The Wolf rests on his knoll, nose to nose with a beautiful marmalade cat. The white clouds mound and roll over the Meadow, blown by the breeze, and today the Wolf’s knoll is crowded with small cloudwatchers.
“Ruby?” he whispers softly. The Wolf’s new friend has been here just a short time and he is already very dear to the Protector of the Meadow.
The young cat rolls over, smiling up into the arch of sky. “I think that one is a great big plate of tuna!”
“No wonder his mama calls Ruby her Chunky Monkey!” and Hopper rolls with delight.
Wilbur giggles from his resting place next to the Wolf and arches his head back against the great creature.
“What does it look like to you, dear one?” and the Wolf lifts his head and smiles down at Wilbur.
Wilbur’s response is loud: “It’s a big dish of milk with a whole buncha treats growing out of it!”
“Do you guys think only of food?” grins Redford. Ruby’s coming to the Meadow delights the large orange cat — “It’s so nice to have another big orange boy here!” he told the Wolf — and this morning several of the cats are offering suggestions as to which clouds look like what.
One cloud enchants Lady and Lucky, recalling their beloved mamas — “Look, those are her glasses!” “That’s my mama with her favorite book!”
Dottie gazes upward, seeing one sweet cloud, marking it as her darling mother’s own hand. She smiles and blinks happily, sighing. Her mama is never far from her thoughts, and Dot loves her dearly.
One small series of puffy cotton clouds brings the memories of her kittens to Emma Blue, although Sultie and Maverick agree that the puffs look like a lumpy string of their favorite mousie toys.
“No matter,” laughs the Wolf quietly. “There is always joy to be found here wherever you turn your eyes.”
He raises his head. “That long cloud line up there over the tree lines — do you see it? It looks like the cincture my Francis wore, and tomorrow, dear ones, tomorrow is his Feast Day.”
“Do you miss him, Wolf?” asks Ruby.
“Yes, Ruby, just as you miss your good mama.”
Ruby blinks, his eyes huge. The Wolf, reading his thoughts, pulls Ruby close to him.
“We will see them again, Ruby,” he whispers as Ruby buries his head in the Wolf’s neck. “We are always in their hearts, and they are in ours.”
“Always?”
“Always.”