Chapter 255: A Lot to blab about
The little cubs crashed into Sunnie’s arms for a hug as Eris immediately pulled them out.
"Hey, Mama is sick. So you can’t be running like that," he instructed them as Sunnie shook her head with a smile.
"They look so excited. I heard they were off to gather some fruits," Sunnie smiled.
"Yes! We went to get fruit and it was so fun!" Luna immediately sat down beside Sunnie while explaining everything that happened in detail, while jumping over the part that she ate up all her fruits.
"And look, we got you this!" Luna happily announced as she presented the basket to her. "Here is what I got for you."
"Me too," Lune also presented his with a smile as Sunnie stared at the fruits with a smile.
"That’s so sweet. Good job," she said while admiring the fruits they got. They didn’t stop but continued blasting Sunnie with everything that happened in the forest—from the animals they saw to the fruits they saw, and also the poison berries Maren had warned them against. The twins happily covered everything as Sunnie listened carefully with a smile.
She didn’t get tired. She guessed she could listen to her cubs speak all day without getting tired even though she was sick. She was happy to hear them blabbing.
Dinner was ready, and Eris had to pull the cubs out of the cave to let their mother get some alone time.
"Okay now, time to go and eat, okay?"
"Mama! I have more to say!" Luna protested as they pulled her out. Sunnie simply smiled.
"Well, you’ll tell Mama later. She needs to rest," Eris insisted as she pulled her off. Lune simply left on his own accord without being pulled out.
With them gone, Karl came in to bring food for Sunnie. The two of them were soon alone in the cave while others were outside eating happily.
Sunnie stared at him with a smile. "I hope it’s not another vegetable soup? I’ve been eating that all day that I think I’m getting more sick."
Karl scoffed as he sat down beside her with the meal. "It’s something nourishing, I think. Elza says it’s good for your body."
Sunnie smiled as she stared at it. The nourishing scent of meat filled her nostrils as her ears twitched happily. "That smells nice," she expressed.
Karl stared at her as he asked, "And how are you feeling?"
Sunnie stared at him with a smile. "That’s strange."
"What’s strange?"
Sunnie smiled as she teased, "You getting all caring and stuff. It’s strange to me. I think I’m yet to get used to that."
Karl scoffed as he looked away, his cheeks almost flushing. "You’re overthinking. I’m just doing what I was asked to do—bring the meal and check on you."
Sunnie smiled as she slowly nodded. "That’s good, then. I guess. Thanks."
He shook his head. "No need." He stared at her. "You should eat more and also get some rest. Maybe by tomorrow you’ll get better."
Sunnie smiled as she nodded. "Thanks for caring. But if you’re that worried, maybe you can actually feed me yourself? Eh? What do you think? Maybe that way I’ll eat better and get more healthy."
Sunnie had planned to tease him because she was certain that Karl was easiest to be teased. But she didn’t actually expect Karl to take the bowl of meal.
He stirred the soup meat with the spoon as he stared at her. "Open up, I’ll feed you, then."
"...." Sunnie was quiet as she stared at him with a blink. She was speechless; she couldn’t believe that he had actually offered that.
"Huh?" She blinked. "You really want to feed me?"
Karl smiled as he said, "What? Can’t I feed you?"
Sunnie hesitated as she shook her head. "No... that’s not it..." She thought she was teasing him, but he was actually accepting that.
"Then open your mouth wide so I can feed you." He smiled as he leaned closer, ready to feed her.
Sunnie stiffened as she stared at him—that smile, that face. What was running in his mind?
"It’s going to fall off or get cold if you don’t open up quickly. Ah..." He teased as Sunnie blinked and then opened her mouth.
He fed her one spoonful and then another as he smiled. "What? What’s with that face? Not enjoying the food?"
She shook her head with a smile. "No... not that... I’m just surprised, I guess. You’ve become so different from the first time... so I think I’m also supposed to get used to that."
"Different?" He smiled as he fed her again. "I didn’t think I’m any different. I’m just the same."
She stared at him. "Lying. You’re different." She teased with a smile.
Karl slowly nodded as he stared at her. "Okay, then... sure. Let’s say that I did get a bit different, then what?"
"Nothing," Sunnie smiled while shaking her head. "Nothing at all. I think I like this version of you better. This version is definitely lovable." She said, patting him on the cheeks.
Karl smiled at her. "So I wasn’t lovable before?"
Sunnie immediately shook her head with a smile. "Not at all."
"..." Karl scoffed as he shook his head. "So blunt. Okay, then... I also like this version of myself better." He said while smiling at her.
And so the two of them stared at each other for a while with smiles on their faces. Karl then said, "I like this version that actually has a mate like you. So I think this version should care and take good care of you a lot."
He smiled as he added, patting her on the ears. "So maybe in the future, you’ll have a lot of babies for me. Then this version of me will be more than happy for taking good care of his mate. Isn’t that so?"
"...."
Sunnie was speechless that she had almost forgotten to breathe. She sat there, eyes wide in shock as she stared at Karl.
Did she really hear him right, or was she just hearing things?