Zach and Puffy- The Wolf of Cattogratz I Story by Shehryaar, 13, Pune

 Zach and Puffy- The Wolf of Cattogratz

It was an hour past dark as Puffy and Zachary were lazing around on the living room floor, listlessly watching television, where a dull dog food commercial was being poorly presented. Zachary whined with the characteristic air of a downright bored dog, while Puffy was busy taking advantage of the dog’s general lethargy by happily lapping up the milk from his bowl. 

Abruptly, the irksomely dull commercial vanished from the screen and was replaced by what looked like a haggard journalist reporting to the town folks about a very important event (not that Puffy and Zach cared). He spoke in a rather tremulous voice, and Puffy, with his head deeply submerged in Zach’s bowl, could scarcely comprehend its contents. However, when he emerged, feeling a sense of pride that he had outwitted his canine counterpart, he saw Zach in a rather alarmed and terrified state, with his fur rising up five feet in the air (if such a hyperbole is adequate to describe the situation). He heard a loud chattering noise from the dog’s long, sharp teeth and turned his attention to the television to grasp what was happening. It happened to be an alert to the residents of the town that a uniquely large wolf, found and captured in a remote forest in northern Canada, had escaped the boundaries of the zoo and was on the prowl in the city. The warning was quite intense and specifically alerted all the citizens to ensure that their pets and wards alike were well-enclosed and protected from the beastly terror. 

When this hideous truth suddenly dawned upon ever-innocent Puffy, the horrified feline pounced upon a nearby cupboard in terror, and Zach consequently retreated beneath the sofa, both being under the impression that the horrid creature was already present inside their abode. All of a sudden, the lights gave in, and a blackout hit the entire street, possibly as a result of people trying to keep their lights on to scare the wolf. Zach howled in fear and trembled rampantly under the sofa. Puffy, being a cat, was well adapted to motion in the dark and stealthily made his way to the hapless dog. For a moment, Zach thought that the wolf was upon him and had just about let out the most horrendous howl that a dog could muster when Puffy purred loudly (a clever move given that the neighbours could easily mistake Zach for the wolf). 

Zach, feeling a tad comforted in the presence of his companion and also trying to portray the impression that he was a bold and fearless dog, stopped shivering. Just then, a loud, crashing noise broke the silence of the night. Puffy and Zach froze in imminent fear of the wolf. Then, at the instigation of the brave cat, both stepped out and made a very silent and cautious approach to the basement from where the sound was heard. Zach promptly caught hold of a flashlight and clasped it between his teeth in the luminous light of which he stepped down into the basement. They could hear a mysterious rustling beneath, and Zach turned his head to illuminate the lower level.  A large, darkened figure with two eyes reflecting a bright white light was revealed, and he growled intensely, having caught sight of the two. Zach and Puffy hurriedly scampered into the house, Zach having dropped the torch into the basement. 

The gruesome beast was close at their heels, its eyes a bright, fierce red, opening its jaws as wide as a crocodile to snap shut its prey. Puffy and Zach unknowingly darted into the kitchen, chased by their wild counterpart, with Puffy managing to reach a secure position out of the wolf’s reach (on top of the fridge). Zach found himself immediately cornered by the wolf and shivered in fear. The wolf was about to attack the hapless dog when he howled out in fear. The piercing howl startled the horrid wolf to the extent that he darted away with his fur raising up in astonishment at Zach’s howling feat. Even the neighbours, who had been preparing to deal with the terror, were alerted and barged into the unmanned house with all the weapons they could muster. All the lights in the house were switched on, and loud screams filled the air, completely disrupting the dead silence of the night. The cause of the disturbance proved to be a ragged dog lying flat on the kitchen floor, breathless and exhausted. The people did reluctantly tend to the dog but were quite disheartened that their effort went in vain. They eventually retreated to their own homes after generously utilizing the house’s resources as compensation. After they had dispersed and the lights were switched off again, the dark figure appeared again, but this time with a more cowardly stature. Zach noticed the wolf’s sheepishness and greeted him with a menacing scowl. Astounded and thoroughly scared of the dog’s devastating howl, the wolf retreated with its tail between its legs from the house, but Zach daringly gave chase to the timid creature. The wolf, initially hesitant, took to his feet in fear of the ‘horrendous’ dog, only to run into the Animal Rescue van, which had just come to the neighbourhood at the instigation of the neighbours. The van’s officers captured the horrid beast, took him back, and released him to the wilderness in fear of another escape (or a possible mass escape by the zoo animals). 

Puffy and Zach, on the other hand, found quite a lot of joy in watching the news to find that the imminent threat of the wolf had been vanquished and they were now free to enjoy the safety and comfort of their home.

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