Linewalkers

6 | Befriended and Amended

Not Edited 

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She walked into the house with the cat nestled in her arms. 

It was definitely a male and although she assumed he was a stray, he was entirely friendly. It almost seemed as if he had been begging for her to pick him up. She was never a fan of cats because of their sharp claws and uncanny attitudes, but this cat seemed different. 

She couldn't lie about how his tiny form comforted her. Her chest felt lighter with the cat resting in her arms and she clutched him for dear life. It had been too long since she had felt such comfort. His constant purring sent vibrations through out her body and she reveled in the feeling. 

Of course she had read the stories about how animals were able to understand human emotion and she wondered if this cat had been drawn to her. Maybe he had sensed her pain, and since animals were such selflessly loving creatures, he knew she needed someone. It was almost a little miracle and she didn't want to set him down. 

His eyes were closed and he kneaded his soft paws against her arm. Though she feared his claws would scratch her, there was no pain. Either his claws were completely retracted or he had been declawed by someone. She had searched for a sign of ownership but he seemed to be without a home. 

She hadn't moved from the front door after closing it and then she yelled, "Mom! Dad!" 

Footsteps flurried from upstairs in the kitchen. Her mother appeared from the kitchen with a look of fright upon her frail face and her father practically ran down the stairs. The cat opened his eyes halfway to assess the commotion but his purring didn't cease. 

"Honey, whats wrong?" Her mother was almost breathless, grasping her arms and assessing for injury. Father was quiet but his eyes spoke volumes as he stood behind her mother. 

"I found a cat." She announced. Did she feel proud? 

Mother finally noticed the form bundled in her arms, "Oh, my. Where did you find him?" 

"The cemetery, he came to me," She rubbed her thumb under his chin, his purring increased, "Can I keep him?" 

"Uh...well," Her mother looked to her father, unsure, "Are you sure he doesn't belong to anyone?" 

She shrugged, "Nobody came looking for him and he doesn't have a collar." 

"He looks awfully well groomed." Father commented. 

"Yeah, honey, we should make a few phone calls. He probably just ran from home." Her mother said.

She felt her heart fall and her eyes dropped to the cat. She had let her hopes get too high and she should have known that her parents never let her keep any pets outside of a fish in a bowl. They just didn't want the dirt animals brought, or so they claimed. She should have known better than to think she had found a companion in the cat. 

Little did she knew, her parents saw the way her expression fell, and while she kicked herself, her parents exchanged glances in a silent conversation. 

"Cariba," Her father cleared his throat and she looked up, "If he doesn't belong to anyone, as long as you promise that you'll take full responsibility for him, you can keep him." 

She brightened, "Really?" 

"Yes," Father nodded, "Your mother will make some calls and we'll go to the store for some cat food tonight." 

"Thank you!" She smiled and headed straight for her room. She had never felt so happy. 

As she climbed the stairs, she overheard her father. 

"He'll be good for her," He was saying, "It might be what she needs to get back on track." 

For some reason, she felt like she agreed. In only a few hours, this cat changed her entire perspective. She completely forgot that she was in the stages of grief, he just took her mind off the darkest parts of her mind. While she had spent months locked away in her room, he made her feel like herself again. 

She opened her bedroom door with a smile but it quickly dropped when she saw Mr. Kracken's fish bowl. Oh no, she thought. She glanced down at the cat and then up at the fish. 

She walked over to her bed and with great reluctance, she set him on her bed. He lazily rolled onto his side, stretching himself, but he kept an eye on her. She placed her hands on her hips and pondered about what she would do now. 

"You can't eat my fish," She said, "Mr. Kracken was a gift." 

She didn't know why she felt compelled to talk to the cat, it wasn't like he could understand her. However, he took her by surprise when he seemed to nod. It was a short motion and she stared. He rubbed his head against her comforter and then he stood. 

She watched as he explored her room. She had closed the door and took a seat at her desk. He would spend a lot of time in her room so she couldn't prolong the idea of letting him roam free. Of course, she still had to prepare for him, but she just hoped nobody claimed him. She felt excited at the idea of having her own pet, and something other than a fish in a bowl. 

To her surprise, he roamed right by Mr. Kracken. Aside from a quick glance, he seemed disinterested in her fish, and she felt relieved. If she kept him fed, then maybe he wouldn't feel the need to eat Mr. Kracken. 

She paused in thought and realized that she could name him. Even if someone claimed him, she would have a few days with him at least. For now, he was under her care, and she intended to fulfill that with joy. She didn't want to think about the consequences if he would be taken, she just wanted to hold onto her happiness. 

"You seem like you roam alot," She spoke, his head tilted and amber eyes studied her in curiosity, "I wouldn't be surprised if you are far from home." 

He made a noise that sounded a lot like a sneeze. His tail swept back and forth against the floor.

She paused in thought and then she smiled at him. 

"I'm going to call you Nomad." 

He blinked, flicked his tail, and then began licking his paw. 

"Nomad." She called. 

It wasn't like she expected him to respond to a name she had just given him, but she gasped as he looked up at her. He seemed to be very intelligent and attentive. He stood, crouched a little, and then he leaped up onto the bed. He settled into her lap. 

"So you like your name?" She asked, smiling. 

He began purring. 

.     .     .     .     .     .

Always loved the name Nomad, I'm so excited to finally use it. 

If anyone has read the description of this book...you definitely know *wink wink* 

Any predictions?