The Life of a Neko Goddess

Avaron’s eyes jolted awake. The same dream. The same since… no Avaron, don’t think of that day. Don’t dwell on your past, that’s what brings these dreams. Avaron’s conscience was the only thing that kept her sane these days. But it seemed no matter what Avaron did, something brought memories of the day the life of the little innocent Neko died, and the emotionally scarred lone traveler was born. But I avenged my fallen friends and family, why do I feel this guilt? The Rorshrik is dead. It has been dead for 2 years.
Reality hit when bird droppings fell on Avaron’s chest. “Mocking me, are you?” Avaron jumped up only as fast as a Neko could. Faster than humans anyway. “I’ll make you my breakfast, little dove. Then we will see the mockery when I pick your bones from my teeth,” Avaron said with a grin. Keep talking to animals, they won’t talk back. Sometimes I wonder if I have helped at all at keeping you sane. Avaron smirked. I question my sanity every time I talk to myself, meaning you. Avaron taunted back. Her conscience had appeared in her head after the slaughter of her village. It told her that she had to keep moving forward and never look back, but somehow, mentally, she stayed right where she was.
Several strategies of killing the bird ran through Avaron’s head. After all, it had to pay somehow for ruin the last good shirt she had. But in the end, she settled with snapping it’s neck and stripping it’s feathers off. As she concluded this, Avaron spotted the little white dove sitting several feet away from her. She got into position, crouching down with her tail high, ears down, ready for the kill. The dove looked about itself, sensing that it was not alone. Avaron smiled and pounced. Within seconds, she had the dove in her claws. “Ah, yes. You will make a wonderful morning meal,” and she snapped it’s neck with a small crack. Right after, she bit into the corpse’s flesh. You forgot you strip it’s feathers off. Avaron took her mouth away from the dove. I nearly forgot.
Avaron made her way back to her camp so she could boil some water, unaware that she was being watched. When she got there, she pulled out a pail that she had found and went to the creek near her encampment. She placed the pail in the water and let it fill about halfway. She looked about absent-mindedly, enjoying everything around her. She sniffed the air with a mild curiosity. That was changed when she smelled a threatening animal nearby. Avaron got to her feet. Looking around, ready for anything that would challenge her. Be careful, Avaron. “Last time I checked, I’m driving, not you.” She said to her conscience.

Viral stared at his prey through the reeds. She looked around, already aware of his presence. “Last time I checked, I’m driving, not you.” Viral was confused. Was she insane? Did she have a double personality? All the same, she would make a good game. He smiled, revealing his shark-like teeth.

“Reveal yourself!” Avaron shouted. If it is a fight you want, it is a fight you shall get. Whoosh!!! An arrow missed Avaron by millimeters. “My, my. You are a lucky one.” Avaron heard behind her. She turned to face her challenger. She was faced by a human-like person with odd hands and shark-like teeth pouncing at her. Avaron toppled over with her attacker sitting on top. He pulled out two meat cleavers. “You may have missed my arrows, but prepare yourself for my meat cleavers.” Avaron smirked. She already had the situation. “You speak big for someone who uses little knives on a lethal killer. Who are you?” The smile that had once been on her attacker’s face was now replaced by an enraged grimance. “I am Viral, and it is I who am the lethal killer.” Viral was now able to get a good look at his pray and somehow he recognized her, and caused him to hesitate, causing Avaron to have the upper hand. She kicked Viral across the creek, causing him to get a bit wet. Getting knocked pretty hard caused Viral to remember who his prey was. “Your- your Findabarr!” Avaron rolled her eyes. “No, I am Avaron and glad I could get acquainted before I killed you!” and Avaron charged across the creek, claws extended, ready to rip his throat out. Viral held up his deformed hands above his face and said, “Please don’t kill me, Goddess, show mercy!” Avaron stopped, face inches from his. “You are mistaken, I am nothing close. I am but a slayer.
Viral was now genuinely confused. “You look just like the Neko goddess Findabarr. There is no mistake.” The water from the creek was now running down his face. The neko got back upright and turned and walked away. “W-where are you going?” Without stopping, Avaron replied, “I was going to eat this perfectly good dove, but seeing someone like you grovel at my feet, saying im a goddess, makes me lose my appetite.” Viral felt bad now for making her feel that way. Before he could get up, Avaron turned around and tossed a dead bird to Viral. “Enjoy,” Avaron said, looking very annoyed, and turned and continued back to her encampment.
Avaron couldn’t believe that man, and what was up with his hands and teeth. It was like he was human, but not quite. In a way, he was like her, unique. He was like the now endangered Nekos. All of them had been slayed when Rorshrik had attacked the Neko-only village of Konofar. The place Avaron had once called home. Avaron lifted her nose to the air. Viral was following her. Well, think of the devil. Avaron turned around and sure enough Viral was 10 feet away. “You were better at hiding yourself when you were trying to kill me.” Viral caught up with Avaron. “I have no intention of killing you anymore, but where are you headed after you are on your way?” Avaron looked down for a moment, unsure of how to answer that question. “Here, there, anywhere but home.” At the speak of home, it made Avaron’s ears twitch. Viral watched them and chuckled. Her ears are so cute. “Is there a reason for it? Where exactly was your home?” Avaron turned and walked away, leaving Viral there still curious, but still followed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.” Viral said. The sympathy was clearly visible in his voice. Avaron continued. Don’t tell him, don’t tell him. Avaron disobeyed her conscience. “Konofar.”
Stopping dead in his tracks and then walked on, finding it very hard to keep up with Avaron’s fast pace. Viral said, “you were there when the Rorshrik killed all of the Nekos. But I thought it killed everyone there and died from the injuries.” Avaron turned to Viral forcing Viral’s body to be inches from his. He was a half foot taller than Avaron. “I killed the Rorshrik.” And then continued walking. Avaron emerged into a clearing, where all of Avaron’s belongings lay, along with a cot and a burnt out fire.
Avaron began to pack her things. Viral stood in awe behind the Rorshrik slayer. “Don’t treat me like a saint. You can’t imagine seeing the faces of the people you care about, falling before the Rorshrik until you are the last one left.” Avaron finished and got up. She faced Viral. He had tears in his eyes. “Don’t waste your tears on me.” Viral attempted to blink away the tears, and failed. “Your right, I can’t imagine that.” Viral made his way to Avaron and held her in a tight embrace. Avaron tensed up, unsure of what to do. She had not been touched by a single person since two years ago. Viral sensed her discomfort and pulled away. “Forgive me.” Avaron nodded. He likes you, Avaron. Avaron closed her eyes. Go away. Avaron looked at Viral. “Its fine. I haven’t been touched once in two years, I am not used to that anymore. I should be saying sorry.” Viral nodded. “Its ok, but I have a request. Can I accompany you in your travels?”
The look in Viral’s eye told Avaron that he was not going to take no for an answer. “Ok.” Viral’s eyes lit up immediately. “Do you have any belongings that you need to bring,” Avaron asked Viral. “No, none.” Avaron nodded. “Lets go then,” and they made their way to the road a few yards away. As they walked, Viral commented, “Do you know that you have bird droppings on your shirt?” Avaron let out a small chuckle. “Yes, that bird I threw at you is dead because of it.” Viral had not let go of the bird since Avaron threw it. He lifted it up to eye level and looked at Avaron. He let out a loud laugh, and for the first time, Avaron let out a good laugh as well. “Lets continue.”