Week 4 Story: Ravana, King of the Couch

Ravana's owner had just brought home two new kittens. He could smell them through the bedroom door. His owner had cooed to him about keeping them separate until they got used to each other's scents, and fed him near the door, so that he would be near them. It wasn't going to work, though. This was his house, and he didn't want to share.

It was a few days before his owner scooped him and carried him into the living room, scratching him under the chin the whole way. It was enough to temporarily distract him, that is, until she set him down next to two frolicking kittens. They paused their play to watch him with wide eyes that were too big for their little heads. They abandoned their toys to sniff Ravana.

"Ravi, this is Sita and Rama. They're going to live with us, okay? You be sweet to them."

Ravana refused to make eye contact with his owner or the kittens, who were now circling him curiously. He would bide his time, then he would teach these newcomers who was the boss.

The door to the big place clicked shut, and Ravana opened his eyes. He had been sleeping on the back of the couch. Now, he looked down at the kittens lying together in the new bed that his owner had gotten for them. They barely took up one corner of it. Ravana stood, stretched, and languidly climbed down, strolling over to stand over the pair. That was when he noticed that he didn't despise the little girl, Sita, so much. He decided quickly. He let out a hiss, startling the two kittens awake, and batted Rama away. He laid down in the bed and began licking the top of little Sita's head. She would be his.

Rama watched this from beside the couch, hunched in a little ball. He wouldn't let the big cat take his Sita away from him. He didn't know why the big cat, Ravana, didn't like him, but he would fix it.

Rama spent the rest of the day carrying catnip mice and jingle balls to Ravana as offerings, trying to win him over, but each time Ravana hissed at batted at him, scaring both Rama and Sita. Each time Rama would scurry away, looking for a better toy. The bottle cap he found tucked under the fridge appeased Ravana long enough for Rama to curl up beside him, but Ravana quickly lost patience and batted at Rama until he ran away again. Finally, Rama found a cotton swab under the bathroom sink. It was the coolest thing he had ever seen. He batted it around for a few minutes, then thought that perhaps it would be the thing that would make Ravana like him. He presented it to Ravana cautiously. Ravana inspected it, put it under his paw, and laid his head on Sita's slumbering back. He scooted over just enough, though, that Rama could lay down, tucked against he and Sita. Rama curled up there happily, purring himself to sleep.

When their owner returned, they were still sleeping there. "I knew you all would get along," she whispered happily.

Author's note: This is loosely based off of Narayan's Ramayana. It is the kidnapping of Sita and the ensuing effort of Rama to get Sita back. However, this story, because they are housecats, has a more peaceful ending. Not every story can be about the epic life-ending battles of gods, now can they?

Narayan, R. K., The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Version of the Indian Epic. (Reading Guide)

Image: Personal photos of Artemisia, Deedee, and Cleopatra, July 2016