16-CHRIS

"Not again," I murmured against the pillow when I felt something walk down my back. "Not another snake."

But unlike last time, when the snake woke me up, the weight was tiny and it felt different.

Meow.

I blew out my breath when I knew it was a cat and turned gently so as not to scare the animal until I was kneeling on the bed.

"But you're so tiny," I said surprised to see the black kitten looking at me with interest between the sheets.

Meow.

I carried the kitten on my chest and marveled at how calm he stayed there and went in search of Helena.

At some point in the night the light had come, but I didn’t even remember falling asleep, I was really exhausted since I didn’t feel when she left the bed.

"He's still sleeping," I heard her say from the kitchen, "The poor man must be really tired."

I stood on the door jamb with the cat still with me, and prepared to listen to the conversation with whoev