That evening, Shadow pounced clumsily on a moth, pinning it with remarkable precision. Elise laughed nervously, then froze when the kitten delivered a guttural growl over the struggling insect. The sound vibrated in her bones. She scooped the kitten up, stroking until the noise quieted. Still, her skin prickled.
She found herself checking doors and windows more often, as though guarding a secret. When Shadow curled against her at night, the rumble of its purr was comforting but powerful, almost like distant thunder. Elise whispered, “You’re safe now,” though some instinct whispered back: safe for now, but for how long?