Chapter 11 Sorrow and Sadness, Joy and Gladness

Penchance was restless. She prowled along the top of the dry stone fence encircling the colony, hoping her senses would tell her what action, if any, needed to be taken. She knew that her colony was well taken care of and God willing, they would enjoy a safe, healthy summer season. The fields were once again full of plump juicy mice, the forest teemed with tasty creatures for her family to eat, and many new kittens had joined the colony that spring. She knew that Whiteflower Field was well fortified against any unfriendly intruders who might come this way. So what on earth was happening to her, that she couldn't settle down on a flat stone ledge and enjoy the warmth from the sun. Her prowling had turned into pacing by now. Something was going to happen here and she needed to know what it was.

In the early afternoon sky, she could hear the constant drone of aircraft. Loud and menacing, these planes drew closer overhead. The sounds they were making today seemed to fill the air with rage and hate. Penchance suddenly stopped moving and looked upward. This was where the danger was coming from. From the sky, from those airplanes. There was going to be terrible bloodshed here, in Whiteflower Field, very soon. She must somehow sound the alarm. In one glance, she could see a family of young kittens playing in the crevices in the fence, their mother watching them through sleep slanted eyes while the perimeter guards enjoying this opportunity to groom themselves in the sunlight.

Penchance opened her mouth and cried out "seek shelter now". Too late, the air around Whiteflower Field filled, then overflowed with a terrifying moaning whistle that rapidly turned into a tortured scream as the bombs hurtled out of the sky towards them. Many of the cats were frozen with fear, only their eyes staring around frantically, trying to will themselves to move towards the safety of the church ruins. Others immediately arched their backs, bared their teeth and stood ready to fight this unknown danger.

It was of course too late for any of them to reach safety. A huge "stick" bomb exploded just inside the church yard. Its force rocketed many of the cats back into the stone fence, killing several of them instantly. The force of the blast picked up huge marble tombstones and tossed them around like twigs, tearing up huge holes in the graveyard where they landed. One section of the fence was crushed and crumpled into gravel, destroying many homes. All the kittens playing there simply disappeared, never to be seen again.


Penchance knew nothing of this. She was picked up by the blast and thrown across the churchyard. Landing with a bone crunching thump against the steps of the church ruin, she lay silent and still.

Much to her surprise, Penchance found herself far away from the carnage at the Colony. She realized she was walking through a peaceful meadow, in a place where she had never been before. A family of kittens pranced and played beside her, chasing butterflies and tumbling over themselves, full of joy and excitement in this beautiful place. In the distance she could see a bridge, spanning a sparkling stream. She found herself being drawn to that place. The kittens scampered ahead of her, tripping happily over the bridge, where their mother stood waiting for them, sadness glittering in her eyes.

To Penchance's continued amazement, her parents stood silently on the other side of the bridge, watching her approach. As Penchance placed her front paw on the bridge, her father spoke,saying "You need not cross today my princess, your destiny is not yet decided. One day, nature will lead you back here, but today the choice is yours. You may return to your family in Whiteflower Field and help those who can be saved, and tell those who cannot, of this place, where we wait for them, with and joy in our hearts to see them again". "This is the Bridge, which all beasts know they must cross one day." "If you return, tell those whose path leads them here, that peace and all good things wait for them, that all pain and suffering will be extinguished and they will have all their dreams fulfilled."

Penchance stood silently, gazing at her parents, seeing the kittens she had taken with her to the bridge re-united with their mother, knowing that it was her choice, if she put her other paw down on the bridge, she could cross, and she would be greeted with love and understanding. But if she turned away, she must go back.

O how she wanted to stay here, to curl up beside her mother, content in the encircling warmth of her mother's body. To pounce, like she had as a child, onto her father's back, and play hide and seek in the safety of her family's den. The decision was hers to make. Penchance stood still for another moment, then lifted the other paw....