It was a rarely sunny day in London. Warm sunlight spilled across the city, lifting the spirits of nearly everyone it touched.
Even London's animals seemed drawn out by the rare weather. Dogs frolicked wildly along the streets, cats lounged lazily on high perches—tree branches, rooftops, and windowsills—basking in the golden rays. Even the usually elusive owls appeared in small flocks, darting swiftly overhead.
On Christchurch Road, young John burst out of his house clutching his brand-new football. He planned to take full advantage of the fine weather and round up his friends for a proper game.
"Ah! It's Finn!"
As he passed a red postbox, he spotted a little tabby cat lounging on top of it and couldn't help but stop.
This was the same fish-stealing kitten he had seen at Uncle Evans' shop some time ago. Ever since Mr. Evans began leaving out fish especially for the kitten, it had gradually stopped hiding and started appearing openly in front of everyone.
For some unknown reason, the little cat possessed a special charm. Anyone who laid eyes on it couldn't help but adore it. Even the old miser at the tailor shop would occasionally bring out snacks his daughter had baked just to feed it. Business at Evans' shop had improved noticeably since the cat's arrival.
The only regret was that this little tabby didn't seem very affectionate. No matter how much everyone fed it, it would never allow anyone to get close, let alone pet it.
Still, according to the adults, the kitten's appetite didn't match its tiny size at all. That didn't matter much to young John. Right now, his and his friends' greatest wish was to be able to pet this haughty little cat.
They had even given it a name—Finn—taken from a storybook they had read together.
However, the little tabby cat had never once reacted to the name.
Young John held his breath and stealthily crept toward Finn, who was sprawled lazily on the postbox. Unfortunately, the moment he got within three meters, the tabby cat—who had been sunbathing with narrowed eyes—suddenly lifted its head. A pair of brilliant emerald-green eyes locked onto him, freezing John in place.
"Ah… failed again…"
Young John took a step back. When he saw Finn settle down once more, he stomped his foot in frustration but didn't try again. He didn't want to disturb the cat's rest.
Feeling helpless, he could only hug his football tighter and run off to find his friends.
"I'll definitely pet you one day, Finn!" he declared before leaving.
The tabby cat cracked open one eye and watched the boy's retreating figure. Its face wore an incredibly human-like expression of disdain.
*Foolish humans.*
Thanks to its sharp intelligence, the tabby cat had long understood that "Finn" was the name those human cubs had given it. The name was long and ridiculous, and it simply didn't like it.
Besides, the cat had already named itself. Its name came from its favorite food at the time. In human language, it would be called… Finn.
Although it had grown fond of birds and sausages as well, the tabby cat had no intention of changing its name.
Twitching its ears, Finn closed its eyes and continued basking contentedly in the sunlight.
Such weather was rare. It couldn't be wasted.
When the sun was once again swallowed by the clouds, Finn slowly stood up on the postbox. It stretched by arching its back high, then licked a paw and wiped it over its face. Only then did it leap gracefully down, shake out its fur, and strut off with its tail held high toward the end of the street.
"Meow~"
As Finn passed by, the cats that had been playing and grooming one another immediately gathered around. The frolicking dogs barked excitedly and wagged their tails at high speed. If Finn hadn't been able to "understand" canine language, it might have mistaken their enthusiasm for provocation.
After all, in the world of cats, a rapidly wagging tail was usually a sign of aggression.
As for why these cats and dogs were so affectionate toward him, Finn had grown used to it long ago.
[Animal Affinity]
Most animals will feel a natural sense of closeness toward you.
In Finn's memory, this strange stream of knowledge had only begun appearing after he swallowed that shiny bead. Since then, he had inexplicably understood many things, his vision had become sharper and more colorful, his body had grown exceptionally strong, and a bunch of other strange changes had occurred.
For instance, his size never seemed to increase.
However, Finn didn't care much about any of that. He had food to eat, a warm place to sleep, and most animals wouldn't make an enemy of him. Even the few bad-tempered ones couldn't beat him. So what was there to worry about?
After playing with his fellow cats for a while, everyone eventually scattered.
Although Animal Affinity made them friendly, cats were inherently independent creatures. A quick greeting and some mutual grooming were enough. They still had their own things to do—sleeping, chasing butterflies, or fighting with their own hind legs.
After wandering through the nearby blocks and getting plenty of exercise, Finn began to feel hungry. He sat on a rooftop, tail twitching unconsciously as he pondered where to find his next meal.
He had already eaten fish that morning, and the local mouse population had grown scarce thanks to him and his peers. The snacks from that wrinkled old human at the tailor shop were decent, but the man always tried to grab him while he ate, which made it too much trouble.
Just then, a brownish-gray figure darted across the sky in front of him. Finn instinctively licked his teeth.
Those creatures that flew through the air always tasted pretty good, but they were quite difficult to catch.
Worse, if he went to the square to hunt pigeons, humans would often interfere and scare away his prey.
It was very annoying.
His large emerald-green eyes tracked the bird's silhouette as it flew farther away. The speed of his tail-swishing gradually increased.
Because the brownish-gray figure in the sky wasn't an ordinary pigeon or robin. It was a strange, larger, rather plump-looking bird.
Now Finn's hunting instinct burned even stronger.
How could he catch and eat these chubby birds in the sky?
Staring at the plump bird as it grew smaller in the distance, Finn fell into deep thought.
Then, a strange sensation welled up from deep inside his body. At the same time, new knowledge from an unknown source slipped into his mind.
[Animal Tracking]
Can sense the location of all animals within a certain range.
[Primal Mark]
Leaves a mark on an animal, greatly increasing the perception range for it.
Finn narrowed his eyes.
Looked like his meal was sorted.