The cats set off into the cave, but after a short way, they stop. Barely any light has penetrated so deeply. They are feeling their way forward. The path is gradually descending. As they climb over the rough cat floors, their leg whiskers signal the surface texture and gauge the stability of any loose rocks before they stand on them.
Lucinda can feel the slight difference in the air. A tiny draft blows against her whiskers. This must lead to an opening to the outside. Where there is a choice between branching tunnels, she tests the air flow. As it is early morning after a rainy night, the cave system is inhaling. The rain has cooled down the air outside, so it is heavier than the warm, stagnant, humid air inside the cave and flows inwards, blowing in her face. Her whiskers flare forward, buzzing with the vibration of the incoming draft.
As they stop in an open space with several branching tunnel entrances, Nero sniffs and says, ‘I breathe in the scent of the rainforest, the leaves, the wet bark, the damp earth under the leaves.’
Princess Kitty Kiss meows, her tail twitching. ‘I smell the ozone after last night’s storm,’ she says.
‘It is difficult to know which way is the best,’ says Lucinda. ‘We’ve been walking for a while. Is the air leaving the cave or blowing inside?’
‘Please shush!’ says Sirin.
And they all stand stock still, looking at Sirin. She is standing at the entrance to one of the branching tunnels. One of her ears cups tightly forward, stretching its muscles to the absolute limit as it tries to catch every stray sound wave. She freezes, her nose pointing straight down the tunnel. The tips of her ears quiver slightly, and her head tilts up and down delicately, then stops.
‘What is it, Sirin?’ asks Nero.
‘Water, Nero. I can hear something down this tunnel.’
After a few moments, where all the Mousecateers have stood there listening to the sounds, they make a decision. The tunnel is completely dark, but it may be their way out.
‘We need some light to see our way,’ says Nero. ‘It’s too dark, even for us felines. I’m scared one of us will stumble into a pit without seeing it. Does anyone have a torch?’
Lucinda says, ‘I have one in my rucksack, Nero.’
She pulls the torch out and fastens it with her chest strap. Just as well I packed this, she thought. It’s okay when we are in one of those caves with the pretty glowworms, but this darkness is scary. But she doesn’t say anything. It is important that they all keep their courage. They may need it.
The images and videos were generated by AI from the author’s prompts.
