Kael blinked, completely baffled by Alden's remark.
'Alive?' he thought.
'Of course I'm alive, why wouldn't I be?'
His mind raced through the confusion. Why on earth would Alden think he was dead? It didn't make any sense. Well, there was that one time where he almost died, but that didn't count... right?
'Wait…'
Realization hit him like a slow wave.
'Could it be that this guy has been underestimating me all this time? Back at the orphanage... so he thought that I wouldn't survive because of my condition?'
The thought was enough to stir a hint of irritation in Kael's chest.
'This guy dares to underestimate me of all people?! He acted all mute and sh—'
He caught himself, forcing a mental deep breath.
'Calm down, Kael. At least he remembers you, that's a good thing... I think
Let's first settle whatever 's going on right now'
Still, Kael struggled with what to say. His mouth opened before his brain caught up, and he awkwardly blurted out,
"I… am?"
Alden's eyes went wide, shock splattered across his face.
"But you… how? Here… why?"
Kael raised a hand, attempting to regain some semblance of control over the situation.
"I'll answer your questions, all of them, but… can you maybe lower your stance first? Remy, you too!"
Both Alden and Remy hesitated, their bodies tense with suspicion. But eventually, they relaxed, though Kael could still see the wariness in their eyes.
'Well, that's better than nothing,' he thought, sighing quietly.
Moments passed, the tension in the cave slowly deflating as the misunderstanding became clearer. Alden, despite the absurdity of the situation, somehow managed to get the truth out of Kael.
"So," Alden said, leaning back against the rough cave wall,
"You're saying you were kicked out of the orphanage and ended up living out here? Then, while you were exploring, you stumbled upon me near the riverside? And that all of this was just a massive misunderstanding?"
Kael nodded solemnly.
"That's the gist of it, yes."
Alden rubbed his temples, digesting it all.
"I see…"
Silence thickened the air, but then, to Kael's utter shock, Alden dropped to one knee, bowing low like some knight from an ancient tale.
"I apologize for my misdemeanor and for the harm I've caused you. Please, forgive me."
Kael's jaw almost dropped.
'Seriously, dude?' he thought.
'A simple 'sorry' would've worked just fine… why go full on knightly on me?'
And what bothered him more was how annoyingly cool and graceful Alden looked while doing it.
Outwardly, Kael raised his hands.
"No, no, it's fine! You don't have to do that… It was just a misunderstanding, really."
Alden's voice wavered.
"But I almost ki—"
"Whoa, stop right there."
Kael cut him off immediately, noticing Remy's sharp glare and the subtle flexing of his claws.
"I'm fine, really."
He forced a chuckle to break the tension.
"Anyway, how about we eat first? I'm starving…"
Both Alden and Remy stared at him in disbelief, their faces reflecting a shared thought:
'You still have the mood to eat after all that?'
Kael blinked at their expressions.
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
"N-no, nothing," they both stammered, shaking their heads.
Ignoring their confusion, Kael prepared a simple dinner—nothing fancy, just enough to fill their stomachs. They could have had something more substantial, though. His trap had actually caught something earlier when Remy went to check, but it was unfortunately lost due to the... misunderstanding.
"Let's dig in, everyone!" Kael said with enthusiasm as he dove into his food.
Though the food was filling, the atmosphere was thick with an awkward tension. Each bite felt heavier than the last,
'Well this is awkward...' they all thought in unison
Alden, still too stunned by the turn of events, chewed quietly, his gaze occasionally flicking to Kael. Remy kept an eye on Alden, ever cautious, though less hostile than before. Meanwhile, Kael–
Kael, continued eating heartily, glad that the situation, at least for now, had settled down.