Reach

Part I: Kittens

"You're it, Jemi!" cried Pouncival.

"Not…for much…longer," Jemima panted as she chased after Tumblebrutus. Her front paws stretched out in front of her as she loped along, desperately trying to catch up to the young tom. Her hind legs pushed off the ground with more power in each stride until she was going faster.

Tumblebrutus, on the other paw, was slowing down, but trying desperately not to let Jemima catch him. He increased the length of his stride as much as he could in order to avoid capture.

Jemima was getting closer. Tumblebrutus was within reach. Jemima stretched out even further. She was reaching, reaching for him…

Tumblebrutus dodged around a corner and pulled into an abandoned box.

"Not fair!" squealed Jemima as she ran past. She pulled up quickly to a halt, turned around and followed the tom. She wriggled into the small box and was about to reach out and tag him…but he wasn't there. "Huh?" Jemima blinked in surprised. She looked around. "Tumble, where did you go? This is supposed to be 'Tag', not 'Hide 'n' Seek'!"

"Then tag me," came Tumblebrutus' voice.

Jemima glanced around again, this time, wildly. "Tumble!"

"Jemima!" Tumblebrutus said, mocking her.

That was when Jemima realized where his voice was coming from. She turned around and fled out of the opening from which she came. There he was, standing outside, grinning at her. Jemima playfully scowled as she started up her chase yet again. Jemima didn't think her paws had carried her faster in her life as she bounded after the young tom, shouting out to him that she'd catch him yet, and telling him all the things she'd do to him when she finally did catch him. Her legs stretched out, her hind muscles bunched up. Legs out, muscles bunched. Legs out…reaching…she was reaching for him…almost there… "Gotcha!" Jemima crowed triumphantly, looking down at the tom beneath her slight body.

"Okay, okay, you win," Tumblebrutus conceded graciously.

"Now, how did you get out of that box?"

Tumblebrutus turned over so that he was facing her and grinned knowingly. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he taunted.

"Yes, I would! And you're not going until I've got some answers, young tom," Jemima told him, trying to sound like one of the older cats and succeeding.

Tumblebrutus laughed. "It was quite simple, really. Only one edge of the back wall is actually attached, so I could escape that way. See?"

Jemima narrowed her eyes. "I see. Thanks for telling me." She grinned and hopped off the tom. "Well, I guess you can go now."

"You've forgotten one thing."

"What's that?"

Tumblebrutus grinned. "I'm it."

"Uh-oh…" Jemima giggled and bounded off.

Tumblebrutus followed. The chase was on again – this time, in reverse. He was reaching for her.