The Shared Groom

A colony lived in an abandoned shipyard, a tough and gritty place where every cat had to earn its keep. Thorn and Shadow were long-standing rivals, often fighting over the best sunning spots or a plump mouse. But survival in the colony was a delicate balance that required cooperation, even from those who disliked each other. One evening, Thorn returned from a hunt deep in a briar patch. He was covered in painful, sticky burrs, matted tightly into the fur between his shoulder blades—a place he couldn't reach with his own teeth or claws. He writhed and rubbed against the rusty metal of the shipyard, but the burrs only dug deeper, causing him immense discomfort. He sat apart from the group, miserable and helpless. Shadow watched him struggle. He could have ignored his rival or laughed at his misfortune. Instead, he approached Thorn slowly. Thorn hissed defensively, but the pain outweighed his pride, and he relented. With surprising gentleness, Shadow worked his teeth through Thorn's matted fur, patiently untangling the stubborn knots and pulling the burrs free, one by one. The shared groom was an unspoken pact, a moment where the social contract of mutual care dissolved their rivalry. Thorn realized that some burdens simply cannot be carried or removed alone, and that true community means tending to the wounds of kin, even those you disagree with.