The Glade (Rhemy's Tail, Part III)

Rhemy walked, and then he hopped,
into the morning sun,
dark clouds gone and morning long,
would greet his fear undone,

for passing out of old and known,
he found a glade where the sun had shone,
for ages yet, and more to come,
would light his fear undone,

cautious now, and creeping low,
he pushed between the thorn
and the rose

and there to him the wood would show,
what his fate had borne;
what he chose

sitting in the noonday sun,
grooming fur and ears,
looking up at every sound,
twitching nose at fears,

alabaster coat and devilish pink eyes
enticing him with scent and grace,
shocking, twist, surprise

and so toward that elegance,
he stumbles toward this vision,
this place of peace and radiance

she looks up, startled, at his appraoch,
and makes to bolt, her legs achurn,
his voice calls out
"wait don't go!"
she hesitates, eyes aglow
fear in every beat

"my name is Rhemy," he said, urbane
and she replies with not a word

"i'm new here, wand'ring" he says
and she relaxes not at all

"i saw you from the thicket,
and tho i know you not,
i had to make an entrance,
and entreat you to a thought,
of you and me and sunlight calling,
of bounding through the field,
of caring not for fear or hunger,
or steel that humans wield,
is this not right?
tho' all afright,
you sit and stare at me?
can we not be
more than just strangers?"

she stood for moments long,
and at last gave a yawn,
then opened her mouth to speak ...