The dawn is heavy with moisture, droplets of dew weighing down my whiskers. I pad quickly through the lush jungle growth, sleek black fur glistening, not stopping once to hunt or sleep. He is out there somewhere and must be found. That knowledge exists above any other, above any desire for food or sleep or to bask in the sun's rays.
Faint sounds linger in the heavy air, though muffled, the chirrup of a frog disturbed from his slumber, the wail of a beast as another hunter finds success. I care not ... they are not his voice. Myriad aromas tease my nostrils, flaring as I run, flora and fauna filled with life. I care not ... until recognition fills me.
I charge into a clearing, one thought bursting into my mind with such clarity it momentarily astounds me. He is here. Nothing else holds any importance. Rushing forward, headlong, plunging toward the pale figure now visible on the far side, my only desire to reach him now.
He turns, feathery wings outstretched, a glorious smile upon his face. He is my angel, the other half of my soul, and I dash toward him in leaps and bounds. Before I reach him, he has changed, a massive Siberian tiger who meets my charge with one of his own, our impact gentled only enough to avoid serious injury as our bodies slam together.
Circling, dancing, speaking in growls and purrs, I relearn my love's scent as he does mine. With a spurt of joy, I leap into the air and race off into the jungle, trusting him to follow, roaring my challenge to him. "Catch me if you can". Slashing my tail to and fro, I lure him with glimpses of my swollen flesh as I weave through the trees and brush, spurring him on in his chase.
Somehow, though I know it is inevitable, the moment he catches me is unexpected, a shock. He puts forth an extra burst of speed and pounces, his weight forcing me to the ground.