Cat Adventures Chapter 13: Unexpected Danger

At the break of dawn, I heard a loud "Phweet!" Felicia was already awake! It was time to wake up and set off. I placed Sunny on my shoulder, rolled up my sleeping bag, and eagerly walked towards Felicia, who was reloading the caravan. "Boo!" "You didn't scare me! I knew you were coming!" Felicia brushed my head and laughed. At this time, the others trotted towards the vehicle, their rates of walking determining how much they had slept. With no time for breakfast, we boarded the train. We were somewhat behind after the mall confusion. So we settled in to the normal daily routine. I played with Sunny, and dreamed of the rainforest with Crackers. I relaxed for a while, chatting leisurely with Crackers, Crumbles, and Pammy. Little did we know of the impending near disaster. The sky was slate grey, with an impenetrable sheet of clouds. We were positioned near the window when I felt a drop of water. "Get the lanterns, I've got to close the window." Crumbles returned with not only the lanterns, but a pile of blankets. Our eyes all lit up, and we built a snug blanket fort. It was wonderfully cozy, as we sat in the warmth of the lights and the heat of the blankets, discussing our favorite subjects - acrobatics and mischief. Often the walls of the tent reverberated with laughter (and the curious nose of Sunny).

A few delightful hours passed of this, until we were all too tired to say another word. Then, I woke up to a loud "Crash!" that shook the wagon and caused the tent to collapse on us. Crackers screamed, and then we all broke into peals of laughter. Then, our laughter was suddenly stopped with an even louder crash that sounded like a dresser piled with glass vases had toppled. I peered outside. The sky was turning an ominous black color, nearly as black as Pammy's fur. A dark, eerie shadow cast a spell over the forest, making it look as if it was swallowing us up. "Beep, beep, beep!" I was not imagining the sound. It was the weather alarm - the very one I had laughed at Isabella for taking..."You worry too much, Isabella. That thing is ridiculous." The memory of my words echoed in my mind. This was no joking matter now. I fished out the old radio, an dust-coated antenna extending as long as my tail. A muffled voice, jarred by the crackle and pop of static, was saying, "We are expecting severe storm of 60 mph wind, battering rain, and 90% chance of golfball-sized hail. We strictly advise that no one drives. If you are on the road, pull over. Stay tuned for more information." My heart pounded. This rickety old caravan could not stand a storm. Hopefully the weather forecaster was dramatically wrong. He was not.

This would be way worse than I imagined. What if there was a tornado? What if we were blown off a cliff, and...stop. I told myself. I tried to calm myself down, but the negative thoughts tore down my efforts. I shivered, hoping this storm would not last long. "Heeee!" The wind howled and screeched. The trees bent, cracking under the wind. Leaves and branches were hurled to the ground. "Lock everything!" screamed Felicia. "Prepare emergency food!" I twisted the bolts in the windows. The wind threw itself against the flimsy wooden walls and tossed me and Sunny to the ceiling and down with a bone-shattering thunk. The caravan creaked and swayed. What if the roof was blown off? My head was throbbing from being rolled by the tremors. "Everyone! Hurry into the Emergency Quarters!" I could barely hear Felicia over the howling, swooshing wind. Then, as I was running to the Quarters, I noticed an open window. I tried closing it, but the wind began dragging my rear claws against the floor. Then, it swept me out of the window, and into the heart of the tempest. "Pounce!" I heard someone's voice spiraling off with the wind. I pushed against the wind and flailed. Then, I was thrown to the ground. There was a one out of a thousand chance I would survive, much less be found. but one in a thousand was a chance.

I would not give up just yet. I tried to follow the hazy brown shape rolling along that was the caravan. The rain formed a shield against my face, stinging my eyes. My fur gripped my bare skin, trying to force me down. I wouldn't be overcome. I shut my eyes, and grappled my way. The wind screamed its long, chilling note. With each blast of the wind, some of my hopes blew away. I had lost everything - almost. I might not have a place in the championships because of this, but I knew I always had a place in the Flying Felinis' hearts. That was my only weapon against the storm. Wind pushed me over. I struggled to resist. I was frozen. My bones clacked and shivered, jaw bouncing up and down. I began to weep in frustration and sadness. I had been gone an hour, and the storm showed no sign of abating. Just yesterday I had felt so comfortable and at home. Now I was not sure if I made the right decision. I was reminded of the myriads of risks on this journey, and the promised safety of the house. Although I was restricted, I was safe. But is guaranteed freedom more important to me than guaranteed safety?

 

The rain smashed me flat and I huddled into a tight ball. Then, I felt something brush my back. "Pounce?" I raised my head, and found myself staring into the eyes of Felicia, warm with compassion and happiness. "You really risked venturing into the storm to find me?" Even in the horrible tempest and battering rain, I reached up to hug Felicia. "I'm your friend, Pounce. I love you." We latched paws and began hobbling back to the caravan. Then, the wind stopped. But the storm was not over. A cold pellet dropped on my limp body. Hailstones began falling, nailing us to the ground. "Come," whispered Felicia. "I-can't," I grunted in a faint whisper. The hail hammered on me. Each hailstone stamped out a fraction of my energy. Felicia, too collapsed beside me. I thought of how brave and caring she was to rescue me when she was safe and cozy inside. "Thank you, Felicia." I murmured with a final gasp of breath. Icy water rolled off my forehead, and ice cubes blotted out my world. I was with Felicia. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. Then, I felt Felicia hoist me onto her back and trudge forward. I tried to help a little, but my limbs were too heavy and weak. Just then, the storm stopped as suddenly as it had started.

 My stomach was roaring. "I'll go find food." I plodded off, searching for something easy. Old logs are often home to food. A strong scent of centipede streamed from it. I crept up, slithering on my stomach. When I opened the rotting wood, I found it full with a tangled mass of centipedes. I scooped up the squirming mass of myriopods. Felicia and I wolfed them down, and trudged off towards the caravan. Branches spotted the once unbroken green fields. Puddles were everywhere, and meadows were transformed into marshes. It should be around here somewhere. We walked on a seemingly endless, winding path, taking turns supporting each other. Then, I sucked in my breath...there was the wagon, knocked over. The others were nowehere to be seen. Then I spotted them, under the upturned cart. "Pounce! Felicia! You're safe! We never thought you would return." Isabella wrapped me in a warm towel and rubbed me warm. As Felicia and I rested, exhausted, I watched as the rest of us strung vines around the carriage and pulled. With a few straining tugs, the caravan was back on its wheels, although the inside was probably destroyed. I glanced at my reflection in a puddle. My fur was soiled and matted. Understanding my expression, Felicia ruffled my fur with a towel and combed it with her teeth. "Your mats are out now." Indeed, my fur was sleek and almost shiny.

The sun was peeking from behind the grey clouds. Then, a thought struck me. Where was Sunny? I scoured the ground underneath the wagon, with no results. She could easily be swept away in the wind. "Sunny!" My voice cracked, hoarse with terror.

Will Pounce find Sunny, unharmed? Find out in the next chapter!

Chapter 12: Is This My Home?

Sooner than I expected, we arrived at a park. I closed my eyes to the soothing burble of a river nearby. The carriage creaked to a stop, and we all slid open the doors and jumped out. At last I could go fishing! Felicia followed me to the river with the same intentions. I peered through the glossy river water. Then, a large, fat fish came floundering past. I slashed with my paw, only to rediscover for the millionth time that they could not spear the fish. Felicia dove after me, and flicked it onto the shore. My mouth watered at the prospect of eating it for dinner. "Hey Pounce! You better give me that area of the stream!" called Crackers, feigning aggression. I grinned. "Never!" I batted her. She responded with a surprise back hit. Down came my own paw. I had a better position, and soon wrestled her out of my way. I watched the surface of the water once more, until a tuna fish passed in front of me. With a jab of my spear, I pinned it to the mud at the bottom. With a quick motion, I flicked the fish behind me and tugged the skin off with a satisfying 'zzzip.' The shiny silver skin peeled off, leaving succulent red meat.

I skewered it and started a fire. At the sight of a flame, everyone came running. I tossed sticks into the fire, until we had a bright orange bonfire, leaping in the air. We all formed a circle, and held our fish in front of the fire to roast. I stared into the faces of my friends, illuminated in the orange glow, looks of love and trust on their faces. It was then that I realized how important they were to me. At that moment, I felt as if I belonged here more than anywhere else, that there was no better place for me to be but here. I loved everyone deeply, and knew I would never be able to part with them. However, I still was not sure if I could call the Flying Felinis my home. Although I loved my friends, and there was no turning back...is this more of a home to me than with the humans? If Sunny had not hitchhiked, she would have been left behind with them - and I needed Sunny; I would not be the same without her. She was part of the other home. I have a place to live now, but can I call it a home? I am not sure, and would not be sure for a while - but momentarily, I felt like home is here.

I would do anything to protect my friends, and I am sure they feel the same. This journey would be fraught with many more perils to come. Then, I was suddenly overcome by a feeling of determination. We would reach the rainforest, and would not let anything impede our way. I knew we were capable, as long as we never give up hope. "We can do it!" I cried. "We will reach the championships and succeed!" We clashed paws, and came up with our secret handshake. "We are united," Felicia whispered. We all stared in each other's eyes and pledged to be united, forever. "Dangers may separate us physically, but we will always be together inside." We raised our paws solemnly and saluted. Then, we returned to the fire. I turned over my fish and engaged in conversation with Crackers. I chomped into the juicy, scrumptious piece of tuna, savoring every molecule of every wonderful succulent bite. Raw fish had been a rare delicacy since I had been domesticated. Sunny enjoyed it too. I yawned, full of a meal of love, kindness, and fish. I closed my eyes in delight and stretched out to gaze at the stars.

"Hooo!" The lonely hoot of an owl pierced the air, sending chills down my spine. I retired back to my branch shelter, shielded by weed bushes. I shuddered at what beasts may be lurking outside, lying in wait. One could be subject to an attack at any time, at any place. No matter how I tried, I could not sleep. I tossed and turned in my scratchy sleeping bag. At least Sunny, who was fast asleep, was not plagued with these worries. Rustle. I heard a suspicious noise. In panic, I cleared my belongings and covered the snoring Sunny. I stood at the entrance, ready to defend whatever may be approaching. Waves of panic stabbed my heart. Then, to my surprise and unexpected relief, Felicia walked in. "I didn't mean to scare you. I knew you were awake, and for the same reason as me." For a moment I was stunned. Felicia was scared? "I know. Everyone gets scared sometimes." Felicia sat next to me and began showing me some small items she collected along the way. I showed her my travel journal, and she read my accounts. "This is good information for a biography of us. Someday we'll be famous, Pounce. I promise," she said wistfully. "I promise, Felicia. Now, if you're here, we might as well swat each other." The last time I had a swatting match with Felicia was before we left, and she was much better than me. This time, we were closely matched, but she still ended up on top of me. "E-ee-e-e!" something called outside. "Felicia, w-will you sleep with me? I'm sorry, but I just...felt lonely tonight." "Of course, Pounce. I feel the same." She crawled into my sleeping bag, and we fell asleep together, paws interlocked. It was one of the most comforting sensations I ever felt. However, I had a good reason to be so afraid.

What will Pounce's reason to be afraid turn out to be? Find out in the next chapter!

Cat Adventures Chapter 11: A Wrong Turn

 

 An avalanche of panic descended on me. The window had been torn down by the wolves, and two yellow eyes were staring at me maliciously. I tried to scream, but my throat suddenly grew dry and I could only let out a croak. Where was everyone? Then, my blood froze when I saw Crackers, curled up and snoring - right in front of the wolf. The wolf growled. I backed into a corner, hoping it would abandon Crackers. Then, I heard a chilling hiss. Pammy had come to my rescue, and was standing in front of the wolf, shielding Crackers. The wolf still lunged past Pammy and towards Crackers. Then, Pammy sprang on the wolf's back with a yelp. The wolf swung around, teeth barely touching Pammy's side. It kept on dealing Pammy blows, nearly pushing her off. I turned off to hide, but caught myself. I could not leave Pammy defenseless.

The wolf had almost overpowered her. As much as I was terrified of the wolf, I knew it was unjust to leave Pammy. I sprang on the wolf's neck, trying to hold it down from reaching Pammy. However, I felt her losing control, her grasp weakening. With a final jerk, the wolf sent Pammy sprawling. Then, I heard a sound. "Meaakw!" It was a distinctively feline sound, but I could not tell where it was coming from.  Then, a small head poked out of my sack and uttered the cry once more, even louder. It was Sunny, calling for help! Just as the echos began to ring, Crackers popped her head up and fled. She was safe, but I still had to battle the wolf. Still, there was no sign of the others. I flailed with paws and teeth in a desperate attempt to protect myself. "Oh, Felicia, where are you?" I moaned. I knew I would not be able to maintain control much longer.

I buried my teeth in the wolf's thick fur. The next thing, I was spinning in the air. Then, I heard a thud, stamp, stamp. If those were more wolves, I stood no chance. Then, a light was raised, casting a beam on the chaos and disorder caused by the wolf. "You need to get out of my territory now. You'll pay if you even think of harming these cats." I could faintly discern Felicia's stern face eying the wolf, illuminated by the lantern. She silently lifted her paw to eye level, and flexed her lethal, 2-inch long claws. At that one gesture, the wolf plodded out the door. I would never be able to do that. My claws would never grow back, but I was determined not to let that affect me. "Pounce, it was your little sister who attracted my attention. She saved your life and Pammy's life, and I am amazed by that. She will be a future Felini someday." I smiled, and gazed lovingly into Sunny's eyes until we fell asleep, closing our eyes simultaneously. I slept the whole morning, until I woke up to a loud honk in the afternoon. I glanced out the window, and was surprised to see a busy road, buzzing with cars and people.

 

Various smells drifted from shops along the side of the road. One smelled sweet and sugary, and another smelled pervasively of fresh fish. I hurried off to grab a fish from the wastebasket. I gobbled it down in relish, saving some bits to share. A group of children stared in fascination as the old, battered, wooden train rounded a corner. "Pounce!" called Felicia. "Ask someone how to get out of here." I popped my head out the window and asked the nearest person. However, she only glanced in surprise, shook her head, and walked off. I had several such reactions, until finally someone handed me a map. "Take this!" I threw the map to Felicia. After following the instructions, we came to a large building with a wide entryway, labeled 'MALL'. I had never heard the term, but apparently Felicia assumed it meant a passageway. However, we were very surprised by it. Stores crowded the hallways, and people milled around. Some even screamed at the carriage.

We bashed through the crowd, until we came to a large area full of smells, most of which were nauseating, but some delectable. The carriage jerked to a stop. I hopped out, and dragged Crackers with me, following the smell of meat. It led us to a fast food counter. Crackers looked at me, a mischievous glint in her eyes. We hid behind the counter, making sure our ears did not stick up. I mimicked a high nasal voice, saying "One colossal cheeseburger, please." A few stifled giggles emanated from Crackers. In a few minutes, a large burger appeared. Crackers took it, and I deposited a few of the green papers I found in my human's purse on the counter. Then, I took all the buy-1-get-1 free makeup from another store (isn't that what buy-1-get-1 free means?). This was a very odd passage! With paws and mouth full of my acquisitions, I, rather difficultly, hobbled back. After I gave Felicia some of the cheeseburger, we set off again in search of the exit. "Halt!" someone called. Felicia hopped out of the wagon, and snapped, "Who do you think you are to tell Felicia Felini to stop?" I watched as the person raised his eyebrows, and retreating, knowing Felicia would not back down.

Eventually we figured that the word 'mall' did not mean a passage, and found our way out, back onto the road. Felicia scratched an X on the map and said, "We're back on track!" I made an entry in my journal, and tried teaching an exasperated Sunny how to read. Hours passed of me trying to educate an uncooperative Sunny, until we reached a fork in the road. "Which way?" called Felicia. "Pounce has the map." Slowly she began heading right. "Wait, Felicia! It says to go left!" With great difficulty and tremors, the whole train was manipulated backwards, to the left. I glanced at the sun, slowly sinking in the horizon, casting a golden orange light. "When should we stop?" I asked Felicia. "When we reach open forest." Whenever that will be, I thought.

Cat Adventures Chapter 10: Unstuck

I heard a shrill sound as Sunny plummeted into the ditch. I glanced upwards, to see the hawk ascending with empty talons. I peered into the ditch, and an anxious lump rose in my throat. There were two wide, glistening eyes staring imploringly at me. I seized the rope, hoping to haul Sunny up. I began lowering it down, desperately hoping Sunny could reach it. "Can you reach this?" I called to Sunny. All I heard was a muffled "mrr".  I hauled the rope up, heart pounding in anticipation and hope that Sunny was clinging to the rope. When I brought it up,  I saw only the frayed edges.  There was only one more solution, which would probably result in my getting stuck in the ditch as well. My jaw shook as I asked Pammy to hold my tail, and lower me into the ditch. She clamped her claws on my tail, and began lowering me down, rope in hand. My tail was tearing off my body, splitting with pain. However, I knew I had to rescue Sunny, and I would do anything to save her.

 

I glanced at the blackness, waiting to swallow me up. I felt Pammy's claws sliding on my tail, and still I felt no tug from Sunny. Pammy herself was already dangling halfway off the edge of the ditch. My breaths were short and clipped in half. Then, I felt a gentle tug and sway on the rope. Sunny? My eyes strained to discern the frail body of Sunny, clinging to the rope for dear life. I gazed into the fearful, wide eyes, telling me, "You can get me out, Pounce, right?" I could, and just had to hang on. "U--p," I gasped tightly. I was back on my feet, gasping and regaining my breath. Sunny clutched my neck and buried her face in my soiled fur. Now we still had to liberate the wheel. I took the logs I had gathered, and tried to push the cart up. I heaved and leaned. Waves of heat circlulated through my body. The sun was at its hottest, and soon the owner of this house would return and see their excavated lawn. My throat was parched, but a tiny voice inside me urged me not to rest. I had already chosen to be a member of this journey, and needed to remain faithful to our mission.

 

"1-2-3 PULL!" Felicia hollered, until we were all pulling in rhythm. With each pull,  my body became more exhausted and faint. The world spun around me in my dizziness from the strain. "Water break! If you want it get it now!" Felicia panted. I leapt up. The chilled water trickled down my parched throat, restoring my energy with every sip. I splashed it on my face and closed my eyes at how refreshing it felt. By the time we resumed work, I felt ready and energetic. Half of us positioned ourselves on either side of the caravan. We placed our paws under the cart for what we all hoped to be the final pull. All my energy went into this. My whole body shuddered and quaked under the force. If I continued pushing, I would split right in half. Every time I bent a limb, a sharp sting would travel through it. It felt as if I was under a 1-ton weight (which I probably was). I would try one more time. Every time I grew discouraged, I thought of the championships, and Felicia. I grunted and squeaked uncontrollably under the exertion. Then, my heart jumped. The wagon jolted up. The log blocks crumbled as the wheel burst out of the ditch. It was out, and surprisingly unscathed! Finally, it was time to eat. At this time, I would ot be able to hear a pack of twenty hyenas calling over my stomach.

 We ate some of the food we packed, and, after I ate a fish and cupcake, I could barely open and close my jaws with tiredness. "Carry me,shake me, and sprinkle me with water before you leave tomorrow." With that, I fell asleep. The only problem was, we were still on the lawn. "Pounce!" I woke up sweating from a dream that I was being chased by a wild beast. Then, I saw that my dream was reality. A car's bright lights were glaring in my eyes. I dashed into the wagon as Felicia started the train. I slept for several hours until a cry of "Danger! Run!" startled me. "The wolves!" I glanced out of the peep hole, and saw stampedes of wolves trying to gain access to the caravan. "Get the meat!" called Isabella from the back, tossing a mouse and part of a steak to the wolves. One wolf took it, but the others paid no heed. Crackers was near the exit, hissing wildly. She opened the window a crack and reached a slashing paw out. "No!" I cried, and snatched her back. I felt a sudden cold gust of wind. Then I sensed the eerie feeling of being watched - by an enemy. I glanced around myself, wondering what was monitoring me. What I saw left me petrified with terror.

What did Pounce see? Will the Flying Felinis be safe from the wolves? Find out in the next chapter!

Cat Adventures Chapter 9: Stuck

I shivered with fear, trying to concentrate only on the calm chirping of a spring peeper instead of all my fears. Then, I heard a faint "Pounce! It's Felicia!" I leapt to my feet, tail bristling with excitement and relief. "Felicia!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. I began incessantly meowing loud wails. Then, several pairs of glowing eyes stared at me. I recognized their glints - there were Crackers, Pammy, Isabella, and Felicia! I padded over. Felicia gave me a welcome pat and led me back. "You know I would never forget you, Pounce, right?" She thwacked my nose with her rough, warm tongue. We returned to camp, and roasted scarabs. I settled into bed, where a warm ball of snoring kitten was awaiting me. Whack! I woke up to a loud bang. Already? I groaned, and groped my way out, toting the still asleep Sunny. When I woke up again, it was afternoon, and Crackers and Crumbles were playing tennis with a rock. Sunny was watching, and ducking at repeated intervals to avoid the rock they consistently knocked out of bounds. To avoid smashing my ears, I leapt to the upper chamber and strung together some pieces of birch bark. This journey was growing rather dull, but I decided I needed to have some memoir.

I scribbled some of the major events, such as the wolves and my getting lost, and some other details to pass the time. The next time I looked up, I was in a very different environment. The woods had completely vanished, and I found the caravan facing the back of a house...and a large, black dog. I slammed down the window and shouted a warning to Felicia. With some difficulty, she led us away with a clatter, just as the window opened and a woman stared after us curiously. Now we were on a street, very similar to the one I used to live on. Could we have made one large loop? I popped my head out. I could tell by the first house that we were somewhere different. Then, I caught sight of a large car, coming towards us at full speed. "Felicia! Steer away, and fast!" She spun the steering wheel, just as the car grazed the splintering wood. Perhaps this journey wouldn't be as dull as I thought. I would soon realize that it was far from that - but very dangerous. 

 

I settled to write my accounts of this close encounter. No sooner had I picked up the pen than Sunny pounced on my back. "Swat with me! You said you'd show me how to aim!" "Not now," I said. I needed peace, especially after last night. I began to doze off, imagining a great feast being laid out in our honor at the championships. Rare-cooked mouse, juicy pink fish, centipede pie..I woke up from my dream to the realization that I was starving. I pulled out a fish, and threw pieces down to the others. I trained myself in my mind, thinking over my routine. I was going to be the star performer - and I had been a member of the Flying Felinis for the shortest time. I was not sure if I was ready. I hope so...

 I removed the qualification pass from my pack and ran my paw along the edge fringed with gold leaf. It proclaimed, "Certified to the Flying Felinis for Outstanding Performance" in elegant, curled script. For a moment I wondered if we were even capable of placing. This was only our first year in the championships, and we would be competing against thousands of teams and individuals. Surely it is not possible...but at least we can try, and try our best.

 

We had to place, if not win. I fingered my name in gold and thought of what this meant to Felicia. Acrobatics was her whole life, and she had been aspiring to reach the championships for years. She relied on me, as the star. I could not, and would not disappoint her. I fingered my name written in gold, and carefully slid it into my sack. I brought out a stuffed leaf, and challenged a few cats to a game. Crackers, as always, boasted of her "impeccable aim and graceful swats," and Isabella took routine breaks to tend to her long, sleek white fur. Then, Crackers smacked the ball out the window just as the wagon stopped. "I think you need to work on your impeccable aim, Crackers," I laughed, and trotted out to fetch the ball. Then I noticed that not only was the ball stuck in the ditch, the wheel was stuck as well. "What happened, Pounce?" Felicia called. "The wheel is stuck!" Felicia came darting out of the driver's cab, a look of concern and consternation on her face.

I began tugging at the wheel. Everyone came running at the commotion. "1-2-3-PULL!" This was the rallying cry for hours, but still the wheel did not move a centimeter. My paws were blistered and scratched, and burning from friction. The sun rose higher, burning my back to a crisp. What if we had to travel on foot all the way to the ocean? I ran back to fetch the shovel we had thrown in with the sacks. I jumped on the long pole until, finally, it pierced into the rich earth of the lawn where the sinkhole was. At midday, we had dug a narrow trench in the lawn. Felicia tried to roll the wagon out, but still it did not budge. I began gathering logs to prop up the cart. Then, a huge menacing shadow passed over me. I glanced upwards, and my fears were confirmed. There was a large hawk, circling close to the ground. I know it only does that when preparing to dive. Hastily, I scampered to save Sunny. I was too late. Sunny had panicked and ran - the wrong way. That wrong way was straight into the six-foot ditch.

 
 

Will Pounce be able to rescue Sunny? Find out in the next chapter!

Cat Adventures Chapter 8: Lost

 

The roof creaked, and I braced myself for the crash. Suddenly, Felicia let out a hiss that froze the blood pumping through my body and sent shivers up my spine. I quailed into a corner. The moment after the hiss was released, I heard a loud thud and the silent, dejected padding of paws. We had defeated the wolves! Exhausted, and gasping with relief, I fell asleep before my head touched my paws. I woke up to the warm hands of sunlight caressing my body. I peered out the window, and gazed at a majestic landscape. Towering, ornate green pine trees extended to the sky as the beautiful morning sunlight filtered through the needles. Birds sang melodies of joy, interrupting at regular intervals to chatter to each other. I inhaled the crisp, cool air and leaned my face out the window.

I sniffed the sweet, spicy pine sap and stuck a paw out the window. Spider webs glittered in the sunlight, illuminating their intricate silver lattices. A gob of sticky sap splattered on my head. Sunny licked it off. I had never seen such a forest-- it was filled with Christmas trees-- complete with the wooden, spiky ornaments! My paws flicked with longing to climb one of them. Then-- thunk! Thunk! I peered up at the roof of the caravan, puzzled that it would be hailing in such seemingly fair weather. "Pounce! Get the cashews!", someone called. "What? Cashews?", I asked, baffled. "For the squirrels!", Merry said, handing me the bag of cashews. Suddenly, an acorn bounced off my face. What I thought was hail were actually acorns! In realization, I emptied out the bag of cashews. Squirrels came flying from the trees, abandoning their game of pelting the train.

We lurched past the squirrels, who were rapidly gathering the nuts. The rest of today's journey went smoothly as we rolled over golden hills and into a densely wooded area. Creeak! The carriage was drawing to a halt. "Here's camp!" Felicia called. I drew my pack and began searching for sticks. Once I had amassed a pile, I lashed the sticks together with grass rope. They teetered, but I assumed they would hold up. Next I had to make the walls. I lugged boulders over and piled them hapahazardly against the tree trunk. Finally, I wove grass rather laboriously into a blanket. By now, my stomach was roaring, so I decided to search for fish. However, not a ripple penetrated the still brook. I watched until stars danced in my eyes. Then, I froze. Rustle. Rustle. I recognized the convulsive rustles of a foraging mouse. I froze in my tracks, whiskers quivering as I tried to catch a scent. Slowly, I lifted one paw and lowered it onto the leaves, step by step as the scent grew stronger. Then, the scent vanished abruptly from the air.

I glanced around myself. It was growing to be dusk, and a chilling breeze began whispering through the trees. Which way had I come? Dense forest surrounded me, and all the trees seemed identical. A rising panic mounted in my heart. I was lost. Instead of taking the food from right under my nose I followed a mouse and have now lost myself. No one could find me here. The sky turned a darker shade of indigo. "Meaaw!" I wailed for help. There was no answer, not even the faintest grunt. I thought of my friends, probably roasting the very mouse I was after, sitting cozily around a blazing fire. I tried to coax myself to sleep. "Howoo!" a long, chilling howl penetrated the eerie silence. An owl began its lonely hoot. Shivers tickled my spine. I shut my eyes. Probably no one had even noticed my absence. They would leave tomorrow, and I would be left here for the rest of my life. For a moment, I doubted why I had decided to embark on this journey. I was so foolish, to leave my family, on such a perilous and long journey. I had decided permanently, and my action would never be erased. At home I was confined, but I was safe and had all possible luxuries. If I had stayed home, I could be peacefully relaxing on the belly-warmer, with Sunny tucked under my paw. If only someone would help me...

Will Pounce be abandoned in the woods? Find out in the next chapter! 

Spotlight on the Prairie Ecosytem: Prairie dogs and Ferrets

 You have probably seen prairie dogs before, either in zoos or images, and know them to be extremely cute and playful prairie herbivores. However, you may be wondering what sort of creature the animal shown at the top of the page is! It is a black-footed ferret, another prairie dweller that preys exclusively on prairie dogs. The reason why you have most likely not encountered one is because they are critically endangered mainly due to scarcity of prey, disease, and lack of genetic diversity. Ranchers consider prairie dogs pests, since their burrows can break the legs of stampeding cattle, and because of the mistaken belief that they harm the grass quality. Articles dating back from 1902 stated that prairie dogs reduce range productivity, and have only been disproved recently. As a result of reading these false articles, ranchers began poisoning prairie dogs. However, poisoning prairie dogs not only kills the individuals, but transmits the poison to their predators, such as black-footed ferrets, coyotes, and hawks, thus killing them as well. The mass extermination of prairie dogs has also directly harmed ferrets, since ferrets must eat over a hundred prairie dogs a year to survive.

Another factor that has caused the death of both prairie dogs and ferrets is disease such as sylvatic plague and canine distemper. Plague is 100% fatal for black-footed ferrets, and is transmitted to them by infected fleas biting them or by eating contaminated prairie dogs. However, a plague vaccine meant for humans has proved successful for ferrets. Dusting burrows with flea pesticide is also successful. Canine distemper is not as prevalent as plague, but it is a major threat to the ferret population. It is spread by animals in the canine family, such as wolves and coyotes, as the name implies. Once again, an effective vaccine has been developed and is being administered to every captive ferret prior to reintroduction. However, these vaccines may be difficult and time consuming to administer. Another destructive factor is the genetic bottleneck, or a condition that results from inbreeding and causes forced reproduction between individuals that would not, under normal conditions, reproduce. This causes the exhibition of undesirable traits and a lack of genetic diversity. A genetic bottleneck is often the result of a population decrease.

 

 In order to prevent black-footed ferrets from becoming extinct, they must be bred in captivity and reintroduced. One method that scientists propose is the use of preconditioning. During preconditioning, ferrets are placed in outdoor pens for a minimum of 30 days, giving them experience hunting prairie dogs while also shielding them from predators. So far, approximately 3500 ferrets have been released in the wild. Now, around 500 have survived. In fact, 25 ferrets have just been reintroduced a few days ago in Arizona, on October 1st. Although this data seems promising, there is still much research to be done, especially on the issue of the genetic bottleneck. One possible solution that is currently being investigated is the use of artificial insemination. Through this process, semen from deceased males can be used to help female ferrets to reproduce. Thus, a deceased male's genes could be passed on to future offspring, offering more genetic diversity. 

 

To read more about black-footed ferrets, visit the website: http://blackfootedferret.org/home

Here is a video of a frolicking ferret kit being reintroduced:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiUbds5xGp4