It’S A Cat, Adopted By A Wolf Family? [EN]: Chapter 4

Jackal gave his two sons a look that told them to behave.

However, Theo and Deon held Kitty’s trembling hands tightly.

“Mother, this is Kittia. She’s a young, brave baby wolf.”

“She heard that Gridwolf was finding jobs for orphaned wolves and came all this way.”

“H-hello.”

Kitty teared up, pulled her hand out of Theo’s grasp, and offered it. Caris, looking reluctant, took Kitty’s hand and shook it lightly.

Unlike the three wolves who held their breath at the soft palm attack, her face contorted even more after the handshake.

‘She seems to dislike my soft hands. Am I going to be kicked out like this?’

Kitty teared up and held Caris’s hand tightly. A voice, wet with desperation, leaked out.

“I, I can sing for you until you feel better. On sunny days, I can pick you a bouquet of pretty wildflowers. On nights when the moon is big and full, I can draw back the curtains so you can see the night view.”

“……”

“If you’re uncomfortable seeing me, you can have me clean the chimney. I learned how to clean chimneys before I learned how to talk. So, please…….”

Kitty looked up at Caris’s face, tears welling up.

“Could you let me work here, even just a little? I’ll be as quiet as if I were dead.”

Only sobbing filled the silence.

Kitty’s face was already a mess of tears.

After frowning for a long time as if in pain, Caris finally reached out and brushed Kitty’s eyes.

“First, we need to wipe away those tears. And take a clean bath.”

“B-bath?!”

Tearful Kitty’s eyes widened in surprise. The thought of going into the splashing water made her tears dry up instantly, and the fur on her body stood on end. The fur on her ears reacted the same way.

‘I hate baths! I hate getting in the water! I hate my fur getting soaked!’

But right now, she was the brave baby wolf, Kittia. Kitty held Caris’s hand tightly and asked as maturely as possible.

“C-could you put in a rubber ducky……?”

* * *

“Young lady, this way.”

“Hick!”

Startled by the sudden voice, I turned my head.

A wolf beastkin next to the steaming bathtub smiled at me.

“I’m Lena Gray, here to help you with your bath. Please call me Mrs. Gray.”

It was my first time seeing an elderly wolf beastkin, but a wolf was still a wolf, and she didn’t seem easy to deal with.

If she were to raise her half-closed golden eyes, I would surely be intimidated. I had to be brave in times like these.

I lightly lifted the hem of my tattered dress and greeted her.

“Mrs. Gray, hello? I’m Kittia, a young but brave wolf. I heard that Gridwolf provides jobs for orphaned wolves without families, so I came to visit.”

“Oh, my. At such a young age…… But you’ve come to the right place. My master is kind enough to give even an old woman like me a job.”

“Really?”

Mrs. Gray tilted her head as if her hearing wasn’t very good. I moved a little closer and repeated clearly.

“R-really?”

“Yes. He cherishes all wolves like family. Now, shall we take a bath? We need to disinfect your wounds, so let’s get started quickly.”

“I-I can take a bath by myself!”

I wet my hands and washed my face as a demonstration. Mrs. Gray shook her head firmly.

“That’s just a cat wash. Come here.”

“Hmph…….”

My cats at home always washed like this and were still clean…….

As I approached, Mrs. Gray carefully began to undress me. Her eyes, visible over her high-prescription glasses, narrowed slightly.

“The buttons seem old. They’re not coming undone easily…….”

Snap—

The sharp wolf claws instantly popped off the buttons of my dress, and I couldn’t help but gasp.

“Mommy…….”

“Oh my, I didn’t mean to startle you. But we’ll have to throw this dress away. It’s too damaged to even wash and wear again.”

Mrs. Gray explained kindly, which calmed my startled heart a little. I replied as maturely as possible.

“That’s probably true. It’s the fifth dress I’ve inherited. But it’s still precious to me, so can I keep at least one of the buttons?”

“Of course. I’ll collect the buttons on the shelf, so you can take them after your bath.”

Mrs. Gray retracted her claws and returned to being a kind and warm wolf grandmother. After taking off all my clothes, she began to comb my hair.

“Your hair is so tangled that I can’t do any more than this. It would be best to call someone to thin it out later.”

“Do you have to cut it a lot?”

“A skilled hairdresser could probably just trim the ends. First, I’ll wash your hair and apply plenty of fragrant oil.”

Mrs. Gray carefully combed my hair. I was grateful that she was careful not to hurt me.

“To leave such beautiful and abundant hair in such a disheveled state…….”

“The journey was difficult. But if I get a job like Mrs. Gray, I plan to tie it up nicely!”

“Oh, my. If you tie it in pigtails, it would be really cute. But a journey? Where are your other belongings?”

“Um…… These clothes at the entrance are all I have.”

“Oh dear. That large wardrobe will remain empty for a while, then?”

“Wardrobe?”

When I asked back, Mrs. Gray pointed to several large wardrobes in the room. They were made of high-quality wood and oiled, giving them a subtle sheen even from a distance.

“Those wardrobes are yours now.”

“Yes?”

“Oh, didn’t you know? The young masters ordered us to prepare a room for you to stay in. It’s the first time those mischievous young masters have made such a serious request for a guest.”

I was grateful that Theo and Deon had been considerate of me, but since I hadn’t received permission from Mrs. Gridwolf to stay in the mansion, I doubted I could use those wardrobes.

She didn’t seem to like me…….

Mrs. Gray picked me up, seeing that I was looking dejected.

“Shall we get in the water now? You’re so skinny and light.”

“Ah, yes!”

My feet, which had become sore without me realizing it from walking so far, stung when they touched the water.

My hands, covered in wounds from burying my mother, and my arms and legs, which had suffered from pushing through the bushes, all tingled.

‘It hurts……. Now that I see it, there’s a crack in my toenail.’

Just as I was about to pout, Mrs. Gray splashed water on me.

Splash—!

I gritted my teeth and endured it, but goosebumps rose, and my tail popped out of the water. Mrs. Gray’s nose twitched, and the small glasses perched on the tip of her nose wobbled.

“Oh my, what’s that smell?”

“T-that…… I think I smell because I haven’t been able to wash for a long time.”

I swallowed hard and barely hid my tail. I tensed up as she washed me, but then something fell into the water with a plop.

‘Rubber duckies!’

Gazing at the rubber ducks swaying from side to side, I hardly noticed Mrs. Gray’s touch or the water.

I touched the ducks with my hands and played with them. After a while, Mrs. Gray lifted me out.

“That’s strange. There’s still a smell even after the bath…… Wait a minute.”

Mrs. Gray’s pupils suddenly narrowed sharply as she dried me with a soft towel.

I definitely hid my ears and tail earlier! I froze for a moment, facing her.

“Young lady, your eyes are really beautiful.”

“Y-yes?”

“Your eyes are so…… emerald-colored. I’ve never seen a wolf with eyes like that.”

“I, um, came from far away……. Thank you for the compliment.”

Fortunately, Mrs. Gray didn’t frown and push up her glasses any further.

My eye color was unusual even among cats, so it must be even more amazing to her. The wolves in the Gridwolf mansion all had golden eyes.

But I didn’t want to change my eye color. Nor could I.

“Looking at our Soft Paw’s eyes is like going on a picnic by the lake. It’s a pretty color that mixes lime green grass and clear water.”

Now that I don’t have a mother to tell me that anymore, I need to write down what she said somewhere and memorize it.

……To do that, I need to learn to read first. I can speak and listen, but I can’t read or write.

Mrs. Gray carefully disinfected my wounds. It stung every time the cotton touched my cracked and scraped hands and feet, but I endured it.

“Well, how does it feel to wear clean new clothes?”

While I was lost in thought, I was dressed in clean clothes. Seeing the spotless white dress made me feel refreshed.

“Thank you, ma’am. It’s cozy and warm.”

“Now, shall we comb your hair? It’s in better condition than before after washing it.”

Mrs. Gray sat me on her lap and combed my hair. It felt so relaxing to be brushed after so long.

“You’re too skinny, young lady, so make sure to eat every meal from now on. Eating nutritious food will also improve your hair.”

“Ah…… Really?”

“Of course. Judging by your abundant curly hair, you must have lived in a cold place? Usually, such abundant and long fur is a characteristic of animals living in cold regions.”

“Yes! It was a place where the wind blew in and water dripped from the ceiling, so I had to sleep wearing two layers of clothes. But it was really nice because I could hug my mom and sleep.”

Mrs. Gray looked a little embarrassed. Oh, I wonder if she wasn’t asking if my house didn’t have good heating?

“So…… was it in the northern region?”

“I don’t really know. But it’s true that we were always short on firewood at home!”

“……”

For some reason, Mrs. Gray began to comb my hair even more carefully. She also applied plenty of sweet-smelling fragrant oil.

I liked the relaxed feeling and wished the brushing would continue, but unfortunately, it ended.

“Well, all done. The young masters will be happy to see you looking so shiny.”

“Of course! Thank you for your help, ma’am.”

I smiled and greeted Mrs. Gray once again.

“You’re a really brave baby wolf, so you’ll definitely get a good job. The servants will clean up the bathwater later, so rest for a while.”

Mrs. Gray gave me a short kiss on the cheek and then left the room. I ran to the fluffy-looking bed.

‘Wait a minute.’

I felt something strange in the mirror that flashed by quickly, so I took a few steps back.

‘Huh? Why is my hair color like this?’