Once upon a time, in the attic of a small townhouse, there lived a real cat family. Father was a big, round tomcat with a pink nose. His fur was black as coal, without a single white spot. That's why the children in the yard called him Cinder.
Mother was a beautiful long-haired white cat. No one knew how she ended up on the street. There were rumours that she ran away from her owners when she saw Cinder. It was love at first sight. Everyone around called the mother cat Snowy. And soon Cinder and Snowy had little funny kittens.
Nine babies of completely different colours. One had black fur with only white paws, another had a white head and a completely black body. Some had spots, some even had patterns. But everyone in the house loved Cupid the most.
"Why Cupid? Where did such a strange name come from?" you might ask. The thing was, the little one was all black, but on his back there was a large white spot in the shape of a heart. His nose was pink and his eyes were green. So they named him after Cupid – Cupid.
The children in the yard liked to stroke the kitten. And someone even came up with the idea that if Cupid came up and rubbed against you, it meant Cupid had chosen you and you would soon find your true love.
Cupid was a curious but shy kitten. He rarely played with anyone except his brothers and sisters. In the general chasing games, he usually came last. Not because he ran slowly, but because he didn't want to win.
Every time someone won this game, all the yard cats would gather and congratulate the winner, meowing loudly. But Cupid didn't like such attention and didn't seek it. He was quite content with the delighted looks of the children when they admired his fur.
The kittens were born in late summer. For them, the world around was green grass and endless sunshine, splashing in puddles and hunting butterflies. The little cats had never seen any other season. August passed, and their first autumn was approaching.
Cinder and Snowy did their best to insulate the attic. They knew that autumn could be cold and biting. That the sun wouldn't always shine brightly, and clouds would increasingly cover it. And the rain was no longer as joyful and welcome as it had been in summer. For cats, autumn was a difficult time of year when it was harder to find food and keep the house warm.
The little kittens didn't know all these difficulties yet, and for them the arrival of autumn was like a magical dream. Cupid was very surprised when one morning he found yellow, red and burgundy trees instead of the usual green ones. It was as if someone had painted the leaves with bright paint while everyone was asleep.
The kitten went out for a walk on the street. He often went out completely alone. He wasn't afraid at all, because he knew every dog in his yard. And the children never hurt him. He knew where cars might come from, where he could find something to eat, and where it was better not to go.
Cupid was wandering along his usual route between the trees when suddenly his attention was caught by a flying maple leaf. Cupid thought it was an unusual autumn butterfly. He wanted to catch it to get a better look, when a breeze blew and the leaf flew away. Cupid was very upset; he was agile and could jump high.
Usually catching a butterfly was easy for him, but this time it didn't work. The breeze blew again, and several colourful leaves flew out from behind Cupid's back. He perked up and chased after them. One leaf was red, and the other was still green. Cupid decided to chase the red leaf.
He rushed past parked cars and saw the leaf fall on the asphalt. Just as the kitten was about to make his final jump, a new gust of wind caught the leaf and swirled it around. Cupid set off in pursuit again. He ran after the leaf, noticing nothing around him. The leaf would fall, then fly away again, and it only excited the kitten more.
Cupid didn't notice how he ran past the familiar playground, then a football field, shops, a clinic, and houses he didn't know. He had run quite far and suddenly found himself completely exhausted in an unfamiliar yard surrounded by very tall apartment buildings. There he finally caught his prey. The kitten was very upset when he realised he hadn't been hunting a butterfly at all, but just an ordinary leaf, albeit one of such an unusual colour.
The wind blew harder, and Cupid's first leaf fall began. The leaves danced whimsically in the streams of air, becoming more and more numerous. It was an incredible sight! Cupid was still such a small kitten that this small leaf fall was enough to bury him under the leaves completely. He poked his pink nose out from under the pile of leaves, then one ear, and listened to what was happening around him.
It seemed to him that small cat paws were pattering somewhere very close by. Cupid thought it was one of his brothers or sisters and decided to jump out of his hiding place unexpectedly. When the sound of paws came very close, Cupid pushed off as hard as he could and jumped out with a loud and warlike: "Meow!".
It turned out that a small ginger fluffy cat was passing by. She was unfamiliar with Cupid, and when something appeared from a pile of leaves, she got very frightened and hid under the nearest car.
Who are you? – asked the joker in surprise.
But no one answered him. Cupid quietly approached the car and looked under it, but didn't hurry to get close.
Why did you hide there? I'm not a mean dog, I just decided to play a joke. I thought it was one of my family, – said the kitten cheerfully.
One of whose family? – squeaked a thin voice from under the car.
My family. I'm not from this yard. To be honest, I don't even know how I got here.
The cat carefully crawled out from under the car and began to carefully lick her paws.
You frightened me. I'm Lora. I live nearby, – she said with a kind of amazing tenderness in her voice. It was as if the fright had left no trace.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. Well, actually I did, but not you. Anyway, forgive me, please. Do you know how to get to the yard where the small houses are?
Is that the little yard near the football field? Yes, I know how to get there.
Help me, please, find the way home. And I'll introduce you to my family.
Alright, let's go.
Lora and Cupid headed home. On the way, the kitten told how he had mistaken a maple leaf for a beautiful butterfly. Lora didn't laugh. Of course, she knew what autumn was, because she was a bit older than Cupid, but she also liked to chase "autumn butterflies".
When the kittens approached the house, they saw Cupid's worried mother and father. It turned out that the whole cat family had been looking for him for a long time. Cupid apologised and introduced his parents and brothers and sisters to his new acquaintance. Lora was happy to see the other kittens. After meeting each one, she said to Cupid:
You have a big family – that's great, – it seemed that Lora spoke a little sadly.
Yes, but don't you? – Cupid had no idea that someone could live in a family that wasn't as huge as his.
No, my mother and I live alone in a big apartment building. I have owners who take care of us, but I don't have enough friends.
So you're a house cat? – Cupid's eyes widened in surprise.
Yes, but I'm allowed to go for walks on my own. When I want to come back – I just have to meow under the window.
That's brilliant! – said the kitten in amazement.
It's brilliant to have such a big family. But all my brothers and sisters were given to different homes. I don't even know where they are now, – it seemed that Lora was about to cry.
Don't be sad! Do you want to come and play with us every day? And we'll be like brothers and sisters to you too! – Cupid offered happily.
Can I? – she asked shyly.
Of course you can! – Cupid was delighted and ran up to Lora and kissed her on her wet nose.
Oh... – she blushed.
Lora raised her soft fluffy paw and touched Cupid:
You're it! – she said and dived headfirst into a pile of leaves.
Oh, is that so! – Cupid called after her.
The wind lifted the fallen leaves and swirled them again. The kittens ran, chased each other and rolled about in the autumn leaves. And so one little red "autumn butterfly" helped a young shy kitten meet a new friend.
And who knows, perhaps one day Cupid and Lora will themselves become mother and father to a dozen colourful fluffy kittens, and each will have a little heart-shaped spot on their back.
