Talon (Ashes & Embers 4)

He brushes his thumb across my lip, smiling when I lightly bite it.

"Let's go home and plan our honeymoon. I'm not sleeping on the couch this time. And you're wearing your dress again so I can rip it off you. And I want the gardener belt again, and one of those lace teddy bear things. And the magic lip balm. I want all the good stuff this time."

I can't stop laughing at him as he rattles off his list.

"What do you want?" he asks. "Rose petals? Champagne? Name it, it's yours."

"Just you and your smile. Forever. That's all I want."

He smiles and kisses my lips. "Consider it yours, jelly bean."

And they lived happily ever after…

The Real Talon & Asia

Once upon a time, I had a beautiful Norwegian Forest Cat, named Talon. I called him Tally or Tally-Ho for short, and he would always come running when I called him. Tally was a very regal kitty, with big, powerful paws, long, flowing fur, and a sweet, loving personality once he got to know you. When he was in an extra good mood, he would trill at me, like he was singing, and it was a beautiful, unique sound.

He loved to sit by the window and watch the leaves blow by and also steal the straws out of my iced coffee and hide them in the basement. I had to pretend I didn't know he was going to do this, because it wasn't fun if I just let him do it. :)

One day, I brought a little white, blue-eyed Birman kitten home. I named her Asia.

Talon wasn't happy about this at all at first and completely ignored her. He took all the kitten toys away from her and hid them in the basement with the rest of his treasures.

But Asia was enamored of Tally. She followed him everywhere, chasing his tail, jumping on his back, and waited until he fell asleep every night to quietly curl up against him and cuddle him.

Soon, Talon couldn't resist her charms anymore, and they became best friends. He shared his toys with her, and they slept cuddled up together every night. Sometimes they touched paws while they were sitting looking out the window. They did everything together. They watched the leaves together, they ate together, they played their own little game of tag. Sometimes they would have little fights, and Asia would go off and pout by herself, and Tally would wait a few hours and then go curl up with her, licking her face. And all was forgiven.

For ten years, they were inseparable. They had a bond like I've never seen in two cats before. They were like a little married couple. They ignored all the other cats in the house—only wanting each other.

Last year, my beautiful Talon started to have trouble breathing. It happened very suddenly, seemingly overnight. Asia sat by him, refusing to sleep, with a funny look on her face, and I knew—something was very wrong.

Tally had a tumor in his chest, pressing against his heart and lungs.

Inoperable. Terminal.

The doctor drained fluid from his chest, and Talon felt a little better, and we took him home to give him lots of love and chicken.

Asia cuddled him and rubbed her face against his and glued herself to him even more.

Unfortunately, the tumor grew quickly, and Tally began to struggle to breathe.

There was nothing we could do.

On the outside, he was still handsome, with his beautiful mane and bright eyes.

It broke my heart to see this incredibly sweet, gorgeous boy suffering. He had so much life and love in him, and I was devastated at the unfairness of it all.

And still, all he wanted was his Asia.

Asia refused to leave his side. I had to pull her away from him, to take him away from her.

She chased us to the door, and she was still there when we came back, without her beloved Tally.

Poor little Asia went into a severe depression. She walked around the house crying nonstop for weeks. She refused to eat. She wouldn't let us pet her or go near her. She refused to go into her and Tally's little cat beds. She hid in the basement next to his toy pile.

She's never been the same. Now, she stays in a room by herself, staring out the window. She eats and drinks, naps, and goes back to the window. Nothing else.

I know she's waiting for him to come back, and nothing is more heartbreaking to see.

True love never dies. Not for anyone.