The Darling, Darling

"Ummm!" The taste was delicious, soft and sweet and bubbly and juicy all at once I closed my eyes to reveal in the taste. This was a multi-sensory experience, colours flying through my mind, sky and grass and orange and lemon and purple and red and pink. Wow!

"WOW!" I said out loud and opened my eyes.

"What!" I looked to my left, and right, up and down. 

"Where are we?" I turned to face The Fly buzzing just above my head.

"About 3 months in advance of where we just were." He dipped and landed on a leaf.

"Time boost!"

It was more jungle like than before, we were in a totally different place.

"Where are we?" The Fly stretched his wings.

"About a days walk away from Middle Town. That's where we'll be going next but someone is about to meet The Darling, Darling!"

"The Darling, Darling?" 

I stared at The Fly, engrossed in taking a sip of water collected in the middle of a daisy bud. I looked around, we were surrounded by daisy flowers, why hadn't I noticed that before?

"But how can we be 3 months in advance of where we were less than a minute ago?" It as unbelievable.

"Time's alive, I did tell you that bit didn't I?"

I nodded.

"Once you enter the time consciousness anything to do with time is possible and happening everywhere all at the same time, you can go back, you can go forth it lives, it breaths. We're in the time consciousness and the enchanted forest, oh anything is possible and probable!"

"Tum, de tum, I think it must be this way." Bob appeared from beneath a palm frond. 

"Yes I think it must be this way." He called over his shoulder.

A voice, faint by distance, but definitely recognisable as the witch replied; "Be there in a jiffy."

"Now isn't this lovely!" Bob exclaimed, moving hands to hips as he looked around the daisy clearing.

"Lovely indeed, nice and bright, won't be needing my lantern here." As he went to turn it down suddenly the sky above him grey dark and he turned it back up and held it up high towards his sky.

I turned to The Fly. "It can't be!"

"Hello, I'm The Darling, Darling. Stroke me for luck!"

"Huh!" I looked to The Fly for an answer. Bob looked up, mouth open.

"It's The Darling, Darling."

"But it looks just like River but different I suppose. But then again everything here is."

"What's going on is happening for you but it doesn't mean to say it's not going on somewhere or sometime else as well," He shrugged, "Or now! Consequences told you!"

"So that's not River, then?!" I wasn't sure if it was a statement or a question.

"Well it's a pleasure t meet you and I'll take myself one of those strokes, I could do with some luck," Bob stepped up and took his stroke.

"Been lost here for ages now, do you know the way to Lands Meadow?"

"It's The Darling, Darling, I told you."

I looked at The Fly for further clarification.

"Look," I think he was getting a bit impatient with me.

"This is The Darling, Darling, what's going on here may be/have been/going to take place elsewhere in your future or your past but it is definitely your present and in the present any thing is yet to happen, to you although it's already happened here. No matter how many times I come here the same things take place in exactly the same order, I always know what's about to happen here as it's always the same, for me always has been and always will be."

He nodded in my direction to see if I'd understood. I nodded, I think I was getting the hang of this place.

"So you know how this ends?" 

"Oh yes, but you don't and nor will you until it happens as I'm not telling, I can't, I'm simply the guide.

"But you know?"

"Oh yes, I know I've seen it many times, always the same and I think you should keep it down a bit and just watch, you're drawing a bit of attention our way."

I looked over to where Bob and The Darling, darling where scanning some nearby bushes.

"And," The Fly lent in, "The witch and Purlean are about to arrive!"

Cats and Dogs - Another Side

www.riverssong.net/2015/06/its-little-pixie.html

Just Relax & Observe

"Why did you kill him?"

It was dark in the forest but alive with the sound of the night creatures, the only light that of the fire, the witch, Purlean and Bob were sat around. Bob was snoring, Purlean had a blank look on her face, the witch was picking some meat from a bone she'd just taken off the fire, what the meat was, and where she had obtained it from I had not a clue?

"Would you like me to repeat the question?" Purlean looked at the witch square off her tone not changing.

The witch crouched forward and smiled.

"That won't be necessary, I have perfect hearing, remember that my little familiar it might just save your neck one day." The witch shrugged;

"I killed him because he was a threat and anything that is a threat to me I will eliminate without hesitation, remember that too, one day you'll have a moment of hesitation about your loyalty to me and you will try t kill me, but I promise you it won't be me going down!"

Purlean's pose so strong, a look of don't know what on her face, she was heard to read, betraying no emotion in her voice.

"If you believe one day I am going to kill you why don't you just kill me now?"

The witch laughed;

"Because YOU choose to be here even after you've seen what I will do that's why."

I turned to The Fly munching of a piece of a red flower stem he'd picked up. He was more intent on cleaning his dinner than paying attention to what was going on.

"Aren't you interested?" I asked.

He answered without looking up, "I've seen this hundreds of times and I always have something to eat at this point, we've a long journey ahead of us and you'll need to built up some energy. Take rest while you can, just relax and observe.

"I enjoy the suspense." The witch was speaking again and drew my attention back to the campfire.

"Of not knowing when it's coming, for I am a witch and a witch born out of violence at that! And YOU are a familiar, the first familiar born out of kindness. This could be an interesting experiment for you was created for a reason."

The witch lent close in to Purlean, who remained statue still;

"Aren't you curious as to WHY? I know I am!"

Purlean blinked.

"So Bob is not a threat to you?"

The witch smiled, "Clever little girl, you're learning, there's a reason for everything I do, everything!"

Purlean stood, stretched out the day from her tip, down her back arched to the stars and out her hind legs and tail.

"Goodnight."

Purlean nodded at the witch as she curled up on a pile of old leaves fallen from the trees above. The witch grinned back.

"Here have some of these." At exactly the same moment a thousand flies silently lifted about a foot above hundred and bushes around us and dropped a glowing white and purple fluffy dandelion head straight down.

I caught the head as The Fly smiled,

"I told you I always eat this time, why break the habit of a lifetime? Come on eat up they really are delicious and we're going to jumping a little bit of a time and need a time boast. The purple bit is the real magic. That's right just pop it all in. Here we go!"

Consequences Of Impulsive Actions

The Fly took off at a fast pace branches parting as he went through, waving at me to follow.

Up I jumped and ran after him, the forest was thick and I didn't want to loose sight of him, I wasn't sure I'd find him if he dropped far from sight.

On and on we went for what must have been hours. When we stopped the forest had changed and was now the trees were a lot thinner, the sun shone bright to the wood floor and it felt cooler. I had no idea how far we'd come but the sun, although still up, was not as high in the sky as it was when we'd left.

I was thankful The Fly had stopped and rested on a rock, it mean I could catch my breath but strangely I found I wasn't out of breath at all. The Fly must have seen my puzzlement as he smiled and winked.

"Now they'll be here any moment and you're about to see the consequences of impulsive actions."

I was stunned how could they have got here so fast, we'd been going at a right old rate and although I'm sure Purlean would have been able to keep up I didn't think it possible the witch or Bob would move at such a speed.

"What do you mean consequences of impulsive actions?"

"Shhh, watch!" The Fly pointed over to where Bob was now standing.

"Look," he called back over his shoulder, the witch and Purlean not far behind.

"There's a crossroads clearing up ahead, maybe it's that way?" Bob carried on a hop in his step, a smile all over his face, optimist.

"Oh bless you Bob I am grateful for your help I'm so tired." The witch contorted her face, agony from every crease except her eyes, glowing red and her mouth a sarcastic smile.

Bob turned back to look at her.

"Why don't you wait here, I'll run ahead and see what I can see."

The witch looked down at Purlean, sitting at her feet, quiet as before.

"Little pest, I hate Pixie's, cheerful little...people!"

Purlean continued to look back her face stony.

"Still he's a good entrance ticket, what luck we happened across him."

She bent down and brushes a finger under Purleans chin, which lifted slightly before the rusting of bushes on the other side of the pathway distracted every ones attention.A twig cracked and a cat jumped out and headed straight towards the witch. Quick as a flash she picked up a branch from the floor, pointed it towards him and hissed. The cat disappeared in mid air and the faint cry from somewhere behind the bush wailed out;

"No!"

The Fly leaned towards me, "Don't worry, that was me." 

His face hadn't moved from the witch standing smiling and Purlean still sitting at her feet, face set, no emotion. Bob was still happily walking off in the distance, he'd not noticed or heard a thing.

I was flabbergasted and whispered to The Fly.

"What just happened?"

"That was from one of my previous experiences. Tiger his name was, not sure why he came here but he did, mostly it's you Witches Familiars that we get on this experience. He wasn't in control of his emotion. Saw red, leap and bang gone."

"What gone, gone?"

The Fly nodded; "Gone, gone for good, bang, that's your lot, ta ta! I told you it may be in the past but it's in your present, times alive and if you go, then you go, no coming back! Tiger's gone and no one will ever really know what happened to him. There one day gone, wiped off the face of the earth the next! Interacting means you really are interacting. Now come on we need to get going again, we need to get prepared for this evening."

"Why," I shrugged my shoulders at The Fly.

"Because tonight David, you'll get to hear Purlean speak, if we make it in time!"

My heart jumped, I couldn't wait, I was curious, I just couldn't work anything out about Purlean and I so wanted to.

I Think He's In Danger, It Doesn't Feel Right

All of a sudden from somewhere to my right I heard a whistling.

I wasn't the only one to hear an approaching stranger both Purlean and the witch looked up from what they were doing and turned t face the direction the high pitch, slightly out of tune, song was coming from.

I scanned the area but couldn't see anyone, the The Fly turned me to me and whispered;

"Look down."

There on the far side of the clearing I spotted a few branches begin to move slightly, as if a breeze was deciding whether to blow or not and then all of a sudden out into the clearing stepped Bob, Greego's Pixie friend.

Looking directly at Purlean and the witch he smiled;

"Good morning to yee." Taking off his hat he bowed to the floor.

If I'd been looking in a mirror I'm sure my face would have been a picture, I turned to The Fly;

"What's he doing here?!" I mouthed.

The Fly smiled "Watch."

I turned back to see the witch stand, straightening up her skirt. "Good morning to yee, pesky Pixie." Her face screwed into a hideous snarl, Bob didn't notice.

"And what do we have here then?"

Purlene jumped up onto a small rock, her heckles up, looking furiously between the witch and Bob.

"I" Bob bowed once more "Am Bob, I wonder if I dare to ask if you know the way to Lands Meadow, I'm afraid to say I've lost my way?"

A smile spread across the witches face, suddenly softening.

"Indeed I do oh little Pixie, but may I ask why are you heading there this fine day?"

Bob sat crossed legged and pulled a little bubble full of water from his backpack. Putting his lips to the edge he slurped, the whole bubble disappearing inside his smiling mouth.

"I'm going to meet with some friends, the Summer fair is on it's way and a party is to follow." His face not showing the slightest sign of fear.

The witch moved a step closer, her teeth now showing, rotted and cracked.

"A Summer fair eh. That sounds like great fun. Eh Purlean?"

The witch turned and smiled menacingly at Purlean who was still silent on her rock, no indication of agreement displayed.

"And tell me BOB. This Summer fair at Lands Meadow. Who exactly will be attending?"

Bob had now removed a juicy blackberry from his back pack and picking off a globe of juice, first offering it to the witch he shook her head at the invitation to eat, offered it to Purlean, still standing rigid, no indication of emotion or intention given away.

"Oh the usual crowd, us Pixie's of course, a few of the Hob Goblins from the Parsnip Valley and I've even heard Fairyville may attend."

The witches eyes flashed red, a wicked grin spreading from left to right across her cheeks.

"Pixie's, Hob Goblins and Fairyville?" Sounds like a right ball, would you mind a couple of hapless travellers tagging along? It's been ages since I would have been in such illustrious company?" She hadn't taken her eyes off Bob who was now tying up a show lace a piece of grass half sticking out of his mouth, chewing to clean his teeth.

"No not at all, if you know the way that is, I'm a little lost you see and a little late."

"Then let us waste no more time." The witch bent and gave Bob a little stroke on his head. He smiled and looked down, clearly enjoying the movement on his body, the human contact. If only he had looked up he would have seen the witch open her mouth, a tongue poking out , deliciously moistening her lips, a plotting grimace spreading.

I turned to face The Fly, "I think he's in danger, it doesn't feel right."

The Fly blinked again, "Get ready we're about to be on the move again, keep up with me but stay back slightly, we don't want to be detected, that happened once and there were such terrible consequences., but you'll see that soon enough"

A shudder fought it's way down his back and moved up mine. This was beginning to feel more serious that I first thought it would.

His Eyes Twinkled A Thousand Lights

"Quick sit here next to me." The Fly had settled on a big green palm leaf, his wings were still moving rapidly, as he gestated to a small clearing in the back of a bush just below him.

"They'll be here any moment, remember be quiet and just watch, should they know you are here?"

I thought it a bit of a strange question but then again nothing appeared as I thought it was, the more that time went on the more things became stranger than my imagination could form. Without thinking I followed his request and sat down, the small shinny leaves capeing my body, obscuring me from view.

I could here the breaking twigs footsteps getting closer, one firm the next slightly dragged, followed by the soft pad of four paws, Purlene.

To my right I heard a buzzing, my instincts sharpened my fur bristled and my ears went up, muscles taught ready or action.

"Don' worry, it's just me." The Fly whispered.

"What do you mean it's just you?" I looked at him still on the leaf, yet the buzzing was still going on where it had first drawn my attention, although it had got slightly quieter.

"It's me, I'm there with someone else, being their guide." He spoke without turning in my direction.

"Oh quick a good it coming up, they'll be here in seconds and you'll get your first proper look, I always love seeing people's faces at that moment."

"What you mean you're here and there both at the same time? And you're there with someone else."

The Fly broke his gaze for a second. "Exactly, remember time is alive and if it's alive it's breathing in and out, back and forth. Now." he nodded back towards the edge of the pathway by the clearing.

"Here they come." A smile spreading across his face, he nodded for me to follow his nod.

The bushes parted and an old woman covered in tore and ages clothes came hobbling through but I wasn't paying much attention for there abut a meter behind her, just inches from the ground a pair of eyes shone the brightest green I'd ever seen, the leaves parted and there sitting on the ground, proud and strong I caught my first sight of Purlean, the original witches familiar!

My eyes glowed green, strickling it's warmth throughout my body, warm and comforting. I turned to face The Fly who was looking at me and smiling.

"Never fails, that look, every time!" His eyes twinkled a thousand lights as he gestated back towards the now cross legged sitting witch and Purlean, licking up some water trapped in a large red ball like flower, a foot in front of her.

"Now watch, thing's are about to get interesting!"

The Fly Looked Back & Blinked A Hundred Eyes

"What, your the fly that's been buzzing around me at home and driving me mad?" It couldn't be.

"Yes! And I'm hoping you'll stop trying to eat me here, if you do you'll end up finding yourself very lost.!" The fly looked at me and smiled, he had a point.

"OK, sorry," I bent my head a little, I'd forgotten a fly was another living thing like me and it wasn't polite to try make it lunch.

"Where am I?" I leaned in closer to the fly to get a better look. The fly looked back at me and blinked a hundred eyes.

"You're in an Enchanted Forest. I say an as there are many throughout the world, that's where people get it wrong thinking there's just one, and you get some enchanted woods too."

He seemed very pleased with himself. I sat back on my hind legs, OK I was open and ready to hear anything. The fly nodded at me and paused waiting for a reaction I guessed, I nodded back, he smiled and carried on.

"Now shhh, in a minute over there on that pathway," he pointed to a clearing in the bushes, the trees forming an arch overhead, a rough pathway of sorts could be seen, some mist in the distance.

"An old lady and her travelling companion will pass by, that's the witch and Purlean, it's been just a couple of hours since they left Purleans home, where she became the first ever witches familiar and they've not said anything to each other yet but they soon will. Just up there," The Fly pointed left;

"There's a clearing and they'll both sit down to rest and that's where I'll be taking you to wait for them, we'll be hidden in the bushes watching."

My ears pricked up, yes there a little way away but definitely coming nearer I could hear the rustling of some bushes being swept aside and a slight wheezy breath. I turned left and could see some leaves shaking about 100 meters away, my heart started pounding. Oh my goodness what on earth was going on? It all felt a bit trippy and scary and I began to doubt that I should be here.

"Come on." The fly urged, his tone commanding, "Hurry up!"

I turned to see the fly heading off, I didn't want to loose him in the thick undergrowth, this was all new territory to me.

"Coming!" I chased after him as light footed as I'd ever been, moving branches chasing me.

Entering The Time Consciousness

"The thing is," Mogsie said, "I can't just tell you the story, that wouldn't be the point, not your point anyway that would be my interpretation of what went on and mine may be different to yours and it's important for you to experience your own, err shall we say revelation?"

I looked Mogsie direct in the eye, I was ready for anything.

"Time has a consciousness you see and you need to understand that to be able to connect to it."

I lent forward, I didn't want to miss a single thing.

"When you connect to times consciousness you're able to interact with it, a little like we can step forward but if we so chose we can step back as well and that's where you need to go back. You need to connect with times consciousness and then you'll be able to step back and see what went on for yourself. Your perspective of events will be vital for you for it's your journey you'll be on as accessing the consciousness does have consequences as well!"

"Time is alive and it's constantly letting us know, we just don't always recognise it, the dandelion floss flying in the breeze, time letting you know its alive, each time you spot a clock, time letting you know it's alive."

I stood up, the hairs on my back bristled. "What do you mean consequences?" My heart was pounding.

"You'll be affected but what you do or don't do, the past may be the past but if you access the time consciousness it will actually be your present and in the present anything can happen and already has. It's a concept that can drive a mind mad, heed those words you'll understand soon enough."

I swallowed hard, a bit dry I might need a drink before I attempted to access the time consciousness.

"How do I access the time consciousness?" I was ready.

"Just believe, simply believe it exists and it does, you after all are a witches familiar, it should be easier for you than most. That is something you should do in your own time!"

I nodded, I was ready now and ran straight outside into the back garden. River was laying down under a shade, perfect place, next to the one who makes me feel the safest.

I lay next to River, closed my eyes and stopped thinking, I could hear some birds in the background, a different song from the one's the Wood Pigeons sing, that buzzing again of a fly, yes that was familiar.

I opened my eyes to swat at it but what I saw in front of me was not River cuddling in. No what I saw ahead or me, aside of me, in fact all around me was a wood, a forest, sunlight shone through a tree tops onto a log just in front of me, where seated pleased as punch, on the log, was the fly.

"Shhh." He whispered,

"I'm hear to be your guide, I've been trying to get your attention for a while now."

Huh?!

Cats and Dogs - Another Side

www.riverssong.net/2015/06/a-heatwave-is-on-its-way.html

I'm So Glad

I'm so glad I managed to get a good nights sleep last night, I desperately needed it my brain was so tired. I was for once planning on having an extended lie in but River came running down and woke me up, all excited because it was Daddies birthday. I needed to get up to give him his card. No idea where Nadia was, she's managed to keep a low profile.

I was going to start telling you everything Mogsie had shown me about Purlene and The Coven of 3 when Theo walked by.

There's something going on I swear it, I'm seeing more and more of him these days, although Doublay seems to have gone to ground, I've not seen him in ages.

River took the Daddies out for a walk and it was the perfect opportunity for me to explore his land now that I knew he was out, he only lived 2 doors down and if I was to be forming a Coven then I needed to know who I was getting myself involved with.

I was just about to go over C's garage when I heard Maisie talking in her back garden and so the coast wasn't as clear as I thought it was so I returned home to find they had all returned and were stuffing their faces.

All the excitement of nearly getting caught and the thoughts of what I was about to embark on made me feel very dry, so I had a drink from the pool. I was so pleased I popped the top layer, it's now just the perfect height for us both.

I was feeling in the game for a little game with River and as everyone was outside in the garden loving the sun I thought I'd get her to chase me, it worked, she loved it built up a right hunger we did.

Still I didn't mind, steak for dinner. I'm liking this anyone has a birthday in this house and I get steak for tea kinda plan although I did have to wait until River had helped herself to a portion of mine. I don't mind I love seeing her happy and of course it will slow her down later when she thinks she's gonna by chasing me everywhere and I shall out light-foot her!

Cats and Dogs - Another Side

www.riverssong.net/2015/06/puppynap-my-other-daddy.html

This Living Thing Is Stranger Than Fiction

I'm so tired, I've been up with Mogsie for over a day.

When I got back Mogsie was still there waiting for me and I was ready to hear everything I had to say but as it turned out it wasn't quiet like that, oh no I didn't hear about Purlean and The Coven of 3, oh no I actually saw it, saw it as clear as if I was watching it on the big screen.

I'd go into details but as I say I've been up quiet a while and I don't want to get any of the finer points wrong so I tell you later but let's just say, this living thing is stranger than fiction!

Cats and Dogs - Another Side

www.riverssong.net/2015/06/were-going-to-take-it-in-shifts.html

An Awakening

"Would you mind hanging on a moment." I put my paw up to Mogsie and looked down and tried to clear my head.

Something was happening to me, a stirring inside, something unfamiliar, something new. I looked down and saw my fur was standing on end, bristling, it felt electric but I didn't need to see to known I felt it, like that moment you get when someone walks over your grave. I looked back up at Mogsie;

!I won't be a minute, please don't go anywhere." He looked at me earnestly nodded, the corners of his eyes pinching in on themselves.

I jumped down from the window ledge, I needed some fresh air and went running outside. I wasn't sure why but I craved a breeze and needed to shake the feeling and get back to me.

I ran past Nadia and River, enjoying the sun in the garden with my Daddies, before I knew it I was up in the Peace Garden heading towards The Wiseman, but he wasn't really my destination, I wasn't sure why I was here, I stopped to catch my breath. River was still laying in the sun, I had no need to feel on alert.

The feeling passed. I'm not sure why I needed air but it did the trick, I was ready to go back in again.

Cats and Dogs - Another Side

www.riverssong.net/2015/06/i-saw-aeroplane-fly-over.html

It All Began On The Day Of The Summer Solstice

"OK," Mogsie said, his eyes portraying a sense of serious resignation. He'd been over the road doing his cat yoga when he spotted me at the front window.

"OK I'll tell you everything, everything that Troy told me about The Coven of 3. Who am I after all, to hold back knowledge that may be of use to you, I tried to keep you Theo and Doublay from meeting but that turned out to be exactly what you need to do."

I was surprised at how Mogsie was being, like he was tired of bearing such weights of responsibility on his shoulders all on his own, a new-found feeling towards him was growing in me, I wanted to give him a hug but it didn't seem appropriate.

"It's strange, the synchronicity of the Universe," he looked up and smiled at me;

"For it was the day of the Summer Solstice, many, many years ago, that Purlean's family finally found her again. It was also the day the Coven of 3's magic was activated and the day she had to make a terrible choice, a choice that would affect all black cats through out the world for evermore and cause such debate as to whether black cats are lucky or not. That was the day black cat magic came into being and the seeds of the fall of The Second Great Age of Cats were sown, and watered,"

Was that a tear I could see in Mogsie's eye, I couldn't be sure as he paused for a second?;

"But to make sense of it let me start at the very beginning..."

A Clue

Well I think the message from George must have been passed to Mogsie, he's over the road now. I was sure as he walked up past his car that he was heading straight my way but then all of a sudden he stopped and sat down his face demonstrating that he was in deep thought.

I don't want to push it too much, he's the best chance I have of finding out all about this Coven of 3 and maybe getting a clue as to proceed further. 

I've checked on Greego and he's still snoring away, not much of a surprise I suppose considering, and no further sightings of Theo or Doublay but maybe that's a good thing at the moment. Preparation is 9 tenths of success and I'm not fully prepared yet to approach them, goodness knows how I'm going to explain this to them.

George Has Just Dropped By

George had just dropped by, thank goodness, it meant I could ask him to ask Mogsie to pop over so I could ask him if he could tell me all he knows about the original Coven of 3.

George looked a little surprised when I mentioned it to him, a little cautious perhaps? I know I may be meddling in things that are beyond me but if you don't stretch yourself you don't develop!

Marvellous

Marvellous, there goes my afternoon nap!

Cats and Dogs - Another Side

www.riverssong.net/2015/06/chicken-high.html

Ready To Explore My Destiny

Well I decided to give up searching while it was still so hot, all I was doing as wasting time and getting myself all hot and bothered but as son as it started to cool down I was back out searching again.

I could see no sign of Mogsie out the front but I know he occasionally likes to go a-wandering around the back so I jumped up on the wall to see if he was over the wall but I couldn't see anything, this Summer business brings all the leaves out very thick and it was blocking my view so I decided to get a bit higher and jumped up on the sun shine shed and then an idea hit me.

I'd get a better view not just of the gardens out the back but all across Catworld if I got myself up in the tree. I identified the biggest low branch and put my paw out to test if it would hold me weight, it would. I put a second paw out and then my nerves got the better of me and I decided I needed a little more practise climbing before I attempted a tree, I mean what would I do if I got stuck up there?

It was when I turned to get back down again that I spotted him, not Mogsie but there across the road was one of the other witches familiars. 

His back was facing me so I couldn't see if it was Doublay or Theo, my heart pounded, we'd never been formally introduced but there right in front of me was a kindred spirit, I felt a connection and a stirring inside of me. I watched him go around the back of E's house out of sight and smiled to myself, I felt I belonged, I was ready to explore by destiny.

Searching

I've been searching for Mogsie, George or in fact any other cat today who could pass on a message to Mogsie for me that I urgently need to speak to him but there's no a soul about. 

It must be the heat, I truly think today must be the hottest day of the year, poor little River is suffering, luckily I've got shorter hair which is keeping me cooler, another advantage to being a cat, the older I get the longest this advantage list is getting.

Oh come on Mogsie where are you?

Up The Garden

I needed some answers and I needed them fast, my mind  was in overdrive getting no where fast so I decided the best thing I could do was go to the source of all wisdom, The Wiseman!

Up the garden I went, River following to see what I was doing, keeping a respectful distance so I wouldn't be disturbed, she can be a wise little thing sometimes, still surprises me on occasion.

"Wiseman." I called "Wiseman are you there?"

A few seconds of silence and I heard him in my head.

"Hello little cat, I'm always here for you."

I was so grateful and a wave of relief spread through me and I relaxed a little. He seemed like my best chance of trying to make sense of what Mogsie had said to me, I didn't understand all this coven business, I was finding out there's so much more to this life malarkey that I first thought.

"Wiseman, I'm so glad you are here, I need your help."

"Ahhh, so you come to see yourself." As before his lips unmoving.

"Wiseman I really need your help, Greego has been struck down by a sleeping curse, he came and told me in my dream, he's been asleep for ages and then I told George and he told Mogsie and then he came and told me that the only way that I could help break the curse was to form a Coven of 3 witches familiars and that he'd been trying to stop us doing that since I moved here and that there's 2 other witches familiars that live in Catworld and he was told all this by a friend of his called Troy and this was all my destiny."

The words tumbled out thick and fast, I didn't pause for breath.

"What's it all mean? What am I to do?"

I looked him straight in his face, waiting for the slightest movement, I still wasn't sure how he managed to communicate without moving his lips.

A minute or so passed.

"You know what to do little cat, little David-Shiro, you just have to look within, now settle yourself and feel the answer."

Oh how I wished he would just tell me but I'd been here before and knew it wasn't to be that way. I settled myself down, doing my best to remain calm and started to concentrate on my breathing, I'd heard somewhere that helps, Daddy said it's something called meditation although to me it was just being calm.

I closed my eyes and listened to my breathing, slower and slower, faint in the distance, a thought an image, I was searching for something, a voice, an answer, to listen I needed to almost not listen, not think just be and get what I got, this meditation thing is harder than it looks but I guess it's just practise. Yes everything gets easier with practise.

Then all of a sudden an image, yes there, now gone, too much concentration, stand back from my thoughts and don't try to make them happen, just feel, just sense. Yes there I could see it clearer now that I wasn't looking for it, the sound of water, a trickle, a leaf, I was on a leaf, a leaf that floated bobbing in the stream. Water I was on a leaf on water, looking down I couldn't see myself, I was the leaf, bobbing gently down a stream, but hang on the water was flowing one way and I was going another, I wasn't going down the stream I was going up it.

This was strange, don't think, just see and feel, there the end, the end of the stream was in sight, things getting slower, moving almost not at all. Where was I? The beginning of the stream, I was at the beginning where it sprung from no where out of the ground. Then gone, nothing.

I tired again to see if I could get back to my vision but it was gone. I turned to The Wiseman.

"I was a leaf and I was on a stream but I wasn't going with the flow of the stream I was going the other way but I didn't feel any resistance, it was like I was somehow right on top of the water heading to where it came out of the ground. What does it mean Wiseman, how can that help me?"

The Wiseman smiled in my mind, a smile of warmth and love and comfort.

"Ahh, so now you have your answer my little friend."

I didn't know what he meant I didn't feel like I had any sort of an answer, not one that I could understand.

"But I don't know what it means Wiseman." I could have cried with frustration and confusion.

"So you went to the beginning of the stream did you?"

"Yes, Yes I did." For a moment I thought he was going to tell me what I needed to do.

"You went to the beginning did you, the beginning of the stream?"

"Yes," I was getting excited, "Yes, yes I did."

"So you returned to the source!"

"Yes that's right, the source, I went to the source of the stream."

"So now I guess you have your answer little David-Shiro, lil cat."

I was waiting for more but it didn't come, The Wiseman remained silent, smiling in my mind.

"So I need to go to the source?" It was slowly dawning on me. "I need to find The Source?"

"If that's what you told yourself, what you found then that's your answer. Now I have a question for you little cat. What is the source?"

"The source of what?" Oh this was so confusing.

"What is the source? The source is the beginning, a perfect place to start."

"What I need to go to the beginning? The beginning of what?"

"Well if I were you I'd go to the source of this information."

"What Mogsie!" This was like having a conversation with Greego, all riddles.

"He said he wouldn't tell me how to form the Coven of 3!" I stamped my foot, a little petulant I know but it had been a trying afternoon.

"That's right, he said you had to find your way, but that wasn't all he said to you was it?"

I stopped and thought for a moment replaying out conversation in my memory and then something stabbed me in my mind a slow possible realisation.

"He said he'd learnt about the Coven of 3 from conversations with a friend of his. Do you mean I should go back to Mogsie," Yes this was it it felt right, it felt like I was on the right track. "and ask him what else he knows?"

The Wiseman smiled in my mind, and my lips followed.

"Well Mogsie was the source of this information!"

Yes that was it, I knew it now, I had to go to Mogsie and find out everything he knew about the original Coven of 3 that his friend Troy had talked to him about. Yes that's it, back to the source, back to the beginning!

That My Friend Is Your Destiny

"Hello David."

I looked up from the chair where I was resting to see Mogsie sitting staring in at me.

"What I feared and tried to prevent has now to happen." He looked down, a little resigned a little sad.

"What do you mean?" I wasn't expecting Mogsie to come over ad was a little taken aback. I thought maybe George would come back with a message or some advice or something, but here he was Mogsie sitting talking to me.

"I've been trying to stop something from happening, something that now to help you out with this sleeping curse must happen."

He moved a step closer and settled down.

"You've probably wondered why I've not been exactly welcoming to you since you moved here."

I nodded.

"It wasn't anything you had done and..." he paused "Maybe I should have explained earlier."

I looked him right in the face, I was certainly not expecting the day to turn out the way it was.

"I didn't want to assist in getting you too involved in Catworld, not because you aren't welcome, everyone's welcome but because you are a witches familiar."

"I keep on hearing all this stuff but I don't feel any different from any normal cat. I think." I was getting more than a little annoyed with all this witches familiar talk.

Mogsie nodded.

"I know little cat, I know, but you see you're not the only witches familiar around here."

I think I knew what he was talking about.

"Yes I've seen another one around, he lives a couple of doors down."

Mogsie nodded "Yes Theo, he's new here too but there's Doublay as well."

"I don't really know Doublay or Theo, I've just seen them around. George is my main cat friend around here."

"George, yes, he's a very good friend to have, I know he's been looking out for you and for that I am pleased. You see David I've been trying to ensure you Theo and Doublay don't get to meet."

Why didn't he want us to meet, that wasn't very friendly.

"Why?" I was feeling a little angry again, I felt manipulated.

"Because." Mogsie looked at me straight in the eye, his face more serious that any face I'd every seen before,

"Because if three witches familiars meet a coven is formed and when a coven of witches familiars is formed then anything is possible."

"A coven of witches familiars! What do you mean anything is possible?"

Mogsie stood back up "Oh David-Shiro."

He walked in a circle before settling back to his original position

"You know what your name means don't you? Beloved Warrior. Our destiny is written the moment we are born and for cats the moment we are named."

I stood up and stretched, something crackled in my bones.

"Your destiny David-Shiro it can no longer be avoided, to help your friend Greego you are going to have to form a coven of witches familiar and realise your destiny."

My head was spinning, this was all a bit much to take it.

"What? How do you know all this, George knows about witches familiars he told me that I was one to begin with but he didn't tell me all of this. What do you mean my destiny, what's that all about?"

Mogsie smiled, his head looking down at his feet for a moment before returning my gaze.

"A while back, oh must be about a year ago now I had to follow my destiny and stand back and allow others to follow there's. It nearly broke my heart and it changed everything. During that time I had a friend with me, a friend who also had travelled far and wide and kept me company, Troy his name was. All we could do was talk, talk and wait and the tales he told me, well they would blow your mind."

I was dumb struck.

"He told me all about Purlean, the first witches familiar and the original Coven of 3 and the terrible decision she had to make, her destiny. The rise of the second great age of the cats and the battle with the Army of The DoTheirBests that heralded it's fall. He also told me there would be a time when a new Coven of 3 would need to be formed and there was nothing I could do to prevent it, but I tried all the same. You see David-Shiro you can't escape your destiny no matter how hard you try."

I was in awe, my mind dancing with images of battles and witches and cats and things.

"To help your friend Greego break his sleeping curse you are going to have to re-form The Coven of 3 and fulfil your destiny. I just hope your destiny is a lucky one little cat."

I had so many questions running through my head but no answers, I thought Mogsie was going to help but he'd just seemed to confuse things even more.

"But how do I form this Coven of 3?"

Mogsie got up, stretched and started to walk away.

"Oh you'll find your way my friend, you'll find you way. Good luck!"

This Isn't The First Time A Curse Has Come To Catworld

"George! GEORGE!" I could see George playing claw the tree over the road.

"George!" I called "I really need your help."

I'd been up half the night worrying about what Greego had said to me in my dream, trying to figure it all out. I mean communication through dreams I'd heard of before but I thought it meant you had an obscure dream and it meant it was your subconscious speaking to you, not this.

"Hey David." He called back over. "Everything OK?"

"No, no it's not, "George started walking my way. Luckily everyone apart from Daddy was still in bed and the windows out the front were wide open, something that can't happen if River's awake, she a runner you see and would be out the window and down the road the second she noticed an escape route, she so loves exploring, totally unaware of the dangers out there.

When George arrived I explained as best as I could remember everything that had happened.

"I warned you about getting involved with a Pixie." He gave me a weak smile.

He had warned me, it was true but what was I to do, I'd already bargained and now I was in too deep over my head.

"What are we to do?" I begged, George's face was telling, he believed everything I'd said.

"I'm going to go and speak to Mogsie about this and come back." George was looking very serious.

"You believe me?" I was scared and relieved at the same time, at least I wasn't loosing my head.

"Oh yes, yes I believe you alright." George wiped a bit of stuff from his weepy eye. "This isn't the first time a curse has come to Catworld, although we hoped the last time was the last time." He suddenly looked very, very sad.

"Curses are dangerous things and the last time we fought a curse, we won but it brought some terrible consequences with it. I really need to speak to Mogsie. Let me go now and I'll come back as soon as I can."

I think he could see the worry in my face.

"Try not to worry little one, we did after all beat it and of course we're more experienced now than we were before and..." he looked directly at me, "and this time we have more than one witches familiar on our side."

With that he was off running across the road leaving those words ringing in my ear, and this time we have more than one witches familiar on our side!

Answers In A Dream?

That fly finally buzzed off and left me alone to rest in peace, it's another warm day and as much as I tried I couldn't help but let the heat get to me and send me back off to sleep, that's when the strangest thing happened.

So there I was dreaming of finally catching that fly, I knew it was a dream, the fly had turned purple and even I know flies aren't purple, when all of a sudden I heard a voice behind me, in my dream you understand.

"Wake up, wake up you pesky kitten." I turned, in my dream, to see Greego there standing looking at me, surrounded by a cloud of, well cloud.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him, "Come to help me catch the fly?" I laughed.

"Oh for the sake of flying fairies," Greego looked a little angry and put both his hands on his hips. For some reason that cracked me up.

"He's a little Pixie, short and stout, pick him up and pour..." I copied with my paws on my hips and swung from side to side.

"Yes, yes that's enough of that," Greego interrupted.

I was used to Greego being rude to me, but if he was in my dream I wasn't going to have him speaking to me like that.

"Greego," I was about to berate him.

"Oh wake up you silly cat, just wake up will you."

"Well that's rich," I retorted, "you're the one that's been asleep this past couple of weeks."

"Not through choice!" He shouted, "Don't you get it you silly little cat. I'm suffering with a sleeping curse and you probably have been infected too if you were near me when it hit."

"What on earth sort of dream is this?" I spoke out loud, although I was really talking to myself."

"It's not a dream, well it is your dream but it's the only way I can get through to you, have you any idea how much energy and concentration it takes to take over someone else's dream? I'm popped and I can't keep it up much longer. I need you to help me, I need you to break this curse and wake me up."

He looked deadly serious, maybe I was getting some answers in a dream, I have been feeling extra tired lately, but I put that down to the weather.

I looked up from the floor and into the cloud enveloping Greego.

"How do I do that, break the curse I mean?"

Greego huffed. "I don't know I only know I've been infected and I need your help, if you don't I'll end up asleep forever."

He suddenly looked serious.

"Please help me." I'd never heard Greego use the please word before, his eyes looked so sad. The cloud started to get thicker and thicker and I was finding it hard to see Greego in amongst all the smoke.

"Don't worry Greego, I'll help you. I don't know how but I'll help you."

Greego and the cloud disappeared and I heard the familiar sound of buzzing again. I opened my eyes to see the fly, normal colour but then again he would be he wasn't in my dream. I ran upstairs to see if Greego was still where he'd been this past few weeks.

Same place as usual, I gave him a little knock with my paw to see if that would wake him, he just snored a little louder.

I'm going to need some help with this.

"George!"

More Than Just A Coincidence

I'm beginning to feel it's more than just a coincidence that every time I'm getting myself settled that damn fly decides to turn up buzzing around my head trying to get me to chase him. 

One of these days I'm going to get him but I must admit I admire his flying skills, he always manages to out run me, something very rare if the race involves a cat!

Thunderbolts And Lightening

Well that's woken me up, thunderbolts and lightening all around. River's petrified I however am strangely finding I'm loving it, it's kinda comforting, surely that can't be right?

Cats and Dogs - Another Side

www.riverssong.net/2015/06/dont-like-it-dont-like-it.html

I'm Gonna Get To The Bottom Of This

*Yawn*

It's so comfy here, I just can't get myself motivated and moving. No let me correct that I can't be bothered to get myself motivated and moving and that is beginning to concern me.

Maybe it is something to do with the heat or maybe it's something more, Greego's still fast asleep. Nah enough of this I'm gonna get to the bottom of this sleeping thing, after I have another little nap that is.

Something More To It?

This is getting ridiculous, all I can do is sleep. Everything fine, I mean I'm feeling fine, I'm not sure if it's the hot weather that's causing this extended period of inactivity or if there's something more to it? Oh I don't know I'm just too tired to think properly, so I guess I'll just continue to sit here and snooze.