An Unusual Token of Love
    
The cat trotted home. Rosy fingers of dawn peeked over the horizon as he made his way back to his humans. Such odd creatures they were, he mused, his prize dangling from his jaws. So gangly, walking awkwardly on two legs. As different as they were from him, though, he hoped that they would enjoy his gift.
    
A car suddenly honked, frightening several birds that had been roosting in a tree above. A house door opened and abruptly slammed shut. Some dog barked, perhaps trying to wake its owners. The cat walked past this with indifference, disregarding the hectic events of other less dignified creatures.
    
Finally, he reached his home. It was a familiar sight after hunting away all night. The cat dropped his load and then set up a most piteous yowl. When nobody came running, he did it again.
    
This time there was a pounding of footsteps from inside the house, quickly followed by an opening of a door. A sleepy-eyed face appeared, framed by strands of fur.
    
“Thomas?” his human exclaimed. “What are you doing outside?”
    
“Meow,” said the cat named Thomas.
    
The eyes grew wider. . . . “Is that a mouse?”
    
Thomas sat up straighter and twitched his whiskers, waiting for the human to pick up his gift. He purred in confirmation.
    
And she did, but only to throw the mouse into the street. “Oh, Thomas, you know we can’t bring that into the house. It’s really dirty.”
    
That had been a wonderful present! Thomas flattened his ears and glared at the mostly furless creature in front of him, but she didn’t seem to notice. Instead, she scooped him up and scratched him between the ears, a place she knew he liked to be scratched. Instantly, Thomas almost forgave her. Almost.
    
“I appreciate it, I really do, but Mom would freak out,” the she-human told him. She carried him inside. “Want some catnip?”
    
Thomas meowed in agreement, then jumped onto a table while the human went to get his catnip. Such strange creatures they were, yes, but he loved them all the same.