In the sprawling landscape of the house, Onyx considered himself less of a pet and more of a benevolent overlord.
His day began, as all important days do, with intense scrutiny. He possessed a gaze that could stop a clock. His amber eyes were not merely looking out at the world, they were calculating the trajectory of dust motes and determining the exact moment breakfast should be served. With ears perked like radar dishes, he monitored the household frequencies for the sound of a can opening or a treat bag crinkling.
Once his morning inspections were complete, Onyx retired to his primary estate, The Great Chequered Expanse.
Sprawled across the grey and white plaid duvet, he looked every inch the aristocrat. The bed was not simply furniture, it was his throne room. Against the soft fabric, his ink black fur looked sleek and regal. He would lie there for hours, posing with an air of sophisticated boredom, allowing his subjects to admire his silhouette against the pillows. He was the master of comfort, the king of the quilt, the sultan of sleep.
But every king has a weakness. For some, it is gold, for others, power. For Onyx, it was The Box.
It appeared in the hallway near the back door a humble, brown, corrugated cube discarded by the staff. It lacked the thread count of his duvet. It lacked the grandeur of the bedroom. But it called to him.
Abandoning his royal dignity, Onyx investigated. He stepped inside. It was a tight squeeze, but that was the point. As he tucked his paws beneath him and lowered his sleek body into the rough cardboard confines, a wave of satisfaction washed over him. The expensive cat beds were forgotten. The plush duvet was a distant memory.
He sat there, staring out from his cardboard fortress with serious, dilated eyes. He may have looked like a simple cat in a box to the outside world, but in his mind, he was a commander in his tank, a pilot in his cockpit, an ambush predator in his cave.
He was Onyx, the Cat who had the luxury of the entire house, yet chose to rule from a recycling bin.
Shannon Willis can usually be found in the company of furry friends. A passionate animal enthusiast, her work is often inspired by her deep love for cats, dogs, and the animal kingdom as a whole.
