salem

Salem was enjoying his time on one of his favorite catnap spots—the sun-warmed stone of a garden wall along a sidewalk that offered enough foot traffic for him to get an appropriate amount of attention from passersby—when a black cat identical in appearance to himself happened to walk by. Like the true Narcissus he was, he couldn’t refrain from making a comment, “Hey, Handsome,” mostly to entertain himself and with no expectation of understanding or reply. Most cats didn’t talk back. At least not in English. When this one did, he blinked in surprise and then slowly stretched and jumped off the wall to approach the stranger. Ah, yes, there it was: the scent of magic. “Are you sure it wasn’t your imagination?” he replied, finding it impossible not to tease the other. He was curious enough to drop the bit immediately though, inquiring, “What are you in cat form for—punishment or pleasure?” the way one might ask another person what brings them to town.