The Strange Noises Outside

It started with a rustle. A faint, whispery sound just beyond the window.

I, Gryzka, Queen of the Apartment and Guardian of the Night, was immediately on high alert. My ears twitched. My tail flicked. My pupils dilated to their maximum hunting capacity.

Something was out there.

I leaped onto the windowsill, pressing my nose against the glass. The night was dark, but my superior feline senses detected movement in the shadows. A sinister presence.

Was it a bird? A mouse? A ghost? An army of evil squirrels plotting world domination?

I didn’t blink. I didn’t move. I stared.

And I stared.

And I kept staring.

After thirty minutes, Ania finally noticed my intense gaze. “What are you looking at?” she asked.

I did not acknowledge her. This was serious.

Another rustle. My tail fluffed up to twice its usual size. This was no ordinary noise. This was a conspiracy.

Spurka stretched on the couch and yawned. “Go to sleep, Gryzka.”

Sleep? SLEEP?! While danger lurked just outside our home?! Foolish.

Kitka barely opened one eye. “It’s probably just the wind.”

I glared at her. Just the wind? That’s what they want us to think.

Ania sighed. “You’re being dramatic.”

Excuse me?

I turned back to the window, doubling my efforts. If I stared hard enough, the truth would reveal itself.

One hour passed.

Then two.

Then…

Ania stood up, walked to the window, and pulled back the curtain. “Gryzka, it’s a plastic bag stuck in the bush.”

…Oh.

I squinted at the offending bag. It fluttered mockingly in the breeze.

I flicked my tail. Tonight, the bag had won.

But I would remain on guard. Because next time… next time, it might not be a bag.

The Tiny Foe That Fooled Me

It started with a tiny movement. A flicker in the corner of my vision. A shadowy figure creeping across the floor.

A bug.

As a highly trained feline detective, I, Gryzka, knew it was my duty to investigate.

I dropped into stealth mode—tail low, ears forward, eyes locked on the suspect. The bug, clearly unaware that it was dealing with a professional, continued its journey across the rug.

I moved in.

It stopped.

I stopped.

It moved.

I pounced! SUCCESS! …Or so I thought.

When I lifted my paw, the bug was gone.

Huh.

I sniffed. Nothing. I checked under my paw. Nothing. I looked at Ania, who was watching from the couch.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Detective work, obviously.”

I spun around. There it was again! On the wall this time. This bug was good. A runner. A climber. But I was better.

I leaped, paws outstretched—

Splat.

Missed.

When I looked again, the bug was nowhere to be found.

A ghost bug?! Unacceptable.

I scoured the room. Under the table. Behind the couch. On the windowsill. Nothing.

It had vanished into thin air.

Defeated, I slumped onto the floor. This case was unsolvable. A stain on my detective career.

Then, I heard it.

A tiny, traitorous buzz behind me.

I turned.

There it was. Mocking me.

The case wasn’t over yet. Round two begins now.

May Thunderstorm Freakout

It started with a distant rumble. Just a low, grumbling noise in the sky. I, Gryzka the Brave, the Fearless, the Supreme Ruler of This Household, barely even twitched an ear.

Then came the second rumble. Closer. Louder. I lifted my head from my nap spot on the armchair, eyes narrowing. Suspicious. Very suspicious.

And then—BOOM.

I levitated off the chair. My tail exploded into an impressive bottlebrush, my fur tripled in size, and I landed on the floor in full battle mode. The world was ending. The sky was growling at me.

I needed safety. I needed protection. I needed… Ania.

I bolted across the room, slipping and sliding like a cat possessed. Ania, my usually reliable human, was calmly sitting on the couch, sipping tea, as if DOOM wasn’t approaching from the heavens.

"Meooow!" I wailed, launching myself onto her lap. "THE SKY IS FALLING!"

She barely blinked. "Oh, Gryzka. It's just a thunderstorm."

JUST a thunderstorm? Was she insane? Had she not heard the monstrous BOOM? The sky was clearly angry at us, and here she was, sipping tea.

I climbed higher. If I could just reach her shoulder, I could properly wrap myself around her like a life-saving scarf. My claws found her shirt for support. She let out a very undignified squeak.

"Gryzka—ow! Okay, okay, you’re safe, calm down!"

Calm down? Did she not realize that the world was currently under attack by a giant, invisible sky beast? My only option was to cling for dear life.

So I did.

Like a furry limpet, I latched onto her chest, my head buried in her neck, paws gripping like my survival depended on it. Another BOOM sounded, and I squeezed tighter.

Ania sighed. "You are literally vibrating."

Of course, I was vibrating! I was preparing for rapid evacuation at any second!

She started stroking my back, murmuring nonsense about "it's okay" and "you're fine" and "please stop stabbing me with your tiny knives." Slowly… slowly… my purring mechanism activated against my will. The sky beast was still grumbling, but Ania’s warmth and steady heartbeat started making me feel a little less like my life was about to end.

Five minutes later, the storm began to fade. The sky monster had been defeated (probably by my extreme panic and well-timed cling attack). I finally loosened my grip and slid off Ania’s lap like a melted puddle of fur.

She winced and examined the tiny claw marks on her shirt. "Next time, remind me to wear armor."

I flicked my tail, already regaining my dignity. The battle was won. The sky had been tamed. And as a fearless warrior, I would definitely not react this dramatically next time.

…Unless, of course, the thunder came back. In which case, Ania should really invest in some better shirts.

Gryzka’s May Fashion Show

May is a time for fresh starts, blooming flowers, and—most importantly—fashion. And as the undisputed style icon of this household, I, Gryzka, decided it was time to showcase my May Collection in a grand fashion show.

Ania, my ever-devoted audience, was sitting on the couch, unaware of the high-class couture she was about to witness.

I strutted into the room wearing my first ensemble: a regal purple ribbon draped elegantly over my back. It had taken me hours (okay, five minutes) to dig it out of a forgotten drawer, and it complemented my fur perfectly.

Ania glanced up from her book. "Why do you have a ribbon on your back?"

I posed.

She sighed and returned to reading.

Clearly, she did not understand fashion.

Fine. Time for look number two: A stray sock draped over my head, with just one eye peeking out. It screamed mysterious yet bold.

I slinked around the coffee table like a runway queen.

Ania finally looked again. "Where did you even find that sock?"

I flicked my tail. "A fashionista never reveals her sources."

Then came look three: My pièce de résistance. A scrunchie around my tail, giving me the air of a sophisticated influencer.

I pranced across the room, tail held high.

Ania snorted. "You look like a squirrel."

A SQUIRREL?! The audacity! The fashion blindness!

Offended, I flicked my tail in her face and dramatically stomped away.

Fashion is wasted on humans.

May Day Parade Mishap

May 1st. A day of celebration. A day of unity. A day… for a cat parade.

I, Gryzka the Magnificent, had carefully planned everything. The route through the apartment? Perfectly mapped. The decorations? Tailored to feline perfection. The parade lineup? Myself in the front, of course.

There was just one problem.

"Spurka, Kitka, report for parade duty immediately!" I announced, leaping onto the windowsill where they were lazily sunbathing.

Kitka opened one eye and gave me a slow blink of complete indifference. Spurka didn’t even bother lifting her head.

"Did you hear me? This is a mandatory event!"

Silence.

I flicked my tail and decided to change tactics. "Fine. I suppose I’ll just have to lead the parade alone and take all the glory for myself."

Kitka yawned. Spurka stretched. Neither of them looked even remotely concerned about my solo parade domination.

Fine. No matter. I didn’t need them. I would march alone!

I strutted through the living room, tail high, head held regally, my paws stepping in perfect rhythm. I was a parade of one, and I was fabulous.

…Until I encountered the first obstacle: Ania’s laundry pile.

A responsible parade leader would go around it. A bold parade leader, like myself, would go through it. I attempted a dramatic leap over a pair of folded jeans—only to miscalculate and land in a tangled mess of socks.

I scrambled free and continued my march, pretending nothing had happened. No one had seen that. It was fine.

Next stop: the kitchen, where the grand finale would take place! I planned to make a glorious victory lap around my food bowl before claiming my rightful snack.

Except… Spurka was already there. Eating.

"What are you doing?!" I gasped. "That was supposed to be my parade-ending feast!"

Spurka licked her paw and gave me a blank stare. "Oh. Was this today?"

"YES, IT WAS TODAY."

Kitka casually strolled into the kitchen, looking completely refreshed from her nap. "Huh. Thought that was tomorrow."

I opened my mouth to argue when Ania walked in, completely unaware of the dramatic failure unfolding before her. "Aw, are you three all gathered for a little May Day celebration?" she cooed.

Before I could explain the great betrayal, she shook the treat bag.

In an instant, all previous grievances were forgotten. The parade? The betrayal? The failure? None of it mattered anymore.

All three of us immediately lined up—tails twitching, eyes wide, and ready for our real May Day tradition: a snack parade.

Maybe next year, I’d plan better. Maybe next year, I’d enforce stricter participation rules.

But for now, I was too busy devouring my well-earned treats.