Mouth Full of Cotton

Chapter Eleven: Visitor [???]

“Who are you…?”

Those three words, an inquiry on myself I would never give an exact answer to. My dad always called me Leo, but my… Well, grand-dad? He said I was Alex, too. Alex, and Leo? Leo and Alex? I don't think Id ever know, if they never knew, why would I–
The sound of his voice snapped me out of thinking, my ears giving a twist to focus on his voice. My tail flicked. “Leo? Le-Le? I— I heard something, something moving.” His gentle voice, an ease to my pacing thoughts. But this situation was not easing in the slightest. “Footsteps, you mean?” My voice came out gruff, something I wish I could fix. I always thought it made me seem… hostile. “Yes, footsteps.”

My ears swivel around, listening more as I shut my eyes to envision what I heard more. Rustling leaves… more rustling. The sounds of two people nearby. My right ear gives a twitch, interrupted by the night breeze. I'm glad Maine couldn't see in the night as I could, so he didn't see my… animalistic parts. He's a human friend, and I want him to stay human. I don't want him to be a monster.

Holding his hand while listening out with a keen ear, we make our way through the dark before I distantly see them. Carkha, and a very, VERY pale fresh stuff one? Well, not too fresh, the paws say otherwise. Who was that man? Why was I never made aware of him before?
“Stay,” I secretly speak as I let go of Maine's hand. They were closer to the worse parts of this place; The dead bodies, the felts, and fabrics.

“Hello!” Carkha waves at me, looking at me while beaming with joy. I paid little attention to him, frankly, as I tried to get a better and closer look of this… person. It’s rude, yes, but I'm a curious cat, and on the nosier side of the room, too, so I had to see this. He was on the more human side, only his ears and paws giving it away he was stuffed, excusing his minor stitching.

“Who's that, Carkha? Tell me.” I request, however, coming off too demanding and insolent by how Carkha responded, his tone guarding. “His name is Kit.”
“Kit, huh? Basic name.” Carkha seemed… annoyed. “It's still interesting though. Anyways, supplies, that's why you're here, yeah?” I saw Kit hide behind Carkha as I continued to speak. “Does Dad want anything in particular?” Being met with a headshake, I continued. “Good.” 

I show them some satin and other fabrics, all in a perfect white. They collected what they could carry, and made their way back to where they presumably came from. I shake my head as they stumble on twigs and literal air, and make my way back to Maine. They made their way back to Dad.

My… Dad.

Dad, who am I….?

The thought lingers in my head as I meet Maine once more, holding his hand as I lead him out to his home, our home, away from the forest.. “I'm back, dear.” He smiled, a thought popping into his mind as he perked up. “Oh oh, oh! What… what are we gonna have for– for dinner?” He questions.

“I might just order a pizza, unless you'd like to cook that chicken with me, that is.” He lit up, his wrists twisting as his hands waved in a happy stim. “I'd like– no, I'd LOVE that! Hell yeah, hell to the hell-hell YEAH!” He starts running back home, giving a spin and some jumps as he did. It was cute, the way he got excited. It made me feel warmth, hope and an odd sense of comfort.
I let out a sigh, he was just… well, himself, and that made me happy. I put my beanie back on, and through the corner of my eye I saw another person running in panic, however, it wasn't Maine, and was instead a girl. I slowly made my way towards her, as my curiosity started increasing. She stopped running, and even though my hearing was muffled from my beanie, I could hear her breathing— hell, hyperventilating at that, with how fast it was. Scanning over her, she… was human. A human.