Circles

Chapter XII

"Where were you?" Alister inquired as he observed him entering through the grand entrance of the house.

"Out for a walk... hey, want to take a guess..."

Interrupting, he snapped, "Walking?" with evident annoyance. "Where exactly? I didn't spot you anywhere when I was on my way back. Did you attempt to head down to the city?"

"Of course not! Are you mad? I don't know how many kilometers it is from here to the city, but even I'm not foolish enough to attempt that, Alister..."

"Then?"

"Why are you so upset?" Noah's expression turned hurt as he spoke. "Did I do something wrong?"

Alister let out a sigh and moved closer, embracing him.

"Don't worry, I've just had a rough day, and when I didn't see you here, my mind jumped to the worst."

"I'm not a child, you know... I can look after myself."

"You say that, but still, you were discovered by an imbecile like Andrew."

Noah pulled away, fixing him with an offended stare.

"Andrew deceived me..."

"That's your issue, Noah. You're far too... gullible."

"It's not like that!"

"Yes, it is. You should finally grasp that you can only trust me. No one else will care for you like I do."

The boy fell silent, his gaze dropping. "I apologize..." he eventually mumbled.

"You don't have to apologize. Just..." Alister let out a weary sigh. "It's nothing. Did you have dinner?"

"What were you about to say?"

"It doesn't matter. You wouldn't understand, anyhow."

"Oh..."

"Let's proceed to the dining room."

"Alright..."

The following day, Noah awoke early and once again ventured into the woods. He had the intention of locating the cat and, if possible, managing to pet it at least once. He had taken precautions to ensure he arrived before Alister, so he anticipated no difficulties today.

He sought out the same spot he had been at the previous day and settled on an aged log to wait. It didn't take long before he heard a faint rustling amidst the leaves, and he caught sight of it promptly. Outlined against the earthy backdrop, the dainty silhouette of a black cat inched its way toward him. Noah grinned while striving to stay perfectly still, and when the creature paused, he extended his hand slowly. Carefully, he reached out to the cat, his gaze wide. The little feline approached, mirroring its behavior from the day before, and Noah exhibited patience as he waited for the creature's guard to lower.

Once he was confident it wouldn't flee, he drew his hand nearer and tenderly rested it on the cat's head. This time, the animal merely displayed surprise at the contact but refrained from retreating.

"Good boy..." Noah uttered excitedly.

The tiny cat gazed at him, its vibrant green eyes fixated on him. For a moment, Noah experienced a sense of unease, causing him to withdraw slightly. As he did so, the cat leaped into the underbrush, startled, vanishing from his sight.

"Oh, not again..." he grumbled.

He fished out some food he had purloined earlier from his pocket. Despite his own hunger, he surmised the creature might be in greater need, leaving the provisions on the ground before settling down to wait anew.