Dumaguete mourned.
The creature community gathered at the community center, filling every space, spilling into the streets. They came to honor Anino—the cat who'd protected their leader for fifty years, the father who'd sacrificed himself for his daughter.
Glad sat at the front, numb.
Ariel held her hand. Kim sat on her other side. The council members surrounded them, a wall of support.
"We gather," Congressman Diomedes spoke, "to remember a hero. Anino—Anselmo—whatever name he chose, whatever form he took—was a guardian. A protector. A father."
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd.
"He gave up everything for love. His size, his strength, his very nature—all to stay close to the daughter he couldn't save from darkness. And in the end, that love saved us all."
Glad's tears fell freely.
"He didn't just protect Gladys. He protected our community. He attacked the drone that first exposed her—setting in motion everything that followed. He stole evidence from a corrupt politician. He stood against an ancient evil. And when it mattered most, he gave his life so others could live."
Silence.
Then, one by one, creatures began to speak.
"He helped me when I first arrived," a young duwende shared. "Showed me around. Made me feel welcome."
"He sat with me when I was lonely," an elderly wakwak added. "Just a cat, purring. But it helped."
"He was always there," another said. "Watching. Protecting. Loving."
Glad listened, and slowly, the numbness began to thaw.
Anino hadn't just been her guardian.
He'd been part of this community.
Part of all of them.
"We'll honor him," she whispered, finding her voice. "We'll build something. A garden. A sanctuary. Something beautiful, where creatures can sit and remember."
"Perfect," Kim said softly.
The meeting ended with a moment of silence—the whole community, human and creature alike, standing together in memory of a cat who'd been so much more.
That night, Glad sat alone on her balcony.
The stars seemed brighter. The moon seemed closer.
"Thank you, Dad," she whispered. "For everything."
A breeze rustled past—warm, gentle, almost like a purr.
She smiled through her tears.
He was still with her.
He always would be.