Chapter 4 - Young Master’s Speculation

The teen hadn't walked long when he found a small outcropping in the forest. In this small area of grass the trees opened up to let a little bit of sunlight through, revealing a small encampment of four tents.

"Young master... Why are you back so soon?"

As soon as the teen entered the encampment, a middle aged man walked up to him, holding a stoic baring he spoke out with a confused expression. He wore light leather armour with a runic engraving across the chest area and in his right hand he wields a spear; upon this spear's shaft lied more runic engravings that traveled from top to bottom. Apart from this man, there were only two others in this encampment, both of which wore more casual clothing and sat around a fire cooking something in a metal pot that laid in the center of the encampment.

"Haha, I found a little kitten and couldn't bare to leave her out there to die! So I've come back to give her some grub. How she got here I don't know but for some reason she had attracted the attention of a Hell Monkey who attacked her." The young teen replied and it was only at this point did the spear wielding man notice the bundle of fur in his young master's hands.

"A Hell Monkey? They are known for only killing magical beasts..."

"Exactly... Me thinks this little lass may be a Majic Beast!"

"What? But it looks just like a normal house cat... " the soldier scratched his head doubtfully.

"There are many magical beasts who are very weak in its litter days. This little one must have lost her parents. Though I can only ponder." Jonathan shrugged.

"I've never seen or heard of a magical beast who takes on the shape of a cat. There are beasts like the Hell Cat and the Jade Winged Cat who are close in looks, but there are usually some levels of alterations. This little one looks no different from a normal cat!... Strange, strange."

"We'll take her back and have the families Beast Tamer Magician have a look at her, maybe he can identify her species."

"Do you plan on taming her for yourself, young master? Though I doubt she can grow further than the Minor stage of a magical beast..."

"We'll see if she can in time. For the question of taming her... I'm thinking of giving her to my little sister. If she is indeed a Magical beast, it can help protect her when she goes to the Academy in two years."

"We'll have to see if the cat is a magical beast first though."

"Indeed. Either way, magical beast or kitten. My little sister will like her as a gift. She goes crazy for small and cute animals. Hahaha!"

The two continue with casual conversation for a little longer before the two say their goodbyes. While the stoic man with the spear returns to his watch out duty, the teen walks further into the encampment. At this point he feels a slight movement in his arms as the little silver kitten lazily raises it's head.

'AH! FOOD!'

This is her first thought upon awakening from her short slumber as she immediately notices the smell of the food wafting through the air. Hunger has hit the poor little thing badly now and she is desperate to dig in. Needing a way to message this to the teen, she begins to stretch out her left paw in the direction of the pot, which she has guessed to be the source of the food.

"Hahaha. You're an intelligent one, you hungry little lass?"

The teen was greatly amused by the human like actions of the kitten while the silver kitten was quick to nod her head furiously in response.

'Hmm... This kitten's intelligence seems to be quite high. Almost as if it can understand my words... That would definitely make her a magical beast if this is true, a unique one at that. Let's get her settled before I investigate any further.' The teen secretly mused as he brought the little kitten in his hand towards the boiling pot of food. The two men who were cooking the food were quick to greet him while he leaned down to sit cross legged on the grass near the pot of food. The teen and kitten pair could now feel the pleasant warmth of the fire at a safe distance.

No longer as sleepy after her short nap, the little kitten stretches herself before sitting up, her small delicate front paws sitting herself up upon the teens crossed legs. Her tongue lick the side of her lips as she smells the sweet fragrance of the boiling food and she looks on intoxicated. Growing impatient, she once again motions for the humans to give her food, which amuses the teen once again as he lets out a pleasant sounding laugh.

"Servants, pour the two of us a bowl of soup. The rest of the party will be back any second now, anyway. No need to wait!"

"Yes, young master!"

With that, the two servants grabbed a bowl and ladle each, filling the bowls up to the brim with the soup that's been cooked in the metal pot. While one servant placed a bowl of soup in the teens hand, the other placed a bowl on the grassy floor, allowing easy access for the kitten. Without delay the little kitten leaps off from the teens embrace and darts to the bowl of pleasant smelling food. She quickly begins to lick and chew the contents of the soup, which consists mainly of a few meats and various vegetables in a seasoned broth. Simple in taste but well above what one would usually expect in a small encampment such as this one.

"Young master, is this a?..."

Only now did one of the two servants speak up, a look of confusion had lingered on their faces when they had witnessed the somewhat abnormal intelligence this kitten conveyed when it motioned for food earlier.

"Yes, I believe this kitten is a magical beast. But we'll have to test her first, let her finish eating and we'll see if she can use magic."

'Magic?! Magical Beast?!'

Hearing these words, the little kitten's two pointed ears perked up.

'When I came into this world... Did I become a magical beast... Is that why I can run fast and see far? Is that mysterious energy that I feel magic?... That would make sense, wouldn't it.'

The little kitten felt very excited about this. From her limited knowledge, magic didn't exist in her old world, but it was an extraordinary concept that would allow people to do amazing things. It was strange, it was like her memories of her old world were perfect and she could remember things with a thought. With just a look back through her memories, she remembered all the info she had overheard that pertains to the word 'magic' and gained some understanding of the concept.

'If magic exists in this world... What amazing things could I do! Maybe I could be like the birds and fly, or maybe she could make it so she can never touch water ever again. Oh how she loathed the feeling of water on her beautiful fur!... So was that icicle that killed that monkey-beast and the disappearance of its body... Was that this boy's magic?'

She didn't linger on these thoughts long before her stomach began to growl in hunger once more.

'Oh well, these questions can be answered later. Right now, I'm desperate for more food!'