Milk

Mera

The sensation confused Milk. His bites burned, yet his body freezing. He could not breathe, yet it seemed he had regained his breath. He was lying on a dark cave floor, shivering. Vidali was looking over him.

"Oh, thank goodness, I thought you'd died!"

He coughed up a lot of water.

"Where... am I?"

The cavern was not very large. He looked around, and his gaze fell on five small kittens, each with large eyes staring straight at him.

"Well, it's a long story... " Vidali explained. "But the important thing right now is that you're safe."

He didn't feel too good, though.

"Your paw..."

Vidali looked at her paw and said, "Oh, that's nothing. It's already starting to heal. Your wound is too."

Milk looked at the scab of his missing leg. It didn't look pretty, but it didn't look bad, either.

"How'd we escape?"

"I saved you," said a commanding voice.

Milk turned around to find a large gray cat striding toward him, looking quite grave.

"You'd almost been killed by those things. It's a good thing I was there to help."

Milk couldn't help but feel almost familiar with her, even though she was a stranger to him.

"Sorry, but... who are you?"

"I should be asking you the same thing. Your friend here doesn't seem to even know your name."

Milk looked at Vidali. She looked a bit flustered.

"You never told me it!"

"Yes, enlighten us."

Milk looked at the two of them.

"It's Milk."

She smiled. "Weird name. I am Mera."

Something clicked a little in Milk's brain, but he couldn't quite connect it.

"All right. Now, how about you explain to me your predicament."

And so Milk attempted to explain what happened to the two of them, leading to the moment where he got knocked out.

Mera stood there for a moment. Then she spoke:

"That is the cannibal tribe of Gala. They are led by an ancient leader who lives in hiding. We do not know for sure where he lives, but it is rumored that he particularly loves to feast on cat tongue. They are dangerous. You are lucky to have escaped them."

Milk did not know what to say. His brain felt like it was full of gears, yearning to turn, come together, but a small rock was keeping the entire structure from turning. Everything but one part had come together, the missing piece of the puzzle. He felt as though he'd gain some traction or idea as to what was happening to him once that piece was found. But he wasn't sure he wanted to know what to do.

And, despite the deadly insects and horrifying cannibals, that was the thing that scared him the most.