Gossamer

"In the same breath she cursed my name she wept for my dead father, and I forgive her. She loved him. It is my fault I was too slow. She said she could have saved him. I believe her. Fissure was very good fighter. Hunter. Runner. Swimmer. While she was mean, she was very strong. Maybe Ollie should know how skilled she is, and I should maybe tell her... even if- I feel great shame in admitting I am not like Fissure, not even a little bit."

"Oleander, Ollie? I can call her Ollie. I do because I can. She does not... care some moments when I call her Ollie. Her frowns are big, eyes are sharp, words are none, and she smells close to rained on grass. She is my friend now. My first friend now! I like her much. It is not important that she can not speak to me the way I can speak to her. I will try for her to understand when most things I can not."

"Bijou never said a cat could die so brutally and so soon. I am sorry for not being stronger, or smarter. He told me I smelled funny, and he laughed, poked my side, when I sulked and said that it is impossible, I could smell it, too- I did not know I would watch the jaws of a wildcat steal the soul from his eyes moments later. When it looked at me, I thought, I am next, but instead it feasted on... father's flesh. I did not tell Fissure that, maybe only the bones of him told her for me. I am sorry for myself, I am sorry I could not smell the wildcat before he, and save him."