What if Hudson called for the truck and in the time before it arrived, Bas fell?
“Bas,” Hudson hissed.
The cat didn’t even twitch.
“Bas!” Hudson called a little louder. He didn’t want to scare the small creature.
Okay, Hudson thought the leg moved. Just a little.
“Bas! Are you stuck? Bas!”
The leg disappeared and Hudson nearly yelled before he was staring at Bas’s cute face as the cat stared down at him. If a cat could scowl, then that was the expression on Bas’s face.
“Are you stuck?” Hudson asked again. “Do I need to call for help?”
Okay, asking the dang cat his opinion probably wasn’t the smartest thing that Hudson could do but he was at a loss how to help Bas.
Bas yawned, showing those sharp teeth.
He seemed tired.
Hudson hated to wake him, but a cat really shouldn’t nap in a tree! “I’m going to get help,” he decided and shared with Bas. “I’ll get the ladder truck here from the fire station. It’s just across the street. Just don’t fall!”
Wow, margays, if that was Bas’s species, had very expressive faces. Bas seemed annoyed. Maybe he wasn’t stuck? The internet search had informed Hudson that margays were awesome climbers. They practically lived in trees.
Of course! Bas wasn’t just a regular housecat. He was considered an endangered species. Hudson was going about this all wrong. Not that it helped his heart when Bas gave a massive stretch.
“Can you just come down?” Hudson pleaded. “I’m really scared that you’re going to fall.”
Very slowly, Bas began the trek down.
Hudson hovered below Bas just in case.
It seemed to take forever. Hudson was scared to look away.
“Hey, Hud! I thought we were meeting at the diner.”
Hudson waved his hand frantically at his brother, never looking away from the cat getting closer.
“What are you doing?” Carter asked, joining Hudson under the tree.
“Bas was up there again!” Hudson couldn’t help how his voice shook.
Bas stopped looking from Hudson to his brother. His little lip lifted, showing a fang in Carter’s direction.
“He seems fine to me,” Carter said. “A little cranky, but aren’t most cats’ assholes?”
Hudson didn’t think so. Sure, cats weren’t known to be as affectionate as dogs but that didn’t mean they didn’t need or want love too. “Stop!” He smacked Carter’s shoulder. “He’ll hear you.”
“He’s a cat,” Carter deadpanned. “What do I care?”
Bas yowled and if Hudson wasn’t wrong, Bas did not appreciate Carter’s assessment at all.
“It’s okay, buddy,” Hudson cooed. “Come on. Come to me!”
Beside him, Carter huffed. “I thought we were having lunch?”
Bas chose that moment to leap from the tree.
