I wasn’t happy.

The cave was just as I like it, a complete mess. Frogs and toads hopped around the room, the wriggly worms were wriggling in and out of their jar, and Zanzibar was lying on his hammock snoring. But I wasn’t happy. I’d lost my teddy. I thought I’d seen him deep in the back of the cave but when I looked, throwing the half eaten pizza, a broken garden rake, and several broken potion bottles over my shoulder as I burrowed into the black depths, I could’t find him.

I wanted to cry. You know that feeling, don’t you? When you want something to hug and Teddy isn’t there? Even witches need a hug every now and then, and I wanted my teddy.

Yes, I know I’m 409 – and that 409 year old witches aren’t supposed to cry when they can’t find their teddy bear, but that’s the other ones. Not me. I wanted my Teddy and I wanted him NOW.

I stamped my foot in frustration. Then I kicked the cauldron. It replied with a heavy DONG…. it sounded so good that I kicked it again.

Zanzibar jumped out of his hammock, blinking awake and staring at me as though he thought I was a crazy witch. “What’s wrong Heckerty?”, he asked. “I’ve lost my Teddy,” I wailed realizing just how foolish I sounded.

Zanzibar stared as though he’d never seen me before. “Your what?” he asked.

“Teddy,” I said realizing just how idiotic it sounded for a 409 year old witch to be weeping over a lost teddy bear.

“Hmmm,” said Zanzibar thoughtfully and then asked “Why do you suddenly want your teddy?”

“Because I’m feeling lonely and sad, and I want my teddy,” I wailed again and two large tears ran down my face and a third dripped off the end of my nose before it plopped on the floor with a splash.

Zanzibar rolled his eyes and was about to say something snarky, when he looked at me again and saw I was really upset.

“Heckerty,” he said. “Won’t I do? I mean if you want someone to hug, why don’t you hug me? I’m your cat after all. And the latest reports from the Miao Clinic say that if you have a pet, it reduces your blood pressure, lowers your stress and makes you happy.”

“You’re right Zanzibar,” I said and with one final sniff I wiped my eyes with my sleeve and my nose with the back of my hand. “You are my cat, and hugging you is exactly what I should do. We can find Teddy later.”

So I hugged Zanzibar and stroked his fur.

He purred. Loudly.

I smiled.

And everything was alright again.