Grimalkin ✔

Four

When the cat emerged from the apartment, he was pleasantly surprised to find his prey laying in a still heap at the bottom of the stairs. Cautiously descending, he watched and listened for any signs of life in the woman.

He found none.

Her eyes, wide with the horror of her last moments, were already clouding over. Her limbs sprawled at impossible angles. She did not breath.

Pleased, the cat climbed onto her torso where he sat like a conquering god. His nose twitched, searching for familiar scents on the breeze. Finding what he was looking for, he meowed a long call.

From the shadows they came.

His colony. Male and female, large and small, dozens of cats converged on his position. He was their leader, their provider, and they would not go hungry this night.

***

Some time later, just as the first light of dawn began to brighten the sky, the cat finished cleaning the last traces of blood from his fur. He needed to keep himself reasonably clean. He had learned through experience that most humans weren't interested in him if he was dirty.

And though his colony had eaten well tonight, they would be hungry again soon.