The mist was thick and the silence engulfing. Only the sound of shoes crunching leaves under foot rattled through the cold air – the crunches serving as welcome distractions from the eerie atmosphere. Tristan and Ben walked swiftly through the fog-filled green; They walked quickly, with purpose. In truth they were lost, but neither would admit that to one another.

The green seemed to stretch on forever. Despite the cold, both boys were sweating. Their strides were long and brisk as they powered forward in a straight line, cutting through mist with each step, moving into more mist with their next, towards nothingness.

Ben counted his steps in silence from one to eight, and then again, and again, in cycles. He was unsure about the usefulness of this technique, but it distracted him from his aching muscles and dry throat.

Tristan walked in an almost meditative state. His head was clear of any thoughts. Unlike Ben, Tristan had a calm mind. Perhaps exhaustion had limited his ability to over think (or think at all for that matter), forcing him to embrace a quiet serenity.

The beginnings of a sunrise had started to show. Ben felt cheated by time. Surely yesterday’s sunset was just an hour ago? Had he and Tristan really been out all night and gotten nowhere? As the grass eased into a vivid green with the strengthening sunlight, the fog very gradually began to thin.

Ben and Tristan marched on; their gaze suddenly fixed on an emerging dark figure in the distance. They had found her! Finally! Her elegant feline figure becoming more apparent and real with every step closer. For the first time in hours, the boys made eye-contact, exchanging acknowledging glances. Sedate the giant cat, and then fly her home; That’s all they needed to do. Excited and nervous, they proceeded. From a distance they could feel the ground rumble in time with her purrs. The giant cat watched them approach. The boys watched her watch them.