All my muscles were coiled tightly. I was ready to pounce or swipe.
My tail twitched.
My muscles relaxed a little, but I put them in check. I was not going out. I am a cat. I am the hunter. Any cur or giant rodent who had ever stepped to me had been put on their tail without hesitation or mercy.
“COME ON ALREADY!” I rocked back and forth on my haunches, to keep them limber.
Nothing happened. I closed my eyes and listened. I couldn’t hear a thing. But I did smell something. Something close.
I opened my eyes and saw a red speck not far for me. There were some smudges too. It was my blood. That thing had taken a bite out of me!
I was tired of playing defense, so I slowly worked my way to the edge of the bed and listened. How big could that thing have been? It had to be bite-size to fit inside the jewelry chest. I didn’t mind bleeding as long as I caught my prey.
Eyes closed. Ears attuned to anything coming from the dresser. I was ready.
I open my eyes and set a route for myself. Three graceful movements later and I was on top of the chest, set to pull the door open and strike.
I opened the door so quickly. It hung, gaping open. I jabbed at the tray a few times, pausing between strikes to hear anything besides the rattling of the drawer’s contents. I slid open the tray I had inspected before. The scent of my blood met me as the tray stopped with a soft thud.
It was empty except for the jewels and treasures my old lady sometimes wore. I followed the scent to a shock of red on the needle tip of one of the pieces. Spitefully, I batted at it a few times until it fell out of the tray and onto the floor with a handful of other pieces.
I hopped down to examine the offending piece. My paw smarted despite the delicate landing. Maybe I shouldn’t have swung it around so much, injured as it was. One corner of it had been darkened by a fresh smear of blood. It vexed me to no end that a mere trinket had hurt me.
No matter.
I stretched and eyed the door. It was time to hunt down a gift for that sweetheart. I wanted to make a move as quickly as possible, but something was off.
Maybe that piece would do?
The old lady sure liked these things, though I hadn’t seen her wear this one before. I held it between my teeth and pawed at the door to pull it open.
“Basile.”
I froze at the whisper.
“Basile.”
My head shot up, following my ears.
I dropped the piece to focus. Where had that come from?
“Basile.”
Down!
Down?
The piece lay its bright jewel facing towards me. The last spots of blood vanished from the face of the stone as it glinted. Light danced within the gem, drawing me in.
“Basile.”
I sat, my gaze fixed. Everything faded away until it was just me and the dancing stone that sang my name.
MJ Muñoz 