The Territory Thing

Last night, as usual, this human was reading in bed - with cats (and "kittens") - starting with Angel, fast asleep on the pillow by the window, and Buddy, snoozing on a fleece at the foot of the bed... Enter 'Toonya. Up she jumps, and, of course, looks with disapproval at the first-comers. Never-the-less, she makes her way to the head of the bed, and seems to settle on the pillow next to the human. The human goes back to her book, and the next thing she knows Petunnia is at the foot of the bed, Buddy's on the floor and heading out the door. Buddy! The human cries. Come back... Buddy hesitates, but leaves anyway. Satisfied, Petunnia returns to "her" pillow. Angel sleeps through it all. Then comes La Luz. She can't jump (way too plump), but she can claw/crawl/climb her way up. She settles - with much purring and kneading - on a fleece in the middle of the bed. Angel sleeps on, but you can tell 'Toonya's hackles are if not actually up at least out of whack. There, there, says the human. Also: Be good, be sweet... She pets both girls, and Angel for good measure. And when all seems well, goes back to reading. And the next thing Lucy is jumping down (she can jump down) and following after the departed Buddy. Lucy, come back! the human says, to no avail. And the satisfied Princess resumes her pillowy throne. And the Angel sleeps. And the human reads. A little while later the human realizes that Buddy is back at the foot of the bed, and that Petunnia is settling for giving him a look (whatever!) and Angel is still sleeping away. (Lucy came back, too.)