Chapter 2: Bran and the Cat

Chapter 2: Bran and the Cat

Deep in his own world, Bran saw only the tortoiseshell-colored fur. He repeated in a more urgent voice, “Give it to me!”

At the Duke’s signal, the Knight gently placed the Lynx beside him. Bran was disappointed. He had felt this disappointment when the Knight lifted the Lynx from the horse, and this disappointment mixed with his old obsession, eventually showing as loss. The Lynx’s body was so huge, it simply couldn’t match the domestic cat from his memory. A single thought kept whispering in his heart, “So it’s not the one after all…”

This feeling of loss spread around him, everyone could sense the child’s disappointment. The Duchess hugged Bran tightly with a pained heart. At this moment, the Lynx’s nostrils flared ever so slightly, pulling Bran back to reality again. Bran broke free from his mother’s embrace, slowly crouched down, and placed a hand gently on the Lynx’s belly, as if trying to feel something. This was no illusion, it was still alive…

“Water!” Bran cried.

“Fetch water, quickly!” the Duke commanded.

A basin of water was placed beside Bran. Bran’s small hand gently stroked the Lynx’s chest and belly, then he looked up and said, “She’s going to be a mother…”

And now the Lynx’s breathing became more and more noticeable. The Duke and the Knight crouched beside Bran, seemingly concerned about the Lynx’s fate, but actually to prevent the Lynx from suddenly attacking. The Duke gently patted Bran’s shoulder and said, “She will live.”

“No,” Bran denied without looking up. “Her body is getting lighter.”

The Duke and the Knight exchanged a surprised glance.

The Lynx slowly opened its eyes. There was no struggle, no intent to harm, perhaps it no longer had the strength. Bran dipped his fingers in the water and gently brought them to its mouth. He could feel the Lynx’s soft tongue and the sheathed barbs scraping across his palm. That rough, scratchy feeling was so familiar. But the more familiar it felt, the clearer another thought became in Bran’s mind, uncontrollably: this was real, this world was real.

Those amber eyes finally brought Bran back to himself. Bran had seen this look before, it was the last brilliance life had to offer.

By evening, the Lynx with the tortoiseshell fur died, giving birth to three kittens before its death, two of which were stillborn. Bran took the only surviving cub and returned to his bedroom. At the dinner table that night, Bran clearly and firmly stated, “I want milk.”

Every word from a child who had been silent for years received his parents’ utmost support, so milk was considerately put in a bottle and placed beside Bran.

No one thought this cub would survive, but by now, this Lynx that had made Bran speak had become the focus of the Duke and Duchess’s attention. This cub had to live, or at least appear to live. Sneaking into Bran’s bedroom daily to check on the cub became routine for the Duke and Duchess. And a year later, the few extra cats scurrying around the Castle proved how well-prepared the Duke and Duchess had been…

Until four weeks later, Bran appeared in the dining room with a little kitten stumbling along behind him. This made the Duke and Duchess sigh with relief. The cub had stubbornly survived. Even though this made all their preparations pointless, it was at least a happy thing.

Under everyone’s gaze, Bran laboriously dragged a chair over, placed it beside him, then lifted the kitten onto the chair. Several times the Duke started to speak, but was stopped by the Madam’s stern look.

“You need to give the cat a name,” the Duchess said with a smile. “Let’s think, what would be a good name?”

Just as all the children at the table became interested, Bran’s voice came. “Huahua.”

The Madam asked, a little puzzled, “What did you say?”

Bran answered, “Her name is Huahua.”

Third Sister objected first, “She’s black, you can’t call her Huahua.”

Eldest Brother objected next, “You should give her a mighty name.”

Second Brother voiced support, “Right!”

Bran repeated again, “Huahua.”

Then he fell silent, and the whole World seemed to drift away from him once more.

…

In the end, with the Duchess’s strong support, the black cat Huahua entered the dining room and got her own special seat. The closing words were these. “So we all agree her name is Huahua.” The Madam swept a warning glance over her three older children. “Bran picked a good name, didn’t he?”

Under the Madam’s gaze, the three children voiced their support with great reluctance.

Then the Duchess looked at Bran and confirmed once more, “From now on her name is Huahua, right?”

Bran nodded, then gave the Madam a sweet smile.

Faced with this smiling face, the Madam felt her heart would melt…