章 7: Hunger
Chanty huffed a half-hearted sigh like she was trying to understand what emotions Satin might be feeling.
She shook her head, picked up the teapot, and filled Satin's empty cup with beautiful dark black tea. She let the liquid pool half away to the top before she dropped in eight sugar cubes till they were piled so high they stuck out of the top of the tea.
Azuki's low ears twitched as Chanty picked up the cream and filled Satin's cup to the top before picking up a spoon and stabbing the sugar cubes into a soggy pulp.
"Here, just drink this." Chanty held the tea up to her friend.
"But, there is - a lot of sugar." Satin's voice quivered as if the tears should be making her sob on the floor. However, tears were slowly still dripping down Satin's cheeks. She hadn't moved to stop them, nor could she.
Chanty huffed. "Look, it's - just drink it, okay."
With a shaking hand, Satin reached down and picked up the teacup. The fine porcine cup clattered nervously on the saucer as lukewarm milk ran over the sides and pooled in the dip.
With another long look into Chanty's forest green eyes, Satin took a tentative sip. Her ears perked up, and she made a face. It tasted as if she had just sucked on a peeled lemon. The shock seemed more than enough to at least pause the tears as Satin looked confused at the cup.
"Everything will taste like that. Every. Thing." Chanty said in all seriousness.
"Great," Satin muttered and set the cup away from her. She finally reached and rubbed the tears off her face looking at the sugar cubes. She picked one up, and Chanty chuckled.
"I wouldn't. Only one thing is going to taste good now." She explained as Satin turned the cube over in her fingers.
"I am not eating a heart. I would rather wither and die." Satin growled. She found rage in her voice like it was the only real emotion she could convey naturally. Her voice sounded as cold as her now ashen skin felt.
"Not a full heart." Chanty took a breath and reached into the air. She plucked a string out of the nothingness.
Suddenly the two were sitting in a lush field following the path of their younger selves as they set up Satin's first tricycle. Satin was small, only about ten, her eyes gleeful and shining as Chanty, a few years old, helped her put air into the tires of the brand new Tricycle.
It wasn't like any ordinary tricycle you have ever seen.
Because, after all, this was for a centaur.
With three wheels, two smaller ones in the front and one larger wheel in the back. It had a long wide seat in the middle for the belly to lay. There was a single set of pedals in the back in which to pedal. The handlebars were tall, so Satin didn't have to slump to reach them. Her front legs pressed into soft knee rests between the two front wheels. Satin grinned and fumbled herself onto the tricycle, complete with helmet and all. The younger Chanty chuckled, watching as Satin petaled off down the bumpy road.
Then it was all gone.
Satin blinked as her eyes focused on a thick sting that was floating between Chant's fingers.
"This is a heartstring." Chanty held the thread closer.
"Take it." She barked, making Satin grab it. The same image she had just seen flickered then faded around them.
They were still sitting on the floor with the sugar-soaked tea that had become almost gelatinous at this point. The fabric, still with Satin's bloodstains, and the ever stoic Chanty with one eyebrow raised staring down her confused friend.
"You won't need to remember how to ride a bike, plus you looked like a doofus. You can eat heartstrings that you don't need or like the memories of. Once you confirm it, the heartstring breaks, and the memory is gone." Chanty explained. "You will just be subjected to the memories once you touch them. Keep in mind only eat the ones you don't need. You can also eat other people's heartstrings but, that comes with extra consequences."
Satin suddenly realized she was salivating as she held the string tightly in her hand. She could feel it humming with life and joy. It beat to the rhythm of her long-lost heart. Hesitantly she opened her mouth. She could suddenly smell the thread. It was intoxicating, but the smell wasn't what she had expected. It was like fresh-cut raw meat.
Finally, she opened her mouth and bit down on the string. She thought it would feel like she was simply trying to eat floss, but her whole mouth was suddenly filled.
It was soft, lush, with a slight metallic hint. Aside from that, it was like eating the best steak, perfectly cooked and seasoned. Satin sat still as her tastebuds danced, and the aroma was burned into her mind.
She never had eaten meat. She was strictly a vegetarian, but this was new and wonderful. She wanted more. She did find it took her a lot of chewing before she felt whatever was in her mouth was in small enough chunks to swallow safely. Once she did, she felt as if her stomach was so full she was bloated. Satin let out a sigh of relief, feeling nice and full now.
"That was the best thing you have ever eaten, wasn't it?" Chanty asked, making Satin sheepishly nod.
"Good, you should be full till morning. You will need to eat three heartstrings a day to keep yourself sated. If you don't, well then you get heart cravings, and that can drive you mad." Chanty explained. "You will also experience some changes. The teeth are first, you're now a meat eater, after all. It is a slow change, but each tooth will become sharp and pointed." Chanty opened her mouth and showed Satin one of her back molars. It was as sharp as a canine.
Satin ran her tongue along with her flat simple flat teeth. They were meant for chewing vegetables and, on a rare day, cheese or cooked eggs.
She shivered at the image of Nori's sharp mouthful of teeth. Glimmering in the moonlight, each tooth serrated and sharp as a shark's tooth.
"Oh god, what did I do to myself." Satin groaned.
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