[Flashback] The treasure of the cat kind

[Alice]

Before the vines grew around, Alice caught a scent. It was a faint, herbal scent, very pleasant. Alice felt a slight dizziness, but ignored it. The scent was such that she wanted to inhale it again and again. It drove away worries. It promised peace and beauty. Alice stopped with a silly smile. Rimer and Max smiled just as silly, but Alice didn't notice. Only Amir remained attentive and even tried to protect himself from the pollen. He was human, and the scent either didn't affect him at all, or affected him less than it did cats. But Alice didn't notice that either. She wanted to fall into the grass and lie there, doing nothing but inhale this magical scent. And that's what she did. Alice collapsed at Amir's feet, so that he could have tripped over her. Her eyes were open but empty, and her face was relaxed, like a sleeping child's.