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Feline Gateway

Nancy's Notes 🖊️♬

Written for Sadje’s weekly question:
 What Do You See?

© Istiaque Hossain @ Pexels

Generations had passed since anyone had unbolted the heavy wood door. Built with a detailed, reinforced Z-pattern across three large panels, it stood as a silent fortress within the crumbling plaster of a once-great temple. In the cool, damp shade of the courtyard, it felt like a portal to another time.

Travelers and locals alike often stopped to admire the craftsmanship, but they mostly whispered about the door’s legend. They called it the “Feline Gateway.” If you looked closely at the left-side middle panel, the grain of the dark, aged wood appeared twisted. And if the light caught it just right, the grain formed the undeniable shape of a cat.

It was said that centuries ago, an old ginger tom named Barnabas had been the door’s guardian. After many years, he simply vanished. But shortly after, when the first artisans designed the door’s Z-pattern, they witnessed the ghostly image. It was as if Barnabas, reluctant to leave his post, had found a way to remain, woven into the very fiber of the wood.

According to legend, his spirit still walks the temple grounds. Travelers who spent the night near the temple often reported hearing gentle, rhythmic purring; others even claimed to feel something warm and soft brushing past their legs. They said that the cat’s image in the door panel seemed to glow with a faint, ethereal light, as if his spirit was watching over his home for all eternity.

And so the door remains locked, its secrets well-protected by its Z-frame armor and the patient spirit of its feline guardian.

NAR©2026
#WDYS

This is “Year of the Cat” by Al Stewart

What do you see # 353- 10 August, 2026

Everything on The Elephant’s Trunk was created by me, unless otherwise indicated, and may not be used without permission. Thanks for your consideration. NAR©2017-present.



29 thoughts on “Feline Gateway”

  3. Pingback: WDYS # 353- A roundup post – Keep it alive

  6. Yes, I see the cat! And funny thing is I was going to use a photo of a ginger cat for my post this morning–then last minute changed my mind! Of course, it’s a cat! 😹

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  10. I’m listening to the fabulous feline song, “Year of the Cat”, and reading your magical and mysterious cat story at the same time, and thinking to myself, “you’ve creatively nailed this one, Nancy” … 😼😻🥰🎵

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