By Zephyria It got noisy outside again. The sun hadn’t even risen yet, but it seemed the ‘Bear’ had already arrived. The bears I’ve seen before always liked to lounge around. They weren’t uselessly diligent like this guy.
Even though I tried to ignore it, the presence of the ‘Bear’ kept bothering me. Flicking my ears didn’t help. I turned my head and lay down. Something ticklish lightly shook my whiskers. Seeing it move in time with a wheezing sound, its identity seemed to be human breath. I squirmed my body a little.
“Hm? Su-nam… are you awake already?”
‘It,’ who had opened its eyes at some point, muttered softly. I don’t know what that means. ‘It’ reached out and gently stroked my head. I didn’t dislike the feeling, so I just let it be. Then, it reached further and stroked my entire spine. This wasn’t bad either. When I slightly lifted my chin, it knew to scratch under my chin. It’s quite quick-witted. Except for the fact that it calls me by a strange name, I like it quite a bit.
Having heard the sound of the ‘Bear’ moving outside, ‘it’ slowly lifted its head. Then, it carefully crawled out from under the blanket. It paused shortly after because the ‘Male’ was holding onto ‘it.’ ‘It’ slowly disentangled the ‘Male’s’ arm wrapped around its waist. It seemed to be trying not to wake the ‘Male,’ but the sensitive ‘Male’ opened both eyes instantly.
“Ah, you’re awake?”
‘It’ muttered something again. The ‘Male’ didn’t give much of a response. It’s not that he doesn’t know how to bark; he just doesn’t seem to like making noise.
Suddenly, I remember the first time I met the ‘Male.’ He just stared at me quietly. He didn’t bare sharp teeth or claws, growl, or take any other threatening action. He simply watched my every move in silence. Until I grew tired, and thus stopped being wary of him. A strong one knows how to overpower an opponent with just a look. The ‘Male’ was like that.
The ‘Male’ suddenly got a look in his eyes as if he had discovered prey. He turned his head to scan the surroundings. But there was no prey to be seen anywhere. Looking back at the ‘Male,’ he was already pulling ‘it’ close and rubbing their muzzles together.
I don’t know what that behavior means. Just rubbing muzzles like that felt slightly ticklish and made me feel a bit better. Should I say it’s a feeling similar to when I’ve filled my belly satisfactorily?
I tentatively pushed my own muzzle forward. But before I could even reach ‘it,’ the ‘Male’ raised his hand and blocked me. He even opened his closed eyes and looked down at me calmly.
What is this? Is he being wary? Why? ‘It’ isn’t food, and it’s not like ‘it’ will melt away just because I touch it with my muzzle.
When ‘it’ first entered my territory, I thought ‘it’ was my prey. I thought I could play with it for a while and eat it when I got hungry.
Of course, compared to the other prey the ‘Male’ had offered me until now, ‘it’ was lacking in everything, barely alive. It had almost no flesh, just scrawny bones, and seemed to have no energy to run away. So I assumed some other guy had eaten it and thrown it away. No matter how many times I checked, it was clearly a male, but since it didn’t fear me or the ‘Male’ and never once picked a pathetic fight, I wondered if it was sick. Sometimes I’d poke it to see if it was dead, and it did move. Slowly, like a turtle.
It was a miracle that ‘it’ hadn’t been eaten by another predator yet. What was it thinking, being slow on its feet when it wasn’t even strong? It seemed like a creature born specifically to be eaten.
After entering my territory, ‘it’ gradually took an interest in me. Whenever I monitored it, it stared at me boldly without fear. Whether I was moving or eating prey, it never took its eyes off me. It was a complete reversal of roles, but since there seemed to be no hostility, I left it alone. Rather, it seemed to revere me. Because every time it called me, the air moved softly and gently.
Once, I received help from ‘it.’ A pathetic little piece of bone had gotten stuck in my throat. While I was choking and gasping, ‘it’ suddenly approached. Thinking it was finally showing its true colors, I bared my teeth and growled, but ‘it’ didn’t run away. Instead, it pried my muzzle wide open and abruptly shoved its hand inside. Then, it pulled out the piece of bone that had been tormenting me.
Thanks to that, my throat felt light again. If I had closed my mouth, ‘it’ certainly wouldn’t have left with its bones intact, so I endured as much as I could. Even so, its incredibly weak skin tore and blood flowed. Even in that state, ‘it’ had a relieved expression.
From then on, I decided to maintain a symbiotic relationship with ‘it.’ It would be troublesome if another bone got stuck in my throat. Since it acts like a fearless puppy despite being weak, I have no choice but to look after it.
Looking closely, ‘it’ seems to be a picky eater. It eats the food the ‘Bear’ provides quite well, but the rabbit I caught for it has been left untouched for days. Because of that, that ‘single-bite snack’ fearlessly appears before me and struts around. Wondering if that ‘single-bite snack’ wasn’t to its taste, I once caught a weasel for it. Disappointingly, ‘it’ showed little interest even in the weasel.
After rubbing muzzles with the ‘Male’ for a long time, ‘it’ opened the door and went outside. Feeling uneasy about letting it go alone, I followed slowly behind. When ‘it’ muttered something to the ‘Bear,’ the ‘Bear’ turned around and bowed his head. Then he focused on preparing food again.
The ‘Bear’ doesn’t move so diligently every day to fill his own belly. He’s just taking in and feeding the ‘Male’ and ‘it.’ Are the bear species originally that meddlesome and strong in their camaraderie? I became inwardly curious.
‘It’ immediately went to wash itself. Then the ‘Male’ came outside. The ‘Male’ didn’t make any sound, but somehow the ‘Bear’ noticed and immediately turned and bowed. The ‘Male’ just gave a slight nod and went to sit in a fluffy spot.
As usual, he didn’t even unfold his pitch-black papers and just stared at me intently. What is it? Is he trying to pick a fight? I have no intention of fighting him. Lately, the number of times he looks at me warily like that has increased. Is his rutting season approaching? If not, has he started worrying that I might challenge him for the alpha position?
Around then, my ears flickered on their own. It was because I felt another presence not far away. Someone was trying to intrude into my territory without permission. I quickly jumped down from the sofa and looked toward the passage connected to the outside.
Before long, the door opened, and the ‘Annoying Guy’ entered. As soon as he spotted me, he curled his lips and smiled. He invaded my territory recklessly and approached right in front of my nose in one leap.
“Su-nam, good morning.”
As always, the ‘Annoying Guy’ grabbed my face and shook it around. I tried to threaten him by baring my teeth, but strangely, it doesn’t work on this guy. What on earth is this guy’s identity? He gives off a strong vibe of a hyena or a lion with only a plausible mane, but there’s no way to confirm.
“Good morning to you too, Mi-nam.”
“What brings you here at such an early hour?”
“What do you mean ‘what brings me’? I came to get some food.”
The ‘Annoying Guy’ immediately approached the ‘Bear’ and chatted noisily, and only after a long while did he move to the fluffy spot where the ‘Male’ stayed. The ‘Male’ looked at the ‘Annoying Guy’ with a displeased gaze. The ‘Annoying Guy’ ignored the ‘Male’ nonchalantly. They are strange fellows—sometimes like natural enemies, and sometimes like they’re in a symbiotic relationship.
In terms of personality, they were polar opposites. That’s why they bare their teeth and growl at each other every chance they get. It’s been like that for a long time. I could never tell who gained the upper hand. Because whenever it looked like it would be interesting, the ‘Bear’ invariably stepped in to stop them.
Soon, the ‘Bear’ approached me and threw me some food. I’m fast and my hunting skills are excellent, so there’s no need for him to take care of me. Still, the reason I don’t refuse is that the prey the ‘Bear’ gives is always high quality. I’m just amazed at where he hunts such meat every day.
Just as I was about to take a bite, I felt a strange gaze. Conscious of it, I saw the ‘Annoying Guy’ staring at me openly. I tried to express my annoyance by wrinkling my nose, but the guy just smirked. Only after I finally bared my canines did he turn his head. Why does he keep provoking me like that? I can’t figure out his inner thoughts at all.
“Ah, is the teacher here?”
‘It,’ having finished bathing, walked into the living room smelling of fresh fruit, flowers, and trees. At that, the ‘Annoying Guy’ fluttered around with a bright face he had never shown before. I felt as if I could see a tail on him.
All beasts are bound to yield and obey the strong. Flattery is also reserved for those stronger than oneself. That’s why it was strange. The reason the ‘Annoying Guy’ flutters so much specifically for ‘it.’ Not just him, but the ‘Male’ and the ‘Bear’ also treat ‘it’ exceptionally. I tried to understand their hierarchy, but I couldn’t.
The ‘Male’s’ gaze is fixed on ‘it.’ It looked as if he was waiting for the right moment to pounce and bite its neck. Well. Looking at ‘it’s’ white nape, I often salivate too. Since there’s no fur, it seems like it would be easy to eat.
Still, I have no intention of eating ‘it.’ I’m full enough with the food the ‘Bear’ offers me, and I don’t dislike ‘it’ grooming my fur like this.
But lately, ‘it’ often feels unfamiliar. I don’t know exactly when it started, but occasionally, the scent of the ‘Male,’ not ‘it’s’ own, began to waft from ‘it.’
The ‘Male’s’ scent started coming from ‘it’ after ‘it’ was taken away by some lackey and then returned to my territory. Did the ‘Male’ mark ‘it’ so he wouldn’t lose ‘it’ again? For some reason, a stronger pheromone emanates from ‘it’ since then. If ‘it’ weren’t a male, I would have mistaken it for being in heat.
Because of that, my will to take good care of ‘it’ is threatened several times a day lately. Even though I’m not particularly hungry, ‘it’ keeps hovering before my eyes, and since it flutters whenever it sees me, I often wonder if it wants to carry cubs despite being a male.
Did the ‘Male’ notice this psychology of mine? Is that why he keeps looking at me so warily?
Hmph, what’s wrong with sharing a bit?
“Now, Su-nam. Come here.”
‘It’ called me, patting its leg. I didn’t particularly like being treated like a cub that hasn’t even been weaned. But since it was about time to manage my fur, I quietly complied with its request. I approached ‘it’ and rested my chin on its lap. ‘It’ stroked my back and patted my rump as if I were commendable.
The ‘Bear,’ as always, rolled up his sleeves and prepared the bath. When he rubbed between my fur with his large, thick hands as if scratching, my body quickly felt refreshed. The only reason I let the ‘Bear’ touch me as he pleases is purely because of that.
‘Bear’ habitually kneaded my fur, creating a rich lather. The soft, fluffy sensation combined with a subtle scent was quite refreshing. I was closing my eyes and making pleased sounds when ‘that thing’s’ hand suddenly entered my mouth. Ever since ‘that thing’ got hurt while removing a piece of bone from my throat, it had learned to be careful on its own. It was a bit bothersome, but I endured it simply because having ‘that thing’ around was better than not.
‘That thing’ meticulously brushed each of my teeth one by one. Even the oxpecker that lives in symbiosis with a crocodile probably couldn’t be as clean as this. My mouth became so fresh it felt awkward.
Meanwhile, ‘Bear’ silently and calmly massaged my back, four legs, and even my tail. It managed to find every nook and cranny my tongue couldn’t reach and cleaned them delicately. I felt elated. Was it because I had filled my belly before the bath? I felt slightly languid, and my vision grew hazy. When I opened my mouth wide to yawn, ‘that thing’ looked at me with a blank expression.
“Are you tired, Su-nam?”
It’s babbling incomprehensible sounds again. ‘That thing’ loved to chatter incessantly, knowing full well that I couldn’t understand its words. When I lived simply with just the ‘Male,’ it had been nothing but quiet. Many things had changed since ‘that thing’ arrived. Even the air lingering throughout my territory.
Sometimes I suspect that ‘that thing’ might be a type of tree. A green plant that generously breathes out clear oxygen. That might be why ‘that thing’ walks so slowly.
“All done.”
‘That thing’ patted my rump once more. Honestly, even if I’m not a puppy. ‘Bear’ merely cleaned up without a word. As soon as ‘that thing’ opened the door, I strolled leisurely outside. ‘That thing’ quickly grabbed a large towel and followed. Then, it wrapped my body in the towel from behind and gently rubbed away the remaining moisture from my fur.
Seriously, it’s slow as a snail. One shake would have done it, but it makes things bothersome in so many ways.
“Ah, Su-nam! Wait!”
I shook my entire body, breaking free from ‘that thing’s’ grasp. Water droplets clinging to my fur flew in all directions. My body, which had felt heavy and sodden, became light as a lie. Ah, now I feel refreshed.
“Ah…”
The expressions of ‘that thing’ and ‘Bear,’ who had rushed after me, were not good. Did they want to groom this body’s fur themselves so badly that they felt this much regret? Strange creatures.
On the way to my fluffy spot, a ‘single-bite snack’ popped out and blocked my path. Before, it would curl up and tremble just by encountering me, but now it struts through my territory as if to show off. Despite being so small that swallowing it whole wouldn’t even notify my liver. The creature, which had been running fiercely, braked abruptly upon spotting me. Uselessly, it slid forward and bumped into my front paw. Only then did it curl its body into a ball.
Baffled, I gave it a light poke with my paw. The creature, which had been motionless as if dead, sprawled its limbs wide when I poked and rolled it again. Long ears and hind legs popped out from its plump body, and it bolted away. In one leap, I overtook it and blocked its path. Then I touched it with my paw once more. Without fail, its body curled into a ball. Why is this so fun? It was strangely addictive.
“Su-nam, you? I told you not to bully Todori!”
While I was in the middle of playing, the ‘annoying fellow’ appeared and interfered. Pouring out unpleasant words at me, it took the ‘single-bite snack’ into its arms. Since it only picks the most hateful things to do, I can’t look upon it kindly even if I try.
The ‘annoying fellow,’ seemingly intending to head back, tucked the ‘single-bite snack’ inside its clothes. Then, after a long while, it gave a wide grin toward ‘Bear,’ who had finished cleaning.
‘Bear’ looked at the ‘Male’ without a word. When the ‘Male’ nodded, ‘Bear’ bowed its head toward him.
“See you next time, Su-nam.”
The ‘annoying fellow’ waved its hand gently at me and finally left my territory. Following it, ‘Bear’ also disappeared through the door. The air, which had been bustling and noisily excited, finally felt like it was calming down. Now, only the ‘Male,’ ‘that thing,’ and this body remained in my territory. It was peaceful.
As usual, I went to my fluffy spot and stretched out my languid body. Since my belly was full and my body felt fresh, I thought I’d just sleep. ‘That thing’ naturally followed me and perched slightly beside me. It felt a bit cramped, but I didn’t go out of my way to push it away.
The ‘Male’ handed a piece of black paper to ‘that thing.’ ‘That thing’ looked into the bundle of papers with a fairly serious expression. Is that interesting? It does that every single day; I have no idea what kind of behavior that is.
I let my head drop onto my front paw. Drowsiness washed over me in waves.
I opened my eyes. Just as I felt a tickle on my nose, ‘that thing’s’ head appeared right in front of me. I wondered what it was doing, and it was still sitting on the floor, staring at something. I peeked over ‘that thing’s’ shoulder, but as expected, I didn’t know what it was.
I gave the back of ‘that thing’s’ head a little nudge with my snout. Perhaps thinking I was talking in my sleep, it just scratched the back of its head gently and stopped. It was the same when I nudged it again. When I stuck out my tongue and licked its hair, only then did it mutter something.
“Wait, Su-nam.”
I rested my head on the shoulder of ‘that thing,’ who could do nothing more than whimper no matter how much I teased it. Only then did ‘that thing’ turn its head to look at me and gently scratch my fur. It should have done that from the start. Lately, ‘that thing’ seems to be deeply immersed in the pleasure of making me anxious.
Around then, the ‘Male’ suddenly stood up. ‘That thing’s’ gaze turned toward the ‘Male.’ I also turned my head slightly and looked at him. The ‘Male’ watched ‘that thing’ and me silently, then walked away somewhere. After chasing the ‘Male’ for a brief moment, ‘that thing’s’ gaze was once again fixed on the bundle of black papers. Judging by the sound of water coming from where the ‘Male’ disappeared, it seemed he was grooming himself just like me.
“Ah, Su-nam. Just a second.”
I snatched the bundle of black papers from the hands of ‘that thing,’ who kept getting distracted. Then, I leaped onto its body and landed on the floor. Only then did ‘that thing’ look at me with desperate eyes. It even approached me, reaching out its hand as if asking for it back. I dodged this way and that to avoid ‘that thing’s’ touch. ‘That thing’ continued to call me and chase after me. What is this? It’s strangely fun.
I ran back out into the wide living room. Without fail, ‘that thing’ followed me. But for some reason, it stopped a few steps away and didn’t move. No matter how much I lingered nearby or even approached right in front of it, it stayed still. Had it frozen? I waited for a long time and even waved my front paws, but ‘that thing’ didn’t budge an inch.
Feeling anxious, I approached ‘that thing’ and nudged its leg. In an instant, ‘that thing’ reached out its arm and hugged my neck tightly.
“Got you.”
I tried to escape, but ‘that thing’ was one beat faster in taking the object I was holding. Even then, ‘that thing’ held me tight and wouldn’t let go. I couldn’t tell if it was trying to play or trying to establish the hierarchy this time. Driven by the instinct to escape, I twisted my body this way and that. Then, in one motion, I pinned ‘that thing’ beneath me. As I pressed down on its shoulder with my front paw, ‘that thing’ muttered something. Was it a declaration of surrender?
By nature, when subjugating an opponent, one must bite the scruff of the neck. I had never attempted this with ‘that thing.’ Because it had always been docile on its own without me needing to do so. But the situation was different now. Looking down at its white neck, I swallowed. Wouldn’t it be okay just once? Just a single bite.
I opened my mouth wide and bit ‘that thing’s’ neck. To be precise, its skin. As the elastic skin stretched back, it glanced behind. Even seeing me chewing on its skin, it laughed as if it were nothing. It seemed to mistake this body’s actions for a joke.
“Su-nam, stop it. You’re stretching the clothes.”
An unbearably delicious scent emanated from ‘that thing.’ The scent of flesh that made my mouth water. Pressing down on the struggling creature’s back, I chewed the skin in my mouth. However, the thirst did not fade in the slightest. Simultaneously, my lower half felt ticklish. For some reason, my body felt hot. I wanted to rub myself against anything.
Licking ‘that thing’s’ neck, I gently rubbed its belly. The irritating itchiness did not disappear. What is this? Is this not it?
“Su-nam, what’s wrong?”
‘That thing’ suddenly grabbed my face and babbled. I shook my head this way and that to shake off its hand. Then I pressed its chest again with my front paw. Strange. Watching ‘that thing’ squirm beneath me kept making me excited. ‘That thing’ is undoubtedly a male.
Just as I was about to pounce on ‘that thing,’ drooling unconsciously, I was suddenly yanked backward. It was as if I had been grabbed by the scruff and thrown aside. I barely managed to stand on my four legs
When our eyes met, the ‘male’ stared at me silently for a while. I wanted to check on ‘it,’ but because the bastard had closed the door, I couldn’t get inside.
As time passed and it became time to eat, the ‘annoying one’ arrived without fail. He looked around the house and chattered something to the ‘male.’ The ‘male’ just ate his portion of the food as if he hadn’t heard a thing. The ‘annoying one’ sat down, muttering something repeatedly.
Having filled his stomach quickly, he suddenly approached me. I wondered what he wanted, and then he growled, shoving the object I had used for teething in my face.
“Su-nam, you? I told you not to chew on just anything. Look at this book. How are we supposed to read this?”
I couldn’t understand a single word he was saying. So, I just let his chatter go in one ear and out the other.
It wasn’t until the second feeding time that the closed door finally opened. The one who walked out slowly was none other than ‘it.’ Fortunately, it seemed to be alive.
‘It’ said something to the ‘bear’ and then trudged toward me. The ‘male’s’ gaze began to obsessively follow ‘it’ once again. I wondered what on earth was inside that bastard’s stomach; he was always anxious because he couldn’t devour ‘it.’
As ‘it’ approached me, its strength seemed to give out halfway, and its knees buckled, causing it to collapse. I quickly climbed down from the sofa and offered my back to the exhausted ‘it.’ ‘It’ smiled faintly and leaned its body completely against me. Perhaps it was an illusion, but it felt lighter than yesterday. Just when I thought it was gaining some weight, it had grown thin again. Was it because the ‘male’ had picked it clean? The complexion of ‘it,’ who was rubbing its face against me, was pitifully pale.
Furthermore, the scent of the ‘male’ wafting from ‘it’ was stronger than yesterday. No matter how much I thought about it, it seemed that in trying to avoid a tiger, it had accidentally rolled into the den of an even worse ‘male.’
Poor thing. Do you even get to eat?
<‘Eat Me All’ End>