Conversations with Critters

Walk with the animals. Talk with the animals. And the highly anticipated release of Chap. 19 of The Case of The Misplaced Priority Envelope...

Dec 17, 2024

Today, Critters, the J Kitten, Sleuth & Purveyor of Bright Shiny Objects Detective Agency is down the homestretch toward the happy happy holidays! We’ve got one more absolutely amazing chapter to go after this, so please stay tuned as we wrap it up with a big bow next week!

But! We’ve still got a little ways to go on the investigative path unwinding, so let’s join our Core Community Critters, Jasper Kitten, Chris and Jojo for the introductory commentary on Chapter 19. Please, join them in excellent evacuation-to-safety critter conversation!

Jasper: Critters! Hello, Everyone! Previously, we saw justice served at the Lighthouse in a harrowing encounter between the Critter Detectives and the Villain, the Nefarious Perp!

Chris: Correct, Jasper Kitten, and I’m still flexing my toebeans.

Jojo: That’s right, Jasper Kitten and Chris. And I’m still on the very verge of my retirement.

Jasper: It’s an incredible journey, Friends! So let’s find out! What! Happens! Next!

The Case of The Misplaced Priority Envelope
Book 1 from the J Kitten, Sleuth & Purveyor of Bright Shiny Objects Detective Agency
By Jasper Kitten, Chris and Star in Heaven Furever and Ever and Introducing Jojo
Dedicated in luvluvluving memory of Star
Chapter 19
Return to The Mainland

The sun cast its late afternoon rays on the Farallones, lengthening the shadows of Jasper Kitten, Chris and Star as they traversed the switchbacks downhill from the Lighthouse to the Victorian cottage on the left.

They watched the boat crane arc over the water. Sgt. Det. Jojo stood on the rocky shore and saluted his deputies who ferried the Perp Crew to the big speedy police boat and departed for San Francisco.

Clementine and Petal bounded off the cottage porch and met up with Jojo. They saluted him and stood at attention toward the distant horizon. Cecil and Rose remained on the porch and kept careful watch on their Furbabies.

“Gosh, it sure looks like their parents gave them permission to go outside again,” surmised Star.

“Correct, Star,” mewed Jasper Kitten. “If my instincts serve me correctly, the Serval Family, has been informed by Sgt. Det. Jojo that justice has been served and, furthermore and most of all, that they are safe and will return to the Savannah.”

“Gosh, Jasper Kitten, our work here is almost done.”

“Yes, we can look forward to Clementine and Petal growing up wild and free.”

“Now that,” said Chris, flexing his toebeans, “will be an incredible journey.”

They turned onto the last switchback and saw a pair of yellow webbed toebeans on the path.

Finnegan waddled forward.

“I can only offer my gratitude to you, Jasper Kitten, Chris and Star. The world is minus the Nefarious Perp. That is a gain of great magnitude. Furever,” said Finnegan, extending his clipped wing to them.

Jasper Kitten reached out a white gloved paw to the Rhinoceros Auklet.

“The feeling is entirely mutual, Finnegan,” replied Jasper Kitten. “Justice. Has. Been. Served.”

A moment of solemnity and silence passed between them on the path unwinding.

“Animal magnetism,” said Finnegan.

“Animal magnetism,” chorused Jasper Kitten, Chris and Star.

They followed the path to the cottage and joined Cecil and Rose on the porch. The Servals beamed with pride at their Furbabies who stood off in the distance, shoulder to shoulder with Sgt. Det. Jojo.

“Perhaps, Cecil, we need to consider something about our Furbabies,” said Rose.

“You mean that they’ve done a lot of growing up lately?” he mused, his green eyes welling up with tears.

“Yes, the girls are not too young to be Cadets after all that we have been through, after being wildlife trafficked, catnapped and stuffed in burlap sacks and, thankfully, ultimately reunited with us. They have been instrumental in seeing justice served,” she said.

“Whether by land or by sea or by air, they have options as to what branch of Cadet service they will pursue,” he replied, a tear drop falling on the porch.

“And we will support them in their decision,” agreed Rose. “Although, seeing them with Sgt. Det. Jojo leads me to suspect that we already know the answer.”

“Cecil and Rose, if I may be so bold,” Jasper Kitten furrowed his orange striped brow.

“Please, Jasper Kitten, anything, anything at all. You’ve done so much for our family and the entire animal kingdom. Your sense of justice, your investigative excellence in solving the case, please. What is it?” said Cecil.

“Thank you, Cecil,” mewed Jasper Kitten. “Your Furbabies, Clementine and Petal, have given the J Kitten, Sleuth & Purveyor of Bright Shiny Objects Detective Agency an invaluable level of assistance in solving The Case of The Misplaced Priority Envelope.”

“Thank you, Jasper Kitten, that is high praise indeed,” replied Rose.

“We are deeply and truly humbled to be your Clients. Thank you very much for agreeing to take our Case,” said Cecil.

“Of course, Cecil. Of course. Now, in terms of becoming Cadets, the choice does seem quite favorable to pursue the path of a Sheriff,” continued Jasper Kitten, observing the bond between the Serval Furbabies and Sgt. Det. Jojo on the rocky shore. “Although, perhaps a level of Naval training with Capt. Kangaroo Rat would not be entirely out of the question.”

“This is a suggestion well worth considering,” said Rose.

“We will keep it in mind,” said Cecil.

“In my humble opinion,” said Chris, tapping a toe bean, “I wouldn’t entirely rule out the Private Sector either.”

“In the days and weeks up ahead,” considered Rose, “we will explore all options for our Furbabies and their shining bright futures.”

“With your permission, I will speak with Sgt. Det. Jojo and help Clementine and Petal apply for Officer Training School if that is what they decide to do. Their futures are shining bright indeed,” said Jasper Kitten.

“Gosh, Mr. Cecil Serval, look at how far we’ve come since I first pinned you by your ears to the Catio floor,” said Star, the light flashing in her eyes.

“Thank you, Star. You showed me your can do Chihuahua attitude from the very start and now the case is completely cracked open,” smiled Cecil. “We only have a little ways to go yet, for the Savannah awaits our return.”

The big speedy police boat motored out of view. Jojo returned to the cottage, flanked by Clementine and Petal.

“Your Furbabies have a shining bright future,” barked Jojo to Cecil and Rose.

“Thank you, Sgt. Det. Jojo, we were just discussing that very matter,” said Rose.

“We are so very proud of our daughters, Sgt. Det. Jojo. They clearly look up to you,” added Cecil.

“They show remarkable promise as Detectives. I say this with the full authority of my experience and seniority,” barked Jojo again. “Although, I am on the very verge of my retirement, please, do not hesitate to contact me about their education if you feel there is anything that I can do to help and, furthermore, to be of service,” replied Jojo.

“Ditto for their educational needs if they choose to pursue the Private Sector,” said Jasper Kitten. “You know where to find us. In fact, Jojo will be joining Star in the Canine Unit of our Agency after his retirement.”

“Thank you, Jojo and Jasper Kitten, and congratulations. We have much to consider for our Furbabies and their future,” commented Cecil.

“Please! Please!” shouted Clementine and Petal to their parents. “Can we puhleeze be Cadets?”

“We can talk about your future when we get back to the Mainland,” promised Rose.

“We want to be like Sgt. Det. Jojo and the J Kitten, Sleuth & Purveyor of Bright Shiny Objects Detective Agency when we grow up!” They danced around on the porch, batting at each other.

“There is a further consideration as to the quality of your education,” mewed Jasper Kitten, his orange striped brow furrowed once again.

Clementine and Petal stopped playing and furrowed their brows back at him.

“What?” they asked.

“You must work on your writing skills to be successful no matter what investigative branch you pursue, whether as a Sheriff or in the Private Sector.”

“That sounds kinda hard for us, Jasper Kitten, cuz we’re still Furbabies,” they laughed and started to play again.

“We have just the right tutor for you,” and Jasper Kitten nodded toward Finnegan. “That is, if he’s not too busy.”

Clementine and Petal looked inquisitively at Finnegan. The Rhinoceros Auklet stepped out of the shadows of the porch and raised his clipped wing.

“It would be the honor of my lifetime to teach the two of you to write,” he bowed.

“We heard that your horn glows in the dark,” they remarked.

“It fluoresces, yes.”

“How cool is that,” they said. “But what about your wing? Don’t you need help? We can help you, Mr. Finnegan Rhino Auklet. We won’t let anyone hurt you ever again.”

“That is most kind of you. I will be going to a Wing Specialist for medical care at RRUFFS when we return to the Mainland. After that, I would welcome your esteemed presence in a learning environment. I believe that a correspondence course would be in order.”

“Speaking of the Mainland,” Chris tapped a toebean on the porch, “I will pack up and prepare the Zodiac for launch. We have enough daylight left to make it back to the Golden Gate.”

“Gosh, Chris, I’ll help you pack. Let’s get out of here!” barked Star.

Jasper Kitten and Jojo walked with the Serval Family and Finnegan toward the Zodiac. Clementine and Petal scampered ahead, saluting each other and laughing.

“I salute you, Cadet Petal!”

“I salute you, Cadet Clementine!”

“We’ll really have something to write home about!” they shouted to Cecil and Rose.

“Clementine and Petal, please don’t run too far ahead,” called Cecil.

“We won’t be sorry to leave this place,” said Rose, “and still, somehow, it brought all of us together.”

“For that we are grateful,” replied Cecil.

The winds were calm and the marine layer still clung offshore. Jasper Kitten and Jojo helped the Serval Family and Finnegan board the Zodiac, then they too hopped on board, followed by Star. With the chains attached to the boat, Chris operated the crank and the Zodiac swung out over the water and in a final moment of suspended animation on the Farallones, they all instinctively knew that they were going home, free and furever.

Two hours later, the Critters cruised into the waters of the Golden Gate with a mild wind at their backs. Jasper Kitten navigated the Zodiac to the dock of the Rewilding Rehabilitation & Utter Furever Free Sanctuary, a gentle light cast upon the shore from the setting sun.

“My friends, Finnegan and the Serval Family,” he mewed from the dock. “It is indeed our honor now to escort you onshore to RRUFFS where you will be sheltered and cared for, starting with a full and nutritious dinner. Finnegan will receive specialty medical care for his clipped wing. From there, when you are rested and ready, you will return to your Home Environments. Furever and ever.”

“But Jasper Kitten,” cried Cecil, “how can we ever repay you for your detective work? As your Client, I must square the bill with you for taking our case and completely cracking it wide open.”

“There is no bill to square nor is there any other geometric form that can be applied to the cost of our professional investigative services rendered, not a circle, not a triangle, not a rectangle, not a parallelogram.”

“Jasper Kitten, are you saying…,” said Cecil.

“Do you mean…,” said Rose.

“Yes. Your family reunion and freedom is all the payment needed or required by the J Kitten, Sleuth & Purveyor of Bright Shiny Objects Detective Agency.”

“But how can we ever thank you for what you’ve done to reunite and free us as a family?

Jasper Kitten reached out a white gloved paw toward Clementine and Petal.

“Cecil and Rose, my instincts serve me correctly when I say, be generous with your children. This is all the thanks we need. Please. Proceed.”

The Detectives helped the Servals and Finnegan disembark from the Zodiac.

A welcoming and robust Pangolin met them at the entrance to RRUFFS and then Sgt. Det. Jojo and the J Kitten, Sleuth & Purveyor of Bright Shiny Objects Detective Agency turned to go.

“Thank you, thank you very much, we luvluvluv you,” waved the Serval Family.

“I luvluvluv you, Jasper Kitten, Chris, Star and Jojo,” bid Finnegan in farewell. He raised his clipped wing and it lifted higher, effortless on the wind.

“Our luvluvluv to all of you, Critters!” they called back.

Jasper Kitten and Star waved a white gloved and cinnamon brown paw in return, Chris tap tapped his toebeans and Jojo gave his Sheriff’s salute.

They strode back to the water and Jasper Kitten steered the boat away from RRUFFS. The Detectives continued on to the Earthquake Shack and moored the Zodiac at the dock nearby. Jasper Kitten, Chris and Star hopped out and Jojo passed their gear to them.

“I’ll take the Zodiac to the Sheriff’s Safe Harbor,” called Jojo. “We’ll contact Capt. Kangaroo Rat on the High Seas and it will be ready for pick up on their return route to South America.”

“Thank you for handling these logistics, Sgt. Det. Jojo,” said Jasper Kitten.

“It is my sworn duty,” saluted Jojo. “And the least I can do for you on the very verge of my retirement.”

“Congratulations are in order for your career of service and duty to the animal kingdom,” mewed Jasper Kitten.

“Here here,” called Chris.

“I commend you, Sgt. Det. Jojo,” barked Star, “and I must add, with all the might of my can do Chihuahua attitude, we can hardly wait for you to join us at the Canine Unit of the J Kitten, Sleuth & Purveyor of Bright Shiny Objects Detective Agency!”

“Thank you, my friends and highly esteemed colleagues,” barked Jojo in return, “I will see you soon for the departure to the Northlands and the Condo in the Wooded Valley.” And with that, he gunned the engine and the Zodiac shot forward.