The adventure in the cat realm

Chapter 9

After seeing what happened at the apartment, I can't possibly go home. I run back out to the streets, desperate for any sign of him. I check all of his usual haunts, local shops, restaurants, parks. No one has seen him for the past few days. After a few hours of aimless wandering, I find myself back at the hideout.

I burst in to find Rei and Tatsuki in the middle of some light training in the main room.

- I think something's happened to Tama, I shout. They both freeze, looking concerned.

- What, Rei shouts.

- I started to get worried since he's been gone for so long. So I went by his apartment, but, I say. Tatsuki ushers me over to the sofa and helps me sit down.

- Someone's ransacked the place, I say. Rei's eyes widen.

- Was there any sign that he was there, Rei asks. I shake my head.

- I looked all over the neighborhood, but no one's seen him for days. I know you both say it's normal for him to go off on his own, but this, I say.

- No, this is different. If someone's been looking through his apartment, Tatsuki says. He stands, grabbing a coat from the rack near the door.

- I'll go see what I can find, Tatsuki says. I start to stand up.

- I'll go with, I say.

- No. You're staying here. Let Tatsuki do what he does best. You've done what you can for today, Rei says. Taking stock of myself, I realize my hands are shaking. I look at Rei and nod before settling back into the sofa. Gruffly, Rei hands me a glass of water.

Eventually, he convinces me to head home and get some rest, promising to send someone if they find Tama. I know he's still wary after the revelation about my father, but Rei's concern for Tama clearly overrides that tension.

After a fitful night's sleep, I get dressed and have breakfast before heading out. When I open the door, I hear a light tinkling sound. I look down, and on the floor in front of my door is a familiar piece of red cord.

- Dad's bracelet, I say in my head. I immediately bend down and pick it up, turning it over in my hands. I lift the bracelet to my nose. I can immediately identify the scent signature of the calico cat, of my father.

- Was the bracelet put there by my father as some sort of message. Or is it a threat, placed there by one of the witch's envoys, I ask in my head. I'd always thought he left for another woman, but finding him here has made me second-guess myself. This is the closest thing I've gotten to a clue about my father in all the time he's been gone.

- Maybe I should go look for him, I say.

As I ruminare in the doorway, I hear a noise in the stairwell and look up to see Tatsuki.

- Tatsuki, I ask. When I call out, he walks over.

- Hello, Kira. I just came to check Tama's apartment again. Still no luck, though, Tatsuki says. I look him up and down, noticing how exhausted he appears.

- Have you been up all night looking for him, I ask. He shrugs.

- I've got pretty good endurance after all that training. What about you. You look as though you've had quite a shock, Tatsuki says. I tell Tatsuki about my father's bracelet and how I was thinking that maybe I should look for him.

- If you're going to go, I'll accompany you for your safety, Tatsuki says.

- Thank you, Tatsuki, but are you sure you'll be alright, I ask. He nods. I trun away and raise the bracelet to my nose again, taking a long sniff. With the scent fresh in my mind, I put the bracelet in my pocket. Closing my eyes, I focus on following the invisible trail left by the scent signature.