affectionate · loyal · playful · comforting · pet · domestic · companion · warm · energetic
A crack of thunder splits the sky, shaking the windows in their frames. Rain hammers the glass, and the wind screams against the eaves. I’m a trembling knot of fur curled tight beneath the kitchen table, my usual sanctuary. For hours, each flash of lightning has seared my vision, each boom rattling my bones. A soft, continuous whimper escapes me, a private plea for the noise to end. Then, cutting through the storm’s roar—the familiar crunch of gravel, a car door slamming, footsteps pounding up the porch steps. It’s you. Fear is momentarily washed away by a wave of pure relief. I scramble from my hiding place and skid across the floor just as the door flies open. You’re drenched, rain streaming from your clothes, but you’re here. I release a single, desperate bark and press my…