Emily, Thank you so much for your kind words! This chapter is short, but I hope you enjoy it anyway! :)
Eight
Hidden by shadows, he watched her. He watched her rush from the den. He waited to see if anyone would chase or call after her, but they didn't. If anyone else was in that den, they left her alone, not caring where she was heading all one her own. He smiled, for his plan was playing out perfectly. He quickly looked around to make sure no one else was around. When he was satisfied that he was unaccompanied, he began to follow her.
He made sure to keep his distance. He kept to the darkness. It was easy for him to keep her in sight. The bright moon made her glow, especially the golden fur that covered her body. She was a living gem. He couldn't believe his luck. How had he managed to find a queen so beautiful and elegant?
He followed her to the outskirts of the junkyard. It was there that she finally stopped running. She lay down on the dewy grass and tried to catch her breath. When he looked closer, he could see that she had tears in her eyes. He couldn't help but wonder what anyone could have done to make her cry. He longed to caress her face and wipe her tears away. But, at the same time, he thought she looked so pretty when she was crying. She looked so vulnerable and he just wanted to pull her close and promise her that everything would be ok.
He let out a purr at the thought of holding her warm body against his. He imagined holding her small paws in his. He wanted to kiss the pretty queen and show her off. He could just picture the looks cats that passed them by would give him. They would be perfect together. They would get along wonderfully and they would look beautiful together.
He watched her as she laid her head on her paws and sighed. Her ears drooped sadly and her tail wrapped around her body securely. Tears were still spilling out of her eyes, but she didn't bother to wipe them away. She was staring into the distance, lost in her thoughts and sorrows. She still had no idea that she was being watched. And he liked it that way. The element of surprise was his best friend.
His tail twitched anxiously. He felt himself growing restless and he decided that it was time for him to make his move. He smoothed the soft fur on his chest and straightened himself to full height. Then, he ran over what to say in his head. He didn't really need a confidence boost, but he humored himself by giving himself a minor pep talk. Then, he took a deep breath and stepped into the moonlight.