One evening, Shadow leapt into her lap, curling with surprising weight. Elise stroked its sleek coat, torn between pride and fear. She whispered, “You’re my family now.” The words were true, but they carried a darker edge. She had tethered her heart to a creature she barely understood.
By midsummer, Shadow was no longer a kitten. The sleek body stretched across Elise’s rug, paws sprawling like gloves, tail lashing with restless energy. Visitors still believed her talk of a “rescue cat,” but Elise knew there was more. She clipped the curtains closed, hiding the growing silhouette from curious eyes.