Unlikely playmates

Nose to nose, baby cat, baby deer, communicating in some secret language. One jumps, the other jumps. Baby deer wags his short stubby tail and returns to the edge of yard where kitten is now hiding beneath a clump of tree limbs. Kitten runs out and touches the deer’s face with a tiny paw. The deer nuzzles the kitten. Such different children in Nature’s plan, but children nonetheless, ready to play with whoever shows up. When the kitten stretches out on the ground, the deer drops to his knees. Perhaps to be closer in size, perhaps to listen more carefully, perhaps just to be polite. Suddenly, the kitten springs up and races to and fro, and the young deer joins in this game of chase. The baby cat is so very small and fragile, and the baby deer is a bit clumsy, but they manage nearly thirty minutes of safe playtime without injuries. No fear, no worry. Just babies having fun. Eventually the young deer raises his head and stands his big ears to alert. He hears his mother calling. Before bounding off, he gives a happy kiss, one last touch of his nose to kitten’s nose, and he is gone. Will they meet again? Will they remember each other when they’ve grown into adulthood? Will they survive the dangers that surround them? To all these questions, I hope so. I truly deeply hope so.