The Kindreds, Volume 1

The Twelfth, Pt. 2

.  .  .

The table was square and plain, covered in a lacy and yellowing cloth. Sada had seen one of a similar style in the house of Jezebel's grandmother. Only she didn't have the fondness for tea that these animals seemed to. Just gossip. There were four chairs at the table, one at each side. Upon it was set an array of china, too much for the company present, and even more food. The sight of the various pastries—human pastries, made of flour and not bee pollen—nearly made Sada forget her manners. As the others served themselves and explained to Sada what each of the pieces of silverware were called—fork, sthpoon, and kniff—she had only a mind for the food. Would she eat the lemon tart first, or the croissant? Perhaps she would try the scone, or the strawberry cake. Finally, they reached a point where manners deemed it appropriate for her to eat, and she sunk her teeth deep into the lemon tart, eating half of it in one bite. The tartness of it brough a flood of needles to the back of her mouth, as always happened with food that was extremely flavorful. Yet the uncomfortable sensation was a welcome one, and she closed her eyes to enjoy the food.

"Do you cook your own food, lady ma'am?" Tom asked her. Sada nearly spit out her pastry in laughter. She managed to cover her mouth before her unladylike grin could reveal the food that was inside it.

"I do not," she said when she had swallowed. "Do you?"

She would have thought it silly to ask a fox if he cooked his own food, yet here one sat at a table dining not only with her, but alongside his typical food itself—a rabbit. Tom had a small pie balanced on his claws so that it would not touch his paws. His lips pulled back in a grimace, yet his bared teeth nibbled at the crust.

At her question, he and Guyle shared a glance, then they both grinned.

"Why, in fact, we cooked this very meal ourselves," the fox said proudly.

"Helped to, anyway," Guyle amended.

Sada had not paused to wonder at where the food had come from, but this answer was one she never would have expected.

"How incredible!" she exclaimed. "It tastes amazing!"

"The memberth of the Learned have many talentsth," Guyle said airily.

Tom was staring aghast at Mary. "No, sow, that is what the kniff is for! Tell her, lady, the kniff is used for cutting, the spoon for eating."

"That is typically how it is done," Sada said with some amusement. The racoon was sawing at a muffin with the edge of her spoon, knife held at the ready to spear a chunk. She thought she should mention that muffins are typically not eaten with spoons, but decided that Tom's chiding was enough for the lady to deal with.

"Ah, see? Even the person agrees, and should we not trust her on person matters? See how much easier it is? I daresay!" Tom was shaking his head, looking truly baffled.

Sada smiled behind a napkin. "I'm happy to help, of course. But I believe your lady was doing just fine without my input."

"My...my lady? Mine?" At this, Tom barked a laugh, and Mary covered her nose, shaking her head.

"You thought they were mated?" asked Guyle incredulously.

"No!" Sada exclaimed. Her face was filled with unbearable heat. "I only...I'd thought the two of you to be in courting, perhaps, or...oh, never mind me. I apologize at my impropriety." I never should have opened my cursed mouth!

Despite her embarrassment, she suddenly felt like laughing. She immediately knew the source of this unwelcome feeling and shot Lady Blue a glare.

"Ah, courting! We know of thith, Tom," Guyle said proudly. Tom snatched away the rabbit's kerchief to dab at his nose, which had grown wet as he laughed.