Chapter Text
Being a cat wasn't so bad. Sure Zoro has gotten in a few fights, Who hasn't?
As a cat he gets all that he needs food, water and shelter all for free. Well not free, but it's better than when he's in human form.
He has gone from place to place. In search of a place where he can finally stop fighting.
Zoro hasn't had much trouble with the cats in these parts. Most of them are fat, lazy,house cats that wander their neighborhood. On occasion he will run into other hybrids. When that happens it's usually fight or die.
The last few nights he's been hanging around the back of a restaurant. It has good shelter and the owner has food out for strays like him.
Zoro has dubbed the human curly. He's tall with blonde hair and always in fancy clothes.
When Curly smoked Zoro sometimes rubs up against him to get him to stop. Zoro knows it can really damage Curlys health. So he makes himself the center of attention for the man.
Curly has dubbed him Moss. It's not the worst name Zoro has been called.
Tonight was like any other. Zoro stretched out of his box and started traveling to the All Blue.
Drip Drip drop went cool water sang as it hit the pavement. It was like an all knowing melody. He crept into the dimly lit alley.
It had some shelter from the rain because of an overhanging roof. Zoro didn't really care if he was drenched or not.
The steps were soft under his paws. It was just another reminder to Zoro that life is better being a cat. He showed up here as a human, most definitely been thrown out or worse.
Finally, he reached the top step of the back of your restaurant. Zoro sniffed around looking for the food bowl. When he finally located me, he was shocked to find it empty.
Zoro wasn't gonna panic. ‘So what Curly didn't fill the bowl. He has plenty of other places he can get food’ he thought, glaring at the empty dish.
As I was about to turn him leave, he heard some bottles from the alloy crash. He whipped around to be face to face with a creature he's never seen before.
It was smaller than him, it had long big pointed ears and a big fluffy tail and small cat-like legs. It was all tan except for some place where it had almost gray splotch.
Zoro was too stunned to do anything. The creature looked at him and then tilted its head.
His cat instincts were telling him to flee. For once Zoro agreed with them. There's no way to escape. The creature was blocking the entrance, so it's either fight or die.
Unsheathe his claws as the hair rises on his scarred body. Letting out a battle cry and jumping down from the stairs.
The creature just stared at him again and then suddenly there was curly.
Zoro came to a bleed stop. His ears pin back in stock and terror. Letting out a curious mew sniffing the man.
“Aw shit I'm sorry Moss I totally scared you didn't I” The man said reaching down and giving a few pets.
Curley was a shifter. That was not something I expected on this bingo card the last few weeks. ‘Does that mean Curly knows? No, no of course not how he's trying to calm me down like I'm just some cat.’
“ There we go Mossy you're okay” Curly sweetie said. Zoro just leaned into the touch.
“Maybe acting scared and vulnerable will get me some food” he mewed at Curly trying to look as cute as possible.
“Aww you're just a big softy huh” the man softly said. Next thing you know, being cradled by the man.
“Luffy is going to love you” the man laughed. Zoro didn't know who this Luffy was, but he could care less he was comfortable and tired and still hungry.
So he let the man know by growing “Human food Now”. The man just laughed again. “Yes I know your hungry. I'll get you some food when we get home”
Home Zoro didn't have a home at least up to human standards anyway. Curly must be an idiot then. Having is taking me back to a cardboard box.
Zoro didn't really care. His cat's mind was at peace just being held and he was purring.
He could feel himself slipping in and out of consciousness. The drip drip drop melody from the rain and the calm graceful movements from Curly.
‘Hopefully wherever they're going it will be dry and have food.’ His last thought before fully succumbing to sleep.