AS THE LINGERING FALL gradually eases into winter, Koda the Forest Kitten is at a bit of a loss. It grows dark by 5pm, not 9pm. So curfew has been moved up considerably. And the same cold that has frozen the river also freezes his nose. And his toes. And his tail. And his ears. And although he is an outdoorsman, the outdoors must now be enjoyed in smaller bits and bites. The old carriage house garage is a good place to retreat and hunt for mice. But it gets cold, too, after a while. And Mom and Dad, despite efforts with strings and paper wads and stuffy toys and laser lights, are really not that much fun. And Koda has a sinking feeling that this darker, colder world is not going to be a matter of just a few days and nights, but something more permanent. So after a bit of half-and-half cream from Dad, Koda goes to bed. And dreams of green grass and better days. But tomorrow morning, bright and early, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, Koda will be ready to go again, pawing at the door and ringing his bell. After all, you never know, it could be a GREAT DAY. And you cannot keep a good cat down.