If one had been standing in the middle of Pine Street on the morning of September 10th, looking west, one would have seen a small dark figure bolt across the street; a cat. It wasn't unusual to see strays in Dallon. It wasn't as if they were everywhere, but they certainly weren't a rare sight.

If one had been standing in the same place, at the same time, but facing east, one would have seen the end of a gorgeous sunrise and a red car driving down the road.

And so our story begins.

The car pulled into the driveway of number 7, Pine Street. A man walked up to the front door, and opened it with a key from his jacket pocket.

The heavy oak door stayed open, despite the wind, and the man went back out to his car. He opened the trunk and began to take the numerous boxes inside.

He was placing the first few down when he heard a door open - and then close - down the street. A few moments later, an older man walked up to him, with a golden retriever on a leash.

"Hey, there. Do you need any help?"

The mover turned around and smiled. "Yes, I would." He held out his hand. "I'm Andrew Carson."

"Richard Toll. And this is Pilot," he said, gesturing to his dog. "Pleasure to meet you. Where're you moving from?"

"Illinois," Andrew said as he grabbed a box from his car.

Richard nodded. "Can I ask why you decided to move here?"

"I- needed a change of scenery."

Richard got the feeling that he wasn't being completely truthful, but didn't press the matter.

However, he didn't have much of a chance. Before he could say anything, a loud meow cut through the air.

Andrew sighed, then opened the passenger-side door. Sitting on the chair was a very angry-looking gray tabby. His bright blue eyes glared at Andrew, who let him hop out of the car.

The cat caught sight of Pilot and froze. Then he hissed and fluffed up his tail, then tried to attack the dog, but Andrew picked him up. "This is Amadeus. He's usually pretty nice." As he spoke, he looked down at the cat, as if scolding him.

Pilot looked up with his big brown eyes, as if to say, "Hey! I like you! Do you like me, too? Do you wanna play fetch? Can you give me food? Huh? How's your day going?"

Andrew let the tomcat down inside the house. "Go on. Explore, genius." The cat looked up at him, perfectly conveying the message, Well, excuse me, mister.

With an exasperated sigh, he and Richard went back to unpacking boxes.

Watching the above-stated proceedings was a small figure in the large oak by the house.

A long, dark furred she-cat laid carefully perched in the upper branches. Her amber eyes had followed the gray tabby as he walked through the house, clearly disgruntled. Car rides must not agree with him.

The cat stood and walked nimbly through the tree branches. She hopped lightly down through an open window.

It just so happened that Amadeus had just walked into the same room. He was instantly on his guard. It was a new place, with new cats, and new rules. And he didn't know how territorial this she-cat was.

He needn't have been worried. She sat down, wrapping her tail around her paws, clearly not an aggressive stance. "Who are you?" Her amber eyes were filled with curiosity.

While she wasn't a threatening figure, he was still slightly defensive. "Who are you?"

"I asked first," she said.

"So? My house, my rules," the tomcat challenged.

"Listen, kitty-cat," she spat, "This is my turf. If you think-"

"What are you doing in here, then, if I'm so 'unsavory'?!"

She shrugged, as much as a cat could shrug, and said, "You know, I'm not quite sure." As she hopped up to the window ledge, she muttered, "Asshole."

"HEY!" Amadeus charged after her, astounded when he saw her already at ground level.

She swept her poofy tail and sauntered off.

Amadeus didn't say a word for the rest of the day.

~~~~

In less than a month, Andrew was completely settled, as was Amadeus. While the tomcat spent his time investigating the streets and avoiding that irritating she-cat, Andrew often visited Richard's house, a fun thing in and of itself, made better by Sarah Toll's incredible cooking.

"This steak," he said one day, "Is amazing."

The older woman smiled. "Thank you very much. Oh!"

Amadeus had joined them this time, and he had hoped up onto Andrew's lap, trying to eat the food.

The friends laughed at him, and Andrew said, "Get down, you lump. I'll give you some food if you get down!"

He got down.

"Here." He put some of the meat onto a little plate.

YES! Amadeus purred and rubbed his head against Andrew's leg in gratitude.

Unseen by the humans, Halcyon was sitting in the bushes by the window. She purred quietly in amusement as the tomcat begged for meat.

As she watched the older couple, the young man, the cat, and the dog, she debated popping in to get some food herself, and it was just a plus that it would annoy Amadeus, but decided against it. It's not worth interrupting this sweet little scene. She respected art, and photographs, and memories. Knowing this would probably be one of their favorite memories, she felt it more than a little disrespectful to budge in.

But it seems that all good things must come to an end.

And no one could've guessed the ending that was coming.