Knowing Better

Dimyri helped fill the two bowls with a serving of nice, hot rabbit stew with KuliKuli holding them in each paw. She was careful to balance them, a lack of fingers makes grip an incredibly difficult action to manage.

"There, ready!"

"Thanks, save one for me." KuliKuli shouted behind her as she left the room to make her delivery. Reta and Na'Vi had taken their seats in the dining table with Reta sipping her stew. The latter kept her eyes fixated into the steamy liquid, its smell was definitely enticing but she remained hesitant.

"Don't like it?" Felix asked after swallowing a spoonful.

Na'Vi raised her eye. "What is it?"

"It's rabbit stew, take a bite. It has plenty of vegetables mixed in as well as some potato. And of course, rabbit."

Na'Vi bit her lower lip and revealed a slight dimple in her cheek, looking up to see Reta raise her bowl into her lips and gulp the stew down before placing a now empty bowl down. A slight drip remained on her chin before she wiped it away with a grin.

"That's not bad actually, mind if I have another?"

Felix smiled. "Help yourself."

Reta scooted her chair back and walked away for a refill, with Felix turning his head to see Emyri with a worried look. He would say she was bothered by Syri's condition, but he read this was something else. Her eyes locked with his before darting away, whatever was in her mind certainly had his attention.

He scooted his chair in closer before nudging her paw without a word. She pulled back and he began to feel puzzled in return. She knew he would ask or that she would end up saying something eventually, keeping secrets was something she would actively avoid and taught her children to do better. Unfortunately, her example may not have followed her advice.

Reta sat back down and looked up to see Na'Vi fussing and struggling to lift her spoon. "Oh right, maybe don't use your tails for this one. Here," She reached over to hold her spoon for her, lifting it to her lips. Na'Vi frowned but Reta did not back down. "Cry about it later, you want to eat or no?"

Rolling her eyes, she opened her mouth and let her push the spoonful in, sealing her lips and savoring the taste before chewing slowly. Her eyes opened up a bit more and she hummed to herself without realizing, only when Reta had a smirk on did she know she was showing her delight. "Told ya it was good, Yaro."

Emyri closed her eyes and breathed deep, feeling the cold weight settle inside. Finally she scooted towards him and placed her paw on his thigh, only her face told him the situation was far from flirtatious. As the two young women began to open up, she leaned in close to pass her words to him in a hushed tone.

"I want to say I really really like what you've done, looking after my little girl and keeping her safe when I no longer could. And I want to say I am proud of how she is and who she chose to be her mate. You would make a wonderful father."

He tried to speak but was silenced with her tail brushing his mouth.

"Not yet, please I need to say this. I just don't know how, but I should. I really should." She smiled nervously before swallowing heavily. "Things are a little more worrying than I had hoped-"

A sudden thud fell onto the ceiling above them, catching their attention.

"You hear that?" Na'Vi asked.

"Yea, what's taking KuliKuli? She's been up for a while now."

Felix turned to face Emyri once more as she brushed her hair back, revealing a bit of sweat on her temple. "I don't know how else to say this, but we haven't really been running away from that hunter exactly. The girls are but, he's not exactly after us with ill-intent. It's his job, he is contracted to find us but I don't know why. He told me to move the girls away, I-I really thought he was just upset and paranoid but now... I wish I knew better."

"Wait, what are you saying? Do you know Leone personally?" This was setting off alarms inside him. She smacked her lips and shook her head.

"Yes, please don't tell the girls. Not yet, I-I want to be the one to tell them. He was looking out for us, keeping us hidden while we could until it was out of his control."

Another thud, this one was louder and accompanied with glass shattering. Reta and Na'Vi locked eyes before rushing out of the chairs and following the noise, with Felix pulling away until Emyri held his hand. "Trust him, okay?"

"Trust... y-you mean the guy who tried to kill your daughter?"

"He never tried to, he wouldn't."

"He certainly didn't stutter from beating up KuliKuli and branding Dimyri." Felix raised his voice, so many questions...

"He can remove it!"

Another crash, now accompanied with someone screaming.

"Go! Go, I'll get into details later!" Emyri cried out, releasing him as he ran up as fast as he could. Her heart was pounding against her ribs, she was in trouble and felt herself to be waist deep in the hole she dug around her. She turned her head to the window and gasped.

On the window sill was a familiar sight, a Nekomata with glaring pink eyes fixated onto the mother of their pack. Emyri felt the emotions begin to rise inside her, recognizing what the color in her eyes meant.

"MiMi... you too."