Fhilcar Faunillani 
The basement smelled of damp earth and forgotten things. Three kittens, barely three weeks old, huddled together in the shadows, their eyes crusted shut. Their tiny bodies were cold, too cold, pressed against a concrete floor littered with debris. A woman’s voice, soft and steady, broke the silence. “Poor babies,” she whispered, kneeling beside them. …
The kitten’s cry was small, almost lost in the wind. It came from a rusted shipping container, where shadows clung to the edges. His head tilted sideways, eyes wide, searching for someone to hear. Another kitten, across the lot, limped on three legs, his fur matted but his gaze steady, waiting for a hand to …
The frost clung to the grass, sharp and silver in the early light. A small cat crouched under a porch, her breath a faint cloud in the freezing air. Her eyes, wide and wary, caught mine as I passed by. She didn’t move, just stared, her body curled tight against the cold. I stopped, my …
The snow fell soft, dusting the alley like forgotten ash. A kitten, barely eight weeks, shivered under a cardboard scrap. Its eyes, wide as moons, caught the glint of a streetlight. Hunger gnawed, but the wind bit harder. In Brooklyn’s winter, the streets are unkind. Kittens are born in shadows, tucked in corners where the …
The porch was old, sagging under years of rain and footsteps. Beneath it, six kittens curled tight, their tiny bodies warm against two mothers who would not survive the week. Their eyes were just opening, wide and unsure, catching slants of sunlight through the wooden slats. The mothers, feral and fierce, had chosen this shadowed …
The dog trembled in the mud, her chain heavy against the frost. Her eyes, wide with hunger, pleaded silently. My friend’s voice cracked over the phone, describing the scene. It was late, too dark to see much beyond the glint of metal and the frail shape huddled behind a house. She couldn’t carry the dog …
The dog trembled on the cracked sidewalk, his legs unsteady. His eyes, soft and searching, held a silent plea. He moved like a shadow, slipping between alleys, scavenging scraps from overturned bins. The neighborhood knew him—Chico, they called him, though no one claimed him. Two months had passed since whispers of an accident spread, but …
The dog limped through empty streets, his eyes soft with sorrow. Each step echoed with quiet longing. His thin frame shivered under a gray sky. A wire cut into his neck, tight and unyielding. He stopped at doorsteps, gazing at strangers. No one paused. No one saw. Passersby hurried past, their footsteps sharp against the …
The supermarket basket sat on the frosty pavement. Inside, six tiny puppies shivered, their eyes barely open. They were alone. No mother. No warmth. Just a cold dawn wrapping around their fragile bodies. The basket, meant for groceries, cradled lives tossed away like yesterday’s bread. Their whimpers were soft, almost lost in the morning’s hush. …
The dog lay in the street, alone. His face was hidden, swallowed by a tumor’s cruel weight. Dust clung to his matted fur. People passed, their eyes averted. Some threw stones. He didn’t flinch. His body, frail and trembling, bore the pain in silence. Ario, they later called him. A young dog, barely more than …
The chain clinked softly against the cold ground. Bely’s eyes, dull and waiting, stared at nothing. In a forgotten house, he stood alone. Dust settled on his thin frame. His water bowl, bone-dry, tipped over in the corner. A few crumbs of food, scattered weeks ago, were all that remained. He didn’t bark. He didn’t …
The dog’s eyes held a shadow. She stood thin and trembling, her two pups pressed close. Carminha moved through the village dust, her ribs sharp under matted fur. Her pups, Max and Typhoon, stumbled behind, their tiny bodies unaware of the world’s hardness. Villagers watched, some with pity, others with cold glances. They whispered she …
The cat sat still on the cold concrete. Her eyes, wide and gold, watched the street. Snow dusted the sidewalk outside the apartment building. She didn’t move. Neighbors said she’d been there for days, a small gray shadow against the brick wall. Her fur was matted, her body thin, but her gaze held steady. She …
The snow dusts Brooklyn’s alleys, soft as a whisper. A tabby cat, scarred and sturdy, watches from a crate. His eyes, gold like old coins, hold stories. King George, they call him, ruler of a forgotten corner. He’s not young, but he’s tough, his fur patched from battles fought under moonlight. The colony caretaker kneels, …
The cat’s eyes caught the streetlight’s glow. She crouched low, her tail a faint twitch against the cracked sidewalk. Frankie didn’t run when I approached. She just watched, her small body tense, like she was measuring the distance between us. I set down a tin of food, same as yesterday, same as the day before. …