Fin shivered suddenly and spun around towards the hedge, sensing the hostile stare directed at her and Taven. The icy blue slivers of sapphire blinked out and vanished just before Fin's gaze fell upon them. Fin frowned; "Someone was there, in the hedge, but they've gone now."
Taven shook himself. "I felt it too; who do you think it was?"
Fin shrugged; "I don't know. It was probably nothing."
She pounced on Taven's twitching tail and leapt on to the stone wall, calling down "You're It!" before jumping down on the other side.
With a playful yowl, Taven raced off in hot pursuit.
The chase continued over many walls and picket fences, over wide expanses of grass, through several well-tended flower beds (much to the annoyance of the human owners), and even over a small fish pond, taking care to avoid getting their paws wet. Always, Taven would see Fin standing on top of the next fence, tail waving in an invitation to run after her again.
But gradually the gardens became less familiar and finally gave way to open fields and farmland. Both kittens were tired and declared the hunt over, flopping down beside each other in the shade of a lone tree.
Taven stared at the sky, which was burning in shades of red and gold as the sun began to head for the cover of the distant towering hills. He looked at Fin, concern on his face. "We should get back home soon - you know how our parents are."
Fin sighed; "Yes, they say that the Family doesn't like it if we don't come back at night. I don't know why - the darkness is the best time of day!"
Taven rubbed his head against her shoulder. "I suppose we can stay a bit longer."
Fin returned the nuzzle and said "You know, we won't be kittens very much longer, then we'll be able to do what we like."
Taven smiled wistfully. "Maybe you will, Fin. But I'll be Leader someday, after my father. I'll never be able to do what I want - everyone will compare us and criticise me for not being exactly the same as him."
They sat silently, each picturing Taven's father, Derufin, the Leader of the Raukur Tribe to which they belonged. The midnight black tom with the white star on his forehead and unusual dark blue eyes was considered by most to be the ideal leader: wise but stern, courageous, willing to defend and protect his own. He and his mate, Rafke, were held to be the best leaders the Tribe had ever had, and Taven was right: it would be a difficult task to follow in his father's pawprints.
Fin looked thoughtfully at Taven, who now seemed utterly forlorn. "You'll try your best," she said gently, "and you know I will always be there, even if things get rough."
Taven smiled at her. "I know you will."
They held each other's gaze for a while, and in their eyes they saw the truth: that no matter what others did or said, Taven and Fin would be together, always.
Still unused to moments of tense emotion, both kittens looked away and sought for something to say.
"You're right, Tav - we should get going," said Fin eventually, "But first I'd like to check out that little wood over there."
"Why?" asked Taven.
"I just think it might be fun, since neither of us have ever been there before. Come on!"
Fin and Taven trotted towards the small clump of trees which stood huddled together beside a road rushing with evening traffic.
Some distance behind padded Philomena, stealthily following the kittens while staying out of sight. The setting sun tinged her white fur with its fire, staining it blood-red, as if as an omen of things to come.
"Hey! This place is great!" exclaimed Fin, gazing around in amazement. "It's much bigger than I thought, and I bet we are the first Raukur cats to ever come here!"
"Yeah!" said Taven, equally enthusiastic, "This can be our place; we won't tell any of the others about it."
They spent some time exploring their new-found playground, their thoughts of returning home immediately dispelled. The trees were ideal for climbing, and there were enough shrubby bushes and scattered mossy rocks to provide excellent hiding places. The dim roar of the traffic on the nearby road was somewhat muffled in the trees, reduced to a not unpleasant murmur. Had the kittens ever visited the sea, they would have compared the sound to that of the rushing tide. However, engrossed as they were in mapping the terrain, they paid little heed to the road, and only took real notice of the frenzied barking when the dog crashed through the bushes on the far side of the wood.
Startled by this new development, the kittens abandoned their search and retreated further away from the dog, unknowingly moving closer to the road.
The dog was now in plain view: a large black Labrador which snuffled the ground, tail wagging furiously. It's sensitive nose detected the smell of cat and it instantly made a bee-line to where Fin and Taven stood hiding under a bush. The kittens glanced around wildly as their panic increased and the dog, intent on the trail, approached them.
Fin, her eyes wide and fearful, nudged Taven. "That big tree - run!"
They broke cover and ran for the largest tree, which stood on the very brink of the road, in one place actually shading it with its boughs.
As they hurtled towards the tree, the Labrador caught sight of them and gave chase, baying madly as it ran. Taven reached the tree first and clawed his way up the bark, reaching the relative safety of the branches. He scrambled around to the other side and moved along a branch, in an attempt to distance himself further from the dog. As his immediate terror subsided he realised where he was: directly above the fast-moving stream of traffic. He dug his claws in and waited for Fin.
Fin, although only a few paces behind Taven as they ran to reach the tree, had lost her grip on the bark as she climbed, and had slid further down the trunk, almost to within snapping range of the dog's jaws. Heart pounding, she regained her clawhold and raced vertically away from the serried ranks of sharp white teeth. Shaking with fear and shock she clawed her way around the trunk and ran out on to the branch directly above Taven.
The slender branch gave way beneath her and she plunged downwards, striking Taven's branch as she fell. The next bough prevented her from falling any further, but Taven was not so fortunate.
His grip already loosened by the impact of his friend's fall, the miniature hurricane created by the passage of a massive truck dislodged him completely. Taven fell towards the deadly tide below, paws flailing wildly. Fin forgot all else as she watched, unable to tear her horrified gaze away.
Those few fateful seconds crystallised to an eternity. As her eyes saw Taven fall in slow-motion, Fin's mind raced through every shared moment between them; every game, every conversation, from their first shy meeting as tiny kittens, to the momentous revelation beneath the lone tree. All her hopes and dreams had Taven woven inextricably into their very fabric; in her mind they were tearing apart and unravelling, leaving only the bitter shreds of what might have been.
A piercing whistle sounded, calling the dog back to its unseen master. Fin barely heard it as she recklessly clambered down from the tree.
Taven had fallen directly on to a passing car and had been thrown back into the wood, his small body broken and bleeding but still miraculously alive.
Fin ran to where he lay; his breathing came in shallow, painful gasps and his eyes were filled with pain and fear. He mewed pitifully and Fin gently licked his face. She was almost blinded by her tears, as she realised his injuries were fatal and that he would soon die. The truth was a lie - he was going to leave her and they would be apart forever.
Choking back the uncontrollacble sobs that threatened to overcome her, she said "Taven? I thought we would always be together."
He fixed his eyes on her, the look of panic fading and being replaced by calm acceptance. "We will, Fin. Remember that." He drew in a deep breath, his eyes becoming distant as they gazed at Fin, before he finally passed into the all-enfolding twilight. With his last breath Fin heard him whisper, "Love.... always..."
She whispered back, her voice breaking with grief; "Love you, Tav.", and then he was gone.
Fin sat quietly beside his body, contemplating his last words and the life she faced without him. Then, she shrieked her fury at the sky as the rim of the sun finally disappeared behind the hills, bathing the world in a bloody glow. "It should have been me!", she screamed.
She collapsed beside him, shaking with sorrow, her body racked by huge sobs. Her life meant nothing without Taven, and she bitterly cursed the harshness of the world which had robbed her of her happiness and her best friend. But most of all she cursed herself.
Philomena, too, wept. She had witnessed the tragedy unfolding before her horror-stricken eyes, and she too mourned for Taven. However, her tears were almost entirely selfish; her ambitions had largely involved him, and they had now fallen in ruin. She was about to run to Fin, to share in her grief, but she stopped herself, and the thought of revenge again surfaced in her mind.
Through her tears, a malicious light sprang up in her eyes and a small, wicked smile curled the corners of her mouth. Here was the perfect opportunity to ruin Fin, to shame her in front of the Tribe.
Philomena turned away from the scene of death, and headed for home at a run, preparing for the performance of a lifetime.
Fin lay beside the maimed and lifeless body of her friend, lost in misery and heedless of the merciless night which quickly drew in close around her.
