This is going to be outrageously long. Can you cope? Are you worth it?
Let's find out.
One... Two... Three.
Kajva was lucky enough to be born in the Slums. Why is that lucky, you ask? Because at least he isn't looked at like he is some alien beast masquerading as someone who's supposed to be here.
Yeah, isn't my life just peachy?
But if I didn't protect him... I would be betraying the only memory I have left of my parents.
They were beautiful, you know, considering that our house was only a few streets away from the dirty slum. We tried to keep it neat and tidy so that no impure ideas would disrupt the growth of the kits that were always visiting. My parents' physical beauty went hand-in-hand with that of their home, and it was something that I couldn't get enough of. I only had one question.
Why couldn't I be like them?
Never in my life, not even once, has someone called me 'beautiful'. Not even 'pretty'. I mean, look at me! I am an ugly child! Thanks to superior education and wonderful support from those unearthily gorgeous parents, I don't even know if I am a male or a female. My name is ambiguous. My voice is ambiguous. Hell, even my body is ambiguous. There is no indicator in my face, eyes or pelt of a definite gender.
Wait, what? I'm supposed to look where to figure it out? Oh, really, I'm the dense one?!
Ahh, no, you're mistaken. Inconspicuous pieces of flesh like the one you're talking about aren't gonna help me out in the least. You're just lucky I'm in a good mood today. We haven't had too much trouble for the past few days, only a couple run-ins with murderers and thugs.
Really? You're going to ask what creeps like them would want with two young Kuhnas? Don't you want to know what my last memory of my family is? Ah, well, I should've known. You're just like the rest of them. You come in, looking sincere, but underneath that sweet face is the heart of the devil. You all want the same things out of us. You want to kill us without damaging our bodies so that you can sell our pelts and use the rest as beef jerky.
I knew it. Your whole race could've been brought up by the same ruthless killer, as far as us Slum Kuhnas are concerned.
You might all be bloodthirsty and heartless, but you're all stupid. At least, that's what I've come to understand.
I am Siste, and in order to survive here, I may have to become a cannibal.