29 We Are Not Friends

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The old man suddenly rose and grabbed the candle placing it close to her. He took one of her front paws and placed the candle close to it. Mina panicked.

'What is this man doing? Is this how they punished liars in this era?'

Realizing she has been caught, Mina had no choice but to come clean, suddenly threatened by the man's actions.

"I am... I am not Devin! Fine! I am guilty. I'm just here for the food!" Mina confessed.

The old man continued to hold on to her front paw and turned it over as if looking for something. He released it right after his careful examination.

Mina did not know what to do when the man started to survey her from head to paw. Feeling no threat from the man, Mina allowed him to take a closer look but she had to pose her body in such a way that she will look magnificent under the candlelight.

"Did you follow Jadon to the capital?" the old man asked as if he already knew the answer.

"Of course not, I rode on Nightmare," she replied quickly, trying to impress him.

The man gave her a pensive look which confused Mina further. Realizing her focus drifted away from the most important issue, Mina enthusiastically hounded the man with questions.

"Why can you hear me, old man? How do you know it was Jadon? Who..."

He looked at her again, this time with lively eyes before answering her in an amused voice.

"One question at a time, curious cat."

Mina looked at the man with more caution. The wind blew through the open window, and the candlelight flickered. As Mina focused on the light beaming from the moon, a sudden thought occurred to her.

"Are you... a ghost?" she asked, ready to bolt. The old man looked at her, and he cracked an amused smile.

"Just, who are you?"

"You are an unusual cat. I am just an old man waiting to die," he said with a bitter smile. "But fate seems to have other ideas. Perhaps I have another purpose in this world," he continued in a voice filled with mystery.

"Old man, I am a not a regular cat. Actually, I am..." she stopped. This was a stranger and she should keep some things secret. She even had no idea who this man is or why he could understand her. These humans are devious, she should always keep that in mind. She knew it when she was a human herself, and this afternoon's lesson taught her something too. This human intrigued her and, at the same time, he scared her.

"You do not have to spill all your secrets, my friend."

"We are not friends," she said in a firm voice. "You are a stranger."

"In that case, I would be honored to be your friend," the old man replied while extending his hand to her. Mina simply looked at his hand before replying.

"I have to think about it." After a short pause, she continued, "But first, tell me, why do you understand me?"

"It is a gift which has been passed on from our ancestors."

Mina nodded thoughtfully. Remembering something, she quickly started another barrage of questions. "You mistook me for Devin?"

The old man nodded and she quickly moved on to another one, "And this Devin is a cat?" The old man nodded again, and Mina looked at him for a while before proceeding to ask, "You could understand him too?

He nodded.

"Do other people in your family possess it too?"

"My only living relative is my grandson. He has been trained to communicate with cats since he was born. He had exceptional ability in interpreting cat behavior but he had no gift for Lingua Cattus." When he saw Mina's forehead knotted in confusion, he quickly added, "that's how we call the language of cats."

"Do you talk to other animals too?" she asked, curious about learning more.

"No. We can only communicate with cats."

"Could other people understand me too?"

The man paused before answering, "Perhaps."

Excitedly Mina had to ask, "Does Jadon..."

"He is a complicated man."

"Grandpa, that is not an answer!" "Does he or does he not?"

"I do not know."

Mina looked at the man thoughtfully. What does this mean? If the general understood everything she said... she should be cautious about that man! Suddenly, her cat heart started beating rapidly and she became fully alert. Seeing how her tail turned stiff and her fur standing up, the man gave her more space.

"You must be afraid. This...world is in turmoil. It is not the best time to be a cat."

"My timing is always wrong," she replied bitterly. 'I trusted the wrong person as a human and I'm not sure if I made another wrong decision this time.'

"The general --Jadon is playing a dangerous game. Whether you decide to follow him or not is up to you," the old man cautioned her.

"Can you read my mind too?"

"No. But you are clearly unsettled."

"You can hear me but you do not hear my thoughts, right?"

The man nodded and Mina felt some relief.

'So, even if the general understands the cat language, he is not a cat reader.'

"But some people may be able to. I do not know if Jadon can read your thoughts."

"Grandpa you just read my mind!"

"I am old, I am supposed to be wiser than you."

Mina didn't want to admit it but the man made her feel warmth and comfort.

"You can stay here if you want," the man offered.

Mina declined the offer right away. "I have a room downstairs," she replied while smiling with satisfaction.

"And you are happy with the arrangements?"

Mina nodded. Looking at the man in front of her who has settled comfortably on the floor, she couldn't help but ask another question.

"Aren't you scared of telling me all of these? I may be an evil cat, you know. You trust other peop--animals easily."

The old man smiled bitterly while looking at her, "You remind me of Devin. He is always cautious of strangers."

Mina simply looked at him and stretched before finding the best position to relax. Old men love to tell stories and this man was not an exemption. She could just tell. But before she could pry, she heard Nightmare's angry sounds.