When Hades woke up, there was an unsettled feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Something was off, like a faint sound of distress in his head. Could it be...?
It must be because he was hungry.
Rising, he turned to see Ling'er still sleeping.
He left the room to eat breakfast in his food bowl. His meal consisted of small pellets of some unknown substance that had a strange scent, one that he'd never seen before.
"What is this?" He turned to Chen Yan who was watching television.
"Cat fo-er...Rations. We can't afford meat all the time." She looked like she was about to call it something else, but stopped herself.
He sniffed it again warily.
"Eat it, I can guarantee you that it's fine." She urged.
"...you first." Though he didn't smell poison, it was a scent he'd never smelled before. He didn't just put any strange thing into his mouth, even if the human was trustworthy.
"Eh?!" She turned around with a face of surprise and a hint of nervousness.
"You heard me. You eat it first, since you guarantee it. Then I will trust it. He had often had some other animal test his kills for poison or other harmful things back in the abyss as well. To not eat something he wasn't sure was safe was one of the ways he survived.
He watched Chen Yan fidget in her seat.
"You seem reluctant, why is that so?" His small eyes narrowed as he observed her intently.
"W-well its not exactly made for humans to eat..." she said carefully.
"I thought humans ate everything that wasn't food or poison? You aren't telling me that there's poison in there, are you?" His research into humans from the books in the house told him that humans were omnivorous, eating plants and animals alike, and generally could and would eat anything aside from substances that could kill them. He himself was carnivorous, and did not eat plants. Thus anything that he could eat, surely she could eat it as well.
"No... it's just that, it was made for animals, if I eat it then..." but she wasn't sure if she actually couldn't eat it or not.
As she fumbled about, Ling'er walked in. Chen Yan immediately turned to her and beamed.
"Good morning, Ling'er! Did you just wake up!" Was she changing the topic?
"Good morning, sister, Xiaohei... Hmm? What happened to your friend, Xiaohei?" She rubbed her eyes sleepily as she looked around.
"Friend...?" He looked confused.
"You know, the cute, silver wolf!"
The second her last syllable ended, his fur stood on end and his eyes dilated to the size
of the eye of a needle.
Uh oh...
Oh no...
This wasn't good at all...
Realization had dawned on him like the light that obliterated his homeland.
He had left that wolf behind!!!
In the Divine Hall!!!
All by herself!!!
All night!!!
"I need to go find her!" Dread filled his heart at the thought of the wolf's mother coming for his head.
How could he possibly forget such a thing?! His life was on the line for her protection. How could he forget his own lifeline?! He simply couldn't believe it. It was impossible. It was as if some invisible being controlling their fate made him forget!
He quickly ran to the nearest exit.
"Hold on!" Chen Yan suddenly shouted at him.
"I think I found her. Or at least someone did." She said, pointing to the TV.
He turned to it immediately.
-Sightings of a silver wolf in downtown Songjiang!- read the headlines. There were blurred pictures of a canine figure dyed in deep silver running through the street.
"Our experts have determined the wolf to be a Moondance Wolf, of the silver variety. What does this mean Professor Jiang, local field biologist?" The image changed to an elderly man sitting in a red velvet chair, reading a book, in front of a lit fireplace even though it was spring.
"The Silver Moondance Wolf is royalty among its kind, and holds an incredible amount of potential Since they're often deep within their packs, it's incredibly rare. From its size, it must be young, so it can't possibly be in the core realm. Since this one seems to be alone; whoever can catch it can raise a talented contract beast or fetch a pretty penny. At least 3 million, maybe more on auction.
This made many eyes bloodshot. Something this valuable was a rare chance. Many would be hunting it.
"Eh?! We've been sheltering something so valuable?! How'd she even get there anyway?" Hades felt her gaze, and turned away guiltily.
"I'll go look for her!" He immediately set off.
This was his mistake, as well as his responsibility. Because of him, she was in dire straits. If she were to die or snitch on him, he was sure his head would be rolling in an instant!
With that thought, took a small bag, put on his sunglasses, then spread his wings and took flight into the dull blue sky.