Well, it ended up that I didn't have the chance to ask her anymore; it has been 4 days since she left and didn't come back, and now we were starting to starve and get really worried.
"Come, brother"
I said as I start to walk for the exit. My brother wasn't able to talk yet, but dogs always had a way to communicate without words, so I could see in his eyes that he didn't want to.
Even being as hungry as we were, even knowing that something was wrong, he didn't want to leave, because by leaving we would be… admitting. Admitting our fear.
That mother would not come back.
"We cannot stay here any longer, we need food, now, and I need your help to hunt little brother"
A turmoil of emotions started to spin in my belly. Hunt. Kill something. Would I be able to? No, I needed to. But the preys were all bigger than I.
I shook my head and stare back at my brother.
I couldn't afford to hesitate.
"Let's go"
He drops his ears but starts walking, the only sound being our claws rasping the rock below. When we reach the end, however, strange sounds pick my attention.
Talking.
Humans.
A growl wanted to grow in my throat, making me raise my lips, but no sound escapes as we move towards the shadows, listening. That kin, humans, I knew it from somewhere, but where wasn't important right now as for sure no good would come from having contact with them; the best thing now would be to avoid them completely.
My brother whines, hiding behind me. The clamoring of metal and the smell of old blood didn't help their friendly look.
But of course, for our luck, they are right beside the entryway of our cave, and even a blind would be able to notice our scratch marks on the rock.
Shit.
I got a glimpse of one of them and immediately use appraisal, which, by the way, got to level 2 thanks to 2 days of boredom.
-Appraisal completed-
Name: Ryle %6$7@3
Gender: Male
Race: Human
That's all it gives for now, it seems to work fully only with myself, but at least gave me his name.
The cave had only one direction to get out, but at least had many exits-holes like a hive, allowing me and my brother to stay against the wind and above them, hiding between the crevices and sneaking by in the many shadows, our black fur helping us camouflage.
There were twelve of them, smelly humans. Many wore those loud metal armors, clacking about, the helmets hiding their faces and letting visible only a puff of beard. The bulky four with full armor were holding metal nettings and their intentions seemed clear to me as the others kneeled down and analyzed our marks.
But how do they know where to find us or that we were even here? Unless them…
I shook my thoughts away, but they came nonetheless.
Unless they found Mother and tracked us down.
But one thing for sure, I wasn't going to wait to find out. The idea of attacking them passed my mind, more for the hunger then revenge even, but looking at my pitiful brother made me toughen inside.
If I'm correct as I assume, I'm the only family he has left, and he is only one month old for god's sake!
…So I am, but that's not the point…
Ding – Title change – Doting brother to older brother
…
Not the time little ding dong.
Shit, they are moving again, the group separating inside as the bulky four waited outside, talking nonstop and not been very stealth for a group of hunters may I add.
Ding – Common Language 1
Yes, finally something useful! Thanks ding, sorry for mistreating you before.
Ding: …
"So do you really think they are in there?"
"In there I dunno, but that the female had pups that's for sure"
"And how would you know? You're no better than we are in the field"
The other spits on the ground before replying: "Because it wasn't me who said so dickhead. The boss saw, and he was really pissed that the other one died. Better have those pups or we are going to pay for sure."
The other shuddered. "Hope that our tracker knows what he is doing then."
I didn't need to listen any more of that. I turned around, anger boiling up in my system as my clueless brother follows me around the humans and deep into the forest.
We need food.
We need shelter.
But above all, we need to run.
From those smelly humans.