Electra’s eyes opened, slowly focusing in the dim light on the lone dancer surrounded by hazy wisps of mist. His dark silhouette was highlighted by the fog and the sparse rays of a clouded moon that broke through the grey heavens above now and then. Each of his languid movements was a study in grace and elegance.

The dance was slow and sensual, enticing her, drawing her forward though she was bound by she knew not what - unable to move while her heart beat faster, her paw reaching out to touch the almost mystical vision in front of her, never close enough. It seemed as if the dancer were stepping away with each drawn out turn, his face always in the shadows.

But she knew that in the darkness, deep brown eyes were watching her, fixed on her own motionless form, as if in pity for her inability to speak and halt his movements away from her…

“El?”

Electra groaned, throwing her arm in front of her face, turning onto her back, “What?” It came out slightly unsteadily, her voice sleepy and her eyes disoriented in the bright light from outside. It had to be morning already.

“You were sighing and it sounded so sad and hopeless - I thought I’d better wake you up.”

‘Thanks, Etcy, thanks ever so much; I finally saw him dance again…’

“Oh, ok…”

“You ok?”

‘Damn my thoughts.’

“Yeah. What’s the time?”

“Don’t know, it’s pretty early though. Just a little after sunrise - but it’s gonna be a lovely day. It’ll be hot, ideal for fishing!”

The high, bright voice began to register properly in Electra’s mind and she smiled despite herself as she sat up. ‘I only have dreams, she at least gets to meet the tom she likes.’

“Going with Carby?”

“No.” It did surprise the dark tabby somewhat, but she knew her friend better than to pry. Sure enough, Etcetera didn’t waste any time in elaborating, with a small sigh, “Jemi was faster. I didn’t think he’d wanna go out…with a queen that is, alone with a queen…since he and Bomba broke up and now…”

She shrugged, “It’s just my luck.”

“How about we go fishing then?” Electra tried not to sound too hopeful. Etcetera was one of those who were liked well enough generally and she need not have gone off on her own as it were.

“Would love to! Are you taking any books with you?”

If this had come from anyone else, Electra would have been insulted or at least hurt. She was known as a bookworm, one of the few kittens who actually talked to Munkustrap about his literature collection. She borrowed books from his human library quite often and he was, apart from the old theatre cat and Deuteronomy the only one who didn’t laugh at her thirst for knowledge.

Of her playmates it was Etcy who liked to listen to her reading out poetry. The bright little whirlwind had a dreamy and romantic side and loved hearing about human folly and feelings. It was this on which their strong friendship had grown, a silent understanding between them on a part of themselves that the other kittens didn’t share.

“I’ve got some of Robert Burns’ poems, Munku lent me the book last week. It’s quite nice, he was Scottish you know, often wrote about nature too…”

“Lovely! But if he was Scottish we might have to get Skimble for a real accent!”

“Or Rumple or Mungo.”

“You think they can mimic a Scottish accent?”

Electra laughed, “Nope, but at least they’d sound funny reading.”

Her friend giggled almost as brightly as the female part of the notorious duo, “Yeah! Let’s take the book and go right now - that way we can do some fishing before it’s too hot and sit in the shade snacking at noon.”

~

Etcetera sighed happily, patting her stomach, “That was good…mmmhhh. So which poem is your fave and why?”

“My love is like a red, red rose.” *0*

“Cause it’s romantic?”

“I guess.” Electra didn’t really want to go into details. She liked Robert Burns’ love poetry for all that she knew him to have been quite a despicable human she wouldn’t have liked at all. He had drunk a lot and been a womaniser. Not what she considered as the mark of a gentletom. All the more surprising in her eyes that he had written such warm and glowing love poems.

“I like it too. But I like ‘Banks of Doon’ even more. Will you read it to me again?”

Electra smiled, “The Banks O’ Doon by Robert Burns:

Ye flowery banks o’ bonnie Doon,
How can ye blume sae fair?
How can ye chant, ye little birds
And I sae fu’ o’ care?

Thou’ll break my heart, thou bonnie bird,
That sings upon the bough;
Thou minds me o’ the happy days,
When my fause love was true.

Thou’ll break my heart, thou bonnie bird,
That sings beside thy mate;
For sae I sat and sae I sang,
And wist na o’ my fate.

Aft hae I rov’d by bonnie Doon,
To see the wood-bine twine,
And ilka bird sang o’ its love,
And sae did I o’ mine.

Wi’ lightsome heart I pu’d a rose
Frae off its thorny tree:
But my fause luver staw the rose,
And left the thorn wi’ me.” *1*

A soft clapping roused Electra from the page and her eyes fixed on Quaxo’s slight figure, leaning against a tree. She smiled, her heart fluttering at the thought that he had liked her reading.

“Heya, Quax. What’s up?” Etcy intoned lazily, rolling onto her stomach to blink at him.

“Nothing much,” he shrugged, “wonderful poem, El.”

“It’s by Robert Burns.”

Quaxo frowned a little, “Name seems familiar - one of the humans whose work Munk is collecting I assume…”

“Yes.”

“And you make the poems really come alive with your reading El. It’s much better than looking them up.”

Etcetera grinned as her friend blushed. She knew Electra wasn’t often praised for her ‘dullness’ and her love of books. She supposed that was because she reminded the others of Munku - and the tabby was not exactly what one might call ‘lively’.

“From what I’ve heard I can only agree with Etcy,” Quaxo’s voice was warm. Though he certainly couldn’t share in the enthusiasm for poetry he was well able to appreciate the recital. And it couldn’t be denied that El had made a very pretty picture sitting beneath a tree with a huge book in her lap, the sunlight that fell through the rich green leaves painting patterns on her dark fur…

“Hey you guys!”

Electra looked up, smiling and waving at Carbucketty who approached them, Jemima at his heels. The two of them looked wild, their fur wet and standing up in odd directions. Etcy was trying to seem unconcerned and managed well enough, only El saw the minute, nervous twitching of her tail.

“You been bathing?”

“Not voluntarily,” Carby laughed, “I tried to get at a fish and lost my balance - Jemi wanted to hold me and I pulled her straight in with me.”

“We’re cool now though,” the small queen chimed in, her huge eyes laughing and her smile bright.

“Sounds good, if a little wet.” Quaxo grinned, not keen at all to try the watery refreshment for himself. He’d rather be hot than dripping at any time.

“So what’ve you been up to?”

“Nothing much, just enjoyed the shade here,” El said before either Etcy or Quaxo could have the chance to say anything about her reading poetry. She had already closed the book and laid it aside, hiding it with her body. Neither Carby nor Jemi were above joking over her favourite hobby as she well knew.

The black tom noticed the quick, deft movements and wondered silently at the reaction to their friends’ appearance. He had of late spent much time with Tantomile, Coricopat and Deuteronomy, honing his magical powers and had missed much of the games and excitement with the other kittens…as well as most of the teasing that went on.

“Guess we’ll crash here a little; Jem?”

“Sure, why not.”

Sinking with effortless grace into an elegant sprawl, Jemima smiled brightly at the young tom at her side who flopped down without any attempt at looking good. Electra saw the slight amusement on Etcy’s face and smiled happily. At least her friend wasn’t without hope of getting Carby’s attention yet.

“Wanna hear a story?”

“What about Quax?”

“Well, Gus caught me unawares yesterday afternoon and before Jelly found him had already spent a few hours telling me about a particularly interesting role of his. I think I got the gist of what the play was about and it’s really cool!”

“Upper class British families squabbling?”

“No, pirates and treachery,” Quaxo was pleased to see interest light up Carby’s eyes and when he received delighted nods from his other friends began to spin his tale, “Once there was a pirate called Growltiger, the Terror of the Thames. He was a fearsome tomcat who…”

~

“What day is it again?”

“Monday, Etcy, Monday.”

“I hate Mondays.”

Electra sighed. Her friend was in a rare bad mood. Something that didn’t happen often and was therefore all the more worrying. It usually meant severe personal problems - and the dark queen knew exactly how to describe them…

“Wanna talk about it?”

“No.”

“I’m cleaning up for Munku today, will be back in the afternoon.”

“Whatever…”

The dark queen left her friend in an angry stupor, shaking her head slightly. She supposed that the afternoon at the stream had been too much for Etcy. After all, she had watched Jemi flirt with Carby the whole time, until he took notice. And he was not put out at all. So much for being careful of his feelings…

El did wonder at the ease with which he had brushed off the whole Bomba incident. Rumours were he had sat broken hearted in front of the red queen’s doorstep for the better part of a week before giving up and accepting that she had broken up with him.

But then again, she couldn’t well say anything about another cat’s love life, at least he had one. ‘And I don’t. Much as I wish I did.’

“Good morning Electra. Thanks for stopping by. It’s just dusting and the usual stuff. Feel free to take any volumes you like home and leave me the list of books you’d like to have - I’ll see what I can do.”

And with that, the grey tabby was gone. Always busy, always on the run. Where he took the time to collect so many writings she would never know. Smiling to herself, she went into his dwelling, shaking her head as she pulled the rug away from the window, letting the sunlight filter in.

Jenny had been the one to propose El do some cleaning work for Munkustrap and, in return, he could get her some of those human books she liked so much. It was a good plan, stemming, no doubt, from the orange tabby’s worrying about her darling nephew living in a mountain of dirt. And since she couldn’t get him to clean up himself…

Electra liked the arrangement. It gave her time enough to go through the library the elder tom had collected over the years and she enjoyed the quiet and the smell of the dry pages. It was comforting and fascinating.

As usual, she found a little piece of paper and an old, crooked pencil near the cluttered shelves with ‘List’ scrawled on top of it. Munkustrap was good at many things, legible writing definitely wasn’t one of them though.

Humming a song that Gus had taught her when she helped out Jelly earlier that year, she set to work, dusting the books and the dwelling, straightening the bed and placing the scattering of rugs where they belonged.

She didn’t see the dark eyes peering in at the window from where Quaxo sat on one of Carbucketty’s favourite watch points. If she had, she would have been surprised at the smile that crept onto the young tom’s face, just before he was hailed by Tantomile and had to reluctantly leave his sunny spot to study some more.

~

Etcetera continued to be irritable and bad-tempered for the next two days, so Electra made a point of not being near her. She did know that her friend wasn’t ever at home during the day, Heaviside only knew where she was keeping herself.

On coming back from her afternoon walk a little earlier than usual, hoping to find some of the books Munkustrap had promised to get her, she almost bumped into Etcy, whose scowl was as wild as ever. But, in the unguarded moment she looked into her eyes, El saw confusion and a decidedly haunted expression.

An instinct made her sniff and she drew back, gasping, “Everlasting Cat, Etc, don’t tell me you were with…with…”

“Shhh.”

Etcetera laid a paw on her mouth and beckoned for her to come inside. Flopping down onto her bed she mumbled dejectedly, “I’m with Tugger.”

“Etc!”

“It’s just sex, nothing else.”

This did nothing to soothe Electra’s growing agitation however. She knew the other queen too well to be fooled. It wasn’t the heartthrob she wanted, and she wasn’t even playing a game. She plainly tried to forget her feelings for another tom by flirting and seducing someone else. Not that El was worried about Tugger or his heart in this. If he truly liked Etcy, he’d have told her as much she was sure.

“You’re not happy.”

“I could’ve had Admetus, but he was so nice and he said he liked me too much to just sleep with me. So I went for Tugger instead. No problem in getting him to bed, of course.”

“Etc, are you listening to me at all?”

“You wanna hear and I’m telling you. It’s no big thing. We both want someone around. It’s mostly cuddling, he’s lonely - funny, isn’t it?”

“No, it doesn’t surprise me in the least. He doesn’t want to commit, but you - Etc. I thought you liked Carby!”

“I like him, yeah. And I spent way too much time with him. So much time that I think I do more than just like him. And now he doesn’t spend time with me any longer and I sure as hell don’t wanna think about it.”

Electra didn’t know what to say. This was worse than she had thought. More than a little crush there, at least on Etcy’s part. Sitting down beside the prone form she reached out, gathering her friend into a hug.

Giving her comfort was the only thing she could do now - any advice would be rejected at the moment. El realized that this was one of those things the other queen had to deal with on her own. And much as she resented that knowledge she had to accept it.

~

Since Etcetera had gone off to spend the day with Tugger again, Electra decided to do something radically different for once. Her usual schedule consisted of reading, walking and reading some more, finding a bit to eat and then walking or reading yet more, sometimes writing a few jumbled thoughts down or visiting Gus.

This was, in fact, one of her favourite activities. She tried not to show too much obvious enthusiasm, but Jelly was always glad to see her and El delighted in the stories the old theatre cat could tell her. It was not only his triumphs on the stage that could occupy her for hours, it were stories of the old times, when Queen Victoria was on the throne and many exciting changes were effected in the human world.

Yet the young cat kept herself from going on that day, preferring the shade of a quiet spot at the back of the human cemetery where she often came to be alone. It was a good place for meditation and also for practising her dancing. For all that she was good, she was still deficient in many moves.

The Jellicle Ball being only once a year, Electra still liked to work on her skills. She envied Vicky her beauty and elegance. There was no other of the kittens who shone out like her in grace and looks. It was surprising that the posh house she lived in had not ruined the pretty cat’s character though. She was a little stuck up, but yet possessed a warm heart and open manner.

El had asked her for a dancing lesson once and Vicky had actually taught her some movements. And it had remained a secret between them, no word had come out of how badly the dark queen had held herself and how many times she had stumbled across her own feet.

For this alone, she would have forgiven the white queen just about anything. But now was the time to try something different and therefore Electra had decided to start anew with the little dance she had found so impossible to carry out with any grace a few months before.

It was time she took her life into her hands and made a difference. Well did she know that most of the younger cats were thinking of their careers already, trying out this and that to find an occupation that would suit them and their pursuits and dreams.

Etcy had chosen to follow in Jenny’s footsteps, since she delighted in teaching the little cockroaches and was successful in making them heed her. It was a secret between her and Electra yet, but the little whirlwind’s path had been laid out.

Billy had begun training with Admetus a few weeks before - building and maintenance work at the junkyard, the theatre and wherever else cats needed their services. Plato and Rumpelteazer had already been apprenticed for a while and were said to be doing exceedingly well.

Vicky would likely become a dance instructor for the younger kittens - or so Electra thought. Or maybe she’d end up as restaurant critic like her uncle Bustopher, though that was fairly unlikely. It was hard to imagine the slim white queen eating as much as the voluminous tom.

Jemima and Mungojerrie were learning about herbs from Jelly and Vicky had been sitting with them as well a few times, so that healer became another possible career choice for her. And Quaxo - he was destined to be the tribe’s magician, whatever that entailed only Tanto, Cori and maybe Deuteronomy knew.

Electra was the only one who couldn’t be interested in these traditional areas of work. She aspired to something unusual, a job that would give her the opportunity to go out of herself and be useful.

The knowledge of what this would be was already there, in the back of her head, but too elusive to grasp. And the one thing that could ensure she wouldn’t be bothering about this too much was to dance. Her full concentration was needed for that after all.

~

Electra was tired to death as she slunk back home that evening, but she was very well pleased with her progress nevertheless. At least she was no longer stumbling, even though the dance was still severely lacking grace and polish.

Etcy was in, by all appearances, for the rugs that lay on their floor were all set to rights and the whole place cleaned up perfectly. Catching sight of the bright head, El lost no time in asking,
“You broke up?”

“I’m sick of Tugger.”

“I thought it went well,” the innocence in the dark queen’s voice was deceptive - to all but the cat she was addressing.

“You knew very well it wouldn’t take long. He doesn’t care for me and I don’t care for him. Comfort only goes that far. Heaviside, I hate this…”

“I’m sorry Etc.”

“Never mind. I’m gonna go back to working with Jenny tomorrow by the way. It’s the best I can do. At least I won’t have to worry about being laughed at now - I’m already a laughing stock…”

“Whoa - what happened?”

“Carby saw me and Tugger - the word’s out that we’re an item.”

“Oh, not good.”

“That’s why we broke it off. Let’s face it, most of the tribe’ll be amused at my persistence with Tugger and then,” she shrugged, “they’ll not even think it all that funny that a whirlwind little idiot like me goes into teaching.”

“You’re not an idiot, Etc, and you’re a great teacher.”

“They’ll equate me with Munku! Jenny’s job is just the plainest and most responsible looking thing I could’ve come across.”

Electra laughed, nudging her friend in the side, “Then you’d better show them the other side of a Gumbie cat - you know it better than anyone else I reckon.”

“I couldn’t tell them about the tricks Jenny’s playing on her humans all the time!”

“Then pull a few pranks yourself and make them talk about you!”

Etcetera’s grin lit up her face, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes, “Right - got any suggestions?”

~

It was still early in the morning when Electra was woken by her friend’s enthusiastic shaking,
“Up, lazy bone - I’m off and you’ve got a delivery.”

‘Delivery? Since when does that make her giggle like a fool?’

Sitting up and feeling slightly groggy, the dark queen looked about, mumbling to herself. To be woken just then - she’d had such a nice dream about the Shadow Dancer as she called him - the dark silhouette dancing amidst the mists of her imagination…

Snapping back into the bleakness of the early summer morning’s reality, Electra got up, padding to the door. Expecting to find a few books, she was very much surprised to see Quaxo’s smiling face. Before she could embarrass herself by stammering or blushing, he spoke up quietly,
“Munk asked me to deliver your books and to tell you that he couldn’t find all that were on the list but is still looking. And he said he included some other stuff for you to browse that you might enjoy.”

“Ah…thanks.”

Electra was about to take the books from the black tom, sure he wouldn’t want to spend more time on the errand than necessary when she found herself gently pushed aside as he entered her place without being invited, excusing himself as he placed his load on her bed,
“Sorry to just run in, but a lady shouldn’t have to carry all those volumes about.”

He winked at her with a cheeky smile which she couldn’t help but return, “I gotta go, Tanto’s waiting.”

“Another lesson?”

He sighed, a slight wistfulness creeping into his voice, “Yeah. I’ve got so much to learn still and, if I keep it up like this I might even finish the training before the summer ends. I’d like that.”

“You don’t really have much time to spare, do you?”

“Have you seen me around much lately?”

Electra shook her head. Quaxo grinned at her, shrugging, “Can’t help it, I’ll have to go through with it sometime or other, don’t I? I’ll see you…”

“Yes, I’m always round…”

With another smile and a wave the black tom jogged off and El stood leaning against the wall of her abode, thoughts racing. This had probably been the longest uninterrupted conversation she’d had with Quaxo since the last Ball. It was hard to believe how close all the kittens had been and how fast things had changed as they grew up…

~

Her Shadow Dancer bowed silently as he stepped back into the mists from which he had come, his face dimly illuminated in the moonlight - a white face, dark eyes and a warm smile - directed at her, as if in a silent goodbye…

Electra sat up abruptly, her dream vanishing like the sleepiness that had prompted her to lie down beneath the old apple tree by the stream. For the first time she had seen his face - and had he truly acknowledged her presence after his dance. And then he had disappeared, as she had known he would.

Her heart was racing - this dream had been more vivid and real than any of the others and yet she felt as if something had been taken from her. She would never see him again. It was a realization that came upon her as her hand reached for the book beside her. He had left to join the shadows from which she had conjured him up - because those shadows were her indecision and her wants that she was denying.

She sighed. She had come to a decision. This was the day when she would stand up and take her place in the tribe as an adult, with a position only she could truly fill. A slight smile spread on her features as she got up and purposefully strode off to find Old Deuteronomy.

~

“This is quite unusual, my dear. I cannot quite fathom how this would be useful to the tribe I must confess.”

Electra ground her teeth. She should have know that the old shaggy tom would not understand her properly. He was too set in his ways already. But she wasn’t going to let him change her mind.

“I know it’s unusual, but it’s what I’ve always wanted to do. I just never dared to say it out loud because I knew I’d be laughed at.”

“I’m not laughing at you, my dear. Quite the contrary. It is only a bit surprising for me - and it is fairly odd that someone as young as yourself should chose such an…occupation for herself.”

“You won’t allow it then?”

“I have not said that. But I will have to consider it first. Do come back tomorrow afternoon and I will give you my answer.”

Electra nodded, though she was fuming inside. To be given such a treatment by the tribe’s leader was embarrassing. She felt like a kitten again, one that had to be humoured. There was nothing wrong with her proposition, only that it had never been done before for all she knew. But it was her calling, that she was sure of. And this time she wouldn’t back down, not even if Deuteronomy decided to forbid her to follow her choice of work.

~

“Munku?”

“Ah, Electra, nice to see you.” He wasn’t quite there, being engaged in overseeing the progress of bordering up a hole in the junkyard fence. His presence might not have been necessary, but everyone knew that he fussed and worried more when he couldn’t stand by and look.

“I need to ask you something…very important.”

That got her the tabby’s attention and as the brown eyes fixed on her she smiled, feeling a little awkward as she told him of her request, “I have decided that I want to be the tribe’s record keeper and scribe. I told Deuteronomy earlier this afternoon, but he is decidedly against it. I will go through with this, because it’s my dream…and yet if he says no…”

“You’d be in a fix.”

She nodded, hoping fervently that at least Munkustrap would understand.

“You want to write down the history of the tribe and the stories the elders have to tell and guard them for future generations, do I understand that correctly?”

“Yes. Gus for one has so many stories to tell - and so does Jenny and I’m sure Deuteronomy as well. I like listening to their narrations and I want others to be able to hear them too. I could also keep track of the births and deaths, who goes to the Heaviside Layer - the prayers for the Everlasting Cat, make a note of the dances and songs we perform at the Ball and write down some recipes for Jelly’s healing potions and…”

“Alright, Electra, I get it.” The tabby smiled, and nodded slightly, “I think it’s a wonderful idea and a wise choice for you as you’re so fond of writing and books. I’ll go and talk to Deuteronomy straight away.”

“Really? You really…” The young queen gave a squeak of delight that would have done Etcetera herself proud who, in her kittenhood, had been dubbed ‘screech queen’ and flung her arms around the elder tom’s neck, hugging him close.

He patted her back softly and disentangled himself, keeping his distance as usual. He was smiling though and his eyes sparkled as he wandered off, glad to finally have something interesting and actually important to do that would take him away from that building site he hadn’t stirred from for the better part of the day.

~

“El, I need a love poem!”

Electra stared at Carbucketty as if he had just grown another head. Was that the same tom who had stood before her, laughing derisively when she had once quoted a line from Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’?

“Might I ask why?”

“I wanna…it’s complicated.”

“You’re just having a complete change of mind about poetry, you know that, do you?”

“Only because I said I hated it doesn’t mean I meant it!”

“Why ask me?”

“Heaviside, El, you know very well you’re the only one who knows anything about literature apart from Munk. And I’m not gonna ask him for the world!”

A grin stealing onto her face, Electra gave a mock sigh, “Right, what did you have in mind?”

“A love poem.”

“There are many different kinds of love poetry - dealing with romance, rejection, broken hearts, endless devotion…”

“I get it. Geez, that’s harder than I thought. I just wanna say I like her.”

“Why don’t you tell her - it’s only three words.”

“She likes poetry. I thought it would show her I’m serious.”

“Fine…I’ll look something up - but that’ll take time. I have a few things in mind…”

“Great! Thanks, you’re a sport! Be back later tonight!”

And with that he dashed off, leaving a silently bemused young queen behind. For all that she knew, Jemima was not exactly that fond of poetry - Etcy on the other hand…

~
For once, Electra woke early and rose quickly, her heart beating fast. The morning promised to bring quite a few surprises - for one she’d find out to whom Carby had addressed the poem she’d given him and then she’d find out if she was to be official record keeper or if she’d have to fight for the position.

Looking outside, she found the thick volume of poetry the star struck lover had borrowed in front of her door, along with a letter that was, as far as she could make out that paw-writing, for Etcetera.

Smiling to herself, she went back inside, shaking her friend awake and thrusting the paper at her,
“Message for you.”

Etcy sighed, turning over and opening the seal,
“If it’s a practical joke of yours El I don’t find it funny.”

“Do you really think I’d write your name that ill? Or that I’d write you a letter when I can talk to you every day?”

“Heaviside! El, listen to that!
How Do I Love Thee? *2*
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (from 'Sonnets from the Portuguese')

How do I love thee ? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need; by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, - I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life ! - and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.

Sorry about yesterday. I do care. Very much.”

“Ah…lovely.”

“Did you help him find the poem?”

“If the letter’s from Carby, then yes.”

Etcetera’s grin would have rivalled any garish summer sun as she jumped up, hugging her friend and then rushing away. Electra grinned, silently pleased with herself. She had known this was one of Etcy’s favourite pieces and it had suited the occasion marvellously.

She almost jumped as she was torn out of her thoughts by a loud knock on the door and, trying to control the fluttering in her stomach managed to get out a slightly hoarse, “Come in.”

Munkustrap entered, looking tired but smiling from one ear to the other, “I thought you might like to know at once. You’ve been accepted as the tribe’s record keeper and can begin your work straight away. The official announcement will be made at the Ball next month.”

“Heaviside.” Why did she feel like crying and shouting and dancing all at once?

“Congratulations, Electra. I must say I’m very proud you took this step. It was no less than I expected from a clever queen like you, but I was still surprised.”

“Thanks.” So inadequate, but there were so many words just waiting to tumble out and she was bursting with a contentment and happiness the equal of which she had never felt before.

“My pleasure,” the tabby turned around, thinking it would be best to let the young queen deal with the emotions he could see in her eyes on her own and feeling quite as cheerful as if he himself had achieved his heart’s dearest wish.

~

Electra hummed to herself, sitting at the bank of the stream under the old apple tree, a slightly crumpled human notepad Munkustrap had found in her lap as she wrote out the notes that she had made earlier when talking to Gus. There was a very nice story about the reason for the dislike between pekes and pollices that he had told her and she was busy putting it together.

“Hi.”

She looked up, squinting at the sunlight that came from behind the tom standing in front of her, illuminating the dark silhouette…her Shadow Dancer.

“Hi,” she smiled, patting the ground beside her, “finished for today?”

“Yeah, finally. Congratulations on your position. Munk told me you were our record keeper.”

Electra grinned, feeling only a little nervous for once, “I finally decided what I wanted to do and Munku made Deuteronomy see that I was serious.”

Quaxo chuckled, “I’ve got a poem for you - I’m sure you know it, but it fits nevertheless.”

“A poem?” She hadn’t supposed he had any interest in poetry - or the time for reading it for that matter.

“You’re not the only one borrowing Munk’s books.”

She smiled, “I’m listening.”

Quaxo lay back into the grass, meeting the young queen’s eyes and reciting slowly, his voice gentle and warm,
“The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -
I took the one less travelled by,And that has made all the difference.”

Electra sighed almost dreamily, dropping back into the grass herself, “That was beautiful - and true. My choice has made a difference, in my life at least.”

“It’s good to see you smiling again.”

Quaxo held out his paw and El took it, closing her eyes. She had finally touched her Shadow Dancer and made her dream become a reality.

Notes on the poems used:

*1* The Banks o’ Doon by Robert Burns, from “The Works of Robert Burns”, Wordsworth Poetry Library, Wordsworth Editions Ltd., 1994, page 324

*2* The Top 500 Poems - A Columbia Anthology, ed. William Harmon; Columbia University Press, NY, 1992

*3* From “Poems that Live Forever”, Doubleday, 1965, page 317

and for those of you who are interested in the poem I mentioned at the beginning of the story - here you go:

*0*
My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose
(Robert Burns)

My love is like a red, red rose
That's newly sprung in June:
My love is like the melodie
That's sweetly played in tune.

So fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in love am I:
And I will love thee still, my dear,
Till a´ the seas gang dry.

Till a´ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi' the sun:
And I will love thee still, my dear,
While the sands o' life shall run.

And fare thee weel, my only love,
And fare thee weel awhile!
And I will come again, my love,
Though it were ten thousand mile.

To be found in: "The Works of Robert Burns", 1994, Wordsworth Editors Ltd., page 318

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