The silence in the house was only disturbed by the soft breathing of the sleeping baby and the barely audible sound of my claws against the tatami mats.
Hunger had driven me to cut my episode short and eat properly. Then, I felt the need to rest.
Lying not far from the extinguished hearth, I kept a distracted eye on Itachi, who was sitting cross-legged with an open book in front of him.
Of course, I couldn't understand a word of what he was reading. But his gaze was calm and focused.
Even though I would've preferred to be elsewhere, in another body, and in a world where children didn't massacre their families "for the good of the village," I had to admit there was something comforting about the atmosphere.
I lifted my head slightly at a noise coming from the entrance.
A step. Then another.
A voice.
"I'm home."
The voice stirred something in me. A strange feeling of déjà vu.
The door slid open. A silhouette stepped into the room. I looked up.
She wore a long dark coat, her hair flowing over her shoulders like a cascade, and she carried several bags at her hip.
"Everything went well, Itachi?"
"Yes, Mother. Sasuke woke up while you were away, so I fed him."
"Thank you, I can always count on you."
She reached out and gently ruffled his hair. Then her eyes landed on me.
"Oh? He's finally awake?" She noticed the empty bowl beside me and added: "I see you've already fed him."
"Yes… but even so, he doesn't seem to like me much…"
"I suppose it's just the first contact. He ate, that's a good start. You'll grow closer with time."
She walked over to me and slowly knelt by my side. I still hadn't moved.
When she gently extended her hand, I felt my body tense reflexively.
But she didn't come closer. I was so focused on her open palm that I didn't notice her other hand coming to pet me.
The moment I felt the touch, she locked me in a firm grip—not painful, but inescapable. Realizing resistance was futile, I stayed still.
Then she began to stroke me slowly. Before I even realized it, I was purring. And even once she released me, I didn't move.
I eventually relaxed completely, in a state close to sleep.
Itachi watched us with curiosity.
"You're really good with cats."
"I had one when I was younger. Has he been awake long?"
"He woke up shortly after you left," Itachi replied calmly, closing his book.
"Hmm, I see."
"Mother?"
"Yes, Itachi?"
"In a few days, I'll have to return to the academy. What should I do with him?"
"You could take him with you."
Itachi stayed silent at her response.
"Or, if that's not possible, I can take care of him."
"So he's staying here?"
"Yes. Your father has agreed, after all."
Half-asleep, I only listened to their conversation with one ear.
"If he's better before your break ends, take him to get a collar. That way we can find him if he runs off later. Young cats have that pesky tendency…"
She pulled her hand away, interrupting the petting. Instinctively, I rubbed my head against her palm.
"Oh?" she said with a soft laugh.
Her laughter brought me back to reality, and I realized what I had just done.
I immediately pulled away.
"How cute," she added with a smile.
No need to rub it in, I thought, as my tail twitched despite myself.
Suddenly, a crystalline chime echoed in my mind:
Choice Quest: "A New Home?"Option 1: Accept your place in this house.Reward:Blaze (Ability)Option 2: Reject it and flee at the first opportunity.Reward:Run Away (Ability)
I slowly blinked.
Did I just unlock a domestication quest?
I closed my eyes to calm myself and considered my options.
Stay and get adopted = free food and a warm place to sleep.Run = survive alone and potentially die from bad luck… or worse, be used as a sacrifice in a substitution jutsu.
Yeah, that was an easy choice. My pride could take the hit.
And besides, Blaze is essential for any respectable Fire-type starter.
The rest of the day went by without much incident.
Mikoto busied herself in the kitchen, Itachi returned to his book, and I… did what any good feline would do: napped in a warm spot, one ear always alert.
At some point, the door opened again.
I slightly lifted my head, ears swiveling toward the entrance, while staying in a relaxed position.
"Mikoto? I'm back."
The deep, calm, yet authoritative voice immediately broke the peaceful atmosphere.
Fugaku Uchiha had arrived.
He removed his sandals and placed them carefully, as always, then stepped into the room. His gaze silently scanned the space, pausing briefly on me.
I couldn't help but meet his eyes. He hadn't activated his Sharingan, but even without it, there was something in his gaze… a natural pressure.
Mikoto greeted him with a smile.
"You're home earlier than expected."
"The meeting was cut short. The Hyūga had a disagreement to settle."
He approached Itachi and placed a brief hand on his shoulder.
"You're taking good care of your mother and brother."
"Yes, Father."
Mikoto then spoke again:
"Itachi, go get Sasuke from the bedroom. It's time for him to wake up."
Her gaze returned to me. More insistent this time.
"So this is the cat?"
"Yes," Mikoto answered. "I found him. He was freezing. Itachi fed him, and I think he's starting to get used to us."
I had sat up as Fugaku approached. I felt a strange weight descend upon me. A soft chime echoed faintly in my ear.
And suddenly, I no longer saw Fugaku in front of me, but an immense creature cloaked in an overwhelming aura.
I trembled despite myself.
Fugaku knelt down. His hand reached toward me. Slowly.
"He's very calm."
"He seems afraid of you. That's odd. Animals usually like you."
"Hold on a second, I'll try something."
In the next instant, the terrifying aura lessened drastically. But I could still feel it—just more bearable.
Finally free of the pressure, I slipped behind Mikoto, who burst out laughing.
Looking at the spot I had just left, I saw Fugaku still watching me, his hand outstretched.
Faced with Mikoto's laughter, he gave a small cough, a gesture almost embarrassed. Surprising from such a stern man. Then he said:
"This cat seems to have extremely keen perception. With that, he could make a good companion for Itachi—even on missions. He'd be a good partner."
Itachi then returned, carrying Sasuke. As soon as the baby began to whimper, I clamped my paws over my ears. I hadn't forgotten the pain from the first time.
"Itachi."
"Yes, Father?"
"What's his name?"
"His name?"
"If he's staying here, he'll need a name. He's no longer a stray. From today on, he's under our roof. Don't forget to buy him a collar, too."
A collar? I'm fine with living here, but let's not go too far—I'm not a dog.
I glanced at the window. It had started snowing again, lightly this time.
"It's up to you to name him, Itachi."
"Very well, Father."
The family then gathered for dinner. I got my own portion.
After the meal, I took advantage of a quiet moment to reopen my status screen. I was certain I had received a notification earlier.
[Current Status]
Name : Unknown
Species : Litten ♀
Level : 5
Nature : Timid
Ability : Blaze
Status : Wild
Evolution condition: Level 17 (additional conditions not met)
[Known Moves] :
Scratch – Normal – Physical
Growl – Normal – Status
Tail Whip – Normal – Status
Odor Sleuth – Normal – Status
[Active Quests] :
Quest: Adapt to your new body
Reward: Understanding of the Force
"Yes. Your father has agreed, after all."
Itachi seemed thoughtful. He approached and crouched to my level, studying me intently.
"I don't know what to call him…"
He looked almost embarrassed.
"You don't have to name him right away. You have time."
I looked up at her. Time, huh…
I then thought about the fate that awaited this family.
Shaking my head, I laid back down.I wonder what kind of name I'll end up with… I've always been terrible at naming things, and my old name doesn't fit anymore... ♀ … Ugh…