A neglected housecat runs away from his family and is tempted by the alluring world of the ferals, who steal from the human society that cared for him.
🏆AWARDS
1st Place - The Future Banned Writer Awards 2023, Fantasy (Score: 58/60)
1st Place - Th...
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The black cat sat on the windowsill, nervously twitching his whiskers. He had occupied the same spot for hours, as solid as a statue, staring at the outside world. His fur bristled as a chill came off of the glass. In this way, Akhi knew it was cold outside. Cold enough for him to worry about his missing humans.
"Where the fishsticks are they?"
His question was met with silence.
Akhi craned his neck and looked at the golden-furred dog attempting to sleep on the living room rug behind him.
"Should we be worried, Misha?"
The Labrador retriever kept her eyes closed. She was napping near one of the home's vents, waiting for the warm air to spill out and cover her like an invisible blanket.
"Misha?" Akhi repeated.
I bet she stayed up late again, the cat thought, rolling his orange eyes.
"MISHA!" he hollered.
The dog opened her eyes and glanced up at her feline roommate with as little effort as possible. Her right eye was brown, while her left eye was milky white, part of an old burn scar that ran down the length of her muzzle. Akhi tried not to stare at his friend's damaged eye.
"I'm sure they are fine," Misha responded from the floor. She closed her eyes and attempted to drift back to sleep on the living room rug.
Akhi turned back towards the window. Their humans had fled the house two days ago and had yet to return.
The only movement he could see was the wind blowing the yellow leaves of the birch tree in front of their house. It was the same tree he had looked upon for the past two years, ever since being adopted by his humans. On particularly busy days, there would be a line of cars driving by the road next to the tree. Sometimes, a child on a scooter would ride by, taking extra caution not to trip on the bumpy sidewalk just in front of the house. One season, not too long ago, a bird had made a nest in the birch tree. That was the most excitement the house-bound cat could remember. He sighed.
An idea entered Akhi's mind and his ears began to shift excitedly. "Maybe we should go looking for them?"
Misha shifted one of her forepaws so she could rest her head on it.
"You know we're not allowed to go outside without them."
"You go outside without them," Akhi countered.
The dog looked up at the cat balanced on the window ledge. There was an uncomfortable pause between the two friends.
Akhi hadn't meant to sound so snarky, but it was true. Misha often went out to the home's small backyard through a rubber doggie-flap built into the back door. Akhi, being a cat, was forbidden from leaving the house and had to use a litter box in the bathroom. Which, at the present time, needed to be emptied by someone with hands.
