Eve watched curiously from a distance, expecting someone to emerge from the frozen forest at any moment—perhaps the one who had summoned the cat here.
She waited for a while but didn't see anyone, leading her to think that whoever had called the cat had detected her presence.
The next moment, her theory was confirmed as the cat started looking confused, as if it didn't know how it had ended up in the Frozen Forest.
'Tsk, I was so close,' Eve thought as she dissolved into mist and drifted away. She couldn't afford to be seen by the cat... knowing Nox's class, she knew he could communicate clearly with his beasts.
[Where am I? Brat, where are you?!] Fluffington called out, a very perplexed expression on his face. How did he get here? It felt as if there was a black hole in his head. As he tried to think about this strange phenomenon, his head began to hurt.
Forced to stop thinking, the cat began to leave the forest, following its footprints that were still visible on the frozen ground. A stinging pain from the cold assaulted him from beneath his paws, yet he kept a stoic expression.
Eventually, he left the forest and arrived at a wide, winding road, but now there was a new dilemma. Fluffington could no longer see his footprints. There were so many people, and they had probably wiped out all traces of them.
[I'm lost,] realization dawned on Fluffington as he looked around.
"Stupid cat, get out of the way!" one man commented as he kicked Fluffington, who was in his path.
[How dare you, mongrel!] Fluffington sneered, his face contorting into a deep frown. This was the first time someone had assaulted him , and the cat was extremely furious. He leaped up, his retractable claws exposed.
However, the man who had kicked him had long disappeared into the crowd.
[Thank your stars, stupid human,] Fluffington muttered as he continued his search. He was trying to reestablish his connection with Nox so that he could communicate with him, but it was proving very difficult.
"Fat cat, stop messing around my yard!" A nasty old woman emptied a bucket of hot water on Fluffington. The unsuspecting cat barely escaped the sizzling water that was about to burn his pristine white fur in the nick of time.
[Sigh, where are you, Nox?] Fluffington thought with a wistful expression. [Well, why am I even bothered? He's probably discarded me for that cat.]
[Maybe he doesn't want me anymore. Maybe I should find someone else to live with.] Though he considered this for some time, he dismissed the thought. Nox and the rest of the Cromwell family were the only people he knew, and he loved them in his own twisted way.
He couldn't imagine himself ever being separated from them.
[Maybe I should talk it out with that brat—I mean Nox... Perhaps if I'm less arrogant and lazy, he'd treat me like that panda... but I hate stress.]
Just then, the cat felt his connection with Nox strengthen a little, and he hurriedly called out.
[Brat! Something is wrong with me! I can't control my body! I need your help!]
Meanwhile, on the other side...
[Where are you, Fluffington?] Nox called out, urgently, relieved that the cat was safe.
[I don't know, but this place is very dirty, and the people are even nastier.]
'You sound like a whining kid, which is very strange,' Nox chuckled. 'Alright, head in the direction where you feel the connection is stronger. I'll do the same, and we'll meet up quickly.'
[Great idea, I'll do just that.]
Following the connection, Nox took several detours and eventually spotted Fluffington, whose pristine fur now looked dirty.
[Finally!] Fluffington exclaimed in joy as he rushed over. He had never been so excited to see Nox.
'Is my eye playing tricks, or does Fluffington look a bit slimmer?' Nox narrowed his eyes as Fluffington rushed into his arms. Nox's nose twitched a little when he caught the stink.
"It's just a day, and you already stink so much. This is unlike you."
[Tell me about it,] Fluffington felt embarrassed. Then he looked up at Nox with his beautiful green eyes and said, [Nox...]
Nox looked at the cat strangely.
[Why are you looking at me like that?] Fluffington asked.
"It's nothing. It's just a bit weird hearing you call me by my name... you usually call me brat... did you forget?"
[I didn't forget... Is there something you don't like about me? Why do I feel as if you don't love me anymore since the panda arrived?]
Nox massaged his temple. His thoughts were spot on; it seemed Fluffington really felt jealous of the special attention he had been giving to Thirteen, which was his fault.
"No, I don't hate you," Nox said as he stroked Fluffington's head. It was the first time he was having such a peaceful conversation with the cat. "I was only trying to make Thirteen not feel left out... I guess that affected you. I'm very sorry, and I promise I'll make it up to you."
[I understand,] Fluffington nodded. [And I promise to stop being arrogant and work hard like the panda. I know it'll be difficult, but I'll try.]
"Hmmm, where did this change of heart come from?" Nox was pleasantly surprised by the development.
[Nothing, I just realized you're all I've got, and it's only right for you to be the master in this relationship... Also, I have to apologize to the panda... he might be angry at me for not playing with him that much.]
'Sigh, so all this while I just needed to let you experience life to put you in your place. Why didn't I think of that?' Nox thought with a smile.
"Why is he smiling at the cat?"
Passersby commented as they looked at Nox as if he were a madman.
"How did you even get here?" Nox frowned. He couldn't understand how the cat had come all the way out here yet couldn't recall the way back to the abandoned ship.
[Like I said, I don't know what happened!] Fluffington licked his paws clean, irritated at how dirty they were. Then he added, [It felt as if I was sleeping, and when I woke up, I found myself here.]
Nox narrowed his eyes. Just from their connection, he could tell the cat was being truthful, and it gave him a lot to contemplate... was he under some kind of mind control or what?
"Let's go. I'll keep an eye on you from now on," Nox commented as he placed the cat inside the taming space.
However, as soon as he turned around, he bumped into a group of people dressed in military uniforms very similar to the ones he had seen back at the border. Their leader was even more familiar, as Nox had seen him when all the factions gathered.
"Kid, can we have a word with you?" Captain Bofan smiled. "We only have a few questions for you, and if you can cooperate, we'll let you go."
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