She rose quietly, the floorboards cool beneath her bare feet, and crossed the narrow hall. The air smelled faintly of rain, earth, and something else she couldn’t name. Animal musk, faint but unmistakable. When she reached the living room window, her breath caught. The cub was back.
It sat at the edge of the porch, framed by the soft, colorless light of the moon. Its head tilted slightly as though listening. The small body looked even thinner now, ribs rising with each breath. For a long moment, Catherine just stared. Her mind stumbled between disbelief and fear.