One Thursday morning in June when feral and Garden Family breakfasts were finished and as the Humans were clearing up, there came a flash of orange and white fur and a small streak whizzed through the gates, down the drive, through the garden gate and into the garden. The Cat was nonplussed. Dinky was intrigued. The Humans were puzzled. It had all happened so quickly.

The puzzled walked down the garden followed by the nonplussed and the intrigued. Between them (and thanks to The Cat’s audible ‘come-out-I-know-you’re-in-there alarm call) they discovered the flash of orange hiding behind a barrel. No amount of food placed temptingly close would persuade the orange furred one to emerge so, in frustration and feeling the not-so-small matter of her morning nap calling urgently, The Cat took matters into her own paws and approached. The flash of orange streaked up the garden following the same trajectory as its entry, hotly pursued by The Cat and Dinky. It was an interesting interlude, but that was where it ended. For Thursday.

Fast forward to 4am Friday morning when the flash of orange (who obviously hadn’t gone far) started calling outside. Thinking it might be a lost kitten, the Humans let matters be in the hope that the mother cat would hear her kitten and retrieve it from outside the house.

Breakfast feeding came around, as did Dinky whose volume was permanently set on maximum. As his vocal chords rounded the corner, the flash of orange mewed back from behind a planter a foot or two from the road. It was clearly unsafe to leave the flash of orange so close to the road so, with some persuasion, the small streak was encouraged to leave its safe place, and shot once again through the gates, down the drive, through the garden gate and into the garden. This time it took up residence, hiding behind a large water tank. The Humans wedged a foil container with food behind the tank and left everyone in peace.

The flash of orange must have given its current situation some considerable thought. Over the coming weekend it decided it had landed well and truly on its paws. It had the garden, other cats in the vicinity, tasty food and fresh water. It had a myriad of places to hide and shelter. Things could be a lot worse.

Observing the sound instincts of the flash of orange and its seeming desire take up lodgings in the garden, the Humans bequeathed upon it the name Lightning. The Garden Family looked to have acquired an apprentice and Lightning had acquired a home.