17 - third

They arrived at a dimly lit alley.

Leaving Sora looking around anxiously, Thor quickly moves deeper into the alley.

Thor, who had gone deeper until he could hardly hear the noise of the street, took out a leaf packet filled with monster meat from the bag on his back.

He places it on the ground and clicks his tongue.

Immediately he feels something move at the end of the passage.

A frightened-looking Thora rushes to grab onto Thor's back.

Sniffing and sniffing, two cats, one with tiger stripes and the other with black fur, appear.

The cats, who had been looking at us, realize that Thor is the visitor, and come running toward him furiously.

Ignoring Sora's gasping, the two cats pounced on Thor's leather shoes and snapped their fangs at him.

"Thor, Thor, you're scaring me!"

"Sorry, I'm late."

Apologizing for leaving them alone for five days, Thor took off his leather gloves and slowly stroked the two ruffled furs.

The cats, who had been expressing their anger for a while, gradually turned to sweet bites when he touched them gently.

When the cats' excitement subsided, Thor gently pushed a heaping pile of meat to the two cats.

"Here, eat. It's good meat!"

The two animals, with their tails perked up, poked their noses into the meat and bit into it.

They were so hungry that they unusually began to eat on the spot.

Thor's cheeks lift slightly as they gobbled down the meat.

Beside him, Sora, who had finally grasped the situation, bent down with him and began to observe the cats' meal with interest.

"You mean these cats?" she asked.

"Yeah, I used to feed them here all the time, but there's been a bit of a lull."

"I see. Here, is it good?　I helped you carry it, too."

Saying this, Sola reached out a hand to the back of the cat that was devouring the meat.

"Hey, don't touch it while it's eating. He won't like it."

"Yeah?　But he's happy."

"Nah."

Thor lifted his buttocks as he ate, and hissed loudly at the sight of the striped cat, which was gurgling loudly.

The striped cat, which had been fur bristling and growling low when Thor had tried to pet it before, was nowhere to be seen.

"Not bad. "Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm."

"Hey, don't be too persistent, Sola."

"Yeah?　Do you want me to stroke you too?"

"Nope."

Thor's voice was sharp again when he saw the black cat grind up to the girl's feet.

The black fur, touched by Thora, starts to purr in a sweetly affectionate manner.

Thor's expressionless face became blank as he recalled the day when he had finally been welcomed after feeding her for more than half a year.

Thora, not caring about Thor's condition, lets out a chuckle as she touches the back of the cat, which is trying hard to eat the meat.

"Mmmm, hey, they look so delicious, don't they?

The two animals stopped chirping.

Thor also remains silent and stares at Sora.

Thora looks up, perhaps noticing the change in the atmosphere, and finally realizes her gaffe.

In a panic, she continues her words as if trying to make up for her mistake.

"Oh, no, it's just a joke.... ......... It tastes better when it's fatter..."

To a girl who grew up in the countryside, there seemed to be little difference between a cat and a goat.

Gently removing their backs from Thora's hands, the two animals moved to Thor's feet with the meat in their mouths.

They moved to get a little distance from the girl.

Concealing his inner joy, Thor waved his hand and ordered Thora to move away.

The girl, her lips pursed in dissatisfaction, got up and wandered off to the back of the alley.

"Hmmm. Eating skinny food doesn't taste so good..."

Thor, having gotten rid of the interloper (Sora), bends down and gently reaches for the back of the black cat that is devouring the meat.

He gets a smack on the back.

When he reaches out once more, the black cat reluctantly lets him touch it.

Thor nods broadly, careful not to disturb the meal, and lightly strokes the tips of its fur with his fingertips, just grazing them.

"Hey, hey, Thor. There's something strange about you.

Not now, please.

"Okay."

Thor, who is absorbed in the black hair, dares to ignore the voice of Sora, who has nothing better to do with his time.

Thor, who was in a good mood, reached for the tiger stripes.

The striped cat, perhaps pleased with the meat, lets him pet it without a care in the world.

"Hey, Thor. This is interesting. It's like someone's peeping at me."

Later.

"Yes."

Thor, who was enjoying the company of the two cats, looked up involuntarily at the sight out of the corner of his eye.

It was Sora, who was dragging something out of the alley.

"Oh, Thor, look at this. I've got something."

"What?"

What Sola had caught with both hands was a blackish mass that was thrashing about.

It was too big to be a cat.

And its arms and legs are too long.

It had what looked like dirty rags wrapped around its body.

It looked like a human child.

"It was cowering in the back. I think it was from around here."

The child is somehow trying to break free from Sola's bondage, but it seems to be playing with her, as if it is not strong enough.

His shaggy hair shook as he flailed about, and the few lights coming in from the street revealed the purple eyes beneath.

Thor couldn't help but let out a cry when he saw those familiar large eyes.

"Are you the third one?

The last one that never showed itself, no matter how much I called out to it.

It was Thor's small hope to pet the timid cat one day.

Thor is disappointed to find out that it is a small, dirty child.

Holding onto Thora, the child shouted with a straight face.

"Eating moo doesn't taste good!"

"I won't eat it. What's your name, Moo?

"You just said it looked delicious!"

The child's stomach makes a small noise, perhaps in response to his own words.

"Are you hungry?　Moo-chan."

"Come on, let him go."

With a dismissive nudge, Thor pulled an apple from his backpack.

He had left it untouched for Sora, who was easily hungry.

When he presented the apple, the freed child stuck out his nose to smell it, then suddenly bit into it with a gulp.

Without pausing for breath, he eagerly bit into the apple and quickly devoured it down to the core.

She was on all fours on the ground, trying to join the cats in eating the raw meat, so Thor grabbed her by the neck and lifted her up.

"Have you been eating cat food all your life?

"This is food for Moo and his friends!"

At least bake it before you eat it. Where are your parents?"

The child shook his head, buzzing, as if he did not understand the meaning of the question.

The head, which looked like it hadn't been washed in months, was filled with a stale smell.

Frowning, Thor was about to put it back in its original position when he noticed Sola's appealing gaze.

It's late in the evening and she's in a back alley, sharing food with a cat.

He cannot say his parents' names.

He is barefoot in tattered clothes, and his body smells like he hasn't bathed in a long time.

A vagrant for sure. Not an uncommon sight.

There is no end to the number of people I have to deal with, and I would never take care of them.

But it will be a while before a girl who is not used to life in the city can understand the situation.

To Sola, all the residents of the village were acquaintances, and it was only natural that they would help each other when they were in trouble.

Thor, who had been pondering for a while while holding the child by the neck, sighed heavily as if he had lost his patience.

"...... after you ask the landlord."

"Yeah!　Nice to meet you, Moo-chan."

"What are you going to do with Moo?

"Well, don't you want something better to eat?"

The hungry one replies on my behalf.

"Okay, it's settled. I'm Sora and this cool guy is Thor."

"Sora!"

"Oh, yeah, call me Sola, sweetie."

"Sola, sweetie!"

"Well done, well done. Then, this must be Thor.

Looking up at Thor, the child slowly opened his mouth.

"............ Tor-chan?"

"Why not? Why did you pull Le out?"

"To-chan!"

No, it's Thor. Don't call me that.

Torchan, I'm hungry!

"Hey, don't get attached. Get off me!"

Thor sighs deeply once more, still in the arms of the dirty child.

At his feet, the cats, satisfied with their meal, begin to groom themselves.