I turn around back towards the ledge and look down.
"Ok Inv, let's hop down there and you can start eating!"
"Awight!!!"
Hearing his excited reply, I jump down landing right next to the popcorn plant. Inv lands right next to me without making a sound somehow.
'That's weird… whatever'
Not thinking much about this, I start getting ready to throw the spear at the popcorn plant.
"Watch this Inv, whenever you see one of these popcorn plants all you have to do is throw a spear at it, then…"
I throw the spear at the popcorn plant, hitting it dead on. Right upon impact the spear is lodged into the popcorn plant. The red casing surrounding the popcorn starts to unwrap itself followed by a bunch of popping sounds.
"Food!" I say finishing my sentence before I threw the spear.
"W-w-woawww!!! Et smel bery gud!!!" Inv says while drooling at the popcorn plant.
"It does, popcorn plants are just that good" after saying this I can't help but think about popcorn back from home…
'Sure, it was a lot smaller but damn if only I could taste popcorn with butter one more time…'
The popcorn in this world is pretty much the same except there's nothing to eat with the popcorn… I haven't really had the time to experiment what would taste good with it since trying to survive is already hard enough…
'Maybe one day… but for now'
"Go on Inv! This should fill you up!" I say to Inv with my arms crossed.
"O-ok!!!" Inv jumps right up to the popcorn plant and stares at it.
…
Then he looks back at me.
"Joey hoaw du i ea dis???" Inv asks in confusion.
…
'This dork…'
Not surprised by the question, I hop up next to Inv right in front of the popcorn plant.
"All you gotta do is grab a kernel and eat it, they taste pretty good so don't be too surprised when you eat it!" ripping off one of the kernels from the popcorn plant I give the oversized piece of popcorn to Inv.
"T-tank u" hearing Inv thank me for the food I can't help but feel happy.
'Not only is he exotic but also polite? This has to be my best cycle yet!'
While thinking this I watch Inv take his first bite of popcorn.
Immediately upon taking the bite Inv stops in place.
…
Is… he ok?
I get my answer when I hear Inv's tail start thumping against the ground in excitement.
Looking behind Inv I see Inv's tail moving at speeds that only leave behind a blur.
'I guess he really likes it!'
I turn my head back towards Inv's face which is currently munching on the kernel I gave him.
"So? It's pretty good right?" I say to Inv not able to hide a smug grin.
Inv gulps down the kernel and looks at me.
"Ye ye ye!!! Dat tas weally gud!!!"
"Well? Eat to your hearts content Inv!" saying this to Inv he gives me a happy nod and fully starts focusing on eating from the popcorn plant.
'Alright with this, Inv should be good on food pips this cycle. Now I just need to get him back to the shelter and that will be one problem solved. With Inv resting in the same shelter as me it will be next to impossible for us to get separated unless one of us rests in a different shelter… but that shouldn't happen… I hope'
Looking at Inv happily eating the kernels from the popcorn plant I finally have a moment to look at some things I haven't been able to check this cycle.
For one, the 'passives' I somehow gained when I met Inv. I also need to check out what his stats look like.
'This should be interesting'
Making my decision I close my eyes and raise a finger to my forehead.
But right before I can access the screen…
…
burrrrrr~
I open my eyes in surprise hearing this noise.
'What is that? It sounds like… a cat purring? But in a different, funny way…'
Thinking this I look towards Inv and can immediately tell the purring is coming from him.
'Wow… he must really be enjoying the popcorn plant. I didn't even know he could purr like a cat… wait if he can purr doesn't that also mean I can purr as well?'
I'm surprised by this revelation for some reason. I know I'm called a slugcat but I didn't actually think we had such a subtle trait like purring…
Turning my attention back on Inv he's still happily eating from the popcorn plant. Seeing him purr like this makes me want to…
I reach my paw up towards Inv's back with the intention of rubbing his back. The idea of checking those passives and Inv's stats are thrown on the back burner.
Right when my paw touches Inv's back however.
HISSSSSS*
I immediately jerk my paw away from Inv in fright. Instantly an intense feeling of danger takes over my entire being. The only times I feel like this is when something is about to kill me!
In less than a second Inv turns towards me, his skin turning a dark grey rapidly.
Without even thinking and only acting on instinct I jump back with as much power as I can. I see something pass by my sight but it was so fast I can't tell what it was.
Landing a bit back from Inv I look back at him in fear.
'W-why did he attack me? Did I do something wrong?'
Thinking this I see Inv stare back at me with a cold glare. His paws have long sharp claws coming out of them.
'Was… was I tricked?! Was he only being nice to me because he wanted food?!'
Feeling anger swell my very being. I get up ready to fight to the death.
Looking at Inv, I wait for him to make his move but…
What turns from a cold glare turns into one of horror from Inv. in a bit of surprise I watch as Inv's claws retract into his paws.
"J-joey?" Inv covers his mouth with his paws, his eyes widening in horror while looking at me. His skin also rapidly turns a very dark blue.
Seeing this I get confused. But before I can even process what just happened, I feel my face start burning.
Raising my paw up to my face I touch the spot that is starting to burn. Right upon touching it I pull back my paw since it hurt when I touched it. I look down at my paw. It still has a blue tint to it from Inv's tears earlier, but now a red is also mixed with it… blood.
My blood.
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A/N: drama... won't last long though dw!
Have a good day!