Cartel Cats: Know Your Rights
Chapter Ten: What Makes a Badass?
Pawloma's alleys had seen their share of tough talk and tougher nights. Around here, everyone claimed to know what it meant to be a badass. Some thought it was about who could fight the hardest, who could scare the most, or who could pull the trigger first. But Barbara Sanders knew better.
One evening, as the city lights flickered on, a heated argument broke out behind Ms. Ramirez's store. A young tomcat, Blaze, strutted with a swagger, waving around a broken bottle.
Blaze (boasting):
"Anyone can talk big, but real badasses handle business. You got a problem? Handle it. End it."
The younger kittens watched, wide-eyed, half-impressed and half-afraid.
Barbara stepped forward, her voice calm and cool as a midnight breeze.
Barbara:
"Anybody can pick up a weapon and end someone else's problems. But what about yours, Blaze? You pull that trigger, and your problems are just beginning. So who really won?"
Blaze faltered, his bravado flickering.
Scene 1: Raising the Bar
Mama Patch, ever the wise one, joined them, her gaze steady.
Mama Patch:
"You want to be a badass? Don't just take someone out—pull them out of the hole they're in. Raise their bar, not just your own. That's what real strength looks like."
The crew nodded, some remembering times they'd been helped up instead of knocked down.
Sneezy Lila:
"Being tough isn't about hurting people. It's about helping them see they can be more."
Scene 2: Building a Kingdom
Barbara gathered the kittens around.
Barbara:
"You want to build a tower? Realize it isn't just one. No one gets far alone. Every brick you lay is someone else's hope, someone else's future. That's how you build a kingdom, not just a throne."
Sleepy Sal chimed in,
"Anybody can destroy. But it takes a real badass to create something that lasts."
Scene 3: The Real Challenge
Rico, the reformed tough guy, added his voice.
Rico:
"I used to think being feared was everything. But respect—real respect—comes from lifting others up, not pushing them down. That's the only way you get anywhere worth going."
Blaze looked at the crew, the weight of their words sinking in.
Blaze (softly):
"Maybe I got it twisted. Maybe being a badass is about building, not breaking."
Scene 4: The Moral
Barbara smiled, her eyes shining with pride.
Barbara:
"True badasses use their brains, their hearts, and their hands to make things better. Pull someone out of the darkness. Raise the bar for everyone. That's how you get far in life. That's how you build something bigger than yourself."
Rights Recap Song
🎶
Badass kitty, smart and witty,
Builds a world that's strong,
Lifts up friends and neighbors,
Helps them get along.
Anybody can break a heart,
Or tear a dream apart,
But true strength is in the ones
Who help you make a start.
Build your kingdom, brick by brick,
Raise the bar, don't play that trick,
If you want to go far,
Lift others where they are.
🎶
Spoken Outro (Mama Patch)
Don't get it twisted, kittens.
Being a badass isn't about fear or force.
It's about using your mind, your courage, and your kindness
to build something that lasts.
A real tower, a real kingdom—
is never built alone.