by Arcaii » Wed Oct 21, 2015 10:32 am
"...anyway, long story short: don't ever go swimming during the spawning season when you're barely an apprentice."
"How are you not covered in scars?" Thimble asks, eyes wide. "If you got attacked by so many fish-"
"Fish don't have teeth," you say patiently. "I've told you this."
"How can something not have teeth? They need to chew things, right?"
"Couldaswallowed'imwhole," Scat offers.
"I wasn't that small," you say sharply.
"You're kinda short for ten months," Thimble says. "Maybe you were extra tiny as a kitten?"
"I wasn't that small!" you say, exasperated. "Will you just let me-"
"ShouldabeencalledBitesize," Scat says, and ducks out of the way of your swinging paw.
It's been three days since you headed out of the city. In that time, the clouds have dissipated almost completely, and a soft wind has picked up from behind, giving you a pleasantly cool travel. Thimble and Scat have not complained once about the long walk so far, though Scat tires out easily due to having to take two steps for your one, and Thimble gets distracted by some new object every five minutes. With you acting as the leader for this trio, though, you get them to stay on track at a steady pace.
The country you're walking through is a very pretty one, though not completely to your taste. Lines of trees and bushes crisscross each other, sometimes replaced with wooden fences or small stone walls. Green hills roll off into the horizon, occasionally occupied by fluffy white animals or huge ones who graze quietly without looking at you. The grass is clipped and lush, and often hides a small mouse. The road turns and dips here and there, but it's so easy to see cars coming that you have plenty of time to step to the side and let them roar past.
Thimble has become a very proficient hunter in the past three days. The pressure of having no other food source must help, coupled with the discovery of your own inability to crawl along after a mouse. When the three of you are resting, you spend a lot of time practicing, but the balance is awkward, and you have to move your tail around a lot to keep you steady.
Today, as you cross over a bridge, Thimble jumps onto the rail and looks down. "Hey, speaking of fish, look! A stream."
"What about it?" you say.
"Can we go down there and fish?" She looks at you eagerly. "I've never tasted a tuna before."
"You won't find tuna in a little stream like that," you say, joining her to peer over the edge. "Frogs and minnows, maybe, but-"
"I've never tasted frog, either!" Thimble jumps down. "Can we go try it out? It's about time to eat, anyway."
You look at Scat, whose eyes glimmer with interest. You're not particularly hungry, but maybe...
Sure, let's go down.
No, let's keep moving.