"Ether," Xara called softly as she fed him a spoonful of food, her voice taking on a motherly tone. She sat across from him, her eyes warm yet firm as she continued her story,
"So, the cat finally caught the mouse after searching for so long. But instead of eating it, the cat let the mouse go. The mouse, confused, asked, 'Why did you let me go?' And do you know what the cat said?"
Ether, chewing slowly, stared at her blankly.
Xara smiled softly, wiping away a smudge of food from the corner of his mouth. "The cat said, 'As long as you're still out there, I'll always have a purpose in the humans' eyes.'"
She paused, watching for any flicker of understanding in Ether's blank face. "Do you get it now, Ether? That's how the world works. If you keep living like this—quiet, passive—others will take advantage of you. You need to stand up for yourself, brat," she added, her voice firm as she pushed another spoonful into his mouth, her gaze suddenly serious.
