Atop the obsidian throne, nestled in a coiled pose, lay a small golden-furred cat.
She looked deceptively ordinary, no bigger than a housecat, with sleek fur that shimmered like gold. Her chest rose and fell rhythmically, soft purrs echoing faintly through the vast, silent chamber. The grand palace hall stood motionless, guarded by nothing but darkness and stillness.
Her long tail twitched once.
Then again.
The heavy doors creaked open.
A humanoid figure stepped in, moving with quick, padded steps. She had the shape of a woman, clad in a tight crimson dress woven from silk and obsidian thread. But her head, paws, and digitigrade legs were purely feline—coated in short white fur with black stripes. Her golden feline eyes glowed faintly in the dim candlelight.
The maid knelt immediately before the throne, bowing her head low to the polished floor. "Your Majesty…"
The cat's ears flicked. A single eye peeled open lazily.
