"That cat was probably someone's pet before," Henry guessed, eyeing the orange feline. "Must've spent a lot of time around people. Then after it mutated, its brain got a boost—now it can understand some human speech."
Ethan nodded, agreeing with the theory. He crouched down and looked the orange cat in the eye. "So what are you saying? You want us to let you go… and you'll be our pet?"
The orange cat bobbed its head quickly, eyes bright with intent.
"And why the hell should I trust you?" Ethan asked, skeptical but intrigued. "What if I let you go and you bolt?"
Truth be told, he really did want a pet like this. It'd be a hell of an asset. But if loyalty wasn't guaranteed, it wasn't worth the risk.
The cat seemed to think for a moment, then lifted its head. That's when they noticed the small bell around its neck.
Because the cat had grown so much in size, the bell had been buried deep in its fur, cinched tight. None of them had seen it before.
