I had just woken up, it was Friday, I stood up and went to the bathroom, my usual routine. As I started to freshen up, Lory ran into the bathroom, “I need to pee.”

I chuckled, “At least this time you did not bump into me.” I continued freshening up, “Riley will be here some time after dinner. Do you have work today?”

“Yes, I need to work until five PM. There are many customers, including the vet.”

“Huh, that was fast. What do you want me to cook tonight?”

“Pasta.”

“Of course, I am going to prepare some breakfast.”

“Thanks darling. Don’t forget your crocs.”

“Oh, thanks,” I picked up my crocs and gave her a kiss.

She sighed, “It is just strange you do that when I am peeing, not that I mind” I laughed while walking away. As I walked into the kitchen and set some coffee, and tea. Lory probably wants another of those weird wraps.

It did not take long for Lory to walk into the kitchen. She sat down and yawned, “I am tired.”

I looked at her, “Why don’t you stay home for the day, let one of your employees do the work?”

Lory shook her head, “I rather be there myself, but thanks for caring.”

I put the plate with the wrap on it in front of her. “One monster wrap for you. Just, don’t steal my sandwich this time.”

She chuckled, “Or, did your sandwich just walk away?”

“Yeah, it went green and grew legs.”

Lory laughed loudly, “Then I would not want to eat it.”

“Oh, so, I just need to paint my sandwich.”

Lory nodded, “With pickles.”

“Please god, don’t put pickles on my sandwich.” After making the sandwich, I sat down and opened the laptop, checking for email. “Oh, I got an answer from New News.”

Lory shook her head, “The name is still stupid.”

“Thanks, I agree.”

“Oh my god, what have I done?”

Lory looked at me, “What is wrong?”

“Look at this!”

Lory turned the laptop and started reading out loud. “We love your article, it is going on the front page. Bobcat hero saved the day by chasing the dogs away. At day, he recruits cats to fight the dogs, at night, he smokes catnip. He has fought many battles, but the cats keep following him, and together. They have driven out the dogs who are annoying people and poop everywhere. Bobcat tells his cats, to bury their poop. We all have found a local hero in Bobcat, he will not let us down, he will stop the dog invasion.” Lory looked at me, “Steve?”

“Yes?”

“What the fuck did you write?”

“Well, I made the Bobcat a hero.”

Lory just stared at me, “I know you sometimes go a bit off the deep end with your articles. You earned a lot of cash with that in your previous job. But, this is a new deep end. What were you smoking when you wrote this?”

“Nothing?”

“It just, came to me. Bobcat, the catnip smoking hero.”

Lory let her head fall on the table, next to her plate. “And I am going to marry this idiot.”

“Hey, at least you love this idiot, there is that.”

Lory chuckled, “yes, I do love you, but your mind is weird.”

“Thanks, Lory, I love you too.”

She lifted her head, “I will get dressed, what are your plans for today?”

“To be honest, I don’t know yet. Maybe I will look for Bobcat the hero and ask him for his input.”

Lory laughed and walked away, “Good luck with talking to a cat.”

“Hey, I talk to a wolf every day.”

She turned around, “Just talking then?”

I gasped, “You won’t.” She chuckled and walked to the bathroom.

I tried to grab my sandwich to take a bite, that is when I noticed, it had left my plate. “Lory!?”

I just heard laughter coming from the bathroom. “I barely took one bite from that sandwich! Fine, what are my plans for today?” Maybe I will really look for that Bobcat. Then again, what is it going to say? Meow? However, if I get a nice shot from the Bobcat, then I can send in the photo for some extra cash. It would just be for the fun of looking for Bobcat, I can see him in my mind already. Sitting there on a throne made by the other cats. Giving out orders, I chuckled in myself. Time to get dressed, I have a Bobcat to find.

When I walked into the bathroom, I looked at Lory, “Do you still have some of my sandwich left?”

She just looked at me, “What sandwich?”

I sighed, “I am going to get dressed, I am going hunting for Bobcat.”

Lory chuckled, “You’re joking, right?”

“Not at all.”

Lory rolled her eyes, “I knew you were an idiot. But, you are my idiot.”

“That is true. Good luck at work today, honey.”

“Thanks darling, good luck with wandering around and finding nothing.”

“Oh, I have a plan!”

She gave me a kiss, “See you tonight, darling.”

“I will have the pasta ready!” After I had gotten dressed, I took my reserve jacket, my other one needed to get repaired. This one is not black but more blue. It will, just, have to do. Then I walked outside, on my way to the market.

After a while of walking, I came to the market. I did notice, countless wild cats as I walked to the market. I bought a fish, a raw one, since Lory ate my sandwich, I bought some fried fish. After I had finished eating, I went into the alleyways. Everywhere I looked, cats. Tabby cats, gray cats, black cats. They started meowing at me as I held the raw fish. “Where in fuck’s sake did you all come from?”

They started rubbing against my leg. “Oh my god, they are going to kill me.” When I looked down, it was not that bad. It is just hard to get through the horde of cats. “Bobcat?” I kept walking through the horde, “Bobcat!?”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

After a few turns in the dark alleyway, I came across a door. It is made from cat furniture. “Just, what the fuck?”

I opened the door, and there I found him. The Bobcat, he had orange fluffy fur. The cats walked over to him and sat down next to him. I scratched my head, “Megan told me that the Bobcat is making these alleyways his territory, but she did not say this thing can order cats to build a den, with a throne made of stolen wood.” Quickly, I grabbed my camera and shot a picture. “Does Bob want a fish?”

“Yes, I want the fish, that is why I let you find me.”

I blinked a couple of times and let it sink in for a moment, then I shrugged, “Fine, a talking cat, I can live with that. I got an idea. Hold on Bob.”

I pulled out my smartphone and I called Lory. After a few rings, she picked up, “what is going on, Steve?”

“Hold on, I am sending you a picture.” After sending the picture, I waited for a response from Lory.

She suddenly gasped, “You actually found him, and why is he sitting on a throne?”

“How should I know that?”

“I bought a fish on the market and the cats led me to him. There are hundreds of them, do you seem them sitting in the picture?”

“Yes, Steve, just what did you get yourself into this time?”

“Oh, Lory, you have not heard the best part yet. Bob? If you want the fish, tell Lory you can talk.” I held up my smartphone towards him.

Bob started licking his paws, “Meow, I am a cat, and it is my birthday, I want that fish, since I am a birthday cat.”

I put the phone back to my ear. “Steve?”

“Yes?”

“That was a horrible impression of a cat.” I sighed and pushed the video call button. I looked at Lory drinking a cup of tea. “That was not me, it was Bob.”

She chuckled, “Nice try.”

I looked at Bob, “Don't get scared now, but this is Lory.” I showed Bob the smartphone. He used his paw to beckon me closer, and the cats moved aside for me. When I stood next to him, he continued licking his paw.

“Your name is Lory? You seem, like a dog person. Tell me, whose side are you on? Choose wisely, or your mate might die with a thousand cuts of these sharp claws.”

I heard Lory speak in shock, “Holy fuck, it actually speaks. What is that thing?”

Bob answered, “That is not an answer. Mates, floor him, show her, we are serious.”

I looked around me at the cats coming closer, “What? But I have the fish.”

He snatched it out of my hands, along with the smartphone. The cats started charging at me, “I cannot hurt them.”

It took seconds for them to throw me down on the floor. “Bob! Why do you have thumbs!?”

“Because, I am, the Bob!”

I felt one of the cats put nails on my throat. Bob jumped on top of me and showed me the smartphone. “Lory!?”

“Steve, what do I do?”

“Tell the fucking Bob you like cats!”

“Oh, Bob?”

He turned the smartphone, “Yes?”

Lory cleared her throat, “I like cats, I love them. If I could, I would adopt you. You see, I might have wolf attributes, but I really love cats.”

Bob made a gesture and the nails removed from my throat. “You heard it, this woman has invited me into her home. I shall travel back with this human to his abode.”

Lory spoke up, “What?”

“You just said, you would love to adopt me. Thus, I am going with him. Your home, is now my home.” He hung up the phone.

“What!? I was not done speaking with her.”

“Yes, you are, we are going to our home. Dimpa, you are the one in charge.” I slowly got up as the cats climbed off me. Bob handed me my smartphone. I brushed off the dirt off my jacket. We stared at each other. Bob spoke up, “Lead me to my new home, then we can discuss what objects I need, meow.”

I sighed and started walking away, Bob followed me with his tail straight up, he had a little curl at the end of his tail. I heard my smartphone ring, I looked at Bob, he nodded. Slowly I picked it up, “Hello darling, I am fine.”

She let out a sigh of relief. “Thank god, I told you, you should not start looking for Bob.”

“We have a pet now, honey. It chose us. No, wait, you adopted Bob.”

“What, I adopted Bob? You found him.”

“Yeah, but you said, I want to adopt you.”

“Steve?”

“Yes?”

“We can talk about this when you get home.” She hung up. It did not take long for me, scratch that, us, to get home.

Bob looked around, “This is my home now?”

“Yes, it is, you are going to eat standard cat food.”

Bob stared at me, “Only the best brand, or Bob,” he unsheathed his nails, “I Will watch you sleep.”

“Fine, we should pick up some cat items, like a cat tree, a kitty litter and-” Bob walked away. I sighed, “Where are you going?”

He walked over to the toilet and used it. “What, that is not your toilet, Bob!”

He stared at me, “There is no kitty loo yet.”

“But,”

he held up his paw, “Let a cat use the loo in peace, please.”

“Fine, I am getting my car keys. We are leaving, once you are done on the loo.”

I sighed as I walked to the kitchen and Lory walked inside. “Steve?”

“Yeah, I am here.”

She walked over and hugged me, “I apologize for snapping at you. Where is Bob?”

“He is on the loo?”

“What?”

“Yeah, we have no kitty loo yet. We need a huge cat toilet, though.”

Lory sighed, “If you pick up the items, then I am fine with Bob staying here.”

He walked into the room, as if he lived here. Well, he did now. “That is right, Lory, you are my master, and so is Steve. You will get me, whatever I need.”

Lory looked at me, “We have a talking cat.”

I smiled, “And a talking wolf.”

She chuckled, “Fine, you made me laugh.” She gave me a kiss. “I need to get back to work, please remember the pasta, and make sure the beer is cold.”

“I will do that, Lory.” She walked away and glanced over her shoulder and smiled at me, “I love you.”

I smiled back at her, “I love you too.”

Bob sighed, “I am not quite there yet, but who knows, maybe in the future.”