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As soon as the afternoon light appeared beyond the frame, a tiny figure froze in place, staring at me with amber, slitted eyes. Its backhairs arched slightly as its tail curled down. After a few seconds, it calmed, and its orange fur seemed to deflate in the cool September breeze.

“Why, hello there, Al,” I said with a gentle smile. Yes, that is what I decided to call him, after the late Doctor Comethoof himself. “You're hear early today. Is nocturnal living getting lonely? Hmm?”

The cat stared back at me, still as a statue, its ears flicking curiously. Most of the dish outside was empty, but that wasn't because he had eaten so much of it. I had only filled a little bit of it that morning; it was all part of the plan.

“I've got more where that came from, y'know,” I said. I scooted forward and gently pushed the bowl towards the door-frame. “Should be just as... uh... meaty as the rest of the stuff,” I remarked.

“Al” looked at my bowl, at me, then at the bowl again. After several pensive seconds, he returned to the dish that was already in front of him and resumed crunching the tiny morsels between his teeth.



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