An Unexpected Encounter

I never expected to come across a cat deep in the woods. At first, it felt like chance, but I later realized moments like this are rarely just coincidence.

Cats don’t usually stray far into the deep woods. They tend to stay close to the trails — where people pass through, water is nearby, and there’s always a chance of finding food or shelter from the cold.

He was small and watchful, but not afraid. Almost as if he knew that a human doesn’t always mean danger.

We looked at each other for a moment. Then he walked past me and slipped into the underbrush — calm, unhurried, as if he’d quietly confirmed everything was fine.

He was the first cat I ever came across in the woods. I’ve crossed paths with others on my routes since, but somehow encounters like these still feel unexpected.

Troodos Mountains, Cyprus.
October, 2013.
...