Ha!

The three walked side by side down the street at night. Most of the shops along the road had already closed, leaving only a few convenience stores glowing with warm light. Now and then, a car returning late slowly drove past, breaking the stillness of the night before peace quickly returned.

Aimisi was especially excited the whole way, her little hand gripping the shopping bag tightly. The food packages inside bumped gently together, making faint, crisp rustling sounds.

She walked briskly at the front, looking back at the other two from time to time. Her golden eyes shone in the darkness, full of anticipation.

As she walked, Aimisi suddenly stopped and turned to look at the two behind her, tilting her head. Her ponytail swayed gently with the movement.

"Oh, right, big brother, where were the kittens again?"

"...So you don't actually know the way, do you?"

Caught out, Aimisi instantly turned red at the tips of her ears. Her fingers curled slightly around the shopping bag, and her eyes darted away, unable to meet Wuling's gaze, but she stubbornly tried to argue her way out of it.

"I-I've never been there before. Besides, you're the one who didn't explain it clearly to me last night."

"? So it's my fault?"

"Whose else would it be?"

Standing beside them, Chisaki couldn't help smiling and gently smoothed things over for her.

"It's all right. Wuling and I know where it is, so just follow us."

Wuling helplessly reached out and flicked her forehead, his touch as light as a passing breeze.

"Next time, remember the route before you go out. Don't get so excited that you just run off."

"I know, I know."

Aimisi stuck out her tongue and obediently stopped charging ahead. She shuffled over to Wuling's side and linked one arm through his, still clutching the shopping bag tightly in her other hand.

"Then lead the way, big brother. I'll follow along and won't run off."

Abu floated quietly behind and to the side of the three, looking at their figures with a hint of emotion in its mismatched eyes.

"Familial affection turning into something else again. Is this bound to happen? How come there's this part every time?"

Unfortunately, no one could answer its question at the moment.

The three walked on in a row, and after taking a moment to recall the direction, they found the place seven or eight minutes later.

"This is it, right?"

Chisaki looked at the alley before them and spoke with some uncertainty.

She hadn't looked closely yesterday, and she wasn't familiar with the surrounding area at all, so she really wasn't sure they had found the right place on the first try.

"Yeah, that's right. Look over there. That pattern was there when we came yesterday."

Wuling pointed at the wall on the left side of the alley, where a strange symbol came into view.

"What are we waiting for, then? Let's hurry."

Aimisi couldn't wait any longer. Once they had confirmed the location, she quickened her pace into the alley.

"Aimisi, slow down. Chisaki, let's hurry and catch up too."

"Mm."

Chisaki nodded gently and followed, carefully sweeping her gaze over the deep, quiet alley.

The alley wasn't narrow. Tall walls rose on either side, their tops covered in wildly growing vines. Branches and leaves hung down, casting a patchwork of overlapping shadows on the ground.

The night wind passed through the entrance to the alley, stirring the vines with a soft rustle and carrying a hint of cool dampness.

The streetlights in the alley were spaced far apart, leaving the light uneven. Warm yellow light slanted down from overhead, barely illuminating the level pavement underfoot.

The farther in they went, the fainter the voices from outside became, until the entire area was so quiet that only the wind, the chirping of insects, and the soft overlapping footsteps of the three could be heard.

They hadn't noticed it yesterday, but for some reason, the place was a little eerie. It would probably make a good setting for a horror movie.

Aimisi walked at the front. Although she had deliberately slowed down, she couldn't hide the eagerness in her eyes.

Every so often, she craned her neck to peer farther into the alley, her little hand tightly gripping the bag full of cat food. The faint rustling of the packaging sounded especially clear in the quiet alley.

"Are the kittens really in here?"

She murmured softly, her voice full of anticipation.

"It's so dark. Could they have hidden somewhere to sleep?"

"No."

Wuling followed behind her, his voice steady and calm.

"Go to the end of this alley and turn right, and you'll see them. This area is secluded, and hardly anyone comes to disturb them. It became their regular home a long time ago."

The three continued slowly forward and soon reached the end of the alley.

"Found them."

Aimisi immediately lowered her voice, her whole body seeming to glow with excitement. She stopped in her tracks without thinking, afraid that too much noise would startle the little ones.

From a distance, they could see several small dark shapes curled up beneath a cardboard box.

She carefully let go of Wuling's arm and tiptoed forward.

The three kittens showed no reaction and continued nursing, but the mother cat beside them instantly grew alert. She raised her little head, her round night-seeing eyes glinting faintly in the dim alley as she watched the intruder warily. Every hair on her back stood on end.

"Hah!"

Even though she was blind in one eye, even though one of her legs was broken, even though life had been hard, even though it was difficult just to stay alive, for safety's sake, she still resolutely unleashed her ultimate hissing move on this unknown two-legged creature.

Aimisi stopped and looked at the wary mother cat before her, only then realizing that she seemed to have been a little rash just now.

She could neither advance nor retreat now. Was she supposed to stay there like this?

Fortunately, after seeing Wuling and Chisaki, the mother cat had probably remembered their scents. After a brief hesitation, she slowly relaxed out of her Spinosaurus form.

"You still remember us."

Chisaki stepped forward, moving gently and slowly. Her fingertips came to rest lightly on the mother cat's slightly dirty but soft head, and she gently stroked her fur.

Her movements were gentle and entirely unthreatening, and she spoke slowly and softly, as though soothing an anxious, tense heart.

"Don't be afraid. We brought food for you and your babies. We won't hurt you."

The familiar touch and gentle presence completely dispelled the mother cat's last misgivings.

She narrowed her eyes slightly and tilted her head to nuzzle Chisaki's palm. A faint, hoarse meow escaped her, tinged with weariness.

Aimisi stood where she was, not daring to breathe. Her tense body instantly relaxed, and she quietly let out a sigh of relief.

"She's so brave."

Aimisi lowered her voice and murmured softly, a faint ache in her eyes. "She has such a hard time herself, but she still does everything she can to protect her kittens."

"That's how stray mother cats are."

Wuling stood to one side and spoke softly, his tone touched with emotion.

"For their children, no matter how scared or hurt they are, they'll force themselves to hold on and summon all their courage. Actually, all mothers are like that."

Chisaki gently stroked the mother cat's back. Only after the cat had completely relaxed and become docile did she slowly straighten up and make room for Aimisi.

"All right, she's at ease now. Come over and try petting her. If she doesn't resist, she should remember your scent, and then something like this probably won't happen next time."

"Mm!"

Aimisi nodded at once and carefully moved forward. She crouched beside the cardboard-box nest and gingerly reached out her hand, little by little.