Isacc was not having a good day. After a fruitful nights hunting all he wanted to do was curl up and go to sleep. So far he had not been having any luck. First he had tried the house. The sofa in the front room was always a comfortable place to climb into, full of soft, plump cushions and plenty of peace and quiet. He knew he wasn’t really allowed on the furniture but when the house was empty in the early part of the morning he was often overlooked. Furtively he stuck his head around the door and found that the room was empty. Inwardly he grinned, strutted confidently across the carpet and settled down into his favourite place heaving the sigh of a contented cat. Sadly his victory did not last long. No sooner had he snuggled down deep into the cushion to find the most comfortable spot when his mistress had come along with her box of noise. With a can in one hand and a rag that flung the dust around in the other he had been quickly ejected. Next he tried upstairs to lay on one of the beds. The back rooms were always locked but in the morning the front bedrooms were always open. He was sure that he could find some peace here. Luxurious warm sun poured through the window onto the bed. The instant he climbed up he could feel the heat caressing and soothing his aching and tired body. The feeling was heavenly and quickly he curled into a ball ready for a nice relaxing sleep. No sooner had his eyelids drooped than he was rudely awoken by the banging of a door somewhere very close by followed by many rapid footsteps. Isacc sighed and braced himself as into the room burst, what appeared to him a small posse of over excited, extremely noisy children all of whom wanted to play. Isacc was not amused.

Out in the garden Isacc quickly sought out another of his favourite places. The old apple tree stood forlorn and forgotten down at the bottom of the garden. Its branches were all twisted and bare. Its ability to bear any fruit had long since perished and what few leaves struggled to grow each year where all now stunted and brown, No attempts had ever been made to prune or preserve it so there it stood neglected. Sheltered and out of view from the house and any young prying eyes it seemed to Isacc the perfect place to curl up and go to sleep.

At the top of the apple tree the crow sat brooding. With his large black wings pulled cape like around his rigid hunched shoulders he looked sinister indeed. His small black, beady eyes with their dark mysterious shadows constantly surveyed the garden. His eye sight was good and he missed nothing. All the morning he had tried in vain to find some food but the heat wave that was suffocating the land had driven the insects and grubs far underground and so his pickings were few. He felt restless and grumpy and he badly needed a distraction to take his mind off the growling in his belly. In the very next moment his attention was caught. Almost as if someone could read his thoughts the cat appeared from up the garden. The crow watched intensely as it lazily strolled straight towards where he was sitting and calmly lay down at the base of the tree. Seeing the well fed cat laying contentedly down under his tree and on his favourite scavenging patch just infuriated the crow further. Now he had the distraction he needed.

The sun drenched soil was warm and comforting under Isacc’s belly as he curled up in preparation for a nice long sleep. Already he was playing through his mind all the heavenly dreams that he would have and after the stresses of the morning he felt totally relaxed. With his nose tucked agilely over his legs and his tail placed snugly on top he slowly he closed his eyes. Trying to block out all the sounds around him wasn‘t easy. Nearby he could hear the busy buzzing of the industrious bumble bee, the frantic sound reverberating maddeningly as it climbed further inside the tubular flower of the foxglove. Over the other side and close to his left ear he could hear the gentle flick of a butterflies wings as it sought out the nectar rich flower of the Buddleia. All these sounds tempted him. At any other time when he did not feel so tired he would have taken great joy in chasing them but now he was resolute. Nothing was going to keep him from his sleep.

“Caw” cried the crow from the top of the tree, bobbing and tilting his head from one side to the next patiently watching the sleeping cat. His villainous, beady black eyes blinked rapidly, spasmodically showing the milky white sheen of his third eye lid that contrasted harshly with the black. Seconds ticked by. The crow continued to watch but there was no reaction. The cat stubbornly slept on.

“Caw caw” cried the crow this time louder and with more attitude. Isacc lazily opened one eye in a weak attempt to see who was making the noise but as the crow was sat high above him the crow could not be seen. The tip of Isacc’s tail flicked slightly in irritation. Damn bird suddenly filtered through his mind but it was a minor irritation and he decided to ignore it.

The crow now was on the move and determined to get a reaction from the cat. Carefully he picked his away along the branch choosing his route carefully. The branches were gnarled and twisted. Catching his wings and injuring them on a half splintered branch would be all too easy. Looking down to make sure the way was clear he half opened his wings and jumped and fluttered, expertly guiding himself down, lithely manoeuvring his body from danger and sturdily landing on a branch much lower down the tree. Now he was sat directly over the cat but far enough out of harms way should the cat rear up suddenly and try to catch him. There was no way now that the cat could not hear him.

“Caw, caw caw” cried the crow listening with pride as his deep voice resonated clear and loud far across the garden. Let the lazy cat ignore him now he thought.

Isacc’s tail, which rested lightly over his nose began to twitch more persistently in irritation. That crow needs teaching a lesson. Who does he think he is? Big bird like that sure would make a tasty meal. Isacc felt saliva begin to run freely into his mouth but he felt just too tired to eat. He could not fathom where these thoughts were coming from. His brain was too fogged with fatigue to work it out. His limbs and eyes felt lifeless and heavy. All he wanted to do was sleep. Why couldn’t every one just leave him alone? Gulping down the saliva he tried to clear images of plump, mature crow from his mind convincing himself that he absolutely could not taste its rich meaty juices as they trickled warmly down his throat.

The crow was clearly puzzled. Was the cat clearly just ignoring him or was this some kind of elaborate trick? His beady eyes flicked suspiciously round the garden looking for any signs of danger, anything lurking in the bushes nearby but he saw nothing so he returned promptly back to the problem of the sleeping cat. He was determined to get the cat to move on so that he could find something tasty with which to satisfy his hunger. He was a crow possessed. He decided to go down closer and take a look. This time he simply hopped methodically down the branches like a series of well placed steps until he was perilously close to danger.

Like any cat, Isacc seemed to own a sixth sense. Without opening his eyes or looking up he just knew that the crow was now close by. His tail began to thump even harder. Go away thought Isacc I’m tired. Almost immediately the voice came back. What is wrong with you? it said incredulously. That bird is laughing at you, making fun of you and you just lay there and take it like some cowardly kitten. He will make you a laughing stock. Isacc began to get annoyed. The voice in his head appeared to be getting louder and more persistent and he did not like what he was hearing. The louder and more scathing the voice became the more determined Isacc was to ignore it.

By now the crow was getting quite irate. Jumping up and down on his branch, noisily flapping his wings he continued to call noisily over and over again. The louder he called the more determined Isacc was to shut him out. His tail had once again taken on a life of its own and was continuing to make its views clear. Now it was positively screaming at Isacc. Call yourself a cat! It exclaimed in great agitation, Call yourself a cat! I have seen baby mice fresh from their nest and still wet behind their ears that are more ferocious than you. Go on get him!

The crow had now thrown all caution to the wind and was down on the ground. Running up to the cat as close as he dared he continued to caw at the top of his voice. Isacc stood his ground. He had been giving in to people all day and he was sick and tired of it. All he wanted was to be left alone so he could go to sleep. He knew however that the crow was simply not going to go away. With a sigh he opened his eyes and raised his head, looking straight at the crow. The crow hopped back in surprise but sensing he now had the cat on the ropes he was quick to take advantage.

“Caw, caw, caw” he cried as loud as he could puffing out his chest to make himself look as big and menacing as possible. Isacc still feeling too tired to move merely looked on blinking lazily. Look how close that stupid crow is sneered the voice. He thinks he is so clever. A mere bird against a clever cat like you. One quick pounce and you could catch him easily. Go on that would shut him up and then you could go straight back to sleep. The voice was cajoling Isacc and was doing it very well but Isacc was growing tired of being told what to do. Forever an independent cat he had never been one for doing what was expected. He was going to hold his ground. He was not going to give in to bullies. He had to think of a plan quickly and one that did not involve expending too much energy. Suddenly from over the crows shoulder he saw something flicker. Inwardly he grinned. A plan was no longer necessary. Help was on its way.

The crow never saw the danger slowly creeping up behind him until it was too late. Two blazing eyes, ruthless and intense shining from the undergrowth. Paws slow and carefully placed so as not to make a noise stealthily advancing closer and closer. The crow had become so focused on getting the troublesome cat to move that he had gotten careless. Precautions for his own safety had all but disappeared. All sense of reason had gone and now he brought tragedy swiftly and mercilessly to his doorstep. Being down wind of the crow Tess had easily managed to creep up and move in for the kill. The crow never saw her coming. Her pounce was strong and true. A half strangled cry and a flurry of feathers was all that it took. Respectful of her status Isacc merely laid and watched in awe whilst the deed was done. Fleetingly with the crow hanging warm and limp in Tess’s mouth their eyes met before she melted into the bushes once more with her prize.

The momentary silence was bliss indeed. So quickly had Tess been and gone that Isacc could almost believe he had dreamt it. Only a small black patch of feathers lay testament to the life that had been so readily taken. Throughout his tail had continued to thrash and was once again going to have his say. Its gone! Our dinner has gone! The tone was positively scathing. How could you just sit there and let that fat old beast of a cat nick our dinner! Isacc by now had had just about as much as he could take. He had stood by and watched dispassionately as one trouble maker had been cold bloodedly dealt with. Now he realised it was time to deal with the other in his own unique way. As his tail beat harder so the voice carried on unabated. You are selfish and lazy and cowardly and …. The voice was cut off in mid flow. Isacc stood up and slowly but very deliberately changed position. This time he picked his spot with care and laid down heavily, tucking his tail soundly beneath his legs. The silence was almost golden and Isacc sat there feeling smug. To every problem he knew there was a fitting solution. At no time did he mourn the crow for he was a cat after all. Running away was all too easy and he knew that, despite what the voice said, he was stronger than that. The sun continued to shine warm and comforting through the old twisted branches of the apple tree. In his tiny little corner Isacc was finally all alone. Silence reigned and as Tess munched contentedly on her well deserved lunch somewhere deep in the undergrowth Isacc went blissfully to sleep.

Annette Cutts October 2009