Max and Martin were curled up in front of their apartment door. They live their lives outside without being with their mean sphnxwalker for years. Max was growing into an adult. They were too scared to even go back to that apartment. Their sphynxwalker threw out their kittens, and scratched Rose, which made her walk slower, which made her get hit. Max stayed close to Martin.

“Max…” Martin said faintly.

“Y-yes?” Max rartin said.

“And maybe you’ll even see that little kingdom of yours,” Martin said with a slight smile.

Max’s eyes widened. “Yeah….maybe.”

He was still thinking about his mom. 

“Let’s leave,” Max whispered. Martin jumped up, and Max hopped on.

Martin dashed away from the driveway and across the street. They were standing on the same grassy area that Rose was. There were more apartments behind them. 

“Mom was here…” Max whispered with a sigh.

“Max…I know but don’t lose your little personality. You can still have fun.”

Max laid on Martin’s back, and he continued to walk. 

After hours of walking, Max and Martin were in the middle of the city. “Here. I found an ally. Let’s sleep in there,” Martin said. Max shook his head. Martin walked deep into the ally, with rows of trash cans and spray paint everywhere. Martin slumped down on the floor, and Max curled next to him. The city lights flickered everywhere and pigeons flew in the night sky. 

“Hey..” a voice said from over Max. They looked up. A random tabby cat with a chipped ear said, “I never saw you here, little kitten and what appears to be your father.” She was on one of the ally walls. 

“Who are you? Leave. We are trying to get good sleep,” Martin said.

Max got up and looked at the tabby cat straight in the eyes. “I was told they had a kingdom in New York here. Is it really true?”

“Uh…yeah…but the kingdom ain’t in this area.”

And with that, the tabby cat dashed out of sight.

Max jumped over to Martin, and finally gave a big smile.

“You hear…did you? They have a kingdom! They really do…we should go.”

Martin moved Max next to him with a paw and sighed. “I have no idea where that would be and we aren’t going. We don’t know how they could act. And it could be a lie.”

“But it isn’t….I know it.”

Martin didn’t answer this time. He laid on his side and fell asleep.

Max wriggled out his father’s arms and looked around the city. A pigeon flew over his head, and he went on his hinds, flaring his paws in the air. He finally hit the pigeon once, and it lowered down, allowing him to bite and sink his claws. The pigeon fell to the ground.

Wow…I’m starting to like this city life. And I just caught my first prey so easily.”

Max put his paws around the pigeon and chewed on it lightly. Ahhh ...city prey. So nice and fresh.

As he ate, he turned his head to the city from the alley.

Maybe it won’t hurt to just go out a little.

Max turned around to Martin, who was still sleeping. Max sighed. “Just a little bit.”

He picked up the pigeon with its clawed wing and ran across the road. He stopped to catch a breath when he crossed. Another ally was behind him. He jumped on the alley wall and continued to nibble on his prey. I could get pretty used to this city. Good food, nice looking life.

Suddenly that same tabby cat jumped in front of Max. Max hissed and jumped back, his claws out. 

“Hey…calm down. Listen..when I was a kitten, I heard about the kingdom. And there is. I can show you. If your father doesn’t mind.”

“My father is sleeping…I promised myself I wouldn’t go so far away from him.”

“Collar yourself. But I think the kingdom is amazing. Just try not to annoy the king,” the tabby cat said as she skittered away. 

That would have been so cool to see…but I can’t go.

Max finished off his pigeon, stuffed. He looked around the city one more time.

Maybe I can just look around a little tiny bit. 

 Max dashed off of the alley wall, and onto the sidewalk. A taxi passed by him, leaves covering his face. Max heard a screeching meow. That kind of sounds like my father. Hmm…

Max turned around, but then turned back ahead. No. He is fine. I just need to get used to this city a little bit more.

He passed by many bright buildings and restaurants, and even a dog park. He finally found his rest stop by a clothing store. He cuddled by the door.

I hope I didn’t go too far. 

Max looked around. Then he started to get worried. 

Max dashed off. He jumped up on a trashcan, and boosted himself on top of an ally. A cat hissed at him suddenly which made him leap up, hitting his paw on the concrete. 

“OW! Ow!” Max shouted.

Max was one ally away from his father. Max was laying on the floor, his paw bleeding. He peeked his head to the other ally, and saw nothing but trash.

“Father? Father…where did you go….?” Max suddenly felt like someone was squeezing his paw hard. He slowly looked down and saw a big, deep cut. Max sighed, and just layed there.

“Please…someone….help….”

…

“Hey…I think he needs a healer.”

“Yeah…he looks in pain.”

“Guys…let’s wake him up…he looks really bad.”

“Never saw him in this kingdom though. He could literally be some spy agent.”

Max slowly blinked as he heard voices. He opened his eyes, and saw the same ally he was in, but then…he saw random cats surrounding him.

“Oh…hi…you're awake now,” a Radgoll calico said, a black spot on her eye. She had a nice wide grin on her face. He saw a gray cat with a clawed up bandana.

A smaller Munchkin black cat was on top of the gray cat’s head. An orange tabby with white mitten patterns on each of his paws, with a red collar stared at him. Next to him was a half and half cat. One side a ginger cat, the other a black cat.

Max hissed. “Who are all of you? Please stop staring at me.”

“We should introduce ourselves to him,” the calico said, “I’m Amber. That gray one here is Cobalt. He grew up on a farm. That one with the socks…his name is well, Socks. That half and half cat is Angel. She joined us a few weeks ago. Ever since, Socks wouldn’t stop following her.”

“Hey…not true…at all!” Socks said, shivering.

“I’m Pebbles!” the black cat with yellow eyes shouted. “And Cobalt is my father! He adopted me.” 

Cobalt also has yellow eyes. But their personalities sure are different. 

Amber had bright baby blue eyes. Socks were light green. Angel’s orange tabby side had blue eyes while her black side had dark green eyes. 

“I-i don't know you guys! Leave me alone please! I lost my siblings and my mom. And now my father is missing. I don’t want any more trouble.”

“Trust me, we wouldn’t be bothering you,” Cobalt said with a sigh, “but we need a new leader. The last one left because he said he had a family to take care of.”

Max tried to jump away, but his scratched paw was completely unstable.

“We should probably take this cat to the kingdom’s healer,” Angel told Amber, the second-in-charge of the group.

“Kingdom? Is it true? There is a kingdom in this city?” Max asked.

“Of course there is. We can show you around. Our king is King Monet. He might not be the nicest at times, but we can give you a home.” Amber said with a smile.

“The only thing is heh…” Socks said, ”I’m a house cat so they don’t let me in. Only cats that are super sneaky and get away from the guards can make it inside. Ever since a housecat incident, none of us have been trusted.”

Fancy and Henry did tell me that

“Even though I don’t know who you cats are,” Max slumped more down and fell on his back. “Please take me to a healer.”

Amber shook her head. “Could you be our detective leader? We need one. I’m pretty sure you’ve got what it takes. Even though you aren’t trained.”

Max’s eyes widened. When I was a kitten….I saw that book about detectives. That would be so cool. No way…but…

“I don’t know…If you help me find my father I’ll be your leader.”

“You can be a detective while we help find him. Please,” Pebbles begged, leaning from Cobalt’s head.

Max sighed. “I-I.. alright!”

When I’m done finding my father, I’ll just leave them. I love detectives but…there is no way I'm doing this forever.

Socks smiled. “I’ll go stay in the ally while you guys go into the kingdom. Wish they didn’t hate housecats. But it’s alright.” Socks jumped on the alley wall and purred. Amber waved. “You can go on my back Max. We’ll take you to the healers.”

Amber crouched down, allowing Max to slowly walk on.

“You're taller than me Max so this will be hard.”

Max slowly chuckled. The group walked around the city.

Max sighed. Amber is really nice. This group is really nice. But I can’t get too attached. I have to focus on getting my father. That’s all.

Max eventually fell asleep, his paws clinging onto Amber’s soft fur. She was a really furry calico. 

“We are here now!” Amber shouted.

It was now morning. Max stretched, and fell on the grass.

“Ouch!”

Angel laughed. “You can be a klutz sometimes, Max.”

Max looked behind himself, seeing a forest with two cats guarding it.

“Woah…we aren’t in the city anymore,” Max said, shocked.

Amber  looked down on him and said. “We are. We just went to Manhattan, New York. They have forests sometimes. This is one of them.”

“But really it’s called Duchess Kingdom for us cats,” Cobalt said.

Amber used a paw to push Max up to the entrance.

Both of the guards were large ginger cats. One said, “Hello, Amber, Cobalt, Pebbles, and Angel. You may come. Is that a new cat I see next to you?”

“Yes,” said Pebbles, “he is our new detective cat leader. He needs healing.”

“Alright, you can come in,” the second one said, yawning and out of it.

The two cats backed away, and the cats walked in, through hanging vines. Amber was still pushing Max.

The kingdom is so cool…

The warm sun shone down on the lush green forest, casting a golden glow over the kingdom. Small leaf and stick huts peppered the landscape, surrounded by logs and other natural materials. In the center of the forest stood a cozy cottage, its walls covered in leafy bushes. Cats of all shapes and sizes roamed the area, some resting on trees, others stalking prey on the ground below. The air was filled with the sound of rustling leaves, tweeting birds, and the occasional meow from a happy feline. It was a joyful scene, filled with the sights and sounds of nature at its best..

Max was surprised. His face was frozen. 

“We can get you a hut. But first, let’s get you to the healer quickly,” Amber said. They finally got past all the small cat homes, and were greeted by four cats each on their own carpet. One was a gray and white Lykoi, a yellow sword in his sash. His yellow eyes glared at Max.

 Another one was a short and stubby brown and white Munchkin. Brown eyes. He had a big grin on.

The one in the middle was a LaPerm cat. A gray and a darker shade. Dark blue eyes. He had a bandage on his right front paw. 

The last one was a calico Scottish Fold with yellow eyes. She seemed to keep to herself.

“Hi!” Pebbles shouted from on top of Cobalt’s head. They all faced the cat in the middle, so Max copied them.

“Well hello, C.A.T. Detectives…and other cat. Now..who is—oh nevermind I can see who is hurt,” The cat said.

Max’s ears pinned to his head.

“Hey, calm down. I’m Herb. The kingdom’s healer. Who are you?” Herb asked. 

“I’m Max. I’m the new detective leader.”

“Oh…you got a new leader. How sad for the old one. Anyway, yeah…that paw looks really bad. Did a bear come and rip your fur off?”

“Heh…anyway I just need healing really bad.”

Cobalt walked in front and whispered, “Hurry. We don’t have much time. We got a new leader and we have missions to take care of.”

Herb turned his head the other way, and moved away from his carpet. A bunch of supplies was held in a wooden box behind him. With his mouth, he picked up a soggy lavender. 

“I know it’s soggy…but this lavender will help that womb heal faster than ever. The doctor slowly placed the soft plant on Max’s hurt paw. “Thanks.”

Herb shook his head. “Oh…I should have told you this before, but that will be three of any prey.”

“What do you mean?”

“We should have told you Max!” Amber and Angel shouted.

“This healing and stuff isn’t free,” Amber said.

“Hmm…alright. Since Max here is new, he can have it free the first time.”

Amber gave a sigh of relief and the detectives headed to the homes. They stood in the middle. “I’m just gonna take a minute to relax. This kitten of mine can give a headache,” Cobalt said as he collapsed on the long, soft grass. All the other cats laid down as well. Max stood up. He watched cats and kittens pad all around the kingdom.

Wow…I’m a detective leader. But my father! I need to find my father. I can’t get distracted. But with this soggy lavender on my paw as I walk this will be impossible. Wait, they forgot what they said didn't they? They would help me find my father!

“Hey!” Max suddenly shouted. 

It caused a few cats to stop and stare, and the detectives to spring up.

“Did a bee sting you?” Angel asked in a sassy voice.

“No…remember you guys said you would help me find my father? You still haven’t helped.”

."We need to find you a home before the sun sets," she said, "It's important for you to have a safe place to stay in." Max nodded in agreement, sensing the urgency in her voice. They soon stumbled upon a small cave. With a content sigh, he crawled inside and began to settle down. Amber gave Max's shoulder a reassuring pat before heading off.

As night soon fell, Max could hear the sound of the forest coming alive. He closed his eyes, enjoying the harmony of nature's sounds around him. He felt safe and content, and for the first time in a long time, he did not feel alone. 

The detectives ran over.
“Finally you found a home,” Cobalt said, “the sun is setting. You should sleep now. We have a long day of searching tomorrow. Apparently.”

Cobalt headed to his home, and Pebbles cheered as they ran.

“Cobalt can be a grumpy cat sometimes. I’m heading home too. Bye,” Angel said. She dashed away.

Amber waved. She went and sat in the home next to Max’s. 

Max's hut was small and cramped, but he had a plan to make it more comfortable. He'd take inspiration from Fancy and Henry, who bought all sorts of fancy things when they were younger. He would transform his hut into a true pleasure palace.

As he lay there, he could hear the distant purr of kittens. A full white cat leapt past his hut, only for their mother to pull them back. Max closed his eyes and sighed. It was hard to get a peaceful night's sleep in a kingdom full of cats.

I just need some sleep.

Max felt a bunch of leaves fly into his hut, and the breeze made him shiver.

How am I getting used to this? I just want my father back. Even with him, I don’t think I’ll stay here. This hut…could be better.

Max cuddled back into a ball, and his claws kneaded the grass. No comfy cushion or anything. I was lucky one day to catch prey, and now I have to pay to get stuff for this hut.

Max finally drifted off to sleep, even with the many kittens screaming and cats hissing and talking in the kingdom. 

A few grasshoppers and flies flew by Max’s face, which made him flinch, and turn around. It was probably the worst sleep of his life.