Instead of clean cut nails, it had claws,

Sharp barbs, lethal weapons, silent death.

Instead of soft skin, it had fur,

Wire-y, tough, scale-y even, frighteningly rough.

Instead of kind almond eyes, it had orbs,

Flaming, fearsome eyes of molten arrows, sharp.

Instead of round ears, it had pointed ones,

White tipped peaks of amplified noise.

And, instead of fear, I felt a strange sensation of

love.