"I can't do it!"

My legs were shaking so much that I thought that I would fling off of the rock I was standing on. I then completely closed one of my eyes, slowly stepping forward and trying to peer over the edge.

I squealed at the sight, jumping back to my old spot. "Ah, I can't do it!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the dark, dusty gray fluffy pelt of my father, Sparrow, approaching, his dark gray eyes glowing with amusement as I attempted to peer over the edge again. "Mist, it's okay," he meowed to me softly, giving me a reassuring nod. "Take a deep breath."

He then sniffed and rolled his eyes after I attempted just that. "A real one," he then purred. And after I took a moment to inhale more slowly, with my exhale sounding more like a frustrated huff, Sparrow went on. "Don't worry, I'm right here to catch you if your jump is lopsided."

"Okay..." I breathed. Starting to feel more encouraged, I gave my father an excited nod before trotting closer to the edge. "Okay!" I can do this! I can do this!

But as soon as the edge of the rock came into my sight again, I let out another squeal, cringed back, and covered my eyes with one of my paws. "Father, I can't!"

I stayed there with my eyes shut, now not just nervous because of my task of jumping off of the rock, but I was scared that Sparrow would begin to grow mad at me with how long I was taking.

However, just like the calm, patient father that he was, he simply sighed, closed his eyes for a moment, and then looked back at me warmly. "Mist, what do I always tell you?"

I slowly pulled my paw away from my face, staring back at my father with reluctant, nervous eyes.

So, Sparrow cocked one of his eyebrows, leaning his head towards me. "Replace the can't..." he began to murmur.

I let out a huff and sat down where I was. "Replace the can't..." I repeated sluggily.

When I didn't finish the sentence, Sparrow continued, raising both of his eyebrows. "...with a can."

"-with a can..." I finished, rolling my eyes.

Sparrow then let out a purr of amusement, giving me a sharp nod. "Right!"

I then closed my eyes, letting out another sigh, and letting those words sink in. "Father, I can."

"Right," Sparrow meowed warmly, continuing to nod as he slowly backed away from my rock. "You can do it, Mist."

This time, feeling more encouragement than ever, I began to knead my paws into the ground as I let the adrenaline and determination rush through my body. "Yes, I can do it!" I meowed enthusiastically, taking one more deep breath before bringing myself closer to the edge of the rock once again.

And this time, I decided to not look down at all. I can look down, but I sure won't!

I then simply took a moment to let the light breeze brush my fur and hopefully calm my fears just a bit. I then closed my eyes, took a single step back, and tried to imagine that light breeze carrying me as I then finally took a leap forward, only feeling a twinge of fear for the couple of heartbeats that I was in the air.

And almost simultaneously, I felt my paws land on the soft grass, and I don't think I had ever felt so accomplished in my entire life.

I then looked back at Sparrow to see his dark gray eyes glowing with warmth and pride. "Father, I did it!" I then squealed, running up to meet the tom.

I then felt the purrs that were rising in my throat become even louder as my father then nuzzled my head with his tail. "Yes, you did, Mist!"

Then, as he pulled me closer to him with his tail and began to nuzzle my head with his muzzle, I simply closed my eyes and continued to purr as my heart filled with so much affection. Sparrow is the most patient and encouraging father that I could ever want! I thought happily, looking up at my father to meet his bright gaze. There is no way that I could have made that jump without him.

Then, as the dark gray fluffy tom pulled his tail away, I let out another purr and nudged his foreleg with my flank. But he's never going to know that!

"What did Mist do?" 

I then flicked my ears as a new voice came from just a few tail-lengths away, and I looked up, my heart continuing to flutter with excitement as I saw the white and dark ginger tabby fur of my mother emerge from some brambles with a large squirrel in her jaws.

I then watched as Sparrow let out another purr, running forward to meet the she-cat, touching his muzzle to her cheek, and then leading her over to the rock that I had just jumped from. "You'll never believe it, Chrissy – Mist made a spectacular leap from this rock!"

I then couldn't help but beam with pride as Chrissy let out a shocked gasp, her eyes glowing as she dropped her squirrel and padded up to the rock that just barely rose above the middle of her forelegs. She then looked back at me, astonished, with her beautiful eyes. "That is amazing, Mist!" She then excitedly trotted over to me and gave me a lick on the head. "Wonderful job. I'm sure you'll be leaping down and across the tallest trees and rocks someday."

As Chrissy then pulled away, I looked up at her and gave her several quick, enthusiastic nods. "I definitely will!" I nearly squealed, almost wanting to float up into the tallest trees and rocks as the excitement of my newest accomplishment and my parents' encouragement rushed through my bones.

And although I hadn't met many cats in my life yet, I feel like I could say that the both of my parents were two of the most amazing cats in the world, so praise and encouragement from them felt like nothing else. And as parents, they both made me feel so loved and protected, and were just two very incredible cats that I thought that any cat that crossed their paths would admire.

Sparrow, as anyone would see from his words before and after I jumped off of the rock, was an incredibly calm, noble, and patient tom, but was also so strong and encouraging. He was also handsome, dignified, and courageous, and if I can be half of the cat that he is when I grow older, I will be happy! I thought proudly. And I'm almost the spitting image of him with my fluffy gray fur, though mine is lighter... but it's a start!

And my goodness, was my mother the most incredible she-cat that I think that I would ever know. Chrysanthemum - or as my father liked to call her, Chrissy - was the most beautiful cat in the world to me, with her white and dark ginger tabby fur and strange brown-green-yellow eyes. But she was so bright, spirited, full of adventure, and so incredibly loving. No matter what I did, she seemed to always know what I was thinking, knowing when I was frustrated, worried or upset and knowing just how to fix it; always seeming to have the right words of encouragement to say to me or to Sparrow.

And to this day, I was so thankful that she and my father had found each other and had been able to give me such an incredible life so far that was so full of excitement and adventure.

I was only just shy of four moons old, but as long as I could remember, the three of us had always done nothing but explore – never settling down in one place and simply traveling through nature as we saw content. One night we'd maybe sleep under the tall trees of the forest, maybe one night we'd sleep on the tallest hill of the plains, or one night we'd maybe sleep in the darkness of a cold cave. And during the day we would simply wander, not ever having a destination, so we were never lost.

We didn't have a true home, but as long as I had my parents, I didn't care, and I loved traveling the world with them!

And my parents seemed to be able to adapt to any kind of atmosphere they settled down in, but most of all, they had the most incredible climbing, leaping, and jumping skills that I had ever seen. According to both Sparrow and Chrissy, their parents, and then their parents, and then their parents and so on had been exactly the same – using their long limbs and being able to climb up to tallest trees with no problems, jumping from branch to branch, and also being able to jump from high rocks and make the perfect landing.

While I also already had the longer limbs that my parents had, I was nowhere near being able to do that yet. But I was determined to get there, and wanted to be just like my parents when I grew up. I want to feel like I'm flying and leap through all of the trees in the forest! I thought excitedly.

I then let out a small, amused purr as I looked back at the rock that I had just jumped from. That is just the start! I can do it someday, and I will do it someday!

I then looked back at my parents who were both still staring proudly down at me, their dark gray and hazel eyes glowing. But for now, I can just watch mother and father do it! "Um..." I then murmured, my paws beginning to shift back and forth.

And just by the look that my parents then exchanged between each other, I could already tell that they knew what I was thinking. "Yes, Mist?" my mother purred, stroking my cheek with her tail.

"Um... I know that I ask this a lot..." I then went on, my tail then beginning to lash back and forth as I kneaded my paws into the ground once again. "But could you both please do the really neat tree-climbing and jumping things for me again? Please?"

I then tilted my head to the side, confused as Sparrow then let out a purr of amusement and flicked my mother's ear. "Hm, our daughter is very eloquently spoken, isn't she?"

Chrissy rolled her eyes, also letting out a purr as I laughed at my own weird word choices. "Well, what else would you call it, Sparrow?" she meowed with laughter in her voice, flashing me a reassuring look as she then excitedly ran over to the nearest tree. "I think that our races together up in the trees might as well be called really neat tree-climbing and jumping things!"

I then continued to let out mrrows of laughter as Sparrow then raised his eyebrows, running over to the tree right next to my mother's. "Oh, so does this mean that you're up for this?"

Chrissy then gave a sharp lash of her tail, lowering her belly as if ready to leap up to the highest branch of the tree in front of her. "Oh, I always am!" But she then looked at her mate up and down, her eyes narrowing. "Are you? You seem awfully daunted..."

Sparrow then let out a taken-aback huff that nearly made me want to roll over on my back with laughter. "What? Never!" He then imitated my mother, crouching down and beginning to lash his own tail back and forth. "You're on!"

"Hm, glad to hear it," my mother then teased before glancing back at me, her gaze now stern but pleading. "Mist, remember to please stay right there while we race, okay? I don't want to come back down first and find you gone!"

Sparrow then let out another huff. "I think that you mean that I'm going to come back down first and find you gone," he then muttered, winking back at me.

And as I let out yet another laugh, my mother let out a contemptuous grunt, taking a single step back. "We'll see about that, my love. You ready?"

Despite my father's challenges towards my mother, I looked back at him to see him staring back at my mother, his eyes glowing with affection and love. "Ready as I'll ever be," he meowed softly before also taking a pawstep back. "One..."

My heart began to beat faster with excitement as Chrissy crouched down lower. "Two..."

"Three!"

Then, after my parents' final chant, they both pelted up the tree in what felt like a half of a heartbeat, their pelts simply being a blur as they climbed up the trunks.

Then, almost just as quickly, I watched as Sparrow and Chrissy began to follow the same path that they always did when they raced among the trees – each of them on different trees but following a similar path. I didn't even know where to look as the both of them practically flew through the trees and leapt through the branches – already having passed by and circled around me several times.

Both of them were equally as amazing and agile as they leapt from branch to branch, and as much as I loved watching them, they also made it look so incredibly easy, and I wished so, so badly that I could be up there with them. So, so badly!

And I had never felt so much desire when I finally heard the first set of pawsteps land to the ground perfectly, and I turned around to see that it was indeed my mother that had finished her route first. I excitedly ran up to meet her, nuzzling my head into her fur and then following her gaze as she looked up at the trees, watching Sparrow finish up his version of the route. "Any day now, right?" she shouted up to him, causing me to purr with amusement once again.

"Oh, please!"

Just a heartbeat later, Sparrow also landed to the ground flawlessly, giving a shake of his fur as he ran up to the two of us. "My muscles are just a little stiff today."

"Hm..." Chrissy then grunted, brushing her tail along my flank before walking up to sit next to my father. "Then your muscles must be stiff every day, because that was no different than any time we've raced."

"And yet I've beaten you several times before," Sparrow then purred, wrapping his fluffy tail around my mother's back and pulling her closer to him. "However, I suppose that you did pretty well today. I see that your skills haven't faltered... much." He then gave her a wink and gave her a lick on the cheek.

Chrissy then began to purr as she leaned into her mate, with me simply watching as my heart warmed at the sight at the two of them. "Oh, come on," she then went on, her hazel eyes narrowing. "You spent that entire time trying to keep up with me."

Sparrow then rolled his eyes, his gaze now full of affection once again. "Ah, well... I suppose that you wouldn't be the worst cat to take after."

My mother continued to purr, leaning her head on her mate's chest. "Thank you, honey," she meowed softly. "You weren't so bad yourself."

For a moment, I couldn't even break into their conversation and continued to watch them, my heart now soaring into the sky.

Every day, I also was amazed by how much my parents seemed to love each other. While they showed me all of they love that they could ever give me, the love that they had clearly had for each other seemed just as strong as it had probably been when they first met. They tease each other like they're best friends, can race together like they're kits, talk to each other about anything, and the way that they look at each other is immaculate... I thought. I hope that I find a tom someday that I can be like that with...

I then pulled myself out of my thoughts as my parents pulled away from each other, my mother nodding to me and my father as she glanced at the squirrel that was still lying on the ground beside me. "Well, now that all three of us have done our leaping and flying for the day, how about we take a rest and enjoy some delicious squirrel?"

I purred with amusement as Sparrow immediately gave a nod, nearly pelting over to the squirrel and settling down beside it. "No need to ask me twice!" He then glanced over at me and pushed the new catch in my direction. "Would you like the first bite, Mist?"

As my mother then purred and ran over to join my father, I actually found myself backing away from the both of them – the excitement at the race through the trees I'd just witnessed still making my fur tingle. "Actually is it alright if you all just save a bite or two for me later?" I asked, one of my eyebrows raised as I then ran over excitedly to the rock I'd jumped off of earlier. "I really, really want to practice jumping some more. Is that okay?"

My parents both purred, exchanging yet another glance with each other before looking proudly looking back at where I stood. "Of course, Mist, that is fine," Sparrow meowed warmly before ripping off a large chunk of the squirrel and setting it off to the side. "That'll be here whenever you're done, and let me know if you need me to spot you again."

I jumped up and nearly squealed. "Thank you! I won't be long, I promise," I meowed excitedly as I then ran up to the side of the rock, and then used the boost of a smaller rock to get to the top. I can do this! I told myself as I then began to walk towards the edge of the rock that I'd been so terrified of earlier. I can do this...

I then slowly looked over to my side, my eyes slowly narrowing as my gaze fell on the larger boulder just next to the rock I was standing on. I can do this...

I then found my paws slowly padding over to the very side of the boulder. I can do that... can't I?

I then quickly glanced back at Chrissy and Sparrow to see the both of them deep into the squirrel and into conversation – their eyes glowing as they seemed to be joking with each other and talking about anything and everything as they always did. They aren't paying attention to me...

I then looked back up at the top of the boulder. And they don't need to be, right?

I then felt my heart begin to pound and soar as I continued to stare. Just one step closer to being able to be high up in the trees and make the highest jumps!

Suddenly coming to a decision, I tried to steadily, strategically, and most importantly quietly find a way to get to the top of the boulder – finding parts that jutted out or were more indented-in. I tried with all of my might not to let out an alarmed squeal whenever one of my paws slipped.

I can do this. I can do this...

And to my own shock and surprise, I made it to the top in just moments flat without Chrissy or Sparrow noticing at all. Oh my goodness, no way!

I then excitedly tried to push myself to look over the edge of the boulder, but as soon as I did, I had to bite back another squeal as I scrambled back to my original spot. Oh my goodness, no way!

At that moment I had decided that this was absolutely too much, and if I was ever going to try and make this jump, I needed more practice and I needed Sparrow or Chrissy here to make sure I was safe.

And unfortunately, I needed them now more than ever when I actually slipped in the middle of my blind panic, one of my back paws slipping on the smooth rock as I had attempted to scramble away.

And this time, I actually did squeal as I seemed to then lose control of all four of my paws, causing me to lose my balance, fall off the edge of the tall boulder, and begin to plummet to the ground below.