Click.
The crack groaned as it widened, opening back up to reveal a long hallway carved out of stone. It might have been in the middle of a mountain for all Seymour knew, but he could see a hazy purple-tinted light at the end.
“Uh…” Seymour grinned. “Abracadabra?”
“All right!” Shiloh opened his bag again. “Let’s get going.”
Of all the many items Shiloh could have pulled out, a giant dark brown loaf of bread was not one of the potential things Seymour had been expecting.
“Here. Take a bite. Everybody.” Shiloh chomped down before passing the loaf to Seymour.
“The fuck?” Seymour bit into the bread. It was rich, tangy, and weirdly chewy. He didn’t have the immediate urge to spit it out, but it did take him a few beats to feel safe to swallow it.
Shiloh waved for him to pass it along.
“What’s this for?” Seymour asked as he handed the bread to Sariel. “Other than eatin’ up all our carbs for the day.”
“Think of it like a trail of bread crumbs but better.”
Sariel ate a cautionary nibble and then offered it to Day.
Day’s jaw crunched as it unhinged.
“Ah, ah!” Seymour gently scolded. “I think you’re only supposed to take a bite, kitty girl.”
“Yeah, definitely just a bite!” Shiloh said quickly. “I need the rest.”
Day’s jaw clicked back to its normal proportion. “Aw, really? I’m getting hungry.”
“We’ll get food soon, promise,” Seymour soothed.
Day grumbled through a small bite of bread, sullenly offering it back out to Shiloh.
“Aw, hungry, huh?” Shiloh reached into his satchel once more, now producing a few strips of a very thick and alarmingly green jerky. “Here you go.” He waved the jerky. “You might as well just take it ’cause I can’t see you.”
“Wait, wait! What is that?” Seymour demanded. “What kinda weird shit are you trying to feed her?”
“Erymanthian boar.” Shiloh wiggled the jerky. “Ever hear of Artemis? This was her favorite breed of piggy. Had a real fun habit of sending ’em after farmers who pissed her off. Even ol’ Hercules got to tangle with one for his fourth labor.”
Seymour regretted not watching moreXena: Warrior Princessin his youth, and he gave Sariel a helpless stare.
Day’s pupils had dilated until her eyes were two black pools and locked on the jerky dangling in Shiloh’s hand. She was also drooling.
“Very fearsome creatures renowned for their large size and strength,” Sariel soothed. “It should not harm her. In fact, it may be an excellent solution to her extreme dietary needs. I understand this breed of boar to be dense in both calories and protein.”
“So, like, a super piggy food for kitty girls?”
“Precisely.”
“And that means I can have it?” Day licked her lips.
“Yes.”
YOU MAY TAKE HIS HAND TOO
MORE PROTEIN
Day leapt forward and snatched the entire bundle of jerky from Shiloh’s hand—which thankfully remained intact.
