By Rachel H Grant

Calico cat Anna loved to play with autumn leaves, shimmering shades of orange and gold that matched her own fur. Today she danced in a large drifting pile of green and gold, overjoyed as the leaves rose in a cloud around her.

Then some leaves formed a heart in the air. Anna purred as she jumped in to its centre. And arrived in an autumn forest of green, gold and red.

She looked around, curiosity battling fear in her heart. Where was she? Where was her secure high fenced garden?

Then leaves fell around her, whispering in the wind and calming her mind. This place was magical. She picked up a leaf in her mouth. To her astonishment it began to wriggle. Dropping the leaf, she watched in disbelief as the leaf formed a head and wings. It had turned in to an orange bird! It chirped then flew in to the sky and was gone.

Anna continued to play. Every time she picked up a leaf, it metamorphosed in to a bird. Magic misted in Anna’s eyes. This was such fun. Then she had an idea. Taking a leaf in her mouth, she jumped in the air as leaves swirled around her, forming another portal.

She arrived back in her garden, the leaf still in her mouth. It did not twitch, it had not changed. Gently, she placed the orange leaf on the grass. It finally moved, and then began to grow. Anna stared in fascination. Only this leaf did not turn in to a bird … it grew and grew in to a ginger kitten! Anna purred in delicious delight. “I will call you Autumn!” she whispered to the young cat.

Autumn became her best friend, a companion of shared secrets and a love of leaves. Anna never again located a magic portal, but she no longer needed to. The magic had found her and would never leave, a burning light of joy swirling in her heart like an autumn leaf.

For the beauty of autumn never dies, its colours like a painting deep within, a memory of magic that lasts forever.