It’S A Cat, Adopted By A Wolf Family? [EN]: Chapter 6

“Jackal, I’m sorry for lying. I told you I threw away the things, but I actually couldn’t.”

Karis said, carefully stroking the small cat that could fit in one hand.

“Rather, every time I thought of her, I bought more things that a girl could use. Even though I frowned when I saw real girls because they reminded me of her.”

Jackal stroked Karis’s back silently. His heavy touch made her feel more comfortable.

“If we decide to watch this child grow up, we’ll be reminded of our dead child and it will be painful.”

“…….”

“But…….”

Karis looked at Kitty with warm eyes. Her body was skinny and small, but she was definitely a living being with warmth. With each breath, the child’s body swelled and then sank slightly.

Kitty mumbled hazily, twitching as she was stroked, probably dreaming. Her voice was so faint that it was hard to tell if she was talking in her sleep.

“Uung…… I don’t taste good. Just not the tail…….”

Her slender tail wagged slightly. The scar from where a part of it had been cut off was clear. Feeling sorry, Karis gently touched the end of her tail and murmured.

“It’ll be hard to pretend to be a wolf with a tail like this.”

“It’ll be dangerous for this child anywhere, so how about protecting her temporarily until she can be independent?”

Jackal’s words were unusually long. Karis could tell that he saw right through her.

She was afraid of the guilt she would feel when she thought of her dead daughter when accepting someone new into the family. Nevertheless, her heart ached at the sight of the lovely little one babbling in her sleep.

If that child had been born properly, if she had been able to watch her grow up, would she have felt like this? She wanted to wait and see the future of this little child together.

“……A temporary family.”

I’m happy but also scared of you, little paw.

She smiled without realizing it, rubbing the soft pink jelly paw [referring to the cat’s paw pads] and said.

“Then only until the outside world becomes a little less dangerous for this child.”

Karis said softly and hugged Kitty tighter. Jackal hugged Karis’s shoulders without saying a word.

Suddenly, she saw a resemblance between her appearance before the children were born, when she stroked her belly every morning with happiness, and her current appearance.

* * *

‘Umm…… cozy and warm.’

I rubbed my face against what I was lying on and snuggled deeper. It had been a long time since I had woken up naturally after a good night’s sleep.

The naps I took on the street had always left me more tired when I woke up. Today, I felt as light as a feather because I had eaten my fill and slept soundly.

Should I stretch for once!

Stretch―!

I stretched my legs, ears, and tail as much as I could. Mom said that stretching my whole body like this from time to time would help me grow taller.

It was then that I heard a seductive voice mixed with laughter from above my head.

“Baby. You look like you’re in a good mood.”

“Hick!”

I was so surprised that I raised my head. Karis was wearing indoor clothes and laughing at me.

‘That’s right, last night……!’

The fact that the Gridwolf couple had returned to the mansion, that I had taken a bath, and that I had fallen asleep in the hallway all came to mind in turn.

‘What’s going to happen from now on? Wait, more than that…….’

I lowered my head slightly and looked at my hand. Sure enough, I saw a grimy cotton ball [referring to her paw].

‘Oh my god. I’m a cat!’

Surprised, I wiggled my hands and feet, but Karis just smiled contentedly.

“Um, Karis. This appearance is, well…….”

“Sorry for laughing. It’s been a long time since I’ve held a baby wolf in my arms. As you’ve seen, Theo and Deon have grown up quite a bit, haven’t they?”

That’s a relief. She must think I look like a wolf.

Besides, she seemed to frown when she saw girls yesterday. I guess I look brave enough that she doesn’t see me as a girl my age.

‘I have to act mature from now on. To get revenge on Jerian, I have to stay in the mansion pretending to be a wolf until I can be independent.’

I cleared my throat and stood up. I was trying to get up with a haughty attitude, but Karis reached out to me.

“Your face fur is a mess from sleeping so long. Can I pet you a little?”

“Ah, yes, please do.”

I said politely and held out my face. I thought wolves would have rough touches, but Karis stroked me pleasantly.

Oh my, I shouldn’t like this like a child……

“Baby. Does it feel good?”

“Yes! That spot just now was very…… Kya―! Please do it a little more!”

“I’ll give you a foot massage too, so lie down here. Theo and Deon loved it when they were little.”

I love foot massages!

I lay on my back and stretched out all four paws so that my pink jelly [referring to her paw pads] was clearly visible. Some cats hate having their paws touched, but not me.

I don’t know why everyone hates it when it’s so refreshing when you press down on it. Karis also looked very happy while touching my paws.

“I was wondering why Deon called you Little Paw, but now I know. You have cute, soft, pink paws.”

“I’m glad you like them! I thought you hated my Little Paws yesterday.”

“I didn’t feel good because your hands were so skinny. I’ll give you a lot of delicious things from now on so you can get fatter.”

Is it because I heard it while getting a foot massage? I didn’t think that she might catch me and eat me if I got fat.

‘Besides, ‘from now on’……!’

My heart was pounding, but I decided not to show it because I would be disappointed if I expected too much first.

Karis massaged my four paws with care and was proud of me as I melted away.

……Oh no. I liked it too much like a child.

“Baby, shall we go eat? Everyone’s waiting.”

“Okay. And my name is Kittia.”

“Nickname is Tia?”

“I’d be happy if you called me Kitty.”

Karis repeated my nickname, Kitty, several times. I slipped into the blanket, transformed into my human form, and Karis picked me up.

I thought about it on the way to the dining room in Karis’s arms. What’s going to happen to me from now on?

What if she was originally going to kick me out yesterday, but she’s keeping me until today because I was so exhausted that I fell asleep? Could the words ‘from now on’ actually mean just one day?

‘Still, I should be grateful that I spent one day full and warm.’

The future became a little bleak.

It would be really nice if Gridwolf gave me a job, but the big wolves seem to think that I’m too small to work.

‘If not, are they going to adopt me as Theo and Deon said yesterday?’

I looked at my reflection in the window. I looked so different from Karis, who was holding me. The more time passes, the more it will become clear that I am different from the wolves.

‘It’s a problem even if they adopt me. Someday they’ll find out I’m a cat, and then I’ll have to leave the mansion.’

I had a lot of worries, but the savory and delicious smell made me stop thinking for a moment. I had already arrived at the dining room.

Theo, Deon, and Jackal were already sitting at the table.

“Little Paw, you’re safe!”

Deon, who had been drooping, shouted happily when he saw me. Theo also breathed a sigh of relief, saying he was glad.

I was seated on a slightly higher chair prepared between the two of them. They both looked very tired, as if they had been exercising since morning.

Theo whispered as he placed a napkin on my lap.

“I thought you had run away from home because you weren’t in your room. Or to another wolf…… ahem, anyway, I’m glad you’re safe.”

“I slept well. I’m sorry for making you worry.”

“Little Paw, we couldn’t sleep because we were worried about you, and we were called by Father for making Mother sad, and we ran around the training ground twenty times since morning, but you look refreshed?”

“Ahem.”

Jackal made a heavy sound, cutting off Deon’s grumbling. I felt it yesterday too, but Jackal was really a huge rock-like wolf.

How big would he be if he turned into a wolf? If we stood side by side, I would look like a thread of yarn.

I decided to eat quickly and grow up quickly. Just in time, the food came out.

“Warm mushroom cream soup topped with crispy grilled salmon pieces.”

My mouth watered at the chef’s explanation.

“Kitty. It’s hot, so eat slowly.”

“Mother, you’re calling Kittia Kitty?”

Deon was jealous and wary of Karis. But she just shrugged her eyebrows.

“I got permission from Kitty. Surely you wouldn’t call a lady by her nickname without permission, would you, Deon?”

“Tch…… Little Paw, let me call you that too.”

“Of course. You two are kind, after all.”

I felt good because Theo and Deon were happy even with trivial things. I was about to pick up a spoon and start eating when I felt a sharp gaze from across the table.

‘Wh-Why is Jackal staring at me like that?’

It was a scary gaze that seemed to be demanding something.