Rook watched from Saffanah's room window as the family's car drove out of the garage and sped off. He listened a few minutes more until the sound of their car was well and truly gone. Then he leapt off the window sill and padded downstairs. He entered the kitchen. His stomach grumbled. Beside the door were Rook's bowls. One always had clear cold water. Rook lapped up some of it. In the other bowl, the food was put. Sure enough, inside was a mound of mushy brown stuff. Some oil lingered around it. Rook didn't especially love the food. He had the same food everyday since he was born. But he didn't mind it. He gobbled down the squishy food and wandered around the empty house. He went into the master bedroom and into the closet. He curled up on a pile of clothes and closed his eyes. He loved the smell inside the closet. He rested for a moment before feeling bored. Then he trotted towards the front entrance and pushed out of the cat flap. The air was cool. Night was coming soon. Rook leapt over the fence and onto the street. Opposite the street was a large field of sunflowers. Beyond the sunflowers, a farm and many more fields, was the forest. When Rook climbed onto the roof of his house, he would squint and see the dark outline. Sometimes, he wouldn't be able to see it and he only had to trust that it was there. Rook walked down the street. No cars drove by. It was usually calm at night. Turning down the street, Rook spotted his other best friend's house. Domino, a black and white cat lived there with a couple, who had a baby and a dog named Diesel. The dog was small but its bark was loud. Rook trotted towards Domino's house. He knew the barking would come soon. Sure enough, when Diesel smelt Rook, he started going mad. He barked and barked, running by the fence in a crazy frenzy. Rook smiled slightly. Dog's were so stupid. Easily, Rook leapt onto the fence then from there, onto the pipe running alongside the house's roof. Diesel spotted him and started to jump. Rook watched, taunting him. Jump higher, he urged. Rook found the window of the attic with the small cat flap. He slipped inside. The attic was large with a sloping roof. To one side was a battered red sofa. To the other were boxes and old chairs. Rook knew that when Domino wanted to escape the baby, he would come up here. Rook listened and pricked his ears. Finally, Diesel's barking stopped. Then there was a noise and from the cat flap appeared Domino. He grinned at Rook.
            "Hey!" he exclaimed. "Heard Diesel barking and I knew it was you."
            "Stupid dog," grinned back Rook. 
            "I'm glad you're here. I was getting annoyed with the baby. It keeps crying," sighed Domino. "And the mum's gone so David's gotta take care of it and he can't even carry it right." Rook chuckled. "Anyways, you wouldn't understand. You've got the perfect family." Rook gave a small nod. He couldn't deny it.
             "I was wondering if you wanted to go to the farm with me, tomorrow?" asked Rook. He had never been to the farm. He had only ventured to the middle of the sunflower field. Don had told him not to go to the farm. That it was a bad place. Rook had listened to him for most of his life as Don was sort of his father figure but now..., a deep feeling coursed through Rook. Maybe it was curiosity. He didn't know. But he wanted to get to that farm and he wanted to climb to the roof. Then he would be able to see the forest more closely. Something intrigued him about the forest.
             "Why?" asked Domino, looking confused. "You know that place is a bad place."
             "We don't know that. Only Don says it," Rook pointed out.
              "And all the other cats from near here," added Domino. "Plus, there are other things to do. Like annoy Diesel. We could explore more of the town as well. Or we could go around and beg for food. My owners have started me on this weird diet with the most disgusting lame food ever!" 
              "Nah, we always do that," Rook said. "Come on, let's do something new." 
               "But why? it's dangerous," Domino said unsurely.
               "We've never been there. We don't know," Rook pointed out.
               "We could just not risk our lives," suggested Domino.
               "Please?" Rook asked. "Or I'm going alone." Domino's eyes widened. 
               "You can't go alone, you're going to die," he exclaimed.
               "So come with me," Rook said.
               "To die with you?" Domino asked incredulously. 
               "Nobody said anything about dying."
               "I did." 
               "I'm going alone then." There was a pause. A moment of silence as both cats stared each other down. Domino was a fun cat who was not especially bright but he was a good friend. He didn't want to let Rook go to his death alone.
               "Fine. I'll go," huffed Domino finally. "But only if you let me eat some of your food. I'm literally starving on this diet."