Matthew 18:12-14

"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."

Mittens is a ginger kitten. Both he and his beautiful owner Penelope are best friends, if you ever saw them together your heart would melt like soft butter. Their Cottage is surrounded with warmth, love and joy.  Their Cottage always smelt like fresh warm scones lathered in a thick coat of dairy butter.  They have a beautiful garden filled with seasonal vegetables and old orchards with juicy fresh fruit.  If Mitten’s and Penelope’s homely Cottage was not the best already, they had a Farm hold.

A total of ninety nine farm animals (one hundred including Mittens).  A bundle of Cows, Pigs, Goats, Hens, Horses, Rabbits and Guinea pigs. Penelope being sweet Penelope loved all her animals just the same and smothered them with equal love, which she had a lot of.

That evening when the sun went down to bed and the moon awoke, Mittens and Penelope where in their warm cottage praying their bedtime prayers. This was Mitten’s favorite part of both the day and evening put together, because he got to talk to his family in Heaven, filling him with love and inspiration. After Amen, Mittens tucked into his cradle, darling Penelope adjusted his blankets and quilts to his fancying, brushed his whiskers and rubbed his soft tummy. Not long after everything went black for Mittens, he was dreaming of Angels, the Galaxy and scones lathered in butter (his favorite sweet treat).  

A tapping awoke Mittens from his sleep, Jolly well who could that be, thought Mittens. Mittens turned his attention towards his window which was positioned above his cradle, Penelope opened Mitten’s Window a smidge that evening for it was a warm roasted night. Mittens was beyond fascination for who was making this tapping noise, what he saw was not big, harry or scary but a tiny fragile Firefly with a green light.

The Firefly still to do her nightly chores flew away. Mittens was in a horrible situation, and by horrible, meaning Mittens was in conflict for what to do. Was he to follow the Firefly into the night? Or nuzzle back into his warm cradle? But the thing is Mittens was so excited he felt like he had consumed a whole jar of Jam filled with a sweet sugary syrup. He could not go back to sleep. 

Mittens walked through the horse paddock, around the pig patch, passed the cow meadow, through the Goat barn, passed the Hen's nesting site and finally around the Rabbit and Guinea pig hutch. Not one awake.  

Mittens was looking for the Firefly, he looked in a tree hollow. No Firefly instead a family of Barn Owls.  

He looked in a tunnel. No Firefly instead a family of working Earthworms.

He looked on a leaf but no Firefly. Instead a vibrant colourful Caterpillar.

He looked everywhere but no Firefly, 'I better venture back home to my warm cradle' Mitten said followed by a yawn. He passed the Earthworm's tunnel, the Barn Owl’s tree hollow, the Caterpillar's leaf and the the Earthworm's tunnel, WAIT, I have already passed the Earthworm's tunnel thought Mittens, I am going around in circles.

The sun awoke beckoning the Cottage. Penelope awoke first then attended to her beloved Farm animals, she fed the Cows, brushed the Horses, milked the Goats, fed the Hens, fed the Pigs and finally brushed and played with her sweet Rabbits and Guinea Pigs.

Penelope then went to wake her Kitten Mittens, for today was the day that Mittens and Penelope were to forage and harvest the Garden. The apples crisp, carrots crunchy and sweet Strawberries which Penelope made sweet Jam for scones. 

You as the reader and I the narrator, know what happened to Mittens that night, but remember Penelope does not, Penelope was expecting her darling Kitten to be in his cradle. What a shock she got.

Sweet Penelope dreaded the thought of her darling Mittens out in the wild lost and alone, what a fright to think a about. Penelope grabbed a bundle of warm scones and she began the search for her Mittens. Now of course Penelope’s Farm hold of a total of ninety nine farm animals, were left vulnerable and alone.