The hours that Riley went missing

As I write this, I’m drenched in sweat.

I’ve looked all over the house at least three rounds and been up and down the road with a torchlight.

Riley was missing.

I had noticed that Riley wasn’t around since this evening, but it’s been quite a crazy evening for us.

I thought Riley was surely upstairs where she sometimes like to sleep for long hours.

It was after dinner that I began my search for Riley when she did not come to eat.

I searched all the rooms upstairs – she wasn’t there. Not on the cabinets, not under the bed, not in the bathrooms.

I searched everywhere downstairs, multiple rounds too. She was nowhere to be found.

And out on the road as well. I went up and down like a mad woman with a torchlight, looking into the drains, under cars, in the park, she was nowhere to be found.

I had already searched Ginger’s Catio multiple times as well. I know Riley is the same colour as Rey and Robin but is much smaller in size. I did a headcount and each time it was six. I looked on all the platforms and under the pots.

In Bunny’s Place too, I looked everywhere and Riley simply wasn’t there.

Actually, Riley had been making several escapes through the front door. There was only once that she went out unnoticed and hubby noticed a grey-black tabby in the garden and alerted me. I went out and yes, it was Riley. That was a perhaps two weeks ago. Then, she had dashed out several times as well into the porch and she wasn’t like Ginger who would quickly make his grand escape into the longkang. Riley would just stay in the porch and when I called her, she would come to me.

But the point is, she had made a few dash-outs.

This morning until afternoon, Riley kept asking for kibble. I try not to give, but sometimes I give in to her. Today was a busy day for us, so whenever she asked, I just relented to gave it to her. So she had already eaten many rounds today. Maybe she was gearing up for a grand tour of the outdoors?

The funny thing is that both Gerald and Misty were also not in the porch this evening. I had already fed them earlier and now, when I went searching on the road, they were not there. Where were Gerald and Misty? If they were there, I’d ask them to help me look for Riley. That would be the famous and effective Japanese Method.

Maybe Riley wanted a few hours out to explore the outdoors? Maybe she has joined one of the RYABKs? I even thought of letting Samantha go out to look for Riley but I might risk losing Samantha forever.

I was going to do the “Kitchen God” scissors on pot of hot water ritual already – the Chinese Method. But I made one more round to check in Bunny’s Place. Then I heard Gerald mewing on the roof. I saw Gerald and I quickly asked him to help me look for Riley. Gerald mewed even louder and didn’t stop mewing.

I checked all over Bunny’s Place until I came to Stargate and I looked out.

There was this grey-black tabby sitting next to the big cage.

It was Riley!!!!!

So she was in Ginger’s Catio all the while and was probably too scared to come out when I went in to check?

Silly girl!!

Maybe Gerald mewed to call her out?

Thank you, Gerald. You’re the best!!

I quickly opened Stargate and carried her back into the house.

Her heart was thumping rapidly. I think she was probably scared of or by something.

She’s fine now.

And she ate some Cubgrub.

Thank you so much, Gerald!!

Gerald stopped mewing when I carried Riley back into the house. How smart is Gerald, right?

P.S. I recall now that in the afternoon, we heard the Monsters war-cry fighting. We didn’t bother to check as the Monsters normally settle their disputes by themselves without injuries. I think Riley was already there at the time and maybe she was bullied by the one of the Monsters. Poor Riley!!