Cat Eyes: Sirius (Marien's POV only)

Chapter 9: Lessons

After leaving the boy safe, we headed back to the capital since the guards had already located his mother. The next city was not far. Maybe it would take a day or two.

I was looking at the broken sunglasses in my hands and sighed. I fixed them as I could with a rubber band and put them away. We had left a family tragedy behind, but that was not the only one after many attacks. We walked until we got close to the river and followed it at a certain distance since it was heading south for a few miles as well. I wouldn't have remembered it was there if it wasn't for Anthony's hearing.

We chose a place to rest and eat, a small clearing near the riverbank. I sat down on a rock and pulled out my food container. 

Anthony smiled slightly; I was wondering what was going through his mind. He was staring at a bush near me. I heard a noise, and a bunny came out, making me smile. The animal walked a few steps, moving its small nose. 

I looked at Anthony, and he kept his eyes on the rabbit. He was entirely focused and seemed ready to... 

Wait!

Before I could even say 'no,' he lashed out at the animal in the blink of an eye, making me jump in surprise. He rolled onto the ground with the rabbit's neck in his mouth, released it, and stood up.

"Do you like rabbits?" he asked, smiling.

"Yes, but alive!" I exclaimed.

He laughed out loud.

"Come on. It didn't suffer."

"You're—"

"You eat meat, don't you?"

Geez, he was right. 

I breathed, frustrated. He picked up the animal, which apparently died instantly, so I turned to look elsewhere with my food, and he laughed again. I loved his laugh, but a bunny had been the price this time.

While he prepared the fire and the poor animal, I continued eating in silence. My meal was rice and spinach omelet, but I remembered that Anthony needed more protein than that. Maybe I should have been more understanding. 

After sighing, I looked at him again. The rabbit was already being cooked. He knew how to get along with nature. I was a disaster instead.

"Well, I guess you can hunt lunch when we need it," I said resignedly.

He smiled at me, showing off those pretty killer fangs. I had to admit that he had done an excellent job with that makeshift kitchen. He gave me a portion to eat, and now, I also had to admit that I liked the rabbit meat.

After finishing, we prepare to continue. It was actually a relief Anthony knew the outside because he was an evolved man. Obviously, I had never gone out, and there were no maps, not that they were legal, maybe, so he was my guide. 

We brushed our teeth in the river. Anthony splashed some water on me by shaking his hands, and I did it too, managing to get another short laugh out of him. I took my music player out of my backpack, and he looked at it curiously. He carried the bag on his back, and we went forward again.

"I hope you haven't eaten any of the little birds you trapped in the laboratory garden," I said while looking for a song.

"No, I was just playing. Besides, too many feathers."

I laughed.

"So you are picky."

I put on the song and offered him an earbud.

"Woah. I had heard stories about these gadgets."

"Seriously, what year do you guys think you are in?" I scoffed. "Well, this is a music player. I will give it to you so you can listen to everything it has. Is it okay?"