little. ^Now that's doggie YAP.^ Avar said. ^Shut-up!^I said, shooting daggers at Avar.^How about you get rid of this "thing"^ ^Sure.^She said and looked the dog straight in the eyes. It ran cheerfully away. ^See.^She said. ^Stupid dog.^I mumbled. That night we had a lot of fun teaching Sarah how to be a werecat. A sunrise I we went are seperate ways.Just when I climbed in bed the alarm went off... I hit the snooze button. Today was Saturday.I left a note for my mom saying I was going out with a couple of friends.I started walking to Sarah's house. Angel was there waiting for me. "How did you know I was going to be here?"I asked. "I didn't"Angel said. "So what are we going to do?"I asked. "We are goig to ask her to come with us."Angel replied. "Where?"I asked. "You'll see."Angel said. We walked up to Sarah's door and I knocked. "Yes?" Sarah's mom answered the door. "Can we see Sarah , please ?"Angel asked . "Sure , one moment ." she said . I soon found out where we were going...My house. "My mom is got to do some shopping today and I have to watch my sister and brother " I tried another futile approach,"Besides, my mom doesn't even know you." "Who's to say you can't have new friends?" Angel pointed out. "And we could help you watch your sister and brother." Sarah said.It was the first time she had spoken during the arguement . I gave in. "Yeah , mom , we'll be good ."I was in yet another arguement . I gave a loud sigh . "Okay . Now I will back around four . " she said ," Watch your sister and brother closely , Rachel ." "I will ." I said . After about three more minutes of that my mom was out the door , finally . "What are we going to do ?" Sarah asked . "We are going to tell you how to be a werecat ." Angel said . ,"First of all , regular cats and werecats are mortal enemies , regular cats are like mice to us . Second of all you are very big when you are a werecat ,but you are more agile than a regular cat . A werecat is very fast . They can get up to 35 mph when they need to ." I stood there with my mouth hanging wide open. "I didn't know you knew so much , you sound like an expert !" I said . "I , umm , just know it ." she said,"Let's get a snack ." " Extra pepperoni , hold the mice ."Sarah said . We burst out laughing . We all went to the kitchen (includung Sallie and Seth ) . I fixed a peanut-butter and banana sandwich . "Yuck ! You're actually going to eat that ?"Sarah asked . "Of coarse I am ." I said ,"It's either that or mice-krispies ." I got only a few chuckles and one groan from that ... better luck next time . "Gross!" Sallie exclaimed. When mom got back she said Sarah and Angel had to go home . "Bye ." I said. "See ya , alleycat." said Angel . "Bye , Rachel." said Sarah . Then they left . I started wondering where Angel lived and why she wouldn't let me know . I suddenly got an idea ."Be right back , mom !"I shouted . "Be back before dinner ."she yelled back . I followed Angel closely , but kept out of her sight . After awhile we came to an alley .She started changing into a werecat right there in broad daylight. GRRRRRRRR. uh-oh! "Run Angel run!"I yelled after her . ^What the-^She started . Then she ran off . I turned around to walk home . GGRRR. There in front of me was the giant Doberman . GGGRRRRRR.It said then it leaped at me . I woke up breathing hard .I was in my bed . It was only a dream .I had just lived the most terrifying week of my life in a few hours . I touched my neck . The necklace was still there . I ran to the window . It was still dark . I saw a very large cat running very fast . ^See ya ,Tigra .^ said Avar . "See ya, Avar "I whispered The End

The Realm