A dark figure crept up the bed and gently sat on the boy's heaving chest. He screamed and jumped to his feet. He felt a sticky liquid under his toes. Blood? he thought, was it blood?

He ran towards the door and pushed it open. Bright moonlight poured into the hut, illuminating the dark beast, who had curled up on the bed. The beast had bright yellow eyes and long white whiskers, but the rest of him was the colour of a moonless night.

The sticky liquid was the milk he hadn't sold that day, probably spoiled by now. The boy let out a laugh of relief, just a cat, he thought.

He sat beside the cat and gently stroked its head. The cat purred loudly.

"I was hiding in the darkness"

Said the boy, staring into the eyes of the animal.

"Do you want to hide along with me?"

The cat purred in response, rubbing his cheek against the boy's hand.

The boy slept peacefully, with the cat curled up near his head. He didn't feel the absence of grandma that night.