Emily

Either there was something special about this group of cats or I was seeing felines with new eyes.  They constantly amazed me with their intelligence and with something else.  At times, they were downright eerie.  I'd be doing something outdoors, think of one cat and suddenly that cat would appear.  During our interactions, an incredible kind of communication was happening, especially with Emily.

Every morning, she was waiting for me.  And every time I stepped out the door, she was there.  When I was busy indoors, sometimes I could feel her calling me.  The feeling would be so strong, I'd have to stop what I was doing and go out.  And there she'd be, wanting to play.

Christmas was approaching fast and I was preoccupied with the things that preoccupy humans during that season.  The day before the first snow storm the kittens would ever experience, Emily seemed quieter and more serious.  Her somber mood lasted throughout the day.

That night I had a strange dream.  I found myself walking in an unfamiliar place .  I heard something and turned to find Emily following me.  I picked her up and we continued on.  And then in an unearthly, very high pitched little voice, she began to talk.  In the dream, I was thrilled at such a breakthrough in communication.  As we walked, she chattered on about different things.  The only thing I remember well about the conversation was that she hated trucks, really hated them.  Excitement turned to dread when we encountered two of my recently deceased family members.  After visiting with them a few minutes, Emily and I went on to another unfamiliar place.  To get in, I had to climb over obstacles while still holding the cat.  When it was time to return, Emily only came back part of the way with me.  And then she stopped.  And I was pushed into different place.

I awoke that morning knowing Emily was gone.  Hoping I was wrong, I rushed out.  Mama, Wolf, Tiggie and Blue were waiting for me.  But Emily was missing.  I fed the waiting cats and then took off in the snowstorm to search for her.  In the dream, she loathed trucks.  Fearing one had hit her, I searched the roadsides.  I never found her.  She never came back.

Emily was special and I loved her.  Her loss was devastating and I was furious at myself for not grabbing or cat-napping her while I had the chance.  But our friendship was based on trust and from the start, I had sensed I would lose her.

That night, Wolf, Blue and Tiggie waited for me on the porch.  Sadly, I set their food down.  Instead of eating, they just sat and stared expectantly at me with shining eyes.
I pointed at their food.  "Eat, guys."
Instead of eating, they just kept staring at me.  And then Blue slapped Wolf.  Wolf tackled Blue.  Tiggie ran up my leg.  I peeled Tiggie off my leg, grabbed a pussy willow switch and the nightly rumble began. 

I would get to know and love the remaining three kittens as well as I knew and loved Emily.