Cartel Cats: Know Your Rights
Chapter Four: Nails in the Wood
Pawloma was restless tonight. The city's usual hum was pierced by sharp voices and sharper silences. Tension clung to the air like fog, thick and heavy, making every alley feel smaller, every rooftop colder. The Cartel Cats felt it too—a storm of anger brewing just beneath their fur.
After the accident with Max, emotions ran high. Some cats snapped at each other, others withdrew into themselves, and even Barbara Sanders found her patience wearing thin. It was in this moment of simmering tempers that they turned, as they often did, to the one cat who seemed to understand everyone: the Village Cat Mom.
She was a patchwork calico, eyes soft with a thousand stories, whiskers twitching with wisdom. She wore a battered red hat and a necklace of mismatched buttons, each one a memory from a kitten she'd helped. The young ones called her "Mama Patch," and even the toughest alley cats listened when she spoke.
Scene 1: Gathering at Mama Patch's Porch
The crew gathered on Mama Patch's porch, a crooked wooden stoop covered in old blankets and the scent of chamomile tea. Mama Patch sat in her rocking chair, paws folded, watching the moon rise over Pawloma.
Mama Patch (smiling gently):
"Trouble's like rain, kittens. It falls on everyone, whether you're ready or not. But what you do with that storm—that's where you find out who you really are."
Barbara, Sneezy Lila, Sleepy Sal, Diego, and even Rico from the rival crew sat in a circle, eyes downcast. The anger from the past few days hung between them, unspoken but heavy.
Scene 2: The Nail and the Wood
Mama Patch reached behind her chair and pulled out a small wooden board, a hammer, and a box of nails.
Mama Patch:
"Let's talk about anger. Every time you lose your temper, every time you say something sharp or do something you regret, it's like hammering a nail into this wood."
She handed the hammer to Rico, who pounded a nail into the board with a scowl. One by one, each cat took a turn, each nail a memory of a harsh word, a slammed door, a hurtful glare.
When the board was full of nails, Mama Patch set the hammer down.
Mama Patch:
"Now, learning to control your anger, learning to see things from someone else's side—that's like pulling these nails out. Go ahead, kittens."
They took turns again, prying out the nails, some easily, some with effort. When the last nail was gone, Mama Patch held up the board.
Mama Patch:
"See? The nails are gone, but the holes remain. That's the pain we leave behind when we lash out. You can say sorry, you can try to heal, but some wounds never fully close."
The crew stared at the pockmarked board, silent.
Scene 3: The Wisdom of Words
Mama Patch:
"Anger's not evil. It's a signal—like a fire alarm. But if you let it burn out of control, it'll destroy more than you ever meant to. The trick is to use your anger, not let it use you."
She looked at each cat, her gaze understanding, never judging.
Mama Patch:
"Choose your words like you'd choose your friends—wisely, kindly. If you can leave someone better than you found them, you're doing the world a favor. If you dump your pain on someone else, that pain just keeps moving, like a storm looking for a new home."
Sneezy Lila sniffled, wiping her eyes.
"I just get so overwhelmed sometimes. It feels like nobody gets it."
Mama Patch:
"Just because you're overwhelmed doesn't mean someone else isn't. It's not a contest. We all carry loads that are invisible to others. Sometimes, the strongest thing you can do is ask for help—or give it."
Scene 4: Empathy and Perspective
Sleepy Sal spoke up, his voice soft but clear.
Sleepy Sal:
"I always thought my weaknesses made me less. But maybe they're just strengths I haven't figured out yet."
Mama Patch:
"That's right, Sal. What you see as a weakness, someone else might see as a gift. And what you envy in others might be their biggest struggle. We're all looking at the same moon, but none of us can see the whole thing. Not unless we talk, not unless we listen."
Barbara nodded, feeling the truth settle in her chest like a warm blanket.
Barbara:
"We can't undo the past, but we can choose what kind of marks we leave from now on."
Scene 5: Healing Together
The crew sat quietly, the anger softened into something gentler—reflection, maybe even hope.
Mama Patch:
"Healing takes time, kittens. And sometimes, you won't have the right words. That's okay. Admitting you don't know is better than pretending you do. The world's big enough for all our mistakes, as long as we keep trying to do better."
She poured tea for everyone, the simple act a balm for tired hearts.
Mama Patch:
"Remember, you don't have to accept everything, or everyone. But you do have to accept yourself. That's where real healing starts."
Rights Recap Song
🎶
Anger's a hammer, words are the nails,
Each one we use leaves a mark that prevails.
Pull out the nails, but the holes still remain,
So speak with compassion, don't add to the pain.
We're all looking up at the same silver moon,
Each from our corner, wishing for room.
If you can leave someone better than you found,
You're building a world where healing is sound.
Cartel Cats know, and now so do you:
Choose kindness and wisdom in all that you do.
🎶