"When we battled that hound, I remembered that I have to stop an evil spirited kitty." explained Gold. "She is in Florida, and I must go alone."

Gold may be strong, but he would have to think again if he thought he could survive very long in his current state. He would not even last a week. I knew I had to do something.

"You're not going alone!" I yelled. "You're going to need a partner before you think about doing anything like that."

"I don't know what to say, Maxine." Gold said. "Do you really want to do something like that? You would have to give up everything and what if you didn't return."

I licked my tiger-striped fur for a while thinking. It was true I would have to leave behind all my friends and family. Cream couldn't go because she was soon going to a bunch of cat competitions to compete around the world. Tom and Jeanette couldn't go either.

"I'll do it." I said. "Tonight I'll tell Tom and Jeanette."

"We'll go tomorrow." Gold said. "Be sure to eat a big meal."
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When I returned that night to my masters' (owners') house, Tom and Jeanette knew right away something was on my mind.

"Maxine, you haven't touched your pellets." Tom said worried. "What's on your mind?"

"Is something wrong?" Jeanette asked. "Are you sick or something?"

So I told them everything. I told them about finding Gold, getting attacked by the Hound, and about the big journey.

  "I want to come with you."  Tom said.  "I don't want you to fight this battle alone."

  I was surprised at his answer.  Tom is like a patriot, never obeying any order and always trying to stop someone.  There was only one problem with his answer; Tom has never been outside before in his life. 

He always said the same excuse.  "My pure black and white coat will never blend in with the brambles and bushes.  Ask someone else!"

  "I wish I could go."  Jeanette said.  "There are only three problems with that.  One, I've never been outside.  Two, I've got a collar with a bell on it.  Three, I'm only a kitten."

  If only she were like me and FireStar; always going outside.  When FireStar joined his Clan, his collar got snapped off by Longtail, now dead.  BlueStar saw it as a sign that FireStar was worthy.  If only I could snap her collar off.

"It's good she's staying."  Tom said.  "Everyone in our masters' (owners') house would become antsy if her Russian Blue coat wasn't around."

  Tom had a point there.  If all three of us were going, our masters (owners) would become suspicious of our activity.  They would call the pound or worse.  They would be endangering our mission if they caught Gold.
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The next day it was time for us to leave.  Both of us would miss everyone in our neighborhood.

  "Goodbye Jeanette!"  both me and Tom yelled.  "Be good to our masters (owners)!"