"Bonny! Bonny, come on!"

I prodded my sister's coppery flank, but Bonny just nestled closer to our mother. "Go away, Fleeter," she complained, hiding her face with her long, feathery tail. A burst of annoyance flashed through my belly at my sister's refusal.

I sat down, my tail flicking back and forth impatiently. "But I want to explore! Come on, isn't everything out there exciting to you?"

Bonny's face was still hidden, but I could picture her shaking her head. Sure enough, a muffled "Go away, Fleeter," came from the chestnut kit. Letting out a huff of frustration, I plopped down next to Mother. "Bonny won't play," I whined to her. "She's being horrible!"

The brown and white tabby she-cat let out a mrrow of amusement and pulled me closer to her with one paw, smoothing my pelt with brisk licks. I squirmed, grumpily trying to get away from the grooming. "Silly," she murmured gently. Her sweet scent hung thickly in the air around me. "Let Bonny-darling rest. You go and play."

I opened my jaws in a frustrated wail of protest. "But why? I don't want to play on my own!"

My mother snorted. "You're a kit, Fleeter. You always have enough imagination to play on your own." She nudged me towards the fluffy carpet with her soft nose. "Go chase those intruding tassels!"

I looked back at her, pleading clear in my yellow eyes. Seeing Mother's eyes filled with annoyance, I trudged away. Fluffy white fronds of carpet tickled my nose as I wandered over the rug, and in moments I was rolling over and over, batting furiously at the soft fur. My mother watched with amusement as I played, soon settling her head on her paws to rest. Closing her eyes, she wrapped her tail tightly around Bonny and slipped into sleep.

I soon got bored of chasing things, my paws tired from swatting at the carpet, and I peered over to Mother. She was fast asleep, her flank rising and falling with every breath. A beam of sunlight sneaked through the door, attracting my attention with its alluring gleam. Silence stilled my movements, and I crept slowly toward the big door that was opened only a slight crack. Fresh green scents trickled in from the opening, and a breeze stirred the heavy air.

Looking furtively around, I reached the door and slid my agile body through it. My fur brushed the edges of the wood frame, but sucking in my breath with a deep inhale, I managed to fit through without a sound. I closed my eyes for a second, breathing in the warm summer air, basking in the sun that shone brightly on my face.

Opening them again, I was stunned by the lush green garden that lay before me. Clipped grass stretched out in front of me, with bordering flowers that bloomed in multiple colors. I stepped onto the grass, my paws relishing the soothing feel of grass compared to the hard wooden floor that usually lay under my feet. Tripping excitedly towards a bright red flower, I reached up, stretching my forepaws, and grasped the blossom between my two front legs.

Letting out a mew of delight, I traipsed over to where a tree grew in the corner of the fenced-in yard. Low-hanging branches were only several pawlengths about the ground and I hauled myself onto one, digging my sharp claws into the soft bark. I stared about in wonder, able to see much more of the garden now. The fence curved around the front of the house, disappearing behind the red stone walls of the den. Grass ran along the border, broken occasionally by smaller trees and flowers. Raised beds of dirt housed green plants that had bright red fruit hanging from green stems.

The sun shone high above my face in a cloudless blue sky as I hopped down from the tree branch and padded further into the garden. Brightly colored blossoms nodded sleepy heads in the drowsy tones of summer; insects buzzed around them, landing occasionally on a flower, making it bob up and down in the still air. The whole world seemed to be wrapped in silence, broken only by the rare breeze that made the trees rustle.

A wasp buzzed by my left ear and I raised a paw to bat at it, kitlike excitement rushing through my veins. A pale blue butterfly wobbled through the air, wings created the slightest of breezes and gentle motion causing me to sway in time with the beat of its wings. It disappeared behind a line of rosebushes and I followed, mesmerized by the insect. Trotting slowly through the twisting paths of the Twoleg garden, I heard the sound of running water. My short paws covered the distance through the final twist in the trail and a little clearing opened up in front of me.

A beautiful stream wound through rocks at the back of the clearing that fed into a tiny, crystal-clear pool of water. Two oak trees arched high above it, and moss layered a thick carpet on the stone. I walked up to it, wonder bubbling like the creek in my belly, and dipped my head to drink a bit. Right before my tongue touched the cold, clear water, I heard a sharp voice that broke the peaceful silence in the garden.

It was a familiar voice, and my heart sank like a stone with every word.

"Fleeter! What are you doing out here?"

I turned, tail instinctively drooping, to face my father. Disapproval radiated off him in waves, his posture rigid and his face stern. The dark brown tabby stepped forward. "Fleeter, answer me."

Scuffing my paws in the grass, I raised my head to meet his exasperated gaze. "I—I'm sorry," I stuttered out. There was only one rule of my parents: Never go into the garden alone. And I had broken it willfully. Shame poured through me as I dropped my head back down, feeling like a complete failure.

"Fleeter, listen. Your mother and I have made that rule for your own safety! We've been looking all over for you." He wasn't angry anymore; instead, defeat rang clear in his tone. He felt like he had failed me, letting me get out into the garden alone. I felt worse than ever; I would have gladly rushed over and buried my nose in his fur, wanting everything to be okay again, but fury with myself held me still.

I messed up. I'm a failure. I straightened up. "I'm so sorry, Father," I whispered softly. "I—I won't do it again." He relaxed and padded over to me, wrapping his tail tightly around my small frame.

"Let's go home, Fleeter."

written by leopard :) second part of Hindsight! yay!