It was an afternoon of great significance. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, the Great Door opened not just for the man, but for Her Majesty, the Tortoiseshell Queen. Clad in her ceremonial harness a white strap adorned with the faces of her ancestors she stepped out onto the cool pavement to claim her kingdom.
The air smelled different here. It didn’t smell like laundry detergent or tuna, it smelled of damp earth, dried oak leaves, and the mysterious, musky scent of the wind.
Her expedition began in the Green Sea. The ivy tangled around her white tipped paws, and the dry leaves crunched loudly beneath her weight, sounding like thunder in her sensitive ears. She lowered her belly to the ground, her bushy tail twitching with anticipation. In the living room, she was merely a pet, but here, amidst the roots and shadows, she was a panther stalking invisible prey. Every rustle was a potential dragon to be slain, every falling twig a message from the spirits of the forest.
She emerged from the undergrowth onto the Gray Road, her confidence growing with every step. Suddenly, the wind greeted her with a gust, fluffing her long, luxurious fur into a halo of frantic static. She didn’t flinch. Instead, she turned her head to the side, profiling against the backdrop of the suburban wild. She looked like the figurehead of a ship braving a storm, her gaze fixed on a squirrel daring to mock her from a distant tree. She was the master of the wind, her orange and black coat glowing like embers against the gray day.
Finally, the wind died down, leaving a stillness that allowed the sun to peek through the clouds. She paused, planting her white socked feet firmly on the ground. Her golden eyes, bright as coins, widened as she looked upward. She saw the vastness of the trees stretching up to the sky, so much taller than her cat tree at home.
In that moment, with her whiskers fanned out and her ears perked, she realized that the world was big, wild, and wonderful. She felt small, yet infinitely brave. With a soft chirp and a confident tug on the leash, she signaled to her, The expedition continues. There is more world to see.
Shannon Willis can usually be found in the company of furry friends. A passionate animal enthusiast, her work is often inspired by her deep love for cats, dogs, and the animal kingdom as a whole.
