The Cat sat on the deck, looking below. He watched the Tiger roam around earth, pouncing here, causing trouble there, making the unexpected happen. Tiger had been inexhaustible from the start of his reign, wasting no time in getting that one guy to invade his neighbor. Mere weeks into Tiger's rule, that invasion happened. What a mess.
The Cat licked a paw and smoothed it over his ear. Tiger would come back to the palace in a few days, smug at all the chaos he'd created. Cat had watched it all unfold. That one country made up of islands had ruined a new leader in a matter of weeks. Their figurehead royalty died, too. Of course, that death probably had nothing to do with Tiger, but he'd take the credit.
He'd really outdone himself this year. In the Cat's opinion, the Tiger was one big cat who needed to take a nap.
The pandemic had been calming down but the Tiger managed to make some effective chaos as countries loosened restrictions. Especially in that big kidney-shaped country. They'd tried to shut the pandemic down, but too hard. Tiger had a ball over there, finally getting things to open up, resulting in a sudden upsurge of disease. Now everyone was scared to leave their houses even though they could. Like Pandora's box, Cat feared even he might not be able to put the lid back on that mess.
The Cat looked out from the deck of Buddha's heavenly palace, gauging the sun. He moved to a better position to lie in a puddle of sunlight, soaking up the last rays of Tiger's reign. He was on the deck, and "on deck". Soon it would be his year.
In his year, the Cat would be sure to have plenty of fun - parties with all the people, high tea, coffee meetings. He couldn't wait to see what the intelligentsia would get up to in his year. There was a lot for them to learn, and he could help.
Political upheaval created by that annoying Tiger would have to settle down. The Cat was on it.
The Cat was a stickler for justice. He'd get the wheels rolling on resolving issues left ambiguous by the Tiger.
The Cat sighed. He didn't like taking charge after Tiger. There was always a mess. That's just the way it was. But Buddha had determined their ruling order and there was nothing to do to change it.
It was too bad he couldn't bring back the dead. That Japanese prime minister didn't need to die. Cat was just sure Tiger was behind that one.
It's FICTION FRIDAY!
Every Almost every Friday I write a new flash fiction piece. Today's fiction was inspired by the coming Lunar New Year. NOTE: Chinese folklore says the coming year (Jan 22, 2023) is year of the rabbit. But Vietnam calls it Year of the Cat. I don't know why, but I live in Vietnam, so will espouse this tradition.
If you have a writing prompt you'd like to see turned into a story, just leave it in a comment.
Ah. I was wondering why it was cat and not rabbit. That makes sense. May the year of the cat heal all the tribulations brought by the year of the tiger.
ReplyDeleteI still can't get a straight answer on why the difference. Maybe Mr. Google is the way to go. I keep trying to find out organically, from ... people.
Delete(I know Chinese with any opinion think it's crazy to put a cat in a series of years that includes a rat. That's their logic behind the rabbit. I guess? But that surely is a new thought post Buddha-legend.)
I could see the subtle connection to the current events. Hopefully the cat's reign will be better.
ReplyDeleteThere's always room for improvement. Although, as one born in "Year of the Rat", local wisdom would recommend I just hunker down and lay low for the year!
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