As we were getting up to head back to my apartment, a faint sound reached our ears. It was an unmistakable meow of a cat.
I froze, turning my head to the side to listen more closely. My heart raced as hope surged through me. Sage and I both looked into each other, confirming if what we heard was not a hallucination. Then the sound repeated again. This time, it was familiar. It was real. There was a cat in here.
"Cleo?"
Sage called out to the cat, and as we looked at the bushes, a pair of familiar eyes stared back at us. It was my cat, hiding behind the bushes, completely soaked from the rain. A sudden wave of relief washed over me and tears pricked at the corners of my eyes.
Sage moved towards the bush, calling out my cat. She carefully picked up my cat, the feline let out a soft meow of protest, but quickly settled in her arms. To my surprise, my cat appeared to be more comfortable with her. Its eyes closed slightly as it began purring.
I saw a soft smile coming from Sage's lips. It was unusual for my cat to warm up to someone so quickly, but there was something about Sage that clearly made my cat feel at ease.
I held my cat in my arms and hugged her close, a wave of contentment washed over me. Feeling her warm, fuzzy body against mine and hearing the soothing sound of her purring brought a sense of comfort and relief. She was safe and back home.
"Thank you." I looked up at Sage, my eyes filled with a genuine sense of gratitude.
Once we had returned to our own condo, the first thing on the agenda was to tend to my cat, who was quite drenched and dirty from her time outside. I quickly grabbed a towel and began gently wiping her down, drying her fur and soothing her after the stressful experience.
As I worked on cleaning up my cat, I also took the opportunity to freshen myself up. I headed to the bathroom and took a quick shower, washing away the dirt and fatigue from the long search.
Seeing my cat's hungry expression, I decided to cook her a special treat. She had been through a lot after getting lost in the rain, and I wanted to make sure she was well-fed and comfortable.
I quickly prepared a plate of boiled chicken, knowing it was her favorite. I placed it in front of her and watched as she eagerly dug into the meal, purring in contentment. It was a relief to see her healthy and uninjured.
After taking care of my cat, my thoughts started to wander towards Sage. I remembered that she had been with me in the rain, helping me search for my cat and not paying much attention to her own comfort.
Lagi siyang nilalagnat kapang napapatagal siya sa ulan. It was not my responsibility anymore to take care of her. She should be fine by her own.
I lay myself in bed with Cleo nestling comfortably on my chest. I tried to calm my thoughts and get some rest. However, my mind kept drifting to Sage. I couldn't shake off the concern I felt for her after seeing her help me in the rain.
"Nilalagnat na ata siya ngayon." bulong ko sa sarili ko.
I wondered if she was feeling unwell after being in the cold and wet weather for such a long time. I knew how sensitive she was to changes in temperature, which only added to my worry.
"Takte naman oh."
I found myself knocking in front of her door.
I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. I had to make sure she was alright and hadn't fallen sick after helping me in the rain. I knocked on her door, hoping she would answer, my concerns for her well-being mounting with each passing second.
