Melanie was born on a cold not-yet spring night in a world utterly changed by the pandemic -- born disfigured, misshapen, strange, vulnerable, yet with a royal cloak of ermine that was to define her indomitable spirit throughout her short, painful but brilliant life.
Only Grandpa Kermichil seemed to understand the gravity of the situation as he stood watch over the little one.
When he thought about the horrible new world she had been born into, and the afflictions she would suffer, he wept, his bright ball horns shaking...
It was bleak, and Prokofy was not going to be much help here. You could try to flatter him and ask him how he got so big, or where he got those big shoes, but you were lucky if he remembered to feed them before they all got to 30%...
Asking to go out for a walk -- pointless. They'd all learned that long, long ago.
Melanie's little black mom Earlene -- who was also her sister - lay sprawled after the ordeal of childbirth next to her big half-uncle and brother, Colin Powell. Yes, that was his name.
All the Chateau cats who had produced these two black kitties had fled -- only a distance cousin Raymond reminded. They had headed out for the territories -- the Menagerie.
Earlene's husband Dillin, that special child of Gram and Gramps who was the only one in the brood with the ball horns and festive fur, was nestled with his silk pillow. How like Dillin. The greatest challenge to his young life had just occurred -- and he was sleeping through it.
Dear little Melanie! With a pauper's burlap sack for a hat; with that royal robe; with God-knows-what taken out of a quilting bag in Lancaster, Pennsylvania... what as world! What a tortured life! But we will take care of you, dear...
Grandma Serihide came to take counsel and decide what must be done, as grandmas had done from time immemorial. She brought her mom, Olenochka, who had already fallen asleep, another brave reindeer tribe of cats from another era. Serihide stared into the distance.
Soon they would have to make a hard decision...She wished GiGi would wake up...
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