Page 8 of Pine Creek Lodge
The barista, a girl with vibrant blue hair and multiple ear piercings, looked up with a friendly smile. "Sure thing. What can I do for you?"
Nat pulled out one of the flyers she'd made, featuring a picture of Moxie that she'd taken this morning. The kitten's green eyes seemed to pop off the page, her unique calico markings clearly visible. "I'm trying to find the owner of this kitten. She was found last night near Pine Creek Lodge. I was wondering if you've heard anything about a missing kitten, or if anyone's come in asking about one?"
The barista studied the flyer. "Can't say that I have. But she's adorable. How old is she?"
"We think about 3-4 weeks," Nat replied. "She's tiny, but she's eating solid food so she’ll probably be okay without her mum."
"Poor little thing," the barista said. “Leave the flyer with me. I’ll hang it in the window.”
"Thank you." Nat offered her a tired smile. "I appreciate it." As she turned to leave, the barista called out, "Hey, do you want a coffee or something? You look like you could use one."
Nat hesitated, tempted by the offer. She'd been running around town all morning, and the idea of a hot drink was appealing. But she glanced at her watch and shook her head. "Thanks, but I've got one more stop to make. Maybe next time."
She stepped back out into the cold, pulling her coat tighter around her. The flurries from earlier had turned into a steady snowfall, and Nat quickened her pace. She had just one more errand to run before heading back to the chalet.
The bell above the door of Pages jingled as Nat entered the bookstore. The smell of paper and ink enveloped her, and she felt a little anxious. This was Zoe's domain, not hers, but she was curious to see what her sister had picked out for Sofia.
"Hi, I'm here to pick up an order," she said to the elderly man behind the counter. "It should be under Bergman."
The man nodded, disappearing into the back room. He returned a few moments later with a box, which he set on the counter. "Here you are, Miss Bergman. We had all the titles requested and I’ve cleared the bill the Aspen Chalets."
Nat smiled, thinking of Zoe's enthusiasm when she asked for help. "Thank you, that’s great." She tucked the box under her arm, eager to get back to the chalet. Sofia had insisted on staying behind with Moxie, wanting to make sure the kitten was okay. It was a side of Sofia that Nat was still getting used to – caring, almost motherly.
The drive back to the chalet was slow going, the snow making the roads slick. As Nat carefully navigated the winding mountain road, she couldn't help but notice the rapidly changing weather conditions. The gentle flurries from earlier had given way to thicker, heavier snowflakes that seemed to multiply by the minute. The wind had picked up too, whipping the snow into small whirlwinds that danced across the road.
Nat frowned, her knuckles whitening as she gripped the steering wheel tighter. This didn't feel like the typical afternoon snow shower. The sky had darkened considerably, taking on that ominous, heavy look that often preceded a major storm. The bare trees lining the road swayed and creaked in the strengthening wind, their branches weighed down with fresh snow. Perhaps the storm would come sooner than expected.
"Sofia?" she called when she got in. "I'm back."
There was no response, so Nat made her way to the great room, where she stopped short at the sight before her.
Sofia was asleep on the couch, her face relaxed in a way Nat had never seen before. Curled up against her cheek was Moxie, the kitten's tiny body rising and falling with each breath. It was such a tender scene that Nat froze, afraid to make a sound lest she disturb them.
For several long moments, she stood there, taking in the sight. Sofia's usually perfect hair was mussed, a few strands falling across her face. One hand was curled protectively around Moxie, as if even in sleep she was determined to keep the kitten safe. It was... beautiful, Nat realized with a start. Sofia was beautiful like this, all her walls down, completely unguarded.
As if sensing Nat's presence, Sofia began to stir. Her eyes fluttered open, confusion clouding them for a moment before she seemed to realize where she was. When her gaze landed on Nat, her eyes widened, and a faint blush colored her cheeks.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I must have dozed off."
Nat shook her head, trying to ignore the way her heart had skipped a beat at Sofia's sleep-roughened voice. "That's okay. You're here to rest. You can do whatever you want."
Sofia nodded, gently scooping up Moxie and placing her on a nearby blanket before sitting up. The kitten let out a tiny mew of protest but quickly curled up and went back to sleep. "How did it go?" she asked, turning her attention back to Nat. "Any luck finding Moxie's owners?"
Nat sighed, setting down her things and sinking into an armchair. "No luck so far. No one's reported a missing kitten. I called the vet and the police and left flyers all over town, but..." She trailed off, shrugging helplessly.
Sofia's brow furrowed. "That’s strange. She's so young. Surely someone must be missing her."
"You'd think so," Nat agreed. "But don't worry. Someone's bound to come forward eventually and as I said, I can always take her to my parents."
“No, I don’t mind. She’s good company.” Sofia managed a smile. “I prefer animals to humans these days.” Then her eyes landed on the box Nat had brought in. "Are those the books?"
"Oh, yes," Nat said, handing it to her. "I hope these will do. I'm not much of a reader myself, so my sister helped pick them out."
"That was very kind of her," she said. Then, glancing back up at Nat, she added, "If you struggle with picking books, you could have told me. I would have been happy to go to the bookstore myself."
Nat’s cheeks warmed. "No, it’s fine. Zoe was more than happy to help," she stammered. "I uhm... reading isn’t my strong suit."
Sofia’s eyes softened with understanding but she didn’t pry. "Well, let's see what your sister picked out, shall we?" She opened the box and began taking out the books.
