Cat Eyes: Sirius (Marien's POV only)

Chapter 13: Impulses

We were going south, and the wind was coming from the southwest side. That kept Anthony tense as the wind carried our scent to potential predators and evolved people further east, but he hoped they didn't want to fight or were far enough away that they wouldn't make it to our way in time.

We were near another ghost town's outskirts. I had asked to get as far away as possible, but we still saw some broken houses. Anthony said he didn't smell anybody, but he was unsure since the wind didn't help.

A small fox crossed the street, fleeing from us, and I was surprised. Anthony didn't take his eyes off it until the animal slipped away. The wind blew into the building next to us, I heard how it ran inside, and it came through the broken window again.

Anthony suddenly lifted me in his arms, making me scream in surprise, and jumped backward, dodging a couple of claws. I even could see one passing too close to my face. He ran, made me enter through a window into a dark room, and received the evolved man's attack.

"No!" Anguish devoured me again. He was still recovering.

My blood ran cold when I saw another person jump down from the roof while the other two were still fighting and turned around. She was an EH, a woman. I had not seen a woman of their species. 

She had huge bright green eyes, cat pupils, brown skin, and short dark hair. Her muscles were also marked. The man had the same characteristics. Both seemed to be nomads. They wore loose and somewhat light clothing. She looked at me with those expressionless feline eyes, and I got terrified.

"Anthony!" I screamed, running into the other room and closing the door.

The woman crashed into it, and I fell. I screamed and ran when the door was smashed. Something broke the glass, and I backed away further. Anthony stepped in front of me fast, and the other two got up off the floor, starting to growl.

"Where are you taking her? If you want to kill her, just say it, and we will help you," said the man.

I was breathing hard and noticed a drop of blood running down Anthony's arm.

"Sorry, but I'm not going to let you touch her," he replied.

"They attack us!" the woman claimed. "They deserve to die!"

"I know it! But she is the only one who can help stop them. If you kill her, you'll ruin the opportunity!"

The evolved siblings seemed to think for a few seconds, although they were still ready to attack.

"How do we know if you don't lie?"

"For what other reason would I protect a human?"

And that shrunk something inside me. I swallowed with difficulty. Although, to my regret, it worked. The siblings relaxed their postures and breathed slower. The man signaled to his sister, and they left after fixing their hateful gaze on me, chilling my blood more than it already was.

"Are you hurt?" Anthony asked.

"A little." And in different ways. He turned around and wanted to take my injured arm to see the scratch I got after falling, but I moved on. "Let's go, please."

"Uh... Okay. I'll go get your backpack."

I hugged myself as I walked. He was right about something: we were using them, the stories were real, and I hadn't known about it. Now there were two things to stop: the toxin's use and what these people wearing the government's uniform were trying to do. If it really was the government, that would be difficult, if not impossible.

I took a deep breath and saw the little fox sniffing something.

"Hello," I mumbled, and the animal moved a foot away cautiously. I squatted down. "Come," I asked as I stretched my hand.