Maybe they are napping together

One day, a cat showed up.

Meowing non stop, hidding in a tiny space, really tiny space, so as our dog wouldn't reach her (we also couldn't reach her at first). The cat was still a baby, and too scared of everything and everyone. We had an hard time until being able to pet her for the first time. We started to feed the cat, and she stayed with us, even if she wasn't very affectionate and always escaped to somewhere else. At the end of the day, she would come back to eat. She wasn't really a domestic cat, she would hunt non-stop during the day, and then she would bring her trophies to our garden (hunted mouses). She never cared that much about us, she only wanted the food. We barely could pet her because she would run away from us.

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However, for our dog it was a completely different story. On the first month, her biggest fear was probably him. But he never meant to harm her, he was only curious about her and wanted to play. They would run endlessly around the house until the cat gave up and hide somewhere else, or until the dog started to be tired and just layed down on the grass.

He always looked so happy for his "newest friend" -- after all, this cat, who decided to stay and show up regularly, was his first permanent animal companion. Until that moment, our dog would play with us, with toys, with birds or bugs, but never with such a similiar animal.

They befriended quickly. They would sleep together on the summer afternoons and during the winter nights. My dog was always kinda lazy, so, the eventual "fights" would end fast with him giving up and laying down as he normally did, and then, the cat would manage to feel comfy in a good position so as she could rest by his side. I remember seeing him happily playing, or moving around for any reason, and then the cat would follow him and do the same.

On his final days, everything was normal. 

I still remember, vividly, watching him sleeping in front of the door. I remember how he would always protect us, how he would welcoming us, how he would be there for us no matter what. forever.

His eyes were the cutest eyes. He wasn't a puppy anymore but his eyes never changed.

I remember that night, when he was still alive, telling my mom how he looked like so much as if he was smiling. And she (my mom) agreed with me.

I remember him sleeping in front of the door. where he was closer to us.

It was still early in the morning, before me and my brother leaving for school. We were about to pet him and tried to wake him up. I can still feel the touch of his hair - it wasn't as fluffy as it used to be: it was hard, dry. 

He wouldn't move. He wasn't breathing.
We called our parents.

The cat was around, also waiting for him to wake up. She was inquiet. She waited, but he never woke up.

We had to go, because the bus wouldn't wait for us. So, we left for school.

We were in shock, we didn't know what to think or what to do.
My mom said that, a few hours later, when they took him, she (the cat) was still waiting.

And the cat

waited, 

and waited, 

over the days, 

over the months.

She started to get affectionate with us, because she was left all alone. She would meow calling for him, or for us, as if she was asking: "where did he go?", or "when will he come back?". Although she looked really sad, almost like crying, she was patiently waiting for his return.

Even me, everyday, when coming back home, would expect him to welcoming me as he always did. But that didn't happen. He never returned. We knew he wouldnt. I think that she never realized that. She looked like she was always looking for him, as if he would show up anytime.

For my surprise, something unusual started to happen - who I find waiting for me at home wasn't my dog, but the cat. (well, maybe she was just hoping that I would bring him with me after a walk. or maybe she started to care about us?)

Sometimes she would disappear for weeks -- I wonder if she was trying to find him. I don't know.

After some months, another buddy started to live with us. A friend of my father had puppies and he couldnt take care of them all. They (the puppy and the cat) got the chance to meet each other. They also befriended well, but the relationship didnt last that much.

Why, you ask?

It was due to her big journey.

One day, she went on one of her long journeys. Se was used to it. By that time, we didn't know that it would be her biggest journey ever done.

She still haven't come back.

I don't know what happened. Maybe she found a really nice field to hunt delicious mouses. Maybe she made some friends. Maybe someone found her and started to take care of her -- what I seriously doubt, because she was always so free, wild and hard to caugh.

Honestly, I can think in hundreds of possibilities, but she probably died as well. If so, maybe she could finally find him somewhere.


Maybe, just maybe, they are napping together right now.