I paced back and forth in my bedroom, half agitated and half despairing. Why did I feel all alone, all of a sudden? I thought, pausing in front of my paper-strewn desk. Why, even though I was accepted...
"Are you all right, Mi?" Kalen poked her head into the room. Startled out of my reverie, I looked around at her.
"You just seemed really tired when you got in."
"Oh, it's nothing...thanks Kal." I bit my lip. Should I tell Kal what was bothering me right now? I leaned back against my desk, shuffling a few papers out of the way. "I was just...thinking."
Kalen made a 'that's nothing new' face. "Do you wanna tell me about it?"
"Well..." I sighed. "Yes and no." She gestured towards the bed. "It's kind of personal.
You wanna sit down? It's kind of long, too."
"Heck, yes. I'm your 'mother', remember?"
"Well... that's what I want to talk about." I looked down at my nails. "I was wondering...if you knew anything about my real parents."
"I'm not exactly the best person to ask. Have you tried God?"
Now why didn't I think of that? And why, while I was freezing on the streets, didn't I ask Him? Call it survival getting in the way. I got up off the desk, and paced towards the window, a frown creasing my forehead.
Maybe Kalen smelled my resentment - one of the downsides of having a lioness for a roommate.
"Hey, don't be angry. I often try to use my own resources." She scratched her cheek almost thoughtfully.
"Maybe we could ask around that orphanage..."
I shuddered. I never, never wanted to go back to that place. "Around there..."
"Let me ask you a question. When did you first know you were part cat?"
"I... it started when I got upset one time. All of a sudden, I started purring like crazy."
Kalen looked thoughtful for a moment. "Lions can't purr, you know. I don't know why; maybe God forgot
to give them the ability."
"God, huh..." The corner of my lips lifted up in a bitter smile. "I shouldn't really doubt Him, I know, but..."
"We're only half human, you know. Actually, I think the proportion is smaller." Kalen got up to pace. "Genetics are very tricky. I think, though, that if we were more cat, we'd look like them."
"I sort of have a tail, in case you've forgotten." A cricket sang from somewhere in the dark. I felt a memory prodding on the edge of my conscious mind. Did I ever go outside and try to catch crickets?
"Hey, do you want to visit Sula? It's been a while since we last saw her."
I immediately perked up. "Really?"
"Yeah, really. Come on, get your jacket. We're off to visit Sula!"
