Farewell Murial Page #2

• Fantasy
• Fiction
• Short story
• Fable

								


They reached the spot of earth where lay Muriel and stood and loose circle around it and waited in silence. The quiet amongst them was thick and full. Heartbeats came and went. Until at last Oria broke the silence with the lamentation song. It poured from her like fresh, velvety cream and washed over the pride. The Cats closed their eyes and swayed gently to the sound, Tails curled and straightened. She sang of the many trails a cat must tread upon the earth. Of the pitfalls of the road and the claw and tooth. Of the joys of the hunt and the sweet grass and lush beds. She sang of the final journey all cats must take into the dark and the great Unknown Place. 

As she finished Mikhail began to purr. Uriel took it up with him. Then more. One by one they all began to purr as one great voice. The pride thrummed like a single living thing, all vibrating together. Mikhail then sang out Farewell Muriel!

Others followed. 
Farewell!

We shall remember you!

Go lightly!

You are not forgotten!

Light flicked on the back porch. The pride froze, for an instant only, before running back to the night. Darting back the way they had come, over fences and into bushes and between trees. Mikhail ran to nearby elm and scurried up to a branch. He curled into a near invisible ball and watched. The back door opened. BOY come out, dressed in his night clothes and holding a flashlight in one hand. 

The beam of light cut through the gloom and guided BOY to the spot in the ground just beneath the tree. It fell on the freshly dug grave and remained still a long moment. Mikhail watched as BOY got to his knees and set the flashlight down. Then with both hands, he reverently set something at the head of the earth. Mikhail saw it was food dish, seemingly made and painted by a loving, though childish hand. The Human marking for Muriel’s house name were painted in elegant black letters on the side. GRACIE. He smelt sorrow again, but it was softer now. Just as bitter but less pungent. There was pain in it but as always, the sweetness lay close beneath it. His tail curled and straightened. 
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