I N C O G N I T O (on hold)

• what cat •

"What is that?" My mother's eyes followed the black cat as it sauntered through the kitchen and brushed up against her leg. She looked between me and him, eyebrows furrowed together.

"A cat," I stated the obvious, going to a cabinet and pulling out a can of tuna. I cracked it open and put it down on the floor.

"Whose?" She dragged out slowly.

The cat—Hypnos—looked up at her, his ears twitching forward. He meowed, rubbed against her leg again, and then sat at her feet, ignoring the food I put out for him.

"He was outside my window."

"Valerie!" She jumped away from the cat, startling him, and he darted away from her across the room. He stopped just outside the doorway, turned back, hissed, and then darted somewhere into the house. "Great. The thing could be anywhere."

"You scared him," I scowled. "He's a he. Not a thing. A cat."

"You don't bring strays into the house, Valerie. Come on. You know this; you're not seven."

"Was I bringing in strays at seven?" I asked.

She paused and looked at me before sighing. "Just find it."

"Him," I corrected her. "And he's not a stray. He has a collar. His name's Hypnos. He's just lost."

"Yeah. In our house. Find it—him. Return him to his owner."

Rolling my eyes, I turned away and left the kitchen in search of the cat.

"Hypnos! Here boy." I made kissing sounds. Does that only work with dogs? I didn't know. "Where are you?"

Nothing. I sighed. I looked all downstairs with no luck, then moved upstairs. I searched the bathroom, the laundry room, the office, my art room—nothing. But when I looked in my bedroom, there he was. Perched up on my pillow at the head of my bed like some kind of king. He sat straight up, head high. His eyes followed me as I moved towards him. Meow. I sat down on the bed and gathered him in my arms. He meowed again and turned, but allowed me to set him down in my lap.

"Hypnos," I sigh. "It's time to go home."

He blinked. I smiled.

"You're a handsome cat, you know."

It was strangely true. His ears perked up and he turned his head to the side. I watched him for a moment. He appeared to be listening very intently to something. After a minute, he turns his head back to me and meows.

"Sorry, bud. Can't understand you." I stood up with him in my arms. "Mom says you can't stay but it's late and there's no way for me to find your human tonight. You can sleep..."

I look around. Then, remembering the furry throw blanket I had in my closet, I gently placed him down and walked over. I pulled it out with ease and placed it right next to my bed.

"You can sleep here."

He walked over, head high. He placed a paw on the throw before moving back. Instead of laying down on it like I'd expected, he turned and hopped back up on my bed. I sighed as he curled up right beside my pillow and blinked up at me expectantly. He was obviously used to getting his way. Shaking my head, I turned and pulled some pajamas out my drawers. I changed quickly, somehow a little uncomfortable knowing the cat was there and was watching me.