Transition

Thirty minutes later, Ethan slowly stirred awake. As his eyes fluttered open, he was greeted by a bright blue sky overhead. For a moment, he was disoriented, trying to piece together what had happened. "What happened to me?" he murmured, feeling a dull ache in his body as he shifted on the ground. His arm brushed against something soft, and when he looked over, he froze.

Two kittens—one black, one white—were curled up next to him, fast asleep. Ethan's eyes widened in surprise as he sat up, glancing from the tiny creatures to the remnants of the broken eggshells nearby. "Did these kittens come from there?" he whispered to himself, still trying to wrap his head around the bizarre series of events.

The sudden movement disturbed the kittens, who slowly opened their eyes. They looked up at Ethan with a sleepy, almost annoyed gaze, as if to say, You woke us up.

Ethan scratched his head, feeling a pang of guilt. He thought back to what Leo, the strange cat-man, had told him. Take care of them, he had said. But what did that even mean? What was he supposed to do with two magical kittens that apparently hatched from eggs? He sighed, feeling the weight of responsibility settle over him. "What am I going to do with you two?" he muttered under his breath.

The kittens didn't make a sound, simply watching him with wide, curious eyes. Ethan hesitated for a moment, then gently scooped them up into his arms. They didn't resist, almost as if they understood his intentions. He felt their tiny bodies relax against him, and as he cradled them, he couldn't help but smile. "Good boys," he murmured, then paused, frowning slightly. "Or girls… I guess I'll figure that out later."

With the kittens nestled in his arms, Ethan made his way home, his thoughts swirling with the surreal events of the day. By the time he reached his apartment, everything felt like a distant dream. He placed the kittens in a cardboard box lined with an old towel and set it down in his bedroom. After pouring some milk into a small dish, he crouched next to them and gently petted their heads. The kittens blinked up at him, their eyes glowing faintly, but they didn't make a sound. Ethan shook his head, still marveling at how cooperative they were.

After a quick shower, Ethan returned to his room to find the kittens fast asleep. He sat on the edge of his bed, watching them for a moment. "I guess I should name you," he said, thinking aloud. He pointed to the black kitten first. "You'll be Shadow," he decided, and then turned to the white one. "And you… you'll be Oliver."

A small smile tugged at the corners of Ethan's mouth. Naming them made everything feel a little more real. With that settled, he climbed into bed, exhaustion finally catching up to him. As he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, Shadow and Oliver stirred.

Oliver yawned, blinking at Shadow. "We finally found a master!" he whispered excitedly, his tail twitching.

Shadow, however, seemed less enthusiastic. He shut his eyes and muttered, "Oliver, go to sleep. Tomorrow is a long day."

"But—"

"Sleep," Shadow insisted.

Oliver pouted but reluctantly curled back up, closing his eyes. Within moments, his tiny snores filled the room. Shadow remained awake for a few more minutes, his thoughts heavy. Finally, the master has appeared, he thought with relief. I thought we'd never find him. He glanced over at Ethan's sleeping form, then closed his own eyes, content for the first time in what felt like ages.

The next morning, Ethan woke to a strange noise echoing through his apartment. Groggy and disoriented, he rubbed his eyes and groaned, not quite ready to face the day. As his vision cleared, he froze.

Shadow and Oliver were sitting on his bed, watching him intently. Ethan blinked, certain he must still be dreaming. "What are you two doing in my bed?" he asked, half expecting silence in return.

To his shock, Oliver spoke. "Master, we're newborns. We can't be away from you for too long."

Ethan's eyes widened in horror, and his heart nearly stopped. "What?!" he gasped, his voice cracking. He looked from Oliver to Shadow, hoping he had somehow imagined it all.

But Shadow only nodded solemnly in agreement. "He's right."

Ethan's breath caught in his throat, and in his panic, he scrambled backward, tumbling off the bed. "What the hell is this?!" he shouted, his hands flailing as he tried to regain his balance. As he hit the floor, a sudden burst of energy surged from his palm, shooting across the room and shattering the lamp on his nightstand.

Shards of glass scattered across the floor as Ethan stared, wide-eyed, at his hand. "What… what was that?" he whispered, his voice trembling. What just came out of my hand?

The kittens, unfazed by the chaos, simply watched him with their shifting eyes, as if knowing something Ethan did not. Something far bigger than either of them could understand.