Chapter 245 - The Thief
"..." After seeing Io's face, known for his usual calm, they put the idea of being trained by Artemis at the back of their minds and locked in a cage and threw the key into the ocean of their memories.
"Anyway, it seems that whatever is stealing the vegetables will not come tonight," said Io.
"" Yes, we also think that, boss, "said the trio.
"Let's wait until dawn, if it does not arrive, we will inform my lord and you three can go back to sleep," said Io.
"" Thanks boss!""
Io looked at the tri and smiled a little, while she and the three had gone their separate ways, they were still the only friends I had here.
"I should visit them more often" Although Io.
* RUUZZZ * * RUZZZ *
"Wait! I heard something!" He said it.
The trio were on alert while Io put her right ear on the ground. She stayed quiet for a couple of seconds before standing up.
"It's an animal, a four legged one, what's more, they are quite fast, however, their body size should be as small as Cerberus' Said Io.
"Animal?" Said Cat four.
"Yeah, don't make a sound, animals are quite sensitive to sound… did you bring the things?" Asked Io.
"Yeah, boss, I have them here!" Said Cat three.
"Good, prepare the tramp for small animals, put the traps at the very back, me and Cat four will go and attract their attention, went the time comes, you two will trap the animal in the net , got it?" Said Io.
"Roger, boss!"
"Cat four, let's go!"
"Roger, big sis!"
Io and Cat four went to their positions, they walked slowly towards their target, because of her training as assassins, both could move without making a sound.
"Big sis, I see it, it's that right!?" Said Cat four while signaling a silhouette on top of the vegetables.
"Yeah, that's it…for the form of the long ears it seems to be…"
"A rabbit?"
"What is a rabbit doing here?" Said Cat four.
"I don't know; however, it seems to be the one eating the vegetables" Said Io.
"At my sign, you go to the left and I go to the right, we encircle it and make him go towards the trap, got it?" Said Cat one.
"Roger, big sis" Said Cat four.
Io and Cat four executed their plan and encircled the rabbit, when they were closed they could confirm that, in fact, it was a rabbit, however, this rabbit was a little fatter than what a rabbit usually is, what's more, its eyes were blue; leaving those facts aside, they were not different from a common rabbit.
Io signaled with her hand.
"Ready?"
Cat four nodded.
She made a countdown with her hand starting with four.
Three…
Two…
One…
"Go!" Said Cat one.
The two girls run towards the rabbit like animal, seeing this, the rabbit immediately tried to flee towards the forest, however, Io blocked her way. Looking that the forest was not an option, the rabbit tried the other way, however, Cat four was already waiting for it.
Being cornered, the rabbit fled towards the only path possible, right towards the trap.
"Now!" Shouted Io.
Cat three and Cat two showed while holding a big net, in one movement, their captured the rabbit.
"Nice job!" Shouted Cat four.
"Boss, we got it!" Said Cat two.
Io smiled and took another look of this rabbit.
"However, it's strange, I have been in the borderline of the Jubila forest a lot of times and I have seen a lot of animals, however, this my first time seeing a rabbit, and this big as well" Said Io.
"What's more, as far as I know, rabbits can't live in this kind of weather" Added Cat two.
"So, what the hell it doing a rabbit here?"
The rabbit struggles a little before calming down… it was a calm…
"Too calm, a wild animal trapped wouldn't be this calm" Though Io.
"What do we do with it?" Asked Cat four.
"Hmmm… this animal is too weird, however, at the very end, its just a rabbit, my lord's order was to get rid of whatever was eating the vegetables, it will be best if we just finish it" Said Cat one.
Cat one took out her dagger, and was about to finish off the animal went she notice something.
"What the?" Io came closer to the animal.
The rabbit was making a small sound, a very tiny one, in fact, Io could barely heard it.
"W…i…."
"It's just me, or it is actually trying to say something?" Though Io.
"No, it can't be…. right?"
"W…iii….iiii….i"
Io looked at the blue eyes of the rabbit for some time, before sighing.
"Let's go back to see master, sh- I mean he can help us" Said Io.
"How?" Asked Cat four.
"He can talk to animals" Answered Io.
"?" The trio was confused.
"Let's go"
Io didn't explain further and went straight towards the room of Artemis.
......
"You did good" Said Artemis.
"Thank you, master" Said Io.
The trio looked at them and saw the deep respect that Io showed towards Artemis, which surprised them, after all, Io was always very… calm towards people and didn't like to show her emotions.
"This little one is basically a lucky fellow" Said Artemis.
"What do you mean, master?"
"This little people is a refugee from our previous war against the death generals, this fellow's kind have been travelling since that time, they escaped before the death generals arrived" Said Artemis.
"I see…" Said Io.
"About a month ago, they run out of food, so, they have to leave their hideout, this fellow has a good nose, so, went he smelled the vegetables, he tried to sneak some for him and its kind" Said Artemis.
"Where's its kind?" Asked Cat four.
"It's just a few miles away from here, they hide very well, even I couldn't smell them" Said Artemis.
"Master, what are we going to do with them?"
"Well, we usually will make them food, however, it seems that this fellow and it's kind have a special ability to find food, even better than mine, maybe they will be useful to Alfonso, go and ask him what he thinks, oh, take this little guy with you" Said Artemis.
Io nodded and grabbed the little fellow.
.......
"I see, so you bring it with you" Said Alfonso.
Io and the other cats looked at him, the little one was also there, more specifically, at the desk, looking at Alfonso.
"W ... iii ... .wiiii ..."
"I understand that; however, stealing is wrong, you must first ask for things, planting those vegetables takes time, you know," Alfonso said.
"Wii ... wii"
"I understand that humans are scary"
"Wii!"
"Hey, leave my mother out of this!"
The cats and I looked at Alfonso arguing with the rabbit like an animal.
"" Your lord is quite weird, right? "" The three said.
"..." Io couldn't refute