Caiden smiled when Styge crept down the path, going after a seagull that had had the temerity to land on the rocks by the canal. The bird took off, much to the cat’s frustration. Not, Caiden knew, that Styge would actually have attacked it. He just liked trying to get as close as possible, to scare them.
“Tough luck, cat,” he said. “Maybe next time.”
They kept walking, following a side path leading into the woods. Suddenly Styge darted away, deeper into the trees.
“Now what? A chipmunk? A squirrel?” He got no answer, of course, and went to see what had caught Styge’s attention this time. “f**k, no!” Caiden turned quickly, intending to put as much distance as he could between himself and Theirn, as fast as possible.
Theirn grabbed Caiden’s arm. “Don’t. Don’t walk away. Please.”
Caiden
