CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND SEVEN – THE CAT SANCTUARY

Jasmine felt her heart lurch in her chest as she took in the cat's familiar color pattern. The white splotch on her chest was tantalizingly similar to the one adorning her beloved Whiskers. She pressed her face up to the glass, trying to catch a better glimpse. "She's not responding to the name Whiskers, but stray animals are often skittish and defensive at first," Angela went on, unlatching the pen door. "Why don't you go on inside and see if you can coax a reaction from her? I'll give you two some private time to make the identification." Jasmine and Claire gratefully stepped into the small enclosure, the warm, comforting scent of cat marking their territory instantly recognizable. Jasmine slowly approached the cat tree, heart thundering in her ears. "Hey there, pretty girl," she murmured, reaching out a tentative hand. "It's just me...do you recognize your mom's voice?" The cat didn't even stir from her tranquil slumber. Jasmine's face fell slightly as uncertainty seeped back in