Catbur Soot (Not a furry)

Home?

Soot curled up in a small box as it began to rain. He closed his eyes, trying to sleep.

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When Soot woke up, his box was soaking wet. He was hotter than hell and his chest felt heavy. Soot whimpered, trying to figure out why he had woken up.

"Soot!" a small voice shouted. "Soot! Sooooot! Please! Come on out! It'll be okay! Soot!"

"Tommy, you're going to hurt your voice, and catch cold," Techno said. "Put your jacket on."

"I have to find him, let's look down here."

Three figures appeared at the end of the alleyway. Tommy walked down it slowly. "Soot?" he called. "Soot? If you're in here, please please please come out!"

His voice cracked a little, and Soot winced. He didn't want to hide from Tommy, he loved Tommy! But he didn't want to have to deal with them kicking him out. He wouldn't be able to take it.

But if they were going to kick him out, why we're they searching for him in the cold and rain and dark with Tommy's voice and heart breaking?

Soot sighed. Tommy. The reason he'd been taken to the house. The reason he'd had a home for about six months. The little boy had been the sweetest thing to Soot. He couldn't just leave him.

Soot meowed quietly, his voice cracking. 

"Soot?" Tommy demanded, running to the boxes. He grabbed a box and tossed it aside, revealing Soot, who was cowering.

"Soot," Tommy murmured. "Why did you run?"

Soot yawned. He whimpered, hiding his nose under his paws. Techno gently bent down so he was squatting near the cat. "Let's go home," he whispered. "Please. It's cold and wet out here."

Soot pressed against the box. "He's scared," Tommy said. "Soot, it's okay. We'd never hurt you."

Soot mewed worriedly. "Please," Tommy whispered. "You're my best friend. I can't lose you Soot."

Soot stood up, wobbly, and walked towards Tommy, who caught the cat before he collapsed. "You're burning up!" Tommy cried. "Techno, let's get him to the car."

Phil, who'd been a few steps behind since he wanted to give his kids a second, stepped forward and scooped Soot up, covering the cat in his green and white jacket. "Let's go home," he whispered. "Soot, is it true?"

Soot looked up and nodded, not meeting Phil's eyes. He was scared. Phil was 'the man of the house' and scared Soot the most. He didn't have the best track record around adults, especially when he'd lied. 

Phil gently set the cat in his youngest's lap. "Make sure you keep him safe," Phil murmured. 

"Alright," Tommy pet the top of Soot's head. Tommy held onto Soot tight the entire ride, and Soot felt terribly guilty for scaring the boy. He really did love Tommy, and he couldn't believe he'd run. Not from Tommy!

Soot rubbed against Tommy's chest with his head and Tommy patted his head. "Why did you run?" Tommy repeated, whispering. 

Soot couldn't look him in the eyes. 

Phil soon pulled up to the house. It was a small town. "Here," he murmured.

The family sat on the living room couches. "Soot, we need to talk." Phil said. "Is there any chance you can shift back to your human form?"

Soot glanced nervously at Phil and Techno, then up at Tommy. The little boy was staring hopefully. Maybe Soot could do it for him.

Soot sighed, closed his eyes, and -for the first time in years- shifted back to human form.