PA 3.5: End of a Tail

Chapter XXXV Part I

Small slivers- cracks, tiny little imperfections that never mattered, that only he could see. Running up from his claws in lightning patterns, trailing from the broken or blunted edges of his paw tips.

"I should really stop," were his thoughts as Ray brought the white of his pointer finger up to his bared teeth, nibbling on the end and feeling the worn-down bits of claw splinter off between his fangs. The tabby littered it on the floor and stared at the trim piece.

Ray frowned. The clock on the wall silently ticked away, but as he watched it strike six, he couldn't help but wonder aloud if it was off by a few hours or if they had spent that long cloistered away at the volunteer meeting and now running for their lives. The phrase 'Time flies when you're having fun' sprang to mind.

His left ear twitched, and he turned to witness Felix and Lyro sitting beside him, the dog waving to catch his attention, sliding a small cardboard plate with a microwaved piece of salmon on it. As hungry as he was, the cat felt his nose and throat reverberate with an instinctive meow that wobbled and bumbled as he gobbled up shreds of the lukewarm fish. He couldn't hear the "Meoubwbwb-" that made the two beside him stare in amazement and endearment.

Felix slipped the notebook towards him, and Ray followed his paw as he calligraphed something onto the paper before revealing it to him.

"Hungry?" it read. Ray nodded, as it would have been impolite to speak with his mouth full.

Felix smiled, muttering something about "keeping him" to Lyro. The dog rolled his eyes and poked at the inedible sludge on his plate; the meat jiggled slightly.

The forest cat clasped Lyro's back just out of the corner of Ray's vision. He kept his attention on the two as the dog frowned, bits of water welling in his eyes. He opened his mouth, expressing worry, something to which Felix slumped over and slipped his paw down to the dog's side, pulling him closer.

They muttered to one another, confiding thoughts and worries they would never have if Ray could hear them. The two leaned their foreheads against one another, and it suddenly occurred to Ray how unbelievable it was that he was watching a cat and dog be so openly affectionate. "They must be really good friends," he thought.

Stopping himself, the cat picked up the notepad, scrawling onto it, then tapping Felix's shoulder and getting the cat's attention.

"Where is the cat with the arm? And the other cat?"

Felix took it, frowning, tears sticking to Lyro's cheeks. Ray curled his jowls at the sight, kept chipper, and signed if everything was alright, which neither understood.

"We should go <3" Read the paper he handed back.

Ray knew what it meant, grabbing the spiral of the book and scribbling something onto it. "Five more minutes?" it read. The cat paused, then nodded, patting Lyro on the back and holding his paw, leaving Ray alone to his thoughts.

He looked down at the half-eaten salmon, picking up another shred and munching on it.

Ray swallowed and rumbled out a purr. The salmon was *so* dry, but he forgot to pack his lunch, and the volunteer meetup left very little time for him to go home and scrounge up something tasty. Not that eating took priority over survival, but...

A scent slid beneath Ray's nose- cold salmon on a paper plate, untouched and equally unappetizing. He looked over to Felix gratefully, smiling with an open mouth before scraping up the last of his own and gobbling it down, then scribbling onto the notebook.

"Thank you!" It read.

Lyro was slightly amused, but Felix got up indifferently- the metal frame of the bench rattling as the two followed each other across the room, leaving Ray to his own devices during a sudden exchange that left him wondering if they were arguing. He developed a frown, turning back to the meal and silently wondering if they would be okay.