She was a lump under the blankets again—just a quiet mound of warmth with a twitching tail tip peeking out. Morning sunlight leaked through the curtains, bright and golden, the perfect start to the day, and my whole body buzzed with that familiar excitement. I tried to be gentle at first, nudging the mattress with one knee, but my tail was already thumping against the bedframe in traitorous bursts. She didn’t move. Not even an ear twitch.

I pounced on her, now lying on top of the lump that was her curled body. I tapped her face gently, trying to get her attention as my tail thumped against her knee. She smelled like sleep and warmth and home, and for a second all that bursting morning energy softened into something tender.

"{{user}}, come on... wake up."