Title: Lucky & Chance  (A Tom-Kitten and his Frog)
Author: Rebecca Mason

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     Chance lay on his bed as the morning sun shone through the window and curtains
into his eyes.

     "Arrrgghh!!!" he screamed and rubbed his sore eyes. 

     He got up, opened the window, and looked at the scenery. Chance's room
overlooked the MegaKat city park.  He could see other kittens out there.  Felina was up a
tree.  Feral was in a panic to get her down.  Chance opened the window to hear the
Tom-Kat's panicked words.

     "If I don't get her down from there, I'm gonna be grounded for weeks!!.... And, I
won't be able to get any doughnuts!!" 

     "Hah Hah Hahhh!!" Chance giggled, thinking about what Feral said. 

     But then, he looked at the other kittens.  There was Murray, Burke, and Mac
getting told off by Mayor Manx. "Heh, wonder what they've done now?" Chance asked
himself.

      Lieter was talking to Aby Sinian. 

     "But, it's impossible to resurrect a dinosaur!! ...er.. Why'd ya wanna do that
anyway?" Chance could hear Lieter asking Aby. 

     Aby replied, "Well, think about it - you could ride in the air.  Maybe tower above
the city.  The dinosaur's poop could be used to burn energy...... and the dinosaur would
make a good guard pet too." 

     Lieter looked kinda puzzled and shocked.  "Um..... Yeah, I guess so," Chance
heard Lieter reply.  

     Chance had taken in the dinosaur information.  He smiled.  "Maybe I could get a
big dinosaur too."

     Chance rushed downstairs and out the front door, He ran down the street, took a
shortcut, and came out near the library.  He found a book on dinosaurs and was reading at
top speed. 

     "Hey Chance!" Chance heard a familiar voice call. 

     "Hi, Jake," Chance said, not looking up from the book.

     Jake asked his buddy, "What're ya doing?" 

     Chance didn't answer, so Jake went and peered over Chance's shoulder. 
"Hmmmm...  Dinosaurs..... Cool choice.....  Um, are you doing your homework for
once?!" 

     Chance looked at Jake.  "No, I'm not doing homework - I'm reading about
dinosaurs.  I heard Lieter and Aby talking about resurrecting dinosaurs, and I thought
about how cool it would be to have a dinosaur as a pet." 

     "Hmmm, I suppose it would be cool," Jake said to his friend. "Ya know what?"

     "What?" 

     "Frogs have been said to be a distant relative." 

     "Cool."
 
     "But, Chance..."

     "Yeah, buddy?" 

     "You're dressed in your pajamas!" 

     "Oh!" Chance said, realizing why so many kats had been looking at him and
laughing. 

     He and Jake ran out of the library.  Everyone was laughing and the librarian was
trying to get everyone to shut up.

      "Shhhhh!!!  Shhhhhhhh!!!!!" 

     Back at Chance's house, Chance got dressed and Jake was studying the park. 

     "Hmmm, let's see - the swings are there, the slide is there, the climbing trees are
over there... so the pond is......THERE!!" Jake yelled, pointing to the distant area of the
park. 

Later on, Chance and Jake hurried over to the distant area; there was the pond indeed. 
Chance got an empty jar out of his trusty rucksack.  

     "A rucksack - don't leave home without it," Chance said smiling.  "Look, Jake, I
punched some air holes in the lid," Chance said to his little friend, waving the jar under
Jake's nose.

     "That's very thoughtful of you, Chance," Jake said, gently pushing the jar away. 
"Come on, Chance.  Otherwise, you won't be able to get a frog!" 

     "Okay.....  Hey, Jake, hold my ankles so I don't fall in." 

     "Okay Chance." 

     So, the frog catching began. Chance felt like he was in a game of apple bobbing
except he had to bob for frogs.  After a few misses, Chance finally got a frog in the jar. 

     "I got one! Pull me up, pull me up!!!!!!" 

     That evening, Chance was trying to teach the frog some tricks. 

     "Okay, Lucky, roll over." 

     Jake lifted one eyebrow.  "Er.... Chance, I don't think frogs can do any tricks.... 
Er..  Why'd ya call it Lucky?"
 
     Chance explained the frog's name to Jake.

     "Well, ya see, Jake - I called my frog Lucky cos I'm called Chance.  And, when
you put our names together it says Lucky Chance...  And, I'm teaching it to do more tricks
cos all it can do is jump and extend its tongue....  Oh, and it can puff up its chest."  

     Jake smiled.  "But, isn't that enough tricks?" 

     Chance's eyebrows lowered.  "Oh yeah, I can picture it now - Come see the great
Lucky puff up its chest, hop, and eat flies.  Oh sure, I'd be famous." 

     Jake could tell Chance was being sarcastic.  He shrugged.  "Fine, you teach that
frog more tricks!  Be seen as a idiot to everyone!  I don't care!!!!" 

     Jake ran out of Chance's house, to his own.  Normally Jake didn't cry much, but,
this time, he was in tears.
 
     Weeks went by and Jake didn't see Chance at all.  And, Chance was missing Jake. 
He cried a lot during that time.  He blamed the frog for what happened.

     "I should've called you Unlucky!!" Chance shouted at the frog.  "I can't believe I
was so stupid!" 

     That evening, Chance took Lucky back to the pond and let it go.

     "Bye, Lucky," Chance said.

     He then went back home.

     <Next Day> 

     Chance heard a knock at the door.  He heard his Mum answer it.

     "Oh hello, Jake - nice to see you." 

     "Hi, Mrs Furlong.....  Um is Chance here?" 

     "Yeah, he's in his room.  He's been a bit upset lately - maybe you can cheer him
up." 

     Chance heard steps coming up and in came Jake.

     "Hi, Chance," Jake said.  "Nice to see you again."  

     Chance smiled.  "Nice to see you again too." 

     Jake looked around the room. "So, where's Lucky?"  

     Chance replied, "Oh I sent it back to the pond...  I guess dinosaurs are kinda
boring anyway." 

     Jake blushed slightly.  "Well, erm.....  Chance, I kinda made a mistake..... er....  It
isn't frogs that are descended from dinosaurs.....  It's crocodiles that are related to
dinosaurs." 

     Chance stared at Jake. Jake expected the worst, but, to his surprise, Chance burst
out laughing.

     Jake was puzzled. "What's so funny?" 

     Chance replied through laughs.  "Hah.. hahhh... you... mmwahh.... made....
ahhahhh hahhh hahhhh.... a... hah hah.. mistake....!!!!"  

     Jake nodded.  "Well, I guess even smart kats make mistakes," Jake said, grinning,
thankful that Chance hadn't thrown a tantrum instead. 

     "Besides, Jake....  How could I teach a crocodile tricks?  And, my Mum wouldn't
let me keep a croc in the house anyway." 

     "Hey, Chance, are ya coming to the park?" Jake asked his buddy. 

     "You bet buddy." 

     "Just one thing though." 

     "What?" 

     "We're not going anywhere near that pond."

     Chance laughed. "Okay, Jake." 

     So, they went off to the park, MegaKat City's future heroes.

The End? (No, not yet, I still have to think up more stories.)