Sophie sat cross-legged on the plush carpet, glaring at her little sister, Mia, who had just snatched their new cat, Tiger, away from her. "You always take him when it's my turn!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of frustration and hurt.
Mia, with her arms wrapped possessively around Tiger, retorted defiantly. "But Tiger likes me more! He was purring when I picked him up."
Sophie leaned forward, trying to pry Tiger from Mia's grasp. "We need to share him, Mia! It's not fair to hog him all to yourself."
"You can't tell me what to do!" Mia shot back, her eyes blazing with determination. Just then, Tiger, sensing the tension, wriggled free from their hold and darted towards the open patio door.
Both girls froze, their argument forgotten as they watched Tiger's striped tail disappear into the hedges. Sophie gasped, her eyes wide with panic. "Oh no, he's gone!"
Mia looked equally alarmed, her earlier defiance replaced with concern. "We have to find him, Sophie!" she exclaimed, grabbing her sister's hand.
Sophie nodded, squeezing Mia's hand reassuringly. "Let's look under the bushes and call his name. He can't have gone far."
Mia crouched down, peering into the foliage. "Tiger, come back! We miss you," she called out, her voice soft and hopeful.
Sophie spotted the familiar stripes peeking out from behind the tree trunk. "There he is, Mia! Look!" she whispered excitedly, pointing towards Tiger.
Mia grinned with relief, tiptoeing closer. "Tiger, you silly cat, you had us worried," she murmured, reaching out to gently stroke his fur.
Sophie looked at Mia, a smile playing on her lips. "We make a pretty good team, don't we?" she said, feeling a newfound appreciation for her sister.
Mia nodded, hugging Tiger tightly. "Yeah, and maybe we can take turns with Tiger. That way, he'll always feel loved."
With a shared giggle and a promise to get along better, the sisters settled into a comfortable silence, their bond strengthened by the little adventure they had shared.
