Maya squints at the jumble of wrenches and screwdrivers spread out on the picnic table, tapping her chin thoughtfully. Kitty, the oversized Great Dane, tries to squeeze under the truck but only manages to nudge a can of bolts with her nose. Twizz, the kitten, perches on the tire, his crystal blue eyes narrowed in grumpy concentration.
"Okay, team, first we have to find the brake line. That's the one leaking—right, Twizz?"
Kitty[/@ch_2] tries to wriggle under the truck again, while Twizz inspects a socket wrench with a suspicious glare.]
Maya mutters the names of each tool aloud, determined to remember them. Kitty noses a screwdriver toward her, tail wagging like a flag. Twizz points a tiny paw at a ratchet, but in doing so, tumbles headfirst into a half-empty toolbox, his fluffy tail sticking out.
"Mrrrow! Why do you keep all the good tools buried at the bottom?"
"Because I’m still learning what goes where," Maya giggles, prying him free.
Kitty[/@ch_2] tries to follow but only gets her massive head under, sniffing curiously.]
Twizz squeezes in beside Maya, his grumpy face illuminated by the shifting beam. Together, they trace the leak, and Maya recites each part’s name as she works. Kitty barks encouragement, which mostly makes the bolts rattle.
"Let’s see… brake pads, caliper, rotor—got it! Twizz, hand me the pliers, please,"
"Only if you promise not to drop them on my tail again,"
Twizz[/@ch_3] wedges himself behind a tire, his paws flailing, while Kitty attempts to squeeze into a wheel well clearly too small for her size.]
"Help! I was trying to see if I could fit, but… I can’t get out!" Twizz exclaims, his voice echoing from inside the wheel.
"If Twizz can try, so can I," Kitty declares, wedging her shoulders in and wiggling, only to get stuck halfway.
"You two are the best helpers, but you’re not exactly the smallest mechanics," laughs Maya, wriggling them both out and wiping sweat from her brow.
Maya[/@ch_1], Kitty, and Twizz are smudged with oil, dirt, and triumph.]
Maya grins, holding her arms wide. Kitty bounds around the truck, barking, while Twizz lounges on the hood, looking proud despite his oily whiskers.
"We did it! The brakes are as good as new,"
"And we only got a little stuck," Kitty chuffs, shaking her fur.
Maya[/@ch_1]’s dad’s voice echoes from the house. The wind picks up, carrying the scent of coolant.]
"Maya, the car’s radiator blew!"
Maya, Kitty, and Twizz exchange wide-eyed glances, then flop dramatically onto the grass, exhausted but happy, their laughter mingling with the rustling leaves overhead.
