Character img: Lilly.
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"Wow, Eris, what kind of bird is that?" I ask, staring wide-eyed at the colossal drumstick in her hand. It looks less like something you'd find on a dinner plate and more like the leg of a prehistoric monster.
"Oh, this?" Eris lifts it with a grin. "It's from a wild Filoan chicken. Nothing special, really. It's one of the most common meats around here. There are plenty of them in the nearby forests, so people hunt them all the time."
She pauses before tilting her head.
"...You don't remember that either?"
"Ah..." I rub the back of my neck awkwardly. "Y-Yeah. That's why I was so surprised."
"I see..." Her smile softens for a moment, sympathy flickering across her face. Fortunately, it doesn't last long before her cheerful grin returns. "Well, look on the bright side! You get to experience all this amazing food for the first time again!"
With that, she happily offers me one of the enormous drumsticks.
"Here. Try it!"
I instinctively want to refuse.
But then the aroma reaches me.
The smell of perfectly grilled meat fills my catgirl nostrils, rich with charcoal, fragrant herbs, and sweet caramelized honey. My mouth instantly floods with saliva, and I swear my knees almost give out. The skin glistens with a beautiful golden sheen, while tiny beads of juice sparkle beneath the crispy surface.
My willpower doesn't stand a chance.
"I-Is it really okay?" I ask weakly, even though my mouth is already drooling again, and my tail has gone ramrod straight behind me.
"Of course!" Eris laughs, nudging the drumstick closer. "Come on. Eat!"
Well...
If she insists!
So I take the drumstick from her hand.
It's surprisingly heavy, and the warmth from the freshly grilled meat seeps into my fingers. The smoky aroma only grows stronger now that it's right in front of my face, making it even harder to resist.
"Let's eat together!" Eris says excitedly, raising another one into the air. "Cheers!"
"C-Cheers!"
I raise mine as well, and our drumsticks lightly bump together with a silly little boop.
"One... two... three!"
"NOM!"
We bite down at the same time.
The crispy skin gives way with a satisfying crunch before my teeth sink into unbelievably tender meat. A flood of hot, savory juices bursts across my tongue, carrying the smoky aroma of the grill together with the sweetness of the glaze. Every bite is rich, succulent, and bursting with flavor, the meat so soft that it barely needs chewing.
...
And just like that, my brain crashes.
WWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOW!!!
It's incredible!
Every bite is unbelievably juicy, perfectly seasoned, and so tender it practically melts in my mouth. My taste buds explode with happiness, and I can't stop the embarrassing little noises escaping my throat.
"Mmmmmmmhhh~~~~~!"
I'm literally moaning in delight.
Very embarrassing indeed.
But who cares anymore?
I certainly don't.
So I happily keep eating, savoring every mouthful before swallowing. Warmth spreads through my body almost immediately, chasing away the lingering tension I'd been carrying ever since waking up.
"Wow..."
This is the greatest thing I've ever eaten.
Isekai life...
Heck yeah!
Still basking in that bliss, I glance over at Eris.
But what I see next leaves me speechless.
What.
The.
Hell?
My jaw nearly hits the table.
Eris is no longer just a catgirl.
She's a freaking apex predator!
CHOMP!
Her sharp fangs tear through the meat with shocking force. One hand grips the drumstick while the other braces against it, and with a savage twist of her neck, she rips away an enormous chunk as though the meat offers no resistance at all.
Juices drip down her chin, but she casually wipes them away with a napkin before attacking the drumstick again without missing a beat.
Another bite.
Another violent tear.
Another massive mouthful gone.
Her ears twitch ever so slightly with every bite, and her blue eyes remain completely locked onto the drumstick in front of her. There isn't the slightest trace of table manners left.
She's hunting.
Devouring.
Within moments, every scrap of meat has vanished.
But she's still not finished.
CRACK!
The bone snaps cleanly between her jaws.
She calmly chews through it before noisily sucking out every last drop of marrow. Even the cartilage doesn't escape, disappearing with a series of satisfying crunches.
Then she casually reaches for another drumstick and looks at me.
And suddenly...
Everything clicks.
Oh my god.
That's why!
I'd been wondering why Eris and Lilly looked so confused when I ordered a giant salad.
I thought I'd simply ordered too much food.
But that wasn't it at all.
We're catgirls.
And catgirls...
Don't eat vegetables!
"E-Eris..." I ask cautiously, already dreading the answer. "Do... catgirls eat vegetables?"
Eris swallows another mouthful before dabbing at the corner of her lips with a napkin.
"Well..." She grins mischievously. "Apparently you do."
"No! I mean... does anyone besides me eat them?"
She thinks for a moment before shaking her head.
"I've honestly never seen another catgirl order vegetables. Most of us only eat meat. Maybe some fruit once in a while, but that's about it."
...
Fuuuccckkk!!!
Now I want to crawl under the table.
My face turns burning hot.
"Oh! I see!" Eris suddenly exclaims, snapping her fingers. "Felicia, don't tell me you even forgot what catgirls normally eat?"
"Well... haha... apparently so," I mumble, unable to meet her eyes.
"AHAHAHA!"
She bursts into laughter, clutching her stomach.
"I was seriously wondering why you ordered food like a little rabbit!"
"Huhu... please stop."
"Haha! Nope! That was just too funny!"
Eris laughs for another minute before finally taking pity on me. She wipes a tear from the corner of her eye and flashes me another grin.
"Well, now that we've solved the mystery, let's order another tray!"
"Y-Yeah!"
I'm still hungry for some reason, and at this point there isn't much use pretending otherwise.
Bring me the meat!
Bring me the drumsticks!
By the end of the meal, we each polished off three enormous Filoan drumsticks.
It was messy.
It was loud.
It was completely uncivilized.
And somehow, once I stopped worrying about proper table manners and simply embraced my inner catgirl, this had become one of the most enjoyable meals I'd ever had.
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Catgirls fun fact #5
Catgirls actually CAN eat and digest vegetables, but just choose not to because they taste like yuck. They, however, are fine with things like spices or some carbs like pasta or mashed potatoes or bread. They also like sweet fruits and candies.