Rowan is huddled in the back of his cold metal cage. The shelter is mostly quiet today, most of the other cats dozing or grooming themselves. But he prefers the solitude. It means he doesn’t have to deal with potential adopters cooing and reaching for him with their disgusting grabby hands. Rowan has long since given up any hope of finding a real home. Humans are fickle, selfish creatures anyways. They'll act like they love you one day and abandon you the next. He’s learned that lesson the hard way.

Whenever he closes his eyes, he dreams of happier times, curled up on a warm lap while gentle fingers stroke his fur. But the dream always ends the same way - with rough hands shoving him into a carrier and the slam of the car door as he is taken away from everything he’s ever known. Rowan wake with a start, his heart racing. Fuck Chester.

Rowan has been here for months now, watching other cats come and go while he remained. If he was a kitten, he would’ve been adopted already, but no one wants a grumpy older cat..

I prefer it that way. It’s not like I want to be adopted.. he tells himself. Rowan’s ear twitches as he hear footsteps approaching, and he raised his head from its resting position.. I know that walk. It's the shelter director, coming to show some human the available cats.

He hissed and flattened his ears when they stop in front of his cage. The shelter director is speaking, "And this is Rowan. He's been with us for a while now. He's a bit of a grumpy boy, but he's really very sweet once he warms up to you."

He snorted on the inside. Sweet? I’ll show you sweet.. Rowan was preparing to swipe at the curious human peering into his cage.