Since her breakthrough, Mama Bloodcat has spent most of her time in human form. She is able to freely transform between human and bloodcat form within seconds, but she says that her human body is more convenient. As for the reason it's more convenient...

"Ahaha, Mama, stop, it tickles! Haha!"

"Hehehe." Mama giggles.

I'm a bit vexed. Ever since Mama transformed into a human, she got a lot more mischievous! The way she pets and tickles me all the time, I can't tell whether she considers me her daughter or her pet! Though I can't say that I hate it, since I do enjoy all of the attention...

"Mom, are you bullying Lyna again?" asks Casus.

"Motherly love, it is just motherly love." laughs Mama.

"Okay, we're going to go hunt steeg alone then." huffs Regis.

'Steeg' are what Mama decided to call the blue elk-like creatures.

"Stay safe." warns Mama.

Sitting on Mama's lap, a question suddenly pops up in my mind, one that I have been wondering for a long time. I can't help but ask, "Mama, why did you adopt me?"

Looking confused, she replies, "What is 'adopt'?"

"Uhm, it means to make someone part of your family, even though they aren't related to you."

"Adopt, I will remember that word. Do you remember when we first met?" she asks.

I nod my head.

"When I first saw you, I felt you were very strong. Not long before we met, I had fought a very strong steeg. I wound up killing it, but I was injured and exhausted during the fight. The rest of its group ran away after that, so I thought the matter through, but that night they came back to attack me. No matter how many of them I killed, the rest would always run away and come back the next night. So when I noticed such a strong creature that seemed hostile towards us, I was afraid for mine and my cubs' lives. But suddenly you retreated, no longer seeming hostile. I was confused. But when I noticed you hide in the bushes, I thought the reason was that you were waiting to ambush us."

"...You saw me?"

"Yes, I saw you." she smiles. "And when the steeg finally came that night, I found you were still waiting. I decided to use my strongest attack immediately in order to kill the two steeg in front of me so that I could deal with the danger behind me, but due to my exhaustion, my attack was not able to fully kill even one. I thought I was done for. I already had little confidence in dealing with the situation, but when my attack failed, I lost all hope. But when I happened to look behind me, all I saw was a dead steeg. Soon after, I heard a sound and turned back around to see yet another dead steeg!" she makes exaggerated hand motions to show how shocked she was.

I nod my head vigorously, "And then what?"

"Well, after I killed the last steeg, I finally noticed you. You were covered in blood and had a wound on your back, but you just sat there as if nothing happened. I was unsure of your intentions, so I was still wary of you, but then I saw you start to retreat again. At that moment, I suddenly realized. You were waiting in the bushes not to ambush us, but to protect us, were you not?"

I give an embarrassed nod.

Mama smiles, "So when I saw you with such a lonely look on your face, what else could I do?"

"Hehe." I snuggle up to Mama, as she pets my head.

Mama seems to hesitate for a minute, but finally speaks.

"May I ask what you were doing out there alone? What happened to your family?"

"..."

Mama smiles, "You do not have to tell me if you are not ready."

"No, it's just... a bit of a long story, haha..."

"I will listen for as long as it takes."

"Well, uhm, I think I was reincarnated into this world. Reincarnated is like, I died, but then I was born again as a new creature. But I still had my memories from my other life. I know it's hard to believe, but it really did happen." I look at Mama to see how she'll react.

She looks like she's pondering. Noticing that I stopped talking, she smiles and says, "Go on."

"Ah, well, even in my other life, I didn't have a mother, but when I came here I didn't have any parents. I think I was born in that." I point at the Eggshell. "Except that's just half of it, I broke the other half off of the top to get out. I spent a long time in there before I was strong enough to get out though. And it was completely dark inside, so I was bored and lonely, and a little bit scared. Anyway, once I broke out, I was really happy. I was finally able to see and hear things! But not long after I got out, I accidently injured myself, and then got attacked by a bloodcat."

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In the middle of my story, Mama suddenly starts glaring and emanates a murderous aura.

A little startled, I hurriedly add, "Ah, but I killed it after that, and healed all of my injuries in the tonic."

Mama relaxes again and smiles at me.

'That was a bit scary.'

"So after I fought the bloodcat, I was actually pretty excited. With nothing to do for so long other than think, I guess fighting allowed me to finally alleviate my pent up boredom and frustration. After staying here for a while, I finally decided to travel into the forest in order to experience that feeling again. And when I saw you, I..."

Mama giggles, "You were planning on fighting me?"

A little embarrassed, I continue on, "Well, uh, when I saw that you had children, I decided not to, and... sorry. I was just really touched that you were still protecting your children, even though you were in such bad shape. And when you carried... haa, carried me over and treated me like... you know, treated me like your- hic... I'm sorry, I just..."

Mama picks me up and hugs me. I really wish I would stop crying so easily.

"I guess I just didn't even notice how lonely I was." I laugh.

"Do not worry Lyna, you will not have to be lonely anymore." says Mama seriously.

'Not lonely? Is she planning on staying with me forever?'

Remembering Mama's aspirations of traveling the world as a family, hunting wherever, whatever and whenever we want, I get an idea.

I suddenly jump off of Mama's lap and proclaim, "We should take a trip!"

Mama Bloodcat is at first taken aback, and then asks, "Are you ok with that? Is this place not your home?"

"It's fine, watch this!"

I run over to the symbols, channeling my conciseness into them. Suddenly, everything within the circle of symbols, including several feet of dirt, disappears.

"... What just happened?" asks Mama.

I show her a gold chain hanging around my neck, "I found out how to do this a few days ago, it's right here!"

My brothers and sisters come back, each dragging a steeg with them. These kids sure have gotten stronger recently. Not only that, it seems they're already considerably bigger than Mama Bloodcat in her bloodcat form.

"Mama, why are you so small?"

"Small? Am I that small?" she asks a little dejectedly.

Looking at Mama's well built form, I quickly amend, "No, I mean as a bloodcat!"

"Oh, that. When I was younger I was much bigger. But as I grew stronger and older, I started getting smaller again. I am not sure why."

"I see." I nod.

Suddenly, "Mom!" shouts Tisa.

"Look at what we got!" says Eile.

"We were lucky this time, we ran into two groups of two steeg." smiles Casus.

Regis just drops his and doesn't say anything, but he looks very proud of himself.

Mama praises them, and continues, "Children, I have something to say after we finish eating."

They nod, and we all start eating. Honestly I found raw meat gross at first, especially the texture, but over time I gradually developed a taste for it. The black eyed creatures taste the best in my opinion. But unfortunately, although there are many types of creatures around here, only a few types have black eyes. Out of those, steeg are by far my favorite! We don't eat bloodcats by the way, that would be disgusting.

Everyone is sitting around Mama Bloodcat, like we usually do when she has something to talk about.

"Children, I will get to the point. I wish to explore the world. Where I go, there may be no other bloodcats, no steeg, and there will undoubtedly be dangers along the way. You are all old enough to live by yourselves, so I will not force you to come with me. But if you do wish to come with me, I will gladly bring you along."

They stare silently at Mama for a while, until Eile speaks up.

"Mom, I was planning to tell you this sometime, but I found someone. I know you said bloodcats don't usually pair for life, but he already said that he..." If bloodcats could blush, her whole face would probably be beet red by now. I mean, I know it's already red, but you know.

Mama smiles and hugs her. The contrast between a human and a bloodcat, it reminds me of some videos I have seen on earth of humans and big cats. Except this big cat is much bigger than any I have seen on earth.

"I am very happy for you. You must introduce me to him before I leave."

Regis speaks up next, "I also found someone. And like Eile, I plan to spend my entire life with them. I'm sorry mother, I cannot come with you."

'Regis? That straight-face? He paired up?'

Mama congratulates Regis as well, also expressing her desire to meet his partner. Afterwards Casus and Tisa, although they haven't found anyone, also want to stay behind.

After the family meeting is over and everyone goes their separate ways, I still have a question I want to ask.

"You didn't seem surprised by their answers, did you expect them to...?"

Hearing my inquiry, Mama looks toward the sky and sighs.

"When I was their age, I enjoyed being away from my mother. It may in part be because she abandoned me, causing me to possess resentment toward her, but I had long guessed that part of that feeling exists in them as well."

On her face is an expression I have never seen on her before. She looks so sad and lonely.

Unsure of what to say, I simply lay down in her lap. Mama gently pets my head, and I gradually drift off to sleep.

The next morning, Mama makes good on her intentions and asks Eile to take her to her boyfriend. I decide to go with them, and as soon as Mama returns to her bloodcat form, we head out.

Said bloodcat is about the same size as Eile, and although I can't tell for sure, he seems pretty nice. The three of them talk for about an hour, during which I think everything went well. I couldn't understand what they were saying, as they were talking in the bloodcat's language, but Mama seems quite happy with him.

As for the female bloodcat that Regis is pursuing, I tagged along that time as well. When I saw the bloodcat that was half again as big as Regis, I was a little surprised. Shortly after she and Mama met, they actually started fighting! Mama easily subdued her of course. After the fight, Mama said something to Regis and left. Catching up with her, I asked Mama why they suddenly started fighting.

"A battle maniac. As soon as she saw me, she said she wanted to fight me. She reminds me of a certain someone." laughs Mama.

"Eh, I wonder who that would be..."

Over the next few days, the cubs start showing up less and less often. Though, I guess they aren't really 'cubs' anymore. It's nearly night now, and none of them have shown up since yesterday.

Ever since we had the meeting, Mama has not been smiling as often. She's constantly furrowing her brows, as if she's trying to make a tough decision.

"We will leave tomorrow."

While I lie in the grass playing with a sitchle, I suddenly hear Mama speak. As I look at her face, I see a relaxed expression, one I have not seen for several days.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. They have made their decisions. I am reluctant to part with them so soon, but some things must happen." She breathes in deeply, probably in an attempt to hold back her tears.

"It's ok, they'll be safe, I'm sure of it. And who knows, maybe when we come back you'll have grandkids!"

"What are 'grandkids'?"

"Grandkids are like, your children's children."

"Oh, I would like that!" Mama gives an energetic smile.

The next morning, we set off.