Cartel Cats: Know Your Rights
Chapter Two: The Rules of the Game
Pawloma was a city of invisible borders. There were lines drawn in the sand—some by law, some by loyalty, some by nothing more than a bad day or a broken heart. Barbara Sanders knew these lines well. She'd walked both sides: the side that made the rules, and the side that broke them.
Tonight, the city was restless. Sirens echoed in the distance, and the moon hung low, a silent witness to every secret and every sin.
Barbara gathered her crew on the rooftop. Sleepy Sal watched the shadows flicker. Sneezy Lila twitched her whiskers. Diego, the Llama Kitty, gazed out at the city lights, his eyes reflecting both hope and hunger.
Barbara:
"Ever notice how the cops and the crews both play by the book? Just different books, that's all. Rules are rules, whether you're wearing a badge or a bandana."
Sleepy Sal (half-awake):
"Funny how everyone's just trying to survive, but we all end up fighting each other instead."
Sneezy Lila:
"It's like we're all angry at the world, so we take it out on whoever's closest."
Barbara nodded. She'd seen it a hundred times: the cop who grew up with nothing and wanted to make things right, the kid who joined a crew because the world never gave him a chance. Both sides, divided by uniforms and attitudes, but united by scars.
Scene 1: A Clash in the Alley
Down below, blue lights flashed as Detective Barker and his team questioned a group of alley cats. Across the street, a rival crew watched with narrowed eyes. Tension crackled like static.
Detective Barker (firm):
"Policy says we check every alley tonight. Orders are orders."
Crew Leader (defiant):
"We got our own code. We don't snitch, and we don't run."
Barbara watched, her mind spinning with metaphors. Law and order—two sides of the same coin, spinning on the edge of a knife. Both sides followed rules, but neither trusted the other.
She whispered to her crew, "It's easy to judge when you're angry. But anger's just pain with nowhere to go."
Scene 2: The Real Divide
As the police moved on, the Cartel Cats slipped into the alley. The crew leader, a scarred tabby named Rico, glared at them.
Rico:
"What do you want, Sanders? Here to play hero?"
Barbara (softly):
"No heroes here, just survivors. You know the rules, Rico. So do they. It's the game that's rigged, not the players."
Rico's eyes softened for a moment. "We follow our code because it's all we got. They follow theirs because it's all they know."
Barbara:
"Policies aren't always fair. Some laws protect, some divide. But you can use the law to shield yourself, just like they use it to control."
She quoted real law, her words sharp as claws:
Fifth Amendment: "You have the right to remain silent. You don't have to say a word if it'll get you in trouble."
Miranda Rights: "If you're arrested, ask for a lawyer. Don't let anger make you reckless."
Scene 3: The Anger Trap
The crew's youngest member, a scrappy kitten named Luna, kicked a can down the alley.
Luna:
"I hate them. I hate all of this. Why do they always treat us like we're nothing?"
Barbara crouched beside her, her voice gentle but strong.
Barbara:
"You don't have to understand everyone, Luna. You don't have to accept what they do. But you don't have to carry their anger, either. That's not your burden."
Diego chimed in, his tone thoughtful.
"In this city, we're all prisoners of something—anger, fear, or just bad luck. But the only way to get free is to know who you are, not who they say you are."
Scene 4: The Rooftop Lesson
Back on the rooftop, the city's noises faded into a hush. Barbara gathered her crew close.
Barbara:
"Listen, cats. Life didn't give us a choice where we started. We didn't pick the rules, or the uniforms, or the anger. But we get to choose what we do with it."
She looked out over Pawloma, the city of contradictions.
Barbara:
"You don't have to understand everyone. You don't have to accept everyone. It's a big world, and once we're all truly free, we can choose who we stand beside. Until then, walk your line with pride. Surviving here isn't weakness—it's proof you're stronger than the world expected."
Sleepy Sal purred, "Maybe tonight, I'll dream of a city where nobody has to pick a side."
Sneezy Lila smiled. "And I'll sneeze on anyone who tries to tell me different."
The crew laughed—a sound bright enough to cut through any darkness.
Rights Recap Song
🎶
Rules are rules, but who writes the page?
Sometimes the law is a cage, sometimes it's a stage.
You have the right to stay silent, the right to be free,
The right to walk away from what you don't want to be.
Anger's a fire, but you're not the flame,
You're more than the badge, or the crew, or the name.
So walk your line, let your story be true—
Cartel Cats know, and now so do you.
🎶