Kiso was relieved. His buddy was sleeping soundly, wrapping around himself.

“There you are!” Kiso called out.

The little puppy opened one eye before stretching himself awake. He stood up just as Kiso sat next to him.

“Meow, meow.” [Took you long enough.]

“What were you doing up here, anyway?” Kiso asked with a slight frown. He had a cut on his cheek from accidentally missing one move and sliding down the tree.

“Meow, meow.” [There was a squirrel. Have to catch the squirrel.]

“Is the squirrel evil?” Kiso asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Meow.” [Totally.]

“You liar,” Kiso said, clearly seeing right through the puppy’s bluff. “I can’t believe you! Save that chasing stuff to actual evil. Like…like a criminal. Or bad spirit roaming around.”

“Meow, meow, meow.” [But there’s no bad spirit lately.]

“Exactly! That means you need to stop running after some squirrel. It’s not like that innocent creature is plotting the destruction of the world or something. It’s probably gathering some seeds and acorns because of the Elysionth season.”

“Meow.” [Sorry.]

“No, you’re not,”

“Meow. Meow.” [You’re right. I don’t regret anything.]

“What’d you do with that squirrel anyway?” Kiso asked after a defeated sigh.

“Meow, meow.” [I was hungry so I ate it.]

“YOU DID WHAT?!” Kiso started to freak out. “SPIT IT BACK OUT! NOW!”

“Meow, meow.” Aero side-eyed Kiso. [It’s not that big of a deal. I was hungry.]

“Aero! It’s not good to eat animals like that! You’re just a little puppy! What if you get sick? We don’t have a vet in this town.”

“Meow,” [Whatever.]

“This pup,” Kiso shook his head.

They sat in silence before Kiso stood up and grab hold of Aero. He stared down at the ground and frowned at the height.

Hmm, too tall.

“You understand your punishment, right?” Kiso asked. Aero didn’t answer. “After this, we have to visit the laundry service three days early because of you.”

“Meow.” [Sigh.]

“It’s your fault buddy!”

Kiso started to caress Aero’s fur playfully. The little pup’s weakness was his stomach. When being caressed or rubbed at that area, Aero started to become weak and had his tongue out in defeat.

Kiso let out a loud laugh as he continued to rub Aero’s weak spot. Aero’s tail began to waggle and it hit Kiso’s nose, causing the man to sneeze.

“ACHOO!”

When Kiso opened his eyes again, he was surprised how to scene in front of him seemed to be moving. The wind blew onto his face harder than before the sneeze. Aero wasn’t in his arms anymore and he looked around.

He frowned when he saw the puppy…floating.

“Aero, why are you floating like that?” he asked.

“Meow.” The puppy casually replied, craning his neck downward. [Look down, you weirdo.]

Kiso was surprised when he was the ground was getting closer. It took him a while to register everything but when he realized it, he sighed.

They were falling off the tree.

“Meow, meow.” [This is your fault.]

“Yeah,” Kiso calmly said, staring at the ever-approaching ground. “I’m sorry. I’ll revoke every punishment. You can have as many donuts as you want. And I’ll give you all my canned corn.”

Aero had a smug look on his face. They were still falling. 500 meters fall wasn’t a shortfall. A person will have more than 20 seconds in the air before they hit the ground.

Kiso and Aero weren’t particularly in panic for some reason. They just stared at the ground for a long time before Kiso had an idea. He grabbed hold of Aero and placed him under his armpit.

He stared at the lowest branch on the tree. It was thick and didn’t look like it was falling any time soon.

With just 50 meters left of the fall, Kiso grabbed onto the branch and clenched his fist hard enough that it started to break. The momentum suddenly stopped made Kiso spun around the branch a few times before he released his hold.

Kiso was flung really far away but with his upright position, he landed safely onto the ground. The booming sound of him landing on the mossed floor echoed throughout the forest. Smoke wrapped around him from the fall and it created a crater where he landed.

Kiso let out a series of coughs and fan the dust away before emerging with not a scratch on his body other than the ones he got from climbing the tree.

He placed Aero on the ground and clapped his hands together.

“Let’s go home and wash up,” he said with a smile toward Aero.

“Meow.” [Okay.]