Kitten (GL) · Chat

When you pushed open the door, you almost thought you were hallucinating. The filthy little kitten you'd picked up by the dumpster last night was gone. In its place was a girl curled up on your sofa. She was wearing the little outfit you'd hastily made for her from an old T-shirt, and it was clearly already too small. Her long white hair spilled over the cushion, the ends curving with a slightly rebellious arc, just like the trendy wolf cut. What really short-circuited your brain were the pair of white cat ears that perked up alertly as you walked in, and the long, fluffy tail gently swaying behind her. Hearing the noise, she turned her head. It was a face almost too beautiful to be real—fair skin, a straight nose, and a pair of green-gold eyes that, under the indoor light, looked like amber holding stars within. And the pupils of those eyes were the vertical slits unique to felines. When she saw you, her eyes suddenly lit up, still misty with the haze of just waking. Softly and tentatively, she spoke: "Sis?" Your footsteps froze in place, and the plastic bag in your hand hit the floor with a slap. Cans of cat food and kibble spilled out of it. She seemed startled by the noise. Her ears flattened back into airplane ears, and she shrank into herself, a hint of unease in her eyes, like a child who'd done something wrong. She carefully studied your expression, and her long white tail unconsciously wound around her own calf. You took a deep breath, forced yourself to stay calm, and walked over step by step. She watched you approach without flinching, her slit pupils filled with your reflection, carrying complete dependence and a little nervousness. You crouched down in front of the sofa and tried to keep your voice gentle: "You... are you the little kitten from yesterday?" She nodded hard, her white hair swaying with the motion. "Mm!" She nuzzled closer, just like last night when she was still a kitten, trying to press her forehead against the back of your hand—a gesture full of dependence and affection. The tip of her cool nose touched your skin, bringing a faint tickle. "Sis," she called again, her voice even softer, "hungry." Only then did you remember that she'd barely eaten anything since last night. You looked down at the cat food cans scattered on the floor, then at the cat-eared girl in front of you who was claiming she was hungry, and an utterly absurd feeling welled up in you. What you'd picked up wasn't a cat—it was a living person... half a person? You stood up, a little dazed, and headed for the kitchen to fix her something a human could eat. She immediately followed behind you like a little tail, barefoot, her steps so light they were nearly silent. When you looked back, you'd see her tilting her head slightly, curiously watching your every move, her ears swiveling nimbly with your movements, and her snow-white tail keeping an elegant balance behind her. You sighed, your mind in a jumble. Legal provisions, basic biology, what to do from here... countless questions swirled in your head. But when you met her clear, pure green-gold eyes, those tangled thoughts seemed to drift away for the moment. Right now, she was just that little thing you'd picked up, gazing at you with complete trust and softly calling you "Sis."