The girl sat at the top of the wall which overlooked her backyard.  She had purposely chosen a spot as far to the right, as close to the trees, and as far from the road, as she could get.  Her dark hair whipped into her face as a brisk, chill wind rustled the trees, sending red and gold and brown leaves spiraling through the air.  The wind rippled the surface of the small brook nearby and stirred the bulrushes and water plants that grew on the banks of the brook. Clouds covered the sky, turning its usual bright blue to a dull grey.

Grey like the cat that suddenly emerged from its hiding place between the bulrushes, sniffing the air as it appeared.  It looked young, at that middling age where it was not quite an adult but also no longer a kitten. The plants rustled again, but not from the wind as three more cats emerged from between them.  One of them was a striped tabby, the other a black shadow, and the third a lovely creature of mottled black and white fur. The tabby and black cats seemed to be the same age as the grey but the third cat was very obviously older.  The girl watched amusedly with a faint smile as the three not-quite-adults wrestled on the grass, guarded by whom the girl assumed to be their mother.

The wind picked up again, swifter and sharper this time and the girl scowled as the cold seeped into her bones, wiping away the peace and content of only moments before.  She shuffled her legs and pulled her jacket tighter around herself, but then froze as she beheld the pale yellow eyes of the black and white cat upon her. A long moment passed as the girl waited, hoping that the cats would stay, that they would allow her to stay and watch them.

The cat suddenly moved, and the girl’s hopes plummeted as she thought the mother would take her litter and run.  But she stared in surprise as the cat simply lay down, continuing her silent vigil while her children played unaware.  The girl only smiled once more as the three cats rolled and played in a blur of colors and patterns.

Their life was so simple; they played, unaware of her presence, unaware of any danger and sure that they were safe.  They had no worries or obligations; their mother took care of them, hunting for them and protecting them while they played.  The girl wished to be like them, to not have any worries or concerns. She wished to be able to play her violin and sing and draw and dance all day.  She wished to be able to do what she loved and to chase her dreams, sure that everything was alright and that she did not have to worry.

But she could only wish.

She stood in one abrupt movement, drawing the attention of all four of the cats.  She smiled once more before she jumped off the wall, landing in a crouch, her feet sinking into the soft mud.  Her boots dragged through the mud and she trudged up the hill to the door, reluctant to leave but understanding that she could not stay.

She cast one last look behind her to where the cats watched her with their pale, bright eyes.  The girl turned her back on the cats and the wind and the stream as she opened the door and stepped back into her own world, the door closing and locking behind her with a resounding click.