(Fluffy!)
It's good to be back! I run straight towards Fluffy to dive into his fluffy fur. I can never get tired of his fur, it's the best!
The White Fox Elder, who I refer to as Tails since she also doesn't have a name, isn't around this time. I've rarely seen her around recently.
(Welcome back, Mimin. Did you learn how to use your magic?)
(Yes! I was able to use my magic! Magic is really pretty!)
(That's good to hear. You seem to have gotten used to telepathy too.)
I continue to fluff up his fur with my hands like usual. His fur seems to have gotten fluffier recently, too. I wonder why? I want my fur to be like yours, Fluffy!
(Say, Fluffy. Why is your fur so fluffy? It's so comfortable, I can fall asleep inside it.)
(Hmm. I'm not sure about this, but I think it's because of you continuously messing with my fur like this.)
Eh!? So, if I continue fluffing my own fur like what I'm doing to Fluffy now, I can have fluffy fur too!?
(I'll give it a try then!)
(You don't make sense sometimes, Mimin. You know that?)
(Eh? I understand what I'm doing, though?)
(Anyway... Mimin, I need you to do something during lunch, later today.)
(Yes?)
What is Fluffy making me do later? Did I say something strange?
----------
(You're to have your meals with everyone, starting today.)
(Eh?)
The Silverwolves and White Foxes have already taken their own portions of Orcs, Wild Boars, and Horned Rabbits for lunch.
(I need you to start learning to eat proper meals from now on. You've already grown out of just drinking milk.)
(Eh!?)
What is this about? Why am I suddenly required to eat the meat of other Beasts?
Also, how do I even begin with this...? This is very different from drinking milk, isn't it?
(What are you getting surprised for? Go on.)
(Yes... How do I eat...?)
(That's what you're learning to do now, isn't it?)
(Yes...)
I suppose I should take only one Horned Rabbit for myself? The size of it seems right for me...
(It stinks!)
What is this pungent, sickening smell!? Is it from the blood? I never felt this sick from just smelling blood before, though! Blood is a common thing to see and smell during the hunts, and I've been training while my parents hunt since I was two years old.
So, why do I find the smell sickening now? Have I never been this close when smelling blood before?
Come to think of it, there's some white particles around my face whenever I'm near blood. Was it... Magic? It's Papa fox's magic, wasn't it? Has he been making sure I don't get affected by the smell of blood for the past two years?
...Thank you, Papa fox. For taking care of me this whole time.
(Thanks for the meal...)
I don't even know where to start with this. Do I just start eating however I like?
(Fluffy, isn't it dangerous for me to eat raw meat?)
(Ah, you should be fine. You are a beastkin of us Silverwolves and White Foxes, after all.)
Right... There goes my excuse, I suppose. It doesn't seem like I can get out of this situation. But, how does being a beastkin make it fine for me to eat raw meat, anyway?
I chew from the Horned Rabbit's belly first.
(It tastes... Disgusting. And it really stinks...)
I continue chewing as I don't have a choice, Fluffy is watching me as he continues with his meal.
The Horned Rabbit's belly has already become unrecognizable to me, and the blood continues flowing out even faster. The stench becomes much stronger, unlike anything I've ever known.
(This is... Everything is blurry...)
I start to feel really dizzy, and I can't breathe. Am I fainting? I feel like... I'm losing consciousness...
Now I'm kneeling on the ground on all fours. I need to... Use magic... To survive this...
Release my magic... Cover my face... And... Increase density of particles... By compressing more magic...
Eh? I think I'm... Recovering? I'm slowly regaining my ability to think, and my vision is getting clearer. The smell of blood isn't as strong now, either.
(I guess you're still not prepared. It's fine to use your magic, but I'd like you to get used to that smell eventually.)
Fluffy, why did you make me do this? I feel like I was dying back there! I mean, I know why you're making me do this, but still...
I'm just four years old!
----------
I managed to finish the Horned Rabbit without staining my fur dress, somehow. It did not taste pleasant...
I left the bones out, since I'm unable to eat those... I think.
I should practice using my magic, probably? I have nothing better to do now. Before this, I would take a nap in Fluffy's fur to pass the afternoon. After what Fluffy made me do, though... And also because I just learned about magic today, let's practice using my magic!
There's also Papa fox's heat magic from earlier that I want to try out, anyway.
(Release, control, cover myself in my magic...)
I think it's a success? I can feel something cold hugging me, and I can feel 'me' hugging something warm...
I guess that's normal, considering that my magic is a part of me.
(Now, make my magic heat up...)
Raise the temperature slowly, and...
"Nn!"
This feels really good~! It's warm and comfortable!
I lie down on the ground first, before raising the temperature just a little bit more.
"Ah!"
That's it! That's... I feel like I can fall asleep any time like this... My ears and tail are refusing to move at all now.
Other Silverwolves and White Foxes are looking at me like I'm weird. I can care less about them, for now.
Forget magic practice for this afternoon, I'm going to relax like this... It's too good to pass up...
----------
"Eh? Did I fall asleep?"
By the time I wake up, the sun is already setting. The view is just as pretty as the sunrise, but the forest gets darker and darker.
(Yes, yes you did, Mimin. It's already time for dinner.)
"Fluffy?"
Ah, I should use telepathy. It seems like I haven't completely gotten used to it yet.
(Go on. You still need to get used to eating.)
(Ah! No! I don't want to... It's horrible...)
Fluffy pretends to not hear me and throws over a Horned Rabbit. I guess I'm having the same thing as lunch, then.
(Thanks for the meal...)
My magic is already prepared. I will eat this Horned Rabbit without issues this time!
*Crunch*
Mm? Did I chew on the bones, accidentally? Wait, more importantly! How are my teeth still completely fine!? How am I able to crush the bones with my teeth!?
*Crunch*
Am I really going to eat the bones, too? It's tasteless, so it's better than being a bad taste. Still, are the Horned Rabbit bones just weak, or something?
*Crunch*
(Fluffy, is this normal?)
(Hmm? What is... Ah. Yeah, probably.)
(Probably?)
(Silverwolves of your age are able to swallow and digest bones.)
Ah. So my teeth and my mouth is probably normal for being able to crush bones...?
(Not that... I mean, are the bones of the Horned Rabbit this weak?)
(No, it's not like that. Humans are unable to swallow the bones of the Horned Rabbit, as well as the bones of many other Beasts and so on.)
Eh? I guess that means I'm just really strong then? I'm not a human, though. Why are you using humans as a reference?
Well, whatever. I'll finish this meal before I question anything else, I suppose.
----------
The moon has taken over, and the night sky is glittered with stars. It's pleasant to stare at the stars, too.
(Pretty...)
After living in this forest, I have come across so many pretty things. This is nice.
(You think so too, Mimin?)
(Ah! Fluffy!)
I lean against his fur and watch the night sky with him. The stars are pretty as usual. The atmosphere of the night is a huge contrast to the atmosphere during the day.
(Yes! It feels like a completely different, new world!)
(Haha, is that so?)
...
It's about time to sleep now. Doing the same thing as this afternoon, I spread my magic to cover myself and raised the temperature by the same amount...
"Ah-hn!"
(Mimin?)
T-This is just... This is bliss~! This feels so much better than Fluffy's fur, somehow! This can become really addicting...
Ignore everyone that's watching me now. It's important that I appreciate this heat magic I've learned to use!
I think I'm going to fall asleep again... But I want to enjoy this a little more...
...
Still under the effect of my heat magic, I saw something moving through the night sky.
(Ah, look! A shooting star!)
I heard that when you see a shooting star, you can make a wish, and it'll come true! Isn't that exciting?
I have one wish, one simple wish that I'll like to make. Under the starry night sky, I say my wish using telepathy so that Fluffy can hear it.
(I wish for my life to continue like this, with Fluffy, Tails, my parents, and all the Silverwolves and White Foxes, in this forest.)
(...)
Fluffy seems to be making a wish too. I wonder what he's thinking?
(...I wish for Mimin to be able to stay with everyone in this Forest of Magic, and live happily together.)
(Eh~. Fluffy...)
...Thank you, Fluffy...