At Last

Xenia, Warrior Princess, Imperial Majesty of all see surveys patrols the area around the pond every morning. Unlike many cats, she is unconcerned about wet and damp weather, and will happily conduct her morning patrol in anything less than a full downpour. The yard and surrounding woods are stocked with small and not so small rodents. But the pond patrol is for the wiliest of prey: Lithobates clamitans – the green frog.
Capable of eluding her sharp vision and smell, they leap away from her at the last moment. They bob in the water, confident that they are safe. Until the second they see twelve pounds of black and white feline leaping into the pond after them. I am carefully watching and force open her mouth because the frog hunt is strictly catch and release. Standing beside Xenia is her faithful hunting companion Sam ( AKA Killer – scrouge of the chip monks). Most of the time, Sam’s job is to walk the pond’s perimeter and flush the prey into the open.
Right now, though, Sam runs towards the stacked cordwood barking at something in the woodpile. For an instant, I am distracted. Sam’s doggie grin alert’s me that I have just missed something. Turning, I see Xenia nonchalantly sauntering towards the open door. Wait a minute Xenia never walks casually anywhere! What’s that poking out of her mouth. Is that a frog leg? Sam starts barking. Xenia starts the final dash for the door, as I run to catch up. Sam runs between my legs and bolts into the door after Xenia. Xenia drops the frog. It promptly hops further into the house as both cat and dog begin wildly chasing it – for hours and hours.
It was not the first time the plan to stock the house with live prey was attempted. It was just the ultimate victory of feline cunning and canine persistence winning out over human idiocy. Finally!