There was no time to waste; the storm would only get worse, and the cat, along with whatever it was protecting, wouldn’t last the night in such brutal conditions. The thought of them freezing out there unsettled him deeply.
Alan knew he couldn’t sit idly by. He bundled up once more, his determination outweighing the fear. He trudged through the snow to his backyard shed, the wind whipping at his face as he rummaged through his tools and supplies.
He needed something—anything—that might lure the cat away without provoking it. Crazy ideas swirled in his mind as he scanned the cluttered shelves. His eyes then fell on an old feathered wand toy that belonged to a neighbor’s cat years ago.
He briefly considered throwing it to distract the cat, thinking it might stir some curiosity or playfulness. But the toy was brittle with age, and he feared the cat might see it as a threat or even ignore it completely.