Fordy and the Bandit Kitties

Once upon a time, there was a friendly little vehicle named Fordy. We meet Fordy on a very sleepy road, beneath a sky full of twinkly stars that seemed to whisper goodnight to anyone who passed beneath them. The moon hung low and round, lighting the road just enough to make everything feel safe and calm.

Fordy really liked slow drives during the quiet of the night. He enjoyed listening to the soft hum of his own engine, a steady and comforting sound, as the world around him settled down to rest. Streetlights blinked lazily. Trees swayed gently in the night breeze. Even the crickets seemed to chirp more quietly when Fordy rolled by.

On most nights, nothing exciting ever happened—and Fordy liked it that way.

But on this particular evening, something *did* happen.

A noisy bandit came stomping onto the road, kicking up dust and making a fuss where no fuss was needed. The bandit shouted and complained and tried to cause trouble just for the sake of causing trouble. Fordy, being polite and sensible, gave a small honk and tried to explain that nighttime roads were meant for calm, careful travel.

There was a little honking.

There was a little dust.

And there was a lot of silliness.

Fordy patiently followed every rule of the road, which only seemed to make the bandit grumpier. The bandit stomped and huffed, but eventually grew tired of not getting his way. With one last dramatic sigh, he wandered off into the darkness, muttering about how boring rule-following vehicles could be.

The road grew quiet once more.

Fordy let out a long, relieved sigh and continued along his relaxing nighttime drive, feeling proud that he had kept the road peaceful. His headlights glowed softly, and his engine settled back into its gentle rhythm.

That’s when Fordy heard something unexpected.

The tiniest of sounds.

“*Prrr…*”

“*Chrrp…*”

Fordy slowed to a careful stop. The sounds were small and soft, barely louder than the rustling of leaves. He looked around and saw two tiny shapes peeking out from the shadows at the side of the road.

Out stepped two small babies, round and fuzzy, with bright eyes full of curiosity. They had gentle paws and cute little teeth that were as sharp as needles—but they didn’t seem scary at all. They toddled forward, wobbling slightly, and before Fordy could even think to ask permission, they climbed right up into his cab.

The babies cuddled close to Fordy’s seats, as if they had always known they belonged there. They were warm and sleepy, and they purred softly, their tiny bodies rising and falling with each breath.

Fordy smiled as their purring blended perfectly with the low rumble of his engine, like a lullaby written just for the night.

“You must be kittens,” Fordy whispered kindly, not wanting to disturb their cozy feeling.

The babies yawned, opening their mouths wide.

They snuggled closer together.

They curled up into a neat little bundle of fuzz.

They were very cozy.

(They were also raccoons, but Fordy didn’t worry about details like that.)

Fordy felt something warm settle in his headlights—something that felt a lot like happiness. He knew, right then and there, that he wasn’t alone anymore.

Carefully, Fordy gave them names.

“You,” he said softly to the one with the fluffiest cheeks, “shall be Mandy.”

Mandy let out a tiny purr and rested her head against Fordy’s seat.

“And you,” Fordy said to the other, who had already grabbed hold of the steering wheel with tiny bandit hands, “shall be Bandy.”

Bandy chirped happily and refused to let go.

Fordy promised to keep them safe, no matter where the road led. He drove extra slowly, making sure every bump was gentle and every turn was smooth. The night grew quieter still, and the stars above seemed to shine brighter, winking as if they approved of this new little family.

Later that night, when the road ended and the world was fully asleep, Fordy parked in a safe, quiet place. Mandy and Bandy were already dreaming, their paws twitching just a little as they slept.

Fordy closed his headlights and rested too.

Together, Fordy and his new family of kitties—of the bandit variety—fell asleep wrapped in the soft sounds of bandit cats purring, the gentle engine rumble of Fordy, and peaceful dreams of tomorrow’s adventures.

And everything was just as it should be.

Good night, little ones.