A Kitten Called Cat

Chapter Twenty One - A Walk...

But I got worried when the scary-looking bridge came into sight. "Are you nervous?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Words, Kitten," Mr Bossy instructed me.

"Yes, Master."

So Mr Lovely took my hand to take me over the thing... and he didn't let go when we reached the other side. "Good Kitten," he said, giving it a squeeze. Over here, the path got narrower and there were less people about. The woods looked wilder too with the trees crowding together and much less sunshine.

Suddenly he came to a stop and turned towards the steep slope to our left and, after a couple of seconds, I realised there was something a bit like a path leading up. The first few feet looked completely impossible but then it got a bit more sensible as it led back up the hill.

"Go on, you go ahead," he said. "I'll catch you if you fall!"

"Thank you!" I said as I started to make my way carefully upwards.

"Besides, I get to enjoy the scenery from back here," he told me.

I looked around, distinctly puzzled. You really couldn't see very much because of all the trees.

Then I realised he was studying my non-existent bottom! I wanted to slap him but I was much too wobbly. He laughed then boosted me up the steep bit of the path with a hand you-know-where. He added a slight squeeze which sent a delicious tingle through me but it had me checking around to make sure that nobody was looking.

But I soon forgot all about bottoms and people and everything else as I clambered up that path. More than once I was happy to have a Mr Helpful hand. He also showed me how to use the trees as handholds.

That climb was the trickiest walking I'd ever done but at last we came out onto open moorland and walked up a much gentler slope to a ridge where about five different paths met. There was a bench where you could enjoy the view and recover from the climb.

Master sat on the bench and I automatically moved to kneel down but he pulled me onto the bench next to him. I took off my rucksack and stretched my shoulders.

"I think we've earned our snacks," he said so I took them out and offered them both to him but he told me that I could eat one all by myself. I nestled my head into his shoulder to say thank you and he put an arm around me.

I ate my cereal bar... slowly, as was expected of a good kitten, with my eyes closed to properly appreciate each mouthful of the treat. When I'd finished I rubbed my head affectionately into his shoulder again then looked around.

We were on a spur of moorland between two steep, wooded valleys which met almost straight ahead of us forming a bigger valley that led on towards town - I could just make out the railway station and a couple of the shops. On a ridge, away to our left, there were a couple of buildings and, when Master pointed it out, I could see one of them was home.

Off to our right was a huge stretch of moorland that led up to a bit of a rocky peak. Master told me that it was called Pen Tor and that, on a clear day, you could see the sea from the top.

I didn't say anything but he must have seen the look in my eyes because he rubbed my thigh and said, "Not today, Kitten, but don't worry. We'll have plenty more walks together!"

I smiled back at him... I liked that idea!

He whipped out his phone and added, "But not now. We need to get going."

"Your Saturday afternoon appointment?" I asked.

"You probably don't want to know but, if you're still a curious kitten, I'll tell you about it tonight. But not right now. I know there are some rich and powerful men who like to keep the people around them waiting as a way of bolstering their egos but..."