Hisses & Kisses

By Cortney Bolek

Once upon a time, in a big, bustling city, there lived two cats who had never met.

Hisses was a scruffy black-and-white cat with no home of his own.
His fur was tangled from roaming the streets. His tummy always rumbled. He slept behind staircases or beside trash bins to stay warm.
But more than anything, Hisses felt lonely. His heart ached for a friend.

Across the city lived Kisses, a gentle brown-and-white cat in a fancy apartment.
She used to be so happy, curled in her cozy chair beside her loving owner.
But one day, her owner went to sleep and didn’t wake up.
Now, the apartment was quiet. The chair was empty.
And Kisses felt very, very alone.

One sunny day, Hisses was sniffing around for food when he saw Kisses sitting on a doorstep.
Her fur glowed like autumn leaves in the sunlight. She looked unlike any cat he’d ever seen.

“Hello,” Hisses meowed shyly. “Are you lost?”

Kisses looked up with sad eyes.
“I don’t have a home anymore,” she said softly. “My person is gone, and I’m all alone.”

Hisses lowered his tail.
“I’ve never had a home,” he said. “People think I’m mean because I’m scruffy. But really... I’m just lonely.”

Kisses tilted her head, her whiskers twitching.
“We may look different, but we feel the same,” she said gently. “Can we be friends?”

Hisses’ eyes lit up. His tail gave a hopeful twitch.
“Yes,” he meowed. “We can help each other.”

From that moment on, they stayed side by side—
Exploring the city, sharing scraps, curling up close on chilly nights.

One day, they wandered into a busy market.
The air smelled like fresh fish, sweet apples, and warm bread.

“Follow me!” Hisses whispered.
He showed Kisses how to slip past stalls and find food without being seen.

Kisses was nervous... but she tried—and she did it!
They giggled as they shared a shiny salmon behind a crate.

Nearby, a tiny mouse was shivering.
“He looks hungry,” Kisses said.
Hisses nudged the salmon toward him.
The mouse squeaked with joy.

“We’re a good team,” Kisses purred.
“Sharing makes everything better,” Hisses agreed.

Another day, they found a secret garden hidden between tall buildings.
Cherry blossoms floated through the air like soft pink snow.
Kisses danced through the petals, giggling as they tickled her nose.
Hisses stretched in a patch of sun, watching her with a smile.

“You make everything feel warm,” he said. “I thought you were too fancy for a cat like me.”

“And I thought you were too tough for a soft cat like me,” Kisses purred.
“But we saw each other’s hearts.”

They had learned:
You should never judge a cat by its fur.

Not every day was easy.

One afternoon, the sky turned dark. Rain poured down.
Pitter-patter! Splash!
Hisses and Kisses darted through the puddles, soaked and shivering.

“Over here!” Hisses called. They squeezed into a tiny shed.
Inside, they shook off the rain and curled up together.

“We’re safe,” Kisses whispered.
“Being brave is easier with a friend,” Hisses said.

As the days passed, they taught each other new things.
Hisses showed Kisses how to find food.
Kisses showed Hisses how to keep his fur clean.

Hisses began to feel proud.
Kisses began to feel strong.
And neither one felt lonely anymore.

One bright afternoon, they found a little house with a colorful garden.
Through the window, a family was laughing around a table.
The air smelled like cookies.

They meowed at the door.

A kind woman opened it.
“Well, hello,” she said with a smile. “Are you looking for a home?”

Hisses and Kisses rubbed against her legs and purred their answer:
“Yes, please.”

Inside, there were soft beds, warm food, gentle hands... and love.

That night, they curled up by the fireplace.

“I’m so glad we found each other,” Hisses whispered.
“I thought I’d always be a lonely alley cat.”

“And I thought I’d always be alone in that quiet apartment,” Kisses said.

“But now…”
“We have each other.”
“We’re not just friends.”
“We’re family.”

And from that day forward, love purred between them—
And loneliness never found its way back.