Maks and his cat Mela hear a strange sound under the bed. In the dark, their curiosity grows as something soft, quick, and mysterious begins to move.
Maks liked falling asleep with Mela curled at his feet, warm as a little furry pillow. That night, just as his mum switched off the light, a faint rustle came from under the bed.
Mela подня her head at once and gave a short, warning meow. Maks froze. His tummy felt funny now - a tiny bit scared, a tiny bit excited.
"Did you hear that, Mela?" he whispered, pulling the duvet up to his chin. The room was dark and still, but the sound came again. Rustle. Scrape. Rustle.
Maks reached for the torch on the bedside table and clicked it on. A thin white beam slid across the floor and under the bed. Mela leapt down before him and peered into the shadows, her tail twitching.
Maks knelt beside her, holding the torch with both hands. The light shook a little as the rustling grew louder, then stopped all at once.
For one breathless moment, nothing moved.
Then a fluffy paw slipped out from the dark under the bed, and Maks and Mela stared at it without blinking.