Vaila was looking forward to her birthday more than any birthday she’d had before. Because whilst her present was normally a surprise - this year she knew exactly what she was getting and it was the only thing she wanted in the world.
She was getting not one kitten, but two.
Because she knew what she was getting, and because she knew that there was one boy kitten and one girl kitten, she had already named them before they arrived. They were to be called: Pearl and Ocean.
On the morning of her actual birthday, there was a knock at the door and Mrs Wheels stood there holding a large cardboard box.
“I believe it’s someone’s birthday,” said Mrs Wheels.
“Mine!” said Vaila.
“And I understand that you’ve been waiting for these? Well, they are two my cat Annabel’s kittens and I assured Annabel that they were going to a wonderful new home. So, you must look after them the very best you can.”
“Oh I will!” said Vaila. “I’ve been learning all about kittens and what they need to be happy.”
“Well then Happy Birthday!” said Mrs Wheels, and handed Vaila the box.
She took it carefully into the front room as Mummy and Daddy came in, smiling, to watch.
“Open it carefully,” advised Mummy. “They might be scared.”
So very slowly, Vaila opened the top of the box and peered inside. Mummy and Daddy stepped forward to look inside, too. And there, looking up at them, were two grey kittens.
“Hello, Pearl, hello Ocean,” said Vaila, overcome with wonder.
The kittens looked up at her trustingly and lovingly, as if they already knew that Vaila was their friend.
The box was very gently tipped onto its side so the kittens could make their way out. They looked around the room and then stroked their heads against Vaila’s hand.
“They like me!” said Vaila.
“They love you!” said Vaila’s mummy.
Over the next few days, the kittens tore around the house playing and tumbling and making themselves at home. And when they got tired, there was nothing they liked more than curing into Vaila’s lap and going to sleep.
But as the days went past, Vaila noticed that something was missing - something was wrong. Whenever the kittens looked up at her and opened their mouths to meow, no sound came out. It was as if they were trying to speak, but couldn’t do it. Vaila began to get concerned.
“Daddy,” said Vaila, sounding worried. “I don’t think that Pearl and Ocean know how to meow.”
“Oh I’m sure they’ll soon learn, they’re only young,” said Daddy. But Vaila wasn’t satisfied. She’d met loads of kittens before, and they all made meowing noises especially when they were hungry, or when they were calling for attention.
As the days went on, and the kittens grew, they were happy and playful but none the less Vaila was convinced: They couldn’t meow.
She tried to teach them by meowing herself, but whilst the kittens sat and watched and opened their mouths to make a noise, nothing would come out.
Vaila lay awake at night and worried and worried. But one night, as she lay on her bed looking at the big moon outside in the dark sky, she had an idea. She knew the PERFECT individual to teach Pearl and Ocean how to meow.
So that weekend she put both the kittens into their new outdoor travel basket and carried them down to Bluebell Wood. She didn’t want to let them out in the wood because they’d only just gotten used to the garden and might be scared. But Vaila wasn’t scared, she loved Bluebell Wood, and she loved the creature she was looking for.
“Wally!” called Vaila. “Waaallly!”
Vaila stood with her basket and waited. Then, trotting down the path, came Wally the Wolf.
Vaila had made friends with Wally on his birthday, when she organised a big surprise party for him in the wood when he thought he didn’t have any friends. And since then she’d visited him whenever she could. She and Wally trusted each other, and knew they could always ask each other for help.
“What’s in your basket?” asked Wally, after they’d hugged each other hello.
“Oh!” said Vaila. “My birthday presents!”
“Pearl and Ocean? Oh, I was hoping you’d bring them to visit. Can I meet them?”
Vaila undid the door to the carrying basket and the two kittens ventured out. They looked at Wally and, instead of being scared, curled themselves around his front legs as he smiled and sniffed them.
Wally was delighted they weren’t scared. “Oh, they’re both wonderful,” he said.
“But there’s a problem, Wally,” said Vaila. “They can’t meow. I thought I’d bring them to you to teach them because wolves are so good at howling. You’d be perfect!”
Wally’s smile suddenly faded.
“Oh,” he said. “Um. I’ve never told anyone this, but.. I can’t howl.”
Wally began to cry. “I’ve never been able to howl.”
Vaila was astonished and shook her head. “But I’ve heard you howl,” she said. “I’ve heard you howl before.”
“Only when I’m laughing or when I’m very sad,” said Wally. “I’ve never been able to do it whenever I want. Oh, but I do wish I could.”
Vaila sat and thought - and then clicked her fingers!
“I’ve got it! Wally, would you mind watching Pearl and Ocean for me? Their basket is very heavy with them in it and I need to hurry back to town.”
“Oh, of course!” said Wally, feeling very important, and lying down so the two kittens could cuddle up safely between his big front paws.
Vaila ran back into town and knocked on the door of Zak’s house.
“Vaila!” said Zak, delighted to see her.
“Can you and Enzo come to Bluebell Wood right now?” said Vaila. “It’s really important, Zak.”
Within a minute, Zak, Vaila, and Zak’s dog Enzo were running down the street. As they ran across the meadows Vaila said “You know how Enzo is really good at howling?”
“Oh.. yes,” said Zak.
“Well, I need him to be a teacher,” said Vaila.
Not long after, in Bluebell Wood, Enzo sat in front of Wally, Pearl and Ocean and howled. It made the kittens cower into Wally for the first time, but they soon got used to it and then began to copy. Slowly, the tiniest of sounds began to come from their mouths.
“You’re doing it Pearl, you’re doing it Ocean,” clapped Vaila.
As Enzo howled, the kittens got more confident and their meows got louder and clearer. Soon, they were nearly as loud as Enzo!
But Wally the wolf, even though he put his head back and opened his mouth, couldn’t produce a single sound.
He hung his head as the kittens happily meowed around him.
“I’m afraid that I’m no good,” said Wally.
Vaila turned to Zak and whispered. “Wally howls when he’s happy, it’s like his laugh. What if we can make him laugh? Do you know any wolf jokes?”
Zak thought and then said. “Wally. Why is your home so funny? Because it’s hil-LAIR-rious!”
Wally thought. His lair was funny? Why? His lair… “OH!” Wally threw his head back and howled in amusement.
“Hil-LAIR-rious! I see, I see!”
“Right!” said Vaila. Now I want you to go over to that tree and howl at it. Just think of your lair.”
Wally walked slowly over to the tree, thought of his hil-LAIR-rious home and HOWLED!”
Well form then on, people walking thought Bluebell Wood would often hear Wally howling away - but they weren’t scared because it was only him thinking of something funny.
And at Vaila’s house, Pearl and Ocean would meow when they were excited, and meow when they wanted dinner, and meow whenever they wanted to get Vaila’s attention. But most importantly, just before they went to sleep at night in their bed, they would look at each other, and rub their heads together, and meow to say “goodnight”.