Catherine stepped onto the curb, pulling the key to her front gate open with one hand, the other holding the bag of groceries. She had snatched some random guys wallet on the way home, and had been able to buy some basic supplies from the twenty-four hour store down the street. It was a cold night, and Catherine welcomed the warm, safe sensation she got from returning home.
The house that she lived in with her mother was not large one, having only three rooms. A shared bedroom, a bathroom, and a kitchen attached to the living room, which doubled as a dining room. Turning to close the door, she took down the note her mother had taped to the door. She made her way into the kitchen as she read it, setting down the groceries.
'Cathy, I won't be home until late tonight. I've already eaten, so don't wait up for me. Love you. -Juniper'
Catherine set the note down, smiling slightly and running a hand through her hair. She and her mother were struggling to make ends meet, but they never forgot each other. Catherine perched on the windowsill and turned her body, so that she was looking at the patch of vines that let up past the window and onto the roof. She tugged on one, making sure it was stable, before climbing up. The fog that came around the city in the morning had disappeared, making it so there was an almost clear view of the stars. Even if she couldn't see the stars, the city was almost like a mirror, it's lights twinkling innocently, making it hard to believe the amount of crime that went on around the outskirts where Catherine lived.
She was actually very lucky for a shifter. She had a home and someone who loved her, and enough supplies to get along well enough. Catherine smiled, closing her eyes as she contemplated this.