Part Three, The Long Way Home

In Part One, Cinnamon and Jasper climbed into their little rocket, helmets on, and flew out into the dark to catch a fallen star. She reached for it. He stood guard while she did. And they caught it, together. In Part Two they touched down on the Moon, paw prints trailing through the dust on the shore of the Sea of Tranquility, and stopped the way all explorers stop, to look back at home. Now the star rides safe between them, and there is only one thing left to do. Carry its light home.

Every voyage turns for home in the end. Cinnamon and Jasper, the Space Cats, are riding the long way back in the cabin of their little rocket, helmets still on, because some habits of exploration are too cute to break.

The ship runs on brass, steam and lamplight, all warm wood and well worn cushions, and its one great bubble window holds the whole sky: the blue Earth below, the bright stars, and the purple and gold nebula they crossed to get here. Jasper keeps watch the way he always does, tall at his sister's side, one paw on the sill. Cinnamon leans the way she always does, a paw draped over him, perfectly content to let him steer.

That is the whole mission, start to finish. A little star fell from the sky. Cinnamon and Jasper fly to catch it and carry its light back home, together. She reaches. He guards. Neither one flies alone.

“A ship held together by brass, steam, lamplight and each other.”

Original artwork and story by Merci Web Design Studio. Print, 6500 x 4500 and up, at Fine Art America.