I was lounging on a sun-warmed boulder in Monument Valley when I first saw it – a small aircraft swooping between the towering buttes like a mechanical hawk. My whiskers tingled with excitement as I watched it dance through the azure sky, its wings gleaming in the desert sun. In that moment, I, Xena, warrior princess of the Southwest, knew my next conquest would be the art of flight.
My attendant recognized that gleam in my emerald eyes immediately – the one that appears whenever I discover a new pursuit. As I followed the plane’s path, they were already pulling out their tablet to research flight schools. That evening, as I groomed my ebony fur to a perfect sheen, we plotted my path to becoming an aviator together. Naturally, I would need to study aerodynamics – something I’d already begun to master through my expertise in pouncing from high places.
The training proved more challenging than I’d anticipated. For one thing, the instructor was quite startled to find a cat in his classroom. But a warrior princess does not back down from a challenge. I sat regally in the front row, my tail wrapped neatly around my paws, absorbing every detail about lift, drag, and wind patterns. My night vision came in particularly handy during the instrument training sessions.
The other students whispered about me, of course. “Is that a black cat in a leather aviator jacket?” they’d ask. Indeed it was – I had it custom-made to match my fur. Style is important, even at 5,000 feet.
My first solo flight was scheduled for dawn, my favorite hunting hour. As I completed my pre-flight checks, I could feel my ancestors – generations of desert-wandering felines – watching with pride. The engine purred to life (though not as melodiously as I do), and soon I was racing down the runway. That moment when the wheels left the ground? Pure magic. I may have let out a small “meow” of triumph, but I’ll never admit it officially.
Banking through the morning sky, I gazed down at my beloved desert kingdom. The red rocks and sweeping mesas looked different from up here, but no less majestic. A thermal lifted my wings, and I couldn’t help but think how much more efficient this was than climbing those cliffs on foot – though I do miss the occasional lizard chase.
I’ve added pilot wings to my warrior princess regalia now. My attendant was waiting on the tarmac with a celebratory salmon when I landed that first time. After all my previous adventures, they’ve become quite adept at arranging the necessary accommodations for a feline of my aspirations. Next week, I start helicopter training – after all, a warrior princess should be proficient in all forms of aerial combat.
For now, though, I’m content to curl up in my cockpit, watching the sunset paint the desert in shades of gold and purple. There’s something special about being a cat who can fly. We’re natural observers of the world below, but now I can survey my domain from the heavens themselves.
Just don’t expect me to fetch your drinks during the flight – I may be a pilot, but I’m still a cat, and we have our dignity to maintain.
~ Xena
Warrior Princess of the Skies