Chapter 3
Hunting

"What's hunting?" I asked still puzzled by the thought of hunting.

"It's where, uh, you catch prey."

"What's prey?"

"What we eat."

"What do we eat?"

"Squirrels, birds, voles, mice."

"Oh." I was amazed at how much different foods there are, at home I only get to eat 'cat food'.

"Watch this." Leaf's voice broke me out of my thoughts and into reality. I brung my head around to watch her. She was crouching down, letting not even her tail touch the ground, then she was sneaking walking up to what she called 'her prey'. She suddenly leaped and gave the squirrel a killing bite. Leaf walked back to me and said through a mouthful of fur, "You know how I was crouching down, well that was called the hunters crouch."

Some days later, I woke up with a happy feeling in my heart like it was a kitten playing with a ball of yarn. I was dreaming about my first time hunting, I caught a squirrel and a thrush that day. "Leaf!" I called. I crawled out of the small cave I was sleeping in and looked around for her. She wasn't there but I didn't worry, Leaf told me that day that she might sometimes not be here. I understood but I wondered why. I still haven't figured it out yet, maybe I should ask her later when she comes back.

That afternoon I finally saw Leaf. "Emma, come with me." I walked with her till she stopped at the very edge of the hollow. "Emma, I've been thinking a lot about this lately and I've decided that you have to either live here in the forest or what you call home because I don't want any more of you guys getting what I call bright ideas."

"How much time do I have to decide?"

"3 days." My little happy feeling suddenly popped. "You can go back to your home to decide if you want." My happy feeling soared once more but it was only a small flare.

I raced back home and tore into the house with delight. I didn't realize how much I missed my family. I heard the parents and the kid screaming with delight. "She's back! Emma's back!" They all took turns and hugged me. Oh God, this will make the decision even harder. I gave them affectionate little nips. The doorbell rang. The kid ran to the door saying "I hope it's my package!" The parents sighed and went after him.

I ran into the laundry room and settled down to think. I want my family to know I'm alright but I can't speak their language. Anyways they wouldn't believe it. I would miss Sarah and Husky too. Wait! The idea suddenly hit me. I could leave them a note! I need to brainstorm what to say.

Dear Family,
This is from me Emma. I love you guys and all but I need to leave. Please get a new cat and please don't worry about me. I don't want to leave at all. I just seek a better life somewhere else, that's all. Not that life was bad with you though, it was great! I'll come back to visit you guys sometime but I don't believe these are going to be regular visits. Please don't search for me, you'll be wasting your time. Just get a new cat and all will be fine. Thank you for such a good life. Thank you. Don't worry about me.
Please believe it was me who wrote this. I know it may not be believable but please believe me and forgive me.
Thank you,
Emma

That was my letter. It was very hard to write.

Then I could just take Sarah and Husky with me! I gotta go get them now.