A Night on the River: The Adventures of Bubbles and Squeak

By Michael Carignan

Two cat brothers, Bubbles and Squeak, and their friend, Brutus, head down to the river one night in hopes of finding a tasty treat of fresh fish. Instead the night turns into a raft trip down river, compliments of a rival gang of strays who, after a cat fight, send them on their way.
After an ordeal with a coyote and the near drowning of Bubbles, the felines finally crash into a log that halts their journey away from their home. Their struggle to get back home brings them face to face with a raccoon named Chatty, a pair of sandhill cranes and a badger named Benjamin.
With home finally in their sight they encounter the gang of strays once again. Ultimately the cats finally make it home and back to their everyday routine.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Dec 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9781892589071

Book preview

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Chapter 1

Off to the River

The gritty scrape of the patio screen door sliding shut followed by the slam of the French door and the click of the lock made it clear: the two cats were out for the night. A light breeze shook loose some of the first fall leaves from their summer home and sent them floating in the brisk air. It was brisk but not yet unbearably cold. And above it all hung the huge amber globe of a full moon.

Squeak crouched beneath the glass patio table staring out into the darkness. He listened intently to all of the evening sounds, wondering the origin of each. Some he knew, others he could only imagine. There was the warbled sound of a large bird calling, the wisp of wind clanging the wind chimes, cicadas chirping in harmony. Every now and again he’d hear the whistle of a train or a car driving by out on the street.

Squeak crouched motionless, ready to spring into action should a leaf blow by... or, to streak away should there be any danger.

He listened as he gazed into the shadows. The first routine of watching is assessment. There’s the light shining out the kitchen window hitting the back of the Adirondack chair, across the deck railing and onto the pond. The street light across the way set shadows running in a different direction. The crosshatch of the two created yet another realm of shadows.

There were at least a dozen lights dancing around the neighborhood, creating a grid of shadowy areas drifting well into the night.

Don’t anything move, he whispered to himself.

He knew that was impossible and it wasn’t his call to control the shadows. But that achy feeling of fear in his gut made him hope everything would listen.

There was one shadow, one sound he was quite familiar with but he hadn’t heard it yet that night.

Bubby, where you at? he shouted.

Over here by the pond. Where you at? came the reply.

I’m here under the table. Oh, yeah, I see you now, said Squeak. "Those white patches really stick out against the dark night, ain’t no hidin’ you. Can’t see me, can you? Un uh, that’s why I stay right here in the dark."

I might not be able to see you with all that black and grey but the way you run your mouth I know where you are most of the time, giggled Bubby as he jumped up on the deck and into the light shining out of the kitchen window. His orange spots stood out against the white of his coat in the dim light. So what are you going to do tonight, tough guy? Hide there in the shadows and shiver in fear at everything that sounds or looks scary?

Not exactly... I thought I’d play with the shadows for a while and then call it a night... you know, curl up on that old rug under the deck and saw some logs.

Whoa, slow down there champ. You sure you can handle all that excitement? ribbed Bubby.

Why? You got something better to do?

Well, yeah, as a matter of fact, I do. Brutus and I are going down to the river.

Where? responded Squeak with a quizzical look on his face.

"The river... you know... the water that flows through the trees down