19 Bedeviled (2/2)

”Leaving home for the first time is hard. I did it too. Survival is always the priority,” a gentle voice advised while looking at a black cat lying on its stomach close to the fire.

Tarou saw the cat's head move up to look at the person speaking and the man continued in a voice filled with admiration.

”You have a good eye. He has two expressions --cold and colder but he is a good person.”

'Good person? Hmpf!' Tarou couldn't help but groom himself vigorously when he heard the man's words.

”The capital is not the best place for a cat but being his cat would afford you some level of protection.”

Tarou shifted his paws while hiding in the shadows. This guy was selling the general to Boss like a father sending his daughter off to marriage. Tarou saw a black tail swish from one side to another.

'Boss, don't even consider it! You should be less gullible. Don't listen to that man. The general is dangerous!'

”You're a smart cat. You can win him over,” the man said while crouching down on the ground to give Boss a piece of meat. The man did not mind the cat's silence and in an enthusiastic voice filled with mirth, he continued.

”This is the longest conversation I had for a month,” the enthusiastic voice said in a tone filled with mirth.

Tarou was about to dash close to Boss when someone appeared behind the man.

”Barca, you are talking to a cat who is not even meowing back. That does not count as a conversation,” a loud voice interrupted.

'So, this cat who pimps Boss to the general is called Barca.'

While studying the scene in front of him, he heard a chuckle before a tone laced with ridicule raised the same question he wanted to ask.

”Are you muddleheaded, why would you advise a cat on how to win over the general?”

”Can't you see how this little one tries to be tough?” Barca retorted, appealing to the other man's emotion while motioning to the cat who looked too bored to respond with a meow.

”All I can see is one proud cat.”

”Luca, that animal has no home,” Barca reasoned only to be told off like a grouchy child.

”He will bring trouble to the general. We should lose the cat.” After a quick pause, Luca continued in a voice reverberating with unsettling concern.

”Why would he choose a cat for a pet. A panther or even a tiger will be better than a cat. This animal will only invite trouble.”

”The cat chose him.”

”The cat can choose someone else, the general should stop tolerating the presence of this cursed animal,” Luca said firmly.

”The cat can hear you,” Barca quickly interjected to reprimand Luca.

”If that cat understands us, it should know its place. You know cats are not exactly welcome at the capital,” Luca insisted, his head shifting slightly while eyeing the cat.”He continued in a voice filled with disdain, ”It's not just a cat, it also happens to be a black cat --the symbol of the devil. Being labeled as a devil --”

”will be useful in sowing fear. Terror is an effective tool in any battlefield,” a sharp voice interrupted without a hint of hesitation.

When the general spoke, Tarou's jaw dropped. He did not notice when the man arrived, he could not believe what the man said either.

Feeling the man's intense presence, Tarou rushed towards Boss who was now on all fours standing alert with her tail up and her head raised up towards the human.