Meow II
[purr]At first, things were pretty normal.
Sojung put a plate with wet cat food on the center table right in front of her bed and the cat promptly jumped on the furniture. The shop owner observed the animal as it gobbled up every tiny bite of it and she thought that it must've been pretty hungry to be eating that eagerly… which made sense considering that it was playing around the trash.
Eventually, the food was all eaten and it seemed satisfied; Sojung didn't hold back her warm smile at that.
She put the plate on the kitchen sink and returned to the room, being greeted by the brown kitty sprawled across the table. Sojung said she would be working on some papers and didn't get so much as a ear twitch. So, yeah, it was pretty normal. Everyone would expect a cat to behave that way, right? That's why Sojung just grabbed her bills and other mundane stuff to do what she needed to do.
She could feel, though, that a heavy atmosphere was taking over the room; it as if the cat was growing uncomfortable. Sojung glanced a couple of times at the cat, to make sure it was still there, looking all lazy and full, and, well it really was. But Sojung could sense the awkward and almost scared vibe that was coming from it.
'Of course, it must be scared,' she thought.
Even without actually knowing the story, Sojung could deduce at least the bigger picture, after all; that cat was probably a shapeshifter who had been either abandoned or ran away. Now, it was living on the streets, eating garbage and trying to survive. In such moments, anyone would accept a place that meant shelter and food, but, after the hunger and cold wore off, when the realization that you entered a house that you know nothing about and could offer danger hits, anyone would be scared.
Sojung felt her heart clench a little.
She looked at the cat once more, but didn't avert her eyes this time. Sojung stared at it until it hesitantly turned to look at her.
Their eyes met.
"Hey," Sojung called in a very soft voice. "You don't need to worry. I'm not a bad person."
Sojung knew that if it could, it would be quirking an eyebrow up, shooting a skeptical gaze at her.
It looked even more wary at this point and Sojung bit her lower lip, wondering how she could help it be at ease. And maybe it took her a little longer than it should, but she eventually reached the solution.
"Here, you really don't have to fear me." And, just like minutes earlier, Sojung shifted her ears and also allowed her tail to appear.
Immediately, the cat screeched and stood up in its four legs, fur was bristly.
"I'm shapeshifter! A cat one, for that matter," she chuckled. "So, really, you don't have to worry about anything."
They stared at each other for a few seconds and Sojung tilted her head to the side, her white, fluffy ears slightly twitching.
"You know, I can feel that you aren't a normal cat too," she confessed, carefully observing the change in the animal's eyes--a worried gleam took over them--and she offered the most reassuring smile she could. "It's okay, though. That doesn't change the fact that I'll do nothing bad. And, I mean, if you think about it, we are both at risk here, right? Since you are also a shapeshifter and could turn out to be an axe murderer, I mean."
The cat hissed and Sojung laughed.
"See! That sounds absurd to you and to me as well! I mean... who could be a criminal having such short legs and looking so adorable?" She laughed again at how done the cat looked at her. "Heh, sorry, it's just so fun teasing you, and..."
Sojung halted her words. The cat shot her a curious look.
"Sorry, it's just weird that I don't know what to call you for... it's just that calling you 'cat' or 'kitty' seems so dull. And I'm pretty sure you have a name..."
The cat casted its eyes down.
"It's fine if you don't want to reveal yourself to me, yet," Sojung smiled. "But then I'm giving you a temporary name. Is that okay with you?"
The animal mewled softly and Sojung hummed.
"Alright... so... what about 'Mr. Fluffy Paws'?"
Its head snapped at her and Sojung couldn't help but to throw her own head back as she laughed.
"Maybe not," she was almost wheezing and the poor kitty just looked so freaking annoyed. "What about Ms. Fluffy Paws?"
Sojung received an unhappy mewl, but it was as if that was better than before. She smiled.
"'Ms. Fluffy Paws' it is, then," she sang and got up of the floor, grabbing all the bills and documents that were scattered. "Anyway, I don't know about you, but I'm pretty tired," she yawned and looked at the cat.
She yawned too and Sojung grinned. "What do you think about getting some rest?"
Ms. Fluffy Paws seemed to be (finally) pleased.
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