"Daisy! Daisy! Please… come out!"
Jemima shouted desperately onto the trees, hoping to find the "family member" of the dead squirrel.
Munkustrap watched this from a considerable distance. He knew that the kitten was trying to keep an unspoken "promise" with the squirrel, but he knew that it was impossible. Inside, he was debating upon the subject of whether to tell to the kitten or not… that she should give up.
"Daisy! Daisy!"
Jemima certainly looked as if she was mad. However, he knew the intentions of the kitten and wanted to respect them. After all, it was he who seemed so cruel, he who used "reality" as an excuse… but how longer could he be patient with this?
Munkustrap walked toward the kitten. "Are you sure…?" he asked, trying to sound as friendly as possible.
"What do you mean?" the kitten asked, her eyes almost tearful.
"Jem, there are at least thousands more of trees in the city… and… I hate to say this… but I don't think you will find Daisy…"
"Munk… I know that…"
"Jem… then have you ever wondered why you are doing this…?"
"To at least try to find his family member and tell him or her… and thus to respect him…"
"Jem… Is it really a desire of your heart to do this? Or is it… just a compulsiveness that you have given yourself…?"
Jemima froze. "What… what do you mean…? I'm… doing this for a reason…"
"I know you are," the protector cat sighed, "and I know the good intentions you have. But Jem… Sometimes…"
"Sometimes what…?"
"Sometimes… "reality"… that we cannot possibly find Daisy… may be merely an excuse… but sometimes… it really is a reality. Look, Jem; do you really think that we… we will find Daisy?"
Jemima shook her head slowly. "But…"
"I know, Jem. I know what you are trying to do. But we must remember that we have our own lives, too… Our lives… If we know that we won't be able to find Daisy… then why do it?"
"But I will feel so guilty if I stop here!" the kitten said. She ran to another tree; this time, instead of just shouting from the ground, she leaped up to a bench and then jumped up to the nearest branch.
She clung onto it. It was then when she realized what she had just done. She looked down; the ground was spinning below her… and she felt as if she was a looking down from a high cliff to a stormy ocean…
"Munk! Help!" she cried, although greatly embarrassed. I disobeyed Munkustrap, and now I'm pleading for help…! she thought with great humility in her mind.
"Jem!" Munkustrap came running. He looked up to the shivering kitten.
"Munk! I'm sorry! Please!" she cried.
"Jem! Just jump down! I promise you that you won't get hurt!"
"No! What if I break a bone?"
"I promise you. Trust me!"
Jemima shivered violently for a few more seconds and let go of the branch. She fell helplessly but landed on her feet.
"Thanks… Munk… uhh…"
Munkustrap said nothing; he simply hugged the kitten.
"Another one of your hugs?" she complained, trying to look strong. But inside, she had to admit that it was soothing. And what pride did she have anymore in front of the tom now that she had cried for his help?
"Sometimes, hugs just substitute for words…" Munkustrap responded.
"Munk, not again… not another one of those cheesy moments…"
"Jem, I'm sorry… but I guess the search will have to conclude here. Really, we cannot find Daisy. Why you try to continue this search seems to me as more of a compulsiveness that you do not enjoy… yet burdened yourself with… not because you respect the squirrel… although you do… but to free yourself of that guilty feeling. But it's not working, is it? You are feeling burdened every minute, aren't you?
Jemima nodded. Munkustrap could feel her tears on his fur.
"Jem, also think about the risks. What if something worse than this was to happen? What if you got hurt while trying to find Daisy? Jem, you'll understand all of what I mean when you become older. But until then…" Munkustrap didn't know how to finish his sentence.
"… I should stop acting stupid?" Jemima said with disappointment.
"No. It is not being stupid. But it is… carrying out your respect for your dead friend in a way that burdens you and gives you pain… both physically and mentally…" he corrected.
"I admit that you're right…" Jemima sighed.
Munkustrap smiled, gave Jemima a friendly kiss on her back, and started to walk. Jemima followed him.
To her, the sky was darker; the air was colder; and there was a sense of great guilt in her heart that seemed to get larger every second… no matter what she did to comfort herself. The guilt was choking her mind, and Munkustrap noticed this.
….
I am sorry for the short chapter, but I hope that this was still not a useless one. Thank you for reading this chapter! :)
