Scratches appeared on the furniture, deep grooves carved by restless claws. Elise tried scolding gently, but Shadow only blinked with regal indifference. Sometimes, in play, a swat knocked mugs from tables or bruised her arm. Elise laughed it off, even while rubbing sore skin. Fear and devotion tangled inside her chest.
Outside, whispers grew louder. Chickens vanished from a neighbor’s coop, feathers scattered like confetti. Others claimed to hear strange cries at night, unlike the usual foxes or dogs. Elise kept her windows shut. She knew Shadow could no longer roam wild. She needed to be more careful.