The next morning, the heavy fog of sleep slowly cleared away. I felt something warm and fluffy pressing against my cheek. A soft texture tickled my nose, making it itch so much that I had to roll over on the feather bed to escape it. I opened my eyes to the morning light filtering through the velvet curtains, and my breath caught in my throat.
Sitting right beside me on the rumpled sheets was a beautiful white cat. Its coat was as clean as fresh snow, and its bright eyes looked straight into mine. Before I could even understand what was happening, a familiar voice spoke inside my mind. [Thank you for the compliment, Host. I must agree, this form is a great upgrade from a floating ball of light.]
My eyes grew wide, and I turned quickly to look at the cat, my heart beating fast as I whispered his name. "Nero?"
The white cat offered a soft meow, stepping forward with grace before curling his tail around his paws.
