“Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey!”

Having shouted the magic phrase, I proceeded to brace myself for the inevitable cascade. Soon enough, the flood gate was opened as several youth tenders herded a screaming mass inside, allowing the ravenous horde freedom to rampage as it pleased.

As fights and furs filled the room, the natural order was soon reestablished. Those strongest laid claim to the top tables while others clawed their way across the food chain, fighting fang and claw for their right to dine. Amidst the mess, crockery and cutlery almost joined the fray as some brats tried to start a war with said wooden tools. Of course, a glare from us guardians was enough to ensure that such a thing never came to fruition.

Eventually, as time passed, even the most bull of heads began to settle down. With messy hairs and crinkled wears, the kits were exhausted, yet unmistakably satisfied with their show of strength. Soon, screams and shouts rang across the chomping halls, just like the sounds of baby birds as they chirped for care.

It was my third day returning to the nest, and while the chaos of a classroom was something I slightly missed, the ear-splitting experience right now most definitely wasn’t. With a deep breath, I willed myself to push forth and joined the tenders with their tending, already knowing that the earworm would simply get worse from this point onward.

At the first sight of foods and fruits, whatever remaining self-control of the little devils seemed to simply evaporate. Plates were barely settled down before a table asked for a second helping, then another, and another… Before long, knives and forks were abandoned as everyone dug in with their own claws and fangs, tearing the crispy attempt at “civilized dining” apart.

Well, except for those sitting at the tops, of course. From the fastest to the biggest, this lot chose to chomp down on their breakfast without throwing the table manners in the bin. Even as their boisterous boasts and inside jokes blended into the surrounding chaos, an outsider could still tell that this group was different from the rest. Special, just like their ebony strands of hair that were fluttering in the wind, outshining even the very chairs and tables they sat upon…

I glanced back, towards the very end of the room. Brown, gray, white. Such colors dominated the area, with barely any hint of black mixed within. Their voices, while much more subdued than the rest, were still lively. They had each other, and there was certainly a special kind of strength one could find in number.

Yet, at the very corner of the table, pure white was sitting in its lonesome, far away from everyone else…

Letting out a small sigh, I and two others switched with the youth tenders who just finished their own breakfast. With a small motion of the head, I led the duo towards our destination, dodging and weaving through countless attempts at usurping our plentiful platters. Yet, despite the festive moods we found ourselves in, I still had to hide the frown of frustration on my lips.

Kits will be kits…

There was plenty of food to go around. No, it would be more correct to say that there was an endless stream of supplies to feed all mouths.

And yet…

The closer we got to the bottom, the less plates got refilled. Despite various attempts by the tenders on standby, some young ones kept on denying more needs for food, even as their mouths watered at the thought.

Who could even blame them?

Being accepted into a pack was one thing. Knowing your own place, unfortunately, was another. Foods, knowledge, experiences. No matter how much these kits devoured, they would never reach the same potentials of their peers.

What was the unspoken rule again? “If you don’t deserve it, don’t bother asking?”

And, what would happen to those that don’t play by the rules…

Shaking the stray thought away, I moved towards the corner and settled down, much to a startled little bὕnny’s bafflement. Truly, there was still a lot to teach if my unsubtle footsteps were enough to evade those droopy ears of hers. After a beat, the other two also joined me at the table, our plates towering over those of our little friends.

“Sorry for crashing the party, everyone. All seats were taken, though we noticed that there are still some rooms here.” Pausing a bit, I tilted my head slightly. “That is, if none of you mind?”

Oh, they did mind alright. After all, why would the youth tenders pick some runts’ retreat instead of the fancy tables up top? Nevertheless, whatever whimpering protests quickly died out once the little ones realized how packed the room was. Couldn’t be helped, for the strays recently moved in had only increased in number, with some still sobbing inside. Until the poor things were ready to fit into a new pack, their place would be next to a youth tender, where comfort was plenty and at the ready…

That, and also because I had suggested the very same thing to ma Mma.

What? Could you really blame a bὕnny for stacking the tables in her favor?

Anyowl.

“Oh darn!” I started, putting a paw on my forehead. “All these meats, yet I somehow forgot the fruits…” Glancing towards a nearby plate, I asked its jumpy owner. “Say, can we share? The three of us don’t want to bite off more than we could chew, anyway.”

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“Uhm, actually I-”

With a subtle “nudge” from his pouting partner, whatever the youth tender was about to say quickly died in his throat. Following the cat’s lead, he bobbed his head nervously, rubbing his taut tail all the while.

“Well then, let’s enjoy our meal together, shall we?”

The sight of me chomping down on a juicy piece of meat must have been quite appetizing, for it was not long before the kits hesitantly joined in. As soon as the fat richness slided down their throat, however, all traces of nervousness simply evaporated as everyone dug in with great enthusiasm once more. From time to time, I would start up with something that might interest the brats before letting others pick up on said topic. Soon enough, the harmonious atmosphere returned to the table, with even the wćlf and lǐon I dragged along joining in on the fun.

“Say, little Ophen.” I turned to the young squʝrrel sitting next to me. “I’m planning something special for the next tall-tale-telling, though I will need someone extra-good at crafting.” With a conspiratorial tone, I added. “Anyone you know that fits the deal?”

Pausing her puffy cheeks, the squʝrrel glanced towards the lone bὕnny sitting on my right. There were no answers beyond the occasional mouthful of “uhm…” and “ahh…”, though that itself was enough for me to work with.

“You’re right! Ichay can provide excellent help to our endeavor!” Turning towards the bewildered bὕnny in question, I asked. “Could you assist us with this task? Your help will be much appreciated!”

Despite the initial hiccup, a wink from me eventually convinced little Ichay to join our merry gang. For the rest of breakfast, various ideas were bounced around, though it was the absolute absurdity of my master plan that managed to get past the awkwardness of both bὕnny and squʝrrel. As the two reunited to speak against such impossible odds, I could not help but leaned back and hid the smirk that was threatening to break out on my face.

Hook, line, sinker. Rest assured, big sis. This bὕnny has certainly not let your lessons go to waste~

With a satisfied smile, I chomped down on the rest of my breakfast and tuned out the chittering chatter on both sides. No matter what foul weather might loom ahead, today was definitely a bright new day!

•ㅅ•

♫ On the first day of preparation, my true friend said to me, ♪

“... Why would you need a pear tree, again?”

“For snacks, duh~” Imun’s unamused face was, predictably, quite amusing. Nevertheless, it would probably be unwise to piss off one of my only sources of reliable labor right now. “It’s foolproof, trust me! Besides, can acorns even compare to pears, huh? I don’t think so!”

“... You know what, I can already tell how badly this will end, but I won’t even bother this time.” With a slight shake of her head, my boorish friend blankly accepted a most reasonable request. “Just so you know, when it all goes down-.”

“Yeah, yeah. “I told you so” and whatnot~” I said, hopping away from the highly predictable high kick. “Thanks again, Imun. You’re the best!”

♫ Extras and props, checked, ♪

“Huuu… This is way more difficult than I imagined…”

“Nonsense. You’re doing great! Much better than I will ever be, even…”

“Huh? What was that?”

“Nothing! Now hop back to it, young punk-da-one!”

With a deep breath, Hiro closed both eyes and calmed his mind once more. It was not long before the pure crystal held tightly between his hands began to brighten, and not a second later did the sapling in our pot grow to a dizzying height.

Nodding in satisfaction, I noted the size of crystal used and how much potion we had watered beforehand. It would definitely take a lot of practice until their proportion could be reversed, but little by little, the crystal was getting smaller and the plant bigger. Without a doubt, we were getting there!

Patting my ward on the shoulder, I told him to take a rest while we tasted the fruits of our labor. Speaking of which, the refreshing taste that fought so well against hot summer air certainly made me sigh in delight, even though my mind kept on shivering at the small forest this guest house’s garden had turned into…

Cleanup duty will definitely be a pain, especially since Hiro was so adamant about not needing any fledgling on standby… Ah well, at least those Imun has lent me can be put to good use!

With that happy thought, I looked towards the sunset, knowing that more fruitful days were sure to come.

♫ Special effects, checked, ♪

“Hello everyone. My name’s Hiro. It’s nice to finally meet-”

“FRESH MEAT!!!”

“GET ‘IM!!!”

As the tiny horde of terror dragged its newest victim away, I turned towards my informant with a serious expression on my face.

“So, you finally managed to put a tail on that trio of troublemakers?”

“Well, yes, but…” Imit kept on glancing towards the nest’s newest oddity, one in the shape of a tied up human cocoon. Of course, the stomping of my foot soon snapped him back to the real important matter at paw. “It’s surprising that those three haven’t stoked the wrath of the forest yet, though I suppose it means whatever they have been up to hasn’t reached a boiling point.”

“The grove tenders can be cold, but not icy enough to punish wayward whelps, Imit.” Having waved away his concern, a thought suddenly struck my mind. “In fact, I’m more impressed by their stealth and tracking skills… Managing to sneak away from tenders and growlers in the dead of night, while still being able to navigate through the misty maze like that… Hmmmm…”

“... Big sis, I already had a bad inkling back when you said those three knew big bro Lunck, but don’t tell me that you’re actually planning to-”

“Hush! Maybe, the perfect bait… Yes, this can work… I can prepare the lawnmower, and that punk’s ass will soon be grass!!! Heheheh HAHAHAHAH!!!”

“Welp, I tried...”

Imit’s unfounded concern aside, a cheerful laughter could not help but escape my lips, much like those now dancing around the firewoods. Of course, such merrymaking could not last long, given human’s low tolerance towards any form of roasting.

Having fended off the horrendous horde, I proceeded to drag my freshly grilled fledgling away from the ravenous rabble. For a first contact, this had certainly gone much better than expected. Truly, today was a wonderful day!

♫ Shady dealings, checked, ♪

“Mommy…? Is that you…? Please wait for me… I think… I can see the light…”

“Bravo! Ten outta ten! Now save that theatrics for when the play actually begins, will ya?”

“Uuuu… The things I saw… The things they did… Those beasts were not the spawns of devils… They were the devils themselves!!!”

“Wasn’t that what you want, though, Mr. “I don’t want any special treatment, please tell the kits to behave the same way they normally would”? Maybe, now you will learn to take the advice of your pack leader more seriously~”

“Uuuu nom nom nom… The chicken next, please… I certainly hope that this plan of yours will work…”

“Of course it will! Trust me! My plans rarely fail!!!”

“Somehow, I feel that I just triggered a terrible, terrible flag for myself…”

♫ Now let’s all hope for a good show! ♪