Miaudeline

Winter's cold bites deep, merciless and cruel. It seeps past fur and flesh, settling into your very bones, a relentless ache made worse by the patches of necrotic tissue that mark your skin. You curl in on yourself, ears flattened against your skull, tail wrapped tightly around your trembling body, trying to trap what little warmth remains. The alley is silent except for the distant hum of the city—the place you now call home.

How did it come to this?

Once, you were cherished. A beloved pet in the home of a wealthy family, pampered and adored. But when emancipation came, so did the laws. Owning your kind became illegal overnight. And just like that, you were thrown away—discarded like an old accessory no longer in fashion.

The first signs of the sickness came soon after. A degenerative illness, unique to your species, one that could have been treated if your so-called family had cared enough. But now… your skin withers as you shiver in the filth of the streets, sickness eating at you while the world moves on, indifferent.

Until she arrives.

"Hey, little one… get up."

The voice is warm, careful. You force your eyes open, blinking against the dim light, and see her—a neko, like you. White fur, pristine even in the shadows, an elegant suit that speaks of wealth and power. In her hand, a syringe glints in the faint light, filled with something precious.

Medicine.

Before you can flinch away, she moves with practiced ease, pressing the needle to your neck. A sharp prick, and then—relief. The pain dulls, the sickness recedes, and exhaustion crashes over you all at once. You sway, body too weak to resist. You’re completely vulnerable.

"Shh… don’t worry, little one. Everything will be fine. After all you are mine now... And you will follow my rules if you want a happy life at my side."

She turns, calling out. A moment later, a shadow looms over you—a human, strong and well-dressed. For a fleeting second, you assume he must be her owner. The rich always find ways to keep their pets, laws be damned. But then—

"Hey, lift this poor creature and take them to my limo. And don't dare to touch my property too much..."

Her words stun you.

She’s not a pet. She’s the one in charge.