Something moved, capturing Lenora’s attention instantly. The movement was at the very top of the red stone temple. She only saw it for a moment, but she knew what it was. She flew down the side of the dune to the entrance. The guards moved to block her way, then they noticed her badge (it was still affixed to her fur) and moved aside with smiles. Lenora nodded to them and ran inside the wall.

There seemed to be no way into the temple itself. No doors, just soaring columns and alcoves in which there were more huge statues grinning or scowling or gazing thoughtfully at little, furry Lenora far below. Lenora eyed the sides of the temple. They were very, very steep, but not completely straight up.

She got a running start.

When she leapt onto the side of the temple, claws popped out from within her paws. She felt them strike the red stone and grip hard. She ran harder than she ever had in her life, digging in with those claws, up the steep incline, her tail waving to keep her in perfect balance. Just when she thought she might tip over and fall, she reached the roof.

Cool winds blew gently past, bringing dry, sandy scents. The stars seemed quite close now, and when Lenora looked behind and down, the man and woman guarding the entrance looked tiny. Beyond them stretched the enormous crowd, its murmurs somehow still audible. (Why is my hearing so much better? she wondered.)

Ahead of her, squatting on the very edge of the roof, sat the kitten, tail twitching.

Lenora padded over and sat beside him. It would be a very long fall from here, she thought, and yet she felt not the slightest fear.

“Hello,” she said to Mister Sparkles, or rather she meant to say. But what came out was “Mew!”

The kitten looked at her and blinked slowly. Lenora felt she had never seen a friendlier gesture, and she blinked slowly back.

“Mew mew mew!” said the kitten, which Lenora understood to mean “Look at them! Look at all my worshippers.”

“Mew…,” said Lenora, with hesitation. She didn’t want to disappoint Mister Sparkles, but she had to suggest that the spectators were here for the diorama, not to worship cats (though at this moment that seemed a most logical thing to do).

“Mewmewmew?” the kitten replied, and Lenora could see he was still disappointed, despite her efforts.

“Mew!” said Lenora cheerily, asking the kitten if it wasn’t better to be loved than worshipped anyway, and didn’t the little boy in the blue sweater love and miss his kitten so much?

Mister Sparkles pondered this, and Lenora could see that as he thought of the boy, his eyes brightened. “MEW!” he cried piercingly. “MEW!” And in those mews, Lenora could tell the kitten loved and missed the boy so terribly much, too.