tobadzistsini
Grass bent under Pete's heavy paws as he #stalked his quarry.
The little vole played with him like a boardwalk game and Pete always returned to his human's lap with frustration.
After a thunderstorm, he complained loudly. His human acquiesced knowing the big orange brute was on the brink of being stir crazy.
Pete knew the vole would be above ground 'til the water drained away and time was a-wasting. 1/x
#wss366
Jun 19, 2025 at 2:11amWeb
Show threadtobadzistsiniJun 19, 2025
Damp, green and brown scents filled the wood to Pete's irritation. Not to mention the leaves didn't crunch, leaving the cat reliant upon his old cloudy eyes.
He'd seen many scrapes. Protected his territory from possums, raccoons, squirrels, and blue jays. Not even Jasper, the big mutt next door, deigned to push his luck. Clever voles were his bane and a stain upon his pride.
Pete stopped. He twitched his tail when he spied something scurrying amidst the litter. 2/x
#wss366
Show threadtobadzistsiniJun 19, 2025
The big cat wound up his hind legs for a grand pounce.
This would hurt later, but vole's blood would soothe those joints as he rested near a plate of wet food.
Claws sharpened on the maple #struck something furry. Warmth coated Pete's beans.
He gave thanks.
Below him the vole, half-trapped in white hairs and her ultrasonic cries falling upon merciless ears, met the end between his remaining teeth.
With a heavy sigh, he went to turn and found he was caught fast like his nemesis. 3/x
#wss366
Show threadtobadzistsiniJun 19, 2025
Pete chewed at the white stuff and found his whiskers caught with his head being tugged to the ground.
He pissed. Hard.
Now flopped on his side, he felt his fur entangle with the strange material, giving a resigned yowl as his twelve years flashed before his eyes.
Most of all, he'd miss the boy.
Pete hoped the crows and bugs would make short work of him and the boy would be none the wiser. 4/x
#wss366
Show threadtobadzistsiniJun 19, 2025
Clouds parted to reveal a waning moon and her moonshine gave shape to a human's shadow bent towards the cat and tsked, "This will never do."
Something buzzed like a giant cicada, raising Pete's hackles and relieved the pressure which drew him to the ground.
Human hands lifted the limp tom, cradling orange fur against a crisp chambray shirt, and marched home.
Home, as it was, being the quiet house next door to Pete's. The unseen neighbor who was now known. 5/x
#wss366
Show threadtobadzistsiniJun 19, 2025
Time passed.
When Pete rose to consciousness again, he was in a basement full of gleaming glassware, sparking gadgetry, and the strange neighbor.
"I am sorry," the man spoke and Pete understood the words and not the feeling. "This was the only way."
When Pete looked around he spied the reflection of two glassy eyes set in metal before a shiny tube.
He looked up and the glassy eyes turned to the same direction.
Pete realized he was alive, but no longer a cat. 6/6
#wss366