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Chapter one                        

          My eyes opened to the familiar wooden rafters, horses, and sunshine  spilling into the barn as Farmer Beck opened the barn doors. He patted each  horses favorite spot, then finally  scratched me on my head.

I'm Snow, and I'm obviously  Farmer Beck's favorite cat. He always  gives me the most food, scratches, and  comfortable sleeping spots.

         I got up and stretched my back and paws. I needed that stretch. Last night, I fought with another cat because he wouldn't give me the tail of his mouse. He scratched my ear, but I scratched his paw. Poor guy. 

         “Hey Mikkie!” I meowed loudly. He glared at me. He was the one that didn't give me the tail of his mouse. There are other barn cats. Their names are BlackLady and Stripes.

That afternoon, us cats were having a competition to see who could catch the most mice. Whoever wins ( I always do) gets to have their favorite part off each mouse and they get to keep all of their mice. The rest of the cats get to fight over the few that are left.

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We started and after 300 heartbeats, I had caught 5. I had just beat my record! (I confess, I HAD saved some from yesterday…)

I was easily winning when I saw a BIG, FAT mouse run by!  Like, who could resist? So I followed him, like any cat would. The mouse and I ran into the forest.

The mouse ran deeper and deeper into the forest. The trees were close together, the moss cool to my paws. I liked it here, but I had to hurry to get that mouse. The mouse was very fat, so you can imagine my surprise when it sped up. Actually, I must have slowed down, because I can't agree with anyone who says mice are faster than cats. I may as well get back to the farm for dinner and the mouse judging.

I started trotting back, sniffing every few heartbeats to make sure I was on track when suddenly, skunk spray filled the air as I stepped into a small hollow. “Yuck!” I meowed and jogged away. The trees started to spin like a dog chasing his tail. Stupid dog. I couldn't… I couldn't smell!!! If I couldn't smell, then I wouldn't be able to find my way home, and it was quickly getting dark!

I blindly ran in the direction I was going earlier, bumping into trees, tripping over stones, and splattering mud all over my fur. 

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It was soon dark, and I could only smell skunk, so I looked around for a hollow. Once I found one, I curled up and fell asleep.      

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I didn't wake up to the warmth and smell of horses, I woke up to the bitter cold and the smell of ice. Where was i? I opened my eyes, and it was snowing in the forest. Right. I could smell better now, but the snow was covering my scent back up. I may never find my way home again.

Boy am I hungry. I yawned and stretched. I sniffed around a rabbit hole. No luck. I snapped at a frog and drank some icy water. So much for a filling breakfast.

Maybe I could find that big mouse again. I started smelling around where I last saw him. I saw his footprints and they led to a small river. I saw the mouse drinking, and I was about to dash at him, when I saw a flash of red that stopped me in my tracks. A fox. A fox that could easily eat a cat. Nope. I ran back to my hollow and snuggled in. Even though it wouldn't protect me more than usual, it comforted me. I probably should find a safer spot to sleep and eat. I trotted in the opposite direction than the fox for a while, Then I smelled a rabbit. I had caught a couple at the farm. I felt a 

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twinge of homesickness, but I shook it off. I needed to get that rabbit or I would go hungry today.

Once I came upon the rabbit, I saw it eat some orange, finger-like things. I think I also saw some at the farm. I lunged at the rabbit, struggled with it for a couple heartbeats, and won.

Once I finished munching, I smelled around for a water hole and drank some. I also found a small-ish bramble bush with some delightful blue, purple, and pink berries. I paced around the bush and found a small opening that I crawled through. Inside, it was hollow. It could probably fit 2, maybe 3 other cats. 

I went back outside and sniffed around for a spring or something.

It took me awhile to find one, because it was surrounded with thick trees and small mountains. It was misty, warmer than usual, and quiet, except the occasional twittering of birds. Maybe if I looked around for another hollow bush or maybe a cave or something, I could live in this beautiful place. I couldn't find anything, so I went back to my skimpy bush to cozy it up.

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I got some long grass and placed it on the floor of my “den”.

 I curled up and soon fell asleep. 

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I woke  up  to  a  constant,  low  roar,  a  strange  warm  light  licking  the trees,  and  the  smell  of  smoke. I stretched. I knew I had to find a safe place away from this strange thing. I got to the lake, and crawled into the water. (TRUST me, I hated it, but instinct kicked in.) I dunked my entire body except my head into the water and slowly fell asleep. 

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I woke up to blackened trees, and wisps of smoke on the wind, but no strange, warm, light. All the animals that don't have burrows or holes, had either fallen asleep, or were slowly making their ways towards their new homes. It was strange, because there seemed 

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to be an unspoken pact to not kill, hunt or hurt each other. There was a surprising peace. I got up, drank some water, and walked away.

Later that day, while I was exploring and trying to find a new home, I heard a noise. It sounded like a whine, sort of like when a mosquito buzzes by your ear, but this rose and fell. As I got closer, it sounded more like some cats meowing. I finally got to the spot where the whining was, and there was an old, broken-down tractor and two little kittens trying to revive a small, orange tabby kitten. Poor things.

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AshKit (a grey, white and black kitten), SageKit (a grey, white and brown kitten), and FireKit (the orange tabby) were doing great with their training. They had learned how to hunt and capture small rodents like squirrels, rabbits, groundhogs, and birds. Today I'm going to teach them how to hunt fish and swim. 

“Sit on a rock that overhangs the water and wait for a school of fish to swim by. Then, once they come, quickly dip your paws into the water and grab a fish.” I told the kits. “Okey! I can do that!” FlameKit shouted and jumped on a rock. “Wait a second, FireKit! #1, you should learn to swim first, and #2, don't make too much noise or you will scare the fish.” I smiled, “Now, who wants to go swimming?!”

“Me!” All three kits said in unison. 

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The rain patted on the river near us. AshKit had made a small, cozy, nest-like bed, SageKit had made a little den for playtime, and FireKit started a small fire for us.

 I started roasting a fish that SageKit had caught yesterday, when I heard an unusual rushing sound. It sounded like it was coming from the river, but this was much louder. Lightning flashed, thunder rumbled and my paws got all wet. I looked down and the water from the river had reached the bush that we lived in. 

“Come on everyone! Climb up the tree!” I called out to the three kits. AshKit and FireKit scrambled up the tree with me, but SageKit tried, only got to the second branch, and fell into the rushing water below.