The cat found a place near the bottom of the mildly inclined slope face. He settled in under the outward thrusting branches of a huge pine. The aroma, the deep bed of needles no insects could inhabit, and the gentle wind that wafted its way among the easy waving branches gave the cat a sort of comfort that was similar to, but more distant, than what he felt when he was among the members of his new pride. His position under the pine was taken with studied purpose. He stretched his aching battered body out fully, extending it until his head barely protruded from under the lowest of the wide flat branches. He looked out over the river and could see, from his vantage point, the great white cloud of spray thrown up by the water plummeting over the distant falls, to impact on the canyon bottom below. The cat knew he was close to where he’d leaped into the river the night before, and his whole body shivered. That he’d survived the fall, and then been so very close to going over the falls, had not impacted upon him until that moment. He knew he should not have survived but somehow had not only done so but was once again up on the opposing slope viewing his human pride members working their way toward the stones they’d use to cross to the other side. He’d use the same stones, but his paws and his low balanced body made the crossing a simple routine, but that was not so for the humans.
Hasti could not understand the meaning of the word ‘worry,’ even if it could somehow have been communicated to him. But his breathing increased in its rate as the first human ran across the top of the rocks. The younger human moved quickly and adroitly without fear, the cat understood, but not the older of the two. That one moved from rock to rock, trepidation, and fear evident in his every leap, followed by his awkward balancing series of small steps atop each rock. It would have been amusing to the cat to watch him if it had not involved the potential loss of one of his pride and a key pride member at that.
I really enjoy your writing and stories. Keep up the good work
Thanks Kevin, I will remain ‘on it’ especially with The Cat, which I love too…
Semper fi,
Jim
This is really getting good, James!
Really appreciate your support.
Share with your friends.
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Thirty Days Has September
Arch Patton, CIA agent
Semper fi,
Jim
Very interesting Lt. I am anxiously waiting the next chapter. You are a very good writer and I am also enjoying 30 Days has September. Keep up the good work.
Thank you, Billy.
Remind your friends about our autographed and personalized two book special of
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Semper fi,
Jim
As always, James, great writing. Can’t wait to read the next chapter! Semper Fi, my friend.
thanks Craig, and it goes up tomorrow. Done and off to Chuck.
Semper fi,
Jim
Continued great read. Can’t wait for next installment!
Thank you, Sue.
I have been distracted from answering comments quickly.
Appreciate your support.
Jim
Among some groups, symbiosis brings out the hidden strengths of each individual, and I feel that that is what is occurring here.
James, I am not sure how you are doing it, but somehow I feel as though your readers, or at least this particular one, has become a part of the tribe in some strange way. Not having one of my own, I welcome this. We got just under 6″ of snow yesterday, and I found myself wondering how the tribe members would be handling that same situation.
You are about to discover the winter effects on our small band, but maybe not the effects you might imagine
so I say thank you for being so intensely involved and being a member of that tribe yourself…
Semper fi,
Jim
Just when I think I know what is coming next, you throw a curve and send the story in a new direction.
I think that Night Moon did not realize how much her life was owed to Hasti, but she is starting to see that her safety is very much in the cat’s sphere of influence. Even her initial safety of joining the group was because of Hast’s relationship with Tama, and she is not really any essential part of our new tribe.
I wonder how she will view him going forward and what consequences will come from her future actions.
Very good chapter, and I find myself starting to become a little impatient at the delay for the next chapter.
Thanks for that great compliment and for being so into the story Rob. I shall have a segment up today…
Semper fi,
Jim
The last historical fiction that I read and re-read for the pure pleasure of it was James Michener’s “The Source.” I read each chapter of “The Cat” two or three times right away then return and read some of the previous chapters, Mr. Strauss you are in good company.
Thats a wonderful compliment Jim and I much appreciate and will savor it for a bit…MIchener!
Semper fi,
Jim
What a guard they have in him. Seems night Moon has even seen why he must stay. Makes one wonder if the tribes will try to enlist them to fight the other on down the road. Luck was on their side and no one was injured though without the Cat the tale would of came to a much different end I am guessing.
Thanks for penetrating to the depth of the story and then living there for a bit Pete. Next segment later today.
Semper fi,
Jim