《Reincarnated as a Little Mackerel Tabby》


 Reincarnated as a Little Mackerel Tabby

    I open my eyes with a start.


    ¡°Good kitty!¡±


    A smiling woman giggles as she pets me with long strokes.


    I involuntarily scrunch my face and curve my small quadrupedal body. It¡¯s embarrassing, but there¡¯s something about being a cat that makes pets irresistible. It¡¯s strange; back when I was a human, I never liked bodily contact.


    That¡¯s right. I used to be human.


    It had been just another fall morning when a strange man burst out from my closet and stabbed me in the waist. Shocked, I struck back and tore the perpetrator¡¯s mask, getting a fleeting glance at his face. But that was all - I then fell to the floor and bled out. My sight fading, I could only glare out toward the invader¡¯s shadow and curse. Revenge. I need revenge!


    When I awoke, I was held up by two slender hands, staring into the smiling face of a cute blonde woman.


    ¡°Soooo cute!!!¡± She made an expression as if she had seen the most precious thing in the world. Slightly turning her head - ¡°Did you see, Molly? Did you see his little eyes flutter open?¡± And then to me - ¡°Little one, your name is Rudy. Got it, Rudy? I¡¯m your mama, Jessica!¡±


    I was completely befuddled. Did I cross over? Was this woman named Jessica the gatekeeper?


    But over time, I discovered that somehow, I didn¡¯t fully pass on, but was reborn as one of three mackerel tabby kittens in Molly¡¯s cat Tamara¡¯s litter. At first sight, Jessica had (apparently) fallen in love with me, so she took me home.


    At Jessica¡¯s home, I spent the first few days in a daze. What was this? I was now a cat?


    However, as Jessica showered me with more and more affection, I started to enjoy it. She would feed and brush me three times a day, and best of all - pet and cuddle me constantly! Soon enough, I looked forward to every time Jessica came back home.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°Murr¡­¡±


    I purr softly, squirming my body in pleasure. Jessica¡¯s skilled hand strokes behind my ears and down my neck.


    But it¡¯s over too soon. Jessica takes her hand away and laughs. ¡°You love it, don¡¯t you Rudy?¡±


    ¡°Murr¡­ Murr¡­¡± I beg with my paws for her to continue, but she shakes her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m busy today, Rudy,¡± she gives a slight sigh, lightly patting my head and smiling warmly. ¡°But I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here. I don¡¯t know why, but something¡¯s been giving me the creeps lately¡­ feels like someone¡¯s watching me. Please protect me, huh Rudy?¡±


    I stare back with worry. It seems like Jessica is distressed.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    At night, I¡¯m awakened by a light tapping sound.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    I open my eyes, my feline eyes granting me clear vision throughout the dark house. Within moments, I¡¯m sure something¡¯s wrong. Someone¡¯s there, and it¡¯s not Jessica. The steps are too heavy, too purposeful.


    Silently getting up off my sleeping cushion and treading toward the sound, I get a bad feeling. The sound is coming from Jessica¡¯s room!


    Tap¡­ tap¡­ the footsteps get louder.


    I speed up and rush into Jessica¡¯s room, and then see it - the silhouette of an invader. Spotting his face, I freeze.


    It¡¯s that guy, the person who murdered me that day! He¡¯s now trying to murder Jessica?


    ¡°RAWR!!!¡± I leap toward the invader¡¯s leg and get a clean bite on his leg.


    ¡°AHHHH!!!¡± The man screams loudly. He flails his leg, trying to get me off. ¡°Damned cat!¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡± Jessica wakes up and looks around frantically. ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡±


    ¡°GET OFF!!!¡± The man screams repeatedly, battering me with his bare knuckles. But I take the hits and hold on. I must protect Jessica, and get my revenge!


    ¡°Rudy¡­!¡± Jessica instantly realizes what¡¯s happening. Letting her vision adjust, she grabs her metal-framed lamp and throws it toward the flailing figure.


    BASH!


    It hits the invader in the head, knocking him out. He crumples to the floor.


    ¡°Murr...¡±


    I finally let go of my bite, utterly exhausted. The man had beaten me black and blue. However, I felt a sense of victory. I had protected Jessica!


    ¡°Oh Rudy!!!¡± Jessica rushes over and holds me tenderly. ¡°Rudy, you protected me! What a good boy!¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-


    A week later. The perpetrator is arrested and thrown in jail.


    Jessica scratches me behind my ears and giggles. ¡°Oh Rudy, what a good kitty! I knew you would protect me.¡±


    I purr contently. Maybe, just maybe, the life of a cat isn¡¯t so bad.