"Alright," I said. Well, I've always wanted to see a white Christmas and this is it, come what may!
Gervirah smiled excitedly, a pink blush suffusing her white cheeks. I looked at her - somehow I had the feeling that she hadn't told me everything. But before I could ask anything further, the magic carpet was rolled out, I was asked to step on it and within seconds, we were up in the air at an amazing speed. I clung on for dear life, hardly daring to look below me. The air became colder and colder and I shivered as cold winds blew straight into my face. Then the carpet took a sudden downward swoop and headed towards fields of white snow below. "Hey, take it easy," I yelled, as I almost fell off. The carpet seemed to have a mind of its own and took no heed to my screams. It didn't stop until we reached a small lake and landed with a thud on its bank.
I tumbled out, brushed the snow off my body and looked around me. It was a lovely lake surrounded by snow laden fir trees with sparkling snow flakes and crystals hanging from their branches. It was also snowing lightly ... the white Christmas I had always imagined! Then, I saw it ... the golden harp! It was standing majestically on a bank opposite me, its strings shining and glowing in the soft sunshine. As I gazed at it spellbound, I suddenly realised I was not alone. I turned round and saw a huge black swan swimming towards me ... Malki! I had to admit he was a magnificent bird with shiny black plumes and a red beak.
"Well, well, what do we have here? You don't look like a swan, who or what are you?" he said in a rasping voice, a steely glint in his eyes.
I was quite annoyed. Imagine, he hadn't even seen a cat before! Forgetting my mission, I replied in a voice as cold as the air around me.
"I forgive you for your ignorance, sir. I am a cat from the planet Earth, if you know where that is!"
He raised his eyebrows and said, "You're as impertinent as you're weird looking! I don't care where you're from. I want to know why you are here. This is my territory and nobody trespasses it without a good reason, otherwise I shall have his head chopped off."
Somehow he didn't scare me but I knew I had to be clever if I wanted to rescue the harp. I said, "I'm sorry if I sounded rude, sir but I can't think straight in this freezing place."
He glared at me and I expected him to pounce on me and chase me away. But he only made a grumpy noise. He wasn't as terrible and fierce as I had imagined him to be. In fact, he struck me as being a lonely, old bird.
"Er ... what a wonderful harp you have there. May I play it?" I ventured. I was puzzled when he did not reply but looked at the harp with a strange, almost sad expression on his face.
I gathered up my courage and went over to the harp. I raised my right paw and gently touched the strings. All at once, the most beautiful celestial music filled the air as an invisible hand maneuvered the strings. I hadn't heard anything quite like it before. I turned to look at Malki. He was beginning to look drowsy and as the music played on, he bent his head and closed his eyes. He was asleep at last!
I quickly lifted the harp and ran with it towards the magic carpet. Just as I reached it, I heard a shout behind me.
"Stop!" It was Malki! What the heck, he was supposed to be sleeping!
"Look, I'm sick of this cold, God forsaken place. Take me with you!" he yelled. He then jumped out of the lake and waddled towards me.
I was taken aback. This was certainly a turn of events. I was supposed to rescue the harp, not him as well!
He jumped onto the carpet and waited for me. I didn't know what to do. There was no way of contacting Gervirah. What was she going to say if I returned with the wicked Malki?
"Come on, don't dawdle, otherwise I shall go on my own!" growled Malki. The carpet was also getting impatient and made as if it was going to leave. Well, I wasn't going to be left behind, so I jumped onto it with the harp. It soared into the air and within an incredibly short time, we found ourselves back in Spring.
(To be continued)
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