It’S A Cat, Adopted By A Wolf Family? [EN]: Chapter 23

Kitty tried to answer as calmly as possible, but her voice still trembled with fear.

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m just a baby wolf, remember?”

“Do you think I’m stupid?”

Eden’s indifferent yet certain tone sent a tremor through Kitty, like a small earthquake.

‘How did Eden figure out I’m a cat…?’ she wondered, panic rising.

Kitty was speechless.

After Eden returned to his room due to motion sickness, there had been a brief incident where her cat ears popped out, but no one seemed to find it strange at the time.

If there had been a noticeable cat smell, surely the wolves would have found it odd. So, that means…

‘Eden really is a genius, just like my brothers said.’

If he had uncovered her true identity when even the leader of the Gridwolf pack hadn’t, it had to be because of his exceptional intelligence.

Kitty quickly resigned herself to the fact that she couldn’t deceive Eden.

Almost unconsciously, Kitty’s tail, which had peeked out from under her dress, drooped to the floor.

But Eden didn’t feel any particular inclination to be considerate of a cat.

“Just answer my question. Why did you come to Gridwolf and accept temporary adoption, even going so far as to deceive your own kind so clumsily?”

His blue eyes were sharp, piercing through Kitty. Now that her secret was out, Kitty hesitated before replying.

“I wanted to avenge my mom… but I’m too small to do that.”

“…”

“I have a goal to avenge my mom and the little ones.”

“What little ones?”

“My mom’s babies in her belly. I think they would have been cute if they had been born.”

The thought of her mom and unborn siblings’ deaths filled her with sorrow. Strength seemed to drain from her small, rounded shoulders.

“Wouldn’t it be better to go back to the cat territory and hide?”

“…If I did, I’d have to live hidden like a shadow in Yaong Forest or Yaong Mountain [Yaong translates to ‘meow’ in Korean, suggesting a cat-inhabited area]. My mom wouldn’t want that.”

“How do you know what a dead person wants?”

Kitty silently placed her hand on her chest. Now that Eden knew her secret, she could feel her heart beating faster.

“Every time I fell asleep, my mom hugged me as tightly as she could. So tight that I could hear her heartbeat.”

Kitty recalled her mom’s voice saying, ‘Soft paw, if you’re happy, Mom is happy too.’

The gentle heartbeat and warm body temperature she felt from her mom’s chest, where she rested her head, revived in her heart, bringing a sense of peace.

“Isn’t it amazing? To be able to remember someone’s heartbeat like a voice.”

Kitty quickly perked up and said,

“So, I can’t go back to the cat territory and hide. If I’m not happy, my family in heaven won’t be happy either.”

The drooping cat tail regained its vitality and wagged.

Kitty momentarily forgot that her being a cat had been exposed and wore a smile as warm as the sunlight.

“The Gridwolf people even held a funeral for my family and said they would take care of me until I become an adult. So, I want to become an adult here.”

“…”

Kitty glanced at Eden’s face. She had been so attuned to Jerian’s expressions in the cat territory that she was confident in reading other people’s inner thoughts.

‘It’s a little different from before.’

Eden, who had seemed ready to kick out the cat just moments ago, was now wavering slightly. He even seemed a little sorry for her.

‘Then…’

Kitty decided to bet on the ‘soft paw’ appeal that everyone seemed to like. Taking a deep breath, Kitty reached out and gently grabbed Eden’s hand.

Soft—

Eden, momentarily stunned, frowned in surprise.

“Um, so… are you going to tell the Gridwolf people that I’m a cat?”

Eden, who had barely regained his composure, averted his suspicious gaze.

He had initially suspected that the cat before him might be a spy sent by another faction, but after talking to her, he saw no evidence of it.

Of course, even after confirming she wasn’t a spy, Eden had no intention of being particularly kind to Kitty. He wasn’t one to coddle young children.

Nevertheless, the reason he was intrigued by the cat in front of him might have been the soft, squishy paw that was now holding his hand tightly.

“I don’t particularly intend to blab it around.”

Since they probably all knew anyway, he meant he wouldn’t go out of his way to cause trouble. Kitty remained cautious and stared at Eden.

“…Really?”

“My duty is only to teach you the minimum common sense in exchange for staying in Gridwolf. Why would I do something annoying?”

“Because you don’t seem to like me…”

“As you said, I’m not interested in the affairs of weak animals.”

“…”

Kitty felt a pang of annoyance, but she wasn’t foolish enough to get angry at being called ‘weak’ and risk losing her safe haven.

Changing her strategy, Kitty squeezed Eden’s hand with her soft paw and gave him the most pitiful look she could muster.

Sparkling—

Teary eyelashes fluttered, and Kitty’s eyes sparkled as clear as glass beads.

“That’s right. I’m really just a small, weak, and pitiful baby cat…”

“…?”

“If Eden kicks me out, I won’t last long and will be eaten by the leopards… If I get eaten, Eden will have nightmares…”

“Are you threatening me right now?”

“No!”

Startled, Kitty jumped. Eden chuckled at her transparent reaction.

“Oh, Eden. Just now…”

“What?”

Eden opened the book he had brought and began to read.

‘He smiled? Did I see it wrong?’

Kitty tilted her head, pondering the smile that had momentarily graced Eden’s lips.

* * *

“Kitty, have you been preparing well?”

“Eden, you didn’t come out early to tease my sister, did you?”

Theo and Deon appeared one after the other. Eden didn’t even pretend to hear their questions. I rubbed my palms together inwardly, trying to curry favor with Eden.

“No! Eden has been very kind to me.”

Eden snorted derisively.

‘To laugh at a weak animal’s ultimate survival strategy!’

My pride was slightly wounded, but I held it in. Theo and Deon narrowed their eyes at my reaction and asked,

“Eden is being kind? Kitty, are you being threatened?”

‘Yes, Eden found out my true identity…’ I wanted to tell them, but I couldn’t. Theo and Deon would think I was a wolf.

I glanced at Eden. Eden raised one eyebrow slightly, as if telling me to handle it myself, and continued to read.

I had no choice but to desperately try to please Eden.

“Of course not! He’s my teacher, after all.”

“Soft Paw, your answer was a bit slow. Are you being threatened after all?”

I shook my head.

Theo and Deon looked uneasy as I shook my head.

“Eden, don’t you dare do anything funny to our Soft Paw.”

“Anything funny?”

“Whatever you’re thinking, it’s not allowed. Even if it’s temporary, she’s our sister!”

Again, my brothers seemed sincere, but Eden paid no attention.

Before long, the adults arrived one by one and took their seats. I pulled my hat down tightly, hoping Eden would keep his mouth shut the whole time, and sat down.

“Shall I pour you some tea?”

I spoke as Theo and Deon had diligently taught me, and the employees poured the tea with pleased expressions.

Eden sipped his tea and continued reading. He didn’t seem interested in the tea time conversation I had carefully prepared. Theo and Deon seemed to have expected this and turned their attention away from Eden.

“Kitty, would you like to explain the desserts you prepared?”

“Yes! This is an egg tart that tastes great when dipped in milk. This is a cream puff that melts in your mouth when eaten with milk…”

I pointed to each dessert and explained what I had learned from the employees.

Theo and Deon looked very pleased, as if they liked the desserts.

Then, Eden, who had been silent, chuckled.

“You really like milk.”

“…!”

I was so surprised that I flinched. My cat ears suddenly popped out, causing the hat I was wearing to lift.

I belatedly grabbed my hat, but everyone’s eyes were directed towards the top of my head.

The moment Eden twisted one corner of his mouth into a smile, Theo and Deon immediately took my side.

“It’s okay for our Kitty to like milk since she’s a baby wolf.”

“Making a lady uncomfortable isn’t very wolf-like, Eden.”

“Who’s the lady?”

“Our overworked Soft Paw is a proper lady! Look at this cute hat!”

“Overworked? Wasn’t she just playing around?”

Eden retorted to all of Theo and Deon’s words while nonchalantly turning the pages of his book.

Well, it seems it’s true that Eden is a smart wolf.

I munched on my cream puff and looked at Jackal and Karis in the distance. Sparkling eyes were one of the cat’s ultimate weapons.

‘Please help me…’

Soon, Jackal got up from his seat and approached Eden. His large hand ruffled Eden’s hair haphazardly.

“Eden, are you enjoying the tea time our youngest wolf prepared?”

“Ah, well…”

“She’s a baby wolf, so she might make mistakes, but please enjoy it.”

Jackal patted Eden on the shoulder and then approached me. Eden glared at me. Pretending not to notice, I turned my head and high-fived my brothers on either side under the table.

“Kitty, let me introduce you to the adult wolves.”

Jackal picked me up and headed to the table where the adult wolves were sitting. I hid my face in his broad shoulder and stuck my tongue out at Eden.

‘Mleh. Bad wolf for bullying cats.’

Then, Jackal said to me in a small voice.

“Kitty, Eden can tell what you’re doing just by looking at how the muscles in your face move.”

“Ah…”

I pretended not to see Eden’s scary eyes and snuggled into Jackal’s arms.