#3 The Dream
It was a crisp autumn morning in Mossywood Forest, and Klaus was having a good day.
He tidied his fur with care, stepped into the sun, and walked toward the gathering circle. On the way, he met Ole and passed a few neighbors.
“Morning!” Klaus called.
“How are you?” one replied.
“I’m good! How about you?”
They shook paws. Smiled. All very normal. Ole mentioned that Nilo, a visitor from a distant country was visiting Mossywood.
Everything in Mossywood moved in rhythm—tidy fur, polite greetings, nice conversations.
Later in the day, Klaus spotted the visitor—Nilo—near the creek. His fur was ruffled and unbothered. Around one ear, he wore a frayed band of grass. Klaus approached him with an outstretched paw and asked “Morning! How are you?”, Nilo gave a calm, graceful bow and replied “Thank you for asking. I’m a little tired and hungry, so I am looking forward to dinner!”. What a strange reply thought Klaus… Klaus talked a little more with Nilo and learned that he lived in a small village on the other side of a big ocean. Klaus was intrigued by Nilo’s facinating stories. Klaus recommended a great place to eat, and Nilo mentioned that he would leave after eating dinner, since he still had a far way to travel. Klaus wished him safe travels and went back home.
The next morning, Klaus paused while smoothing his fur.
Why do we all do the same thing, every day?
He couldn’t remember choosing it. Just inheriting it.
That day, he didn’t comb his fur flat. When Ole greeted him, Klaus replied,
“I’m a bit tired and a little annoyed. You?”
Ole blinked. “Fine, I guess.”
At the council circle, Klaus nodded instead of shaking paws. He didn’t force a smile. He didn’t say “fine” when he didn’t feel it.
It felt… good. Like fresh air. Like being real.
Over the next few days, Klaus got bolder.
- He wore his fur messy.
- He skipped pleasantries.
- He asked unusual questions.
- Sometimes he didn’t greet anyone at all.
At first, cats laughed. Then they stopped. One or two began keeping their distance.
At the tea circle, Klaus found himself sitting alone, watching others share quiet jokes and weather talk. He wasn’t angry. Just… lonely.
Ole found him under their usual tree.
“You still skipping greetings?” he asked.
“Sometimes,” Klaus said. “It felt right. Now I’m not so sure.”
“Maybe,” Ole said, “it’s not about breaking the pattern. Maybe it’s about moving in it differently.”
Klaus sat with that for a while.
The next day, he brushed his fur—just enough. He greeted others warmly, if a little differently. He shook paws when it felt right, and didn’t when it didn’t. He still asked real questions—but listened more.
He began to see the patterns not as cages, but as rhythms.
And sometimes, rhythms were meant to be danced with—not broken.
Back under the tree, Klaus said to Ole,
“I don’t want to follow or fight the rules. I just want to play with them.”
Ole smiled. “That sounds like you.”