You are a cat demon

You quickly swallow the last bite of meat and stay alert.

At first you thought it was a snake.

Snakes have a penchant for hunting birds, especially their eggs and chicks. You've likely witnessed snakes invading bird nests many times. Snakes are excellent climbers, and by the time adult birds notice them, it's usually too late. They will use their tails to hook tightly onto branches and wrap most of their bodies around the nest, allowing them to reach inside and prey on the helpless chicks.

At first, you thought it was a snake eyeing the same nest of chicks as you, and for a fleeting moment, the thought of "having an extra meal" crossed your mind. But then you quickly realized the sound didn't quite sound like it. If it were a snake, it would be using its strength on the tree trunk, while the sound was coming from the dense canopy, like something moving between the branches. You were certain it was a creature with hands and feet, just like you.

Dead memories begin to assault you, but you don't smell any of your own kind; instead, this scent smells more like... more like...

Just as you were searching your mental database of scents, a golden, unidentified object landed right in front of you, making eye contact with you. You jumped up in fright and almost fell off the tree.

It is a golden monkey.

Golden snub-nosed monkeys have long, soft, golden fur, making them look far more noble than other common wild monkeys. It's said that hundreds of years ago, they were even considered protected animals by humans. No wonder they're all primates; compared to them, the relationships between your own kind seem really cold. Yes, in your eyes, humans are just naked monkeys that can walk upright.

To be honest, you don't really dislike golden monkeys, but you wouldn't say you like them either, since they're not on your menu. But compared to their distant relatives, especially the monkeys from that place called Moth Mountain, golden monkeys actually look quite docile. However, that doesn't stop you from wanting to punch them a few times when you're in a bad mood or itching to do something puny. When cat demons get angry, they can even hit tigers sometimes!

The golden monkey in front of you seemed to be attracted to you, looking you up and down. After a while, it looked down at the empty nest and looked disappointed.

You're too late, it's all already in your stomach.

You scoff, thinking you're full now and want to find a quiet place to digest your food; you're too lazy to play with it. But before you can make a move, the golden monkey suddenly lets out a cry and disappears in the blink of an eye.

"Hey! Black Panther! Black Panther!"

A tall, burly human man, around thirty years old, was standing under the tree. Judging from his equipment, he was probably a hunter. His eyesight wasn't very good, though; he mistook you for a black panther.

Just as you were thinking this, a large black dog appeared in your field of vision, and the human man called out "Black Panther" to it a few times.

Oh, it's the dog's name.

The moment that big black dog appeared in your field of vision, a flame called "hatred" ignited in your heart.

Cats and dogs have been sworn enemies since ancient times. When you encounter jackals or other monsters in the wild, they either chase you all over the place or you tear them out of their territory. Canine monsters will mercilessly kill any cat monster they see, not for food, but to intimidate other cat monsters; and you cat monsters will kill any canine monster cubs without hesitation, clearing the way for your offspring. You hate canines, especially dogs kept by humans and always complicit in their evil ways, even if the dog has done you no wrong. You instinctively fear humans, although subconsciously you don't harbor the same deep hatred for humans as other cat monsters, but your loathing for dogs is absolutely pure. You know, wolves and dogs shared the same ancestor thousands of years ago, yet thousands of years later, wolves still roam the mountains and fields with great pride, while dogs will whine and beg at the feet of humans for a few bones—it's truly shameful. Although wolves aren't good either, from this point of view alone, you can admire wolves; they're at least more principled than dogs.

Logically, from the moment you sensed the arrival of humans, you should have immediately jumped up and run away, like that golden monkey, running as far as possible. Your hearing and sense of smell are far superior to those of a golden monkey; in fact, you had already heard the footsteps of humans and smelled their unique sweaty odor. But now you're lying motionless on the tree, pretending to be a giant beetle sucking sap from the tree.

It's not because you're brave, nor because you want to remain still and wait for the right moment to act. As mentioned before, subconsciously you don't harbor the same deep hatred for humans as other cat demons, and you don't understand why.

You think you're crazy.