Sitting in the grass

I sat down on the lawn. The grass was soft and yellow in the light of the late afternoon sun. I faced so that my shadow coolly lay over the book I had brought and the gentle warmth caressed my back. A soft breeze swirled about above me.

My fluffy orange cat languidly approached and mewed once – declared his arrival. He stood in front of me and I stroked his head and shoulders. He settled down smugly and I resumed my reading. Soft tufts of his fur played in the breeze and then, slowly, as a calm overcame us, the breeze died away. An absolute peace pervaded us and we rested in perfect clarity.

We heard a rustling and looked up unhurriedly to see a Towhee sprightly picking through twigs along the brick walk. He was a rich brown with dignified specks across his chest, like an ermine collar. The cat and I observed him with the same detached contentment, we admired his beauty and savored his pluck. The bird hopped away and it became uncomfortable on our necks to follow him. I turned back to my book and my cat resumed his contemplations.

Some time later the tabby left me. He drifted away softly, without a word, careful not to disturb me. I continued to read, unaware of his actions, assuming he had long left my presence.

I was awoken from my reading by his hurried steps through the foliage. He scuttled across the walk with a wriggling gopher held firmly in his mouth. Once on the lawn he paused and quickly worked the rodent around so that its head was in his mouth. I watched in abject fascination and gasped when I heard the sickening crunch of bone as the feline brought his teeth together. More crackling bites followed and the skull was ground into tiny fragments suspended in flesh. My cat was quite absorbed in his task and I couldn’t help but be absorbed in watching him.

Through skin, bone and blood he continued his meal down the spine, he seemed determined to finish what he had started. But it hadn’t been that long since last he ate and despite his best intentions he began to slow. Unperturbed, he licked his lips and wandered away from the mess.