Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye, and it was already early fall.

The temperature has now dropped, whilst trees' leaves have now turned yellow, orange and red. Their colors cast a tranquil atmosphere around, and nature seems serene.

I strolled around the road that is littered with fallen golden and brownish colored leaves. Their crunching sound as I stepped into them resounded.

I just got back from doing another peeping at the training grounds. My whole body ache as I brought myself today a long tree branch as an alternative for a spear.

I stabbed and parried with it repeatedly until blisters formed at my palms. And my reserves even ran out faster with a weapon in tow.

On the flip side, I've already thought of a solution to my problem of finding a sparring partner.

Old Baba's tavern is literally the den of mercenaries. I could just ask one of them to spar with me. But another problem arise as I thought of that.

They were busy people despite them drinking their asses off even during the day. If I just blatantly ask for them to spar with me and taking their time without compensation, then surely no one would be willing to help me.

Additionally, mercenaries are known for being crazy about money, to the point that they were even dubbed the nickname money-grubbing dogs.

As such, an equal deal must be given.

And that's were the problem comes in. I have money, but just enough to keep me fed.

'Should I perhaps sacrifice for a while and just scavenge food in the dump like I did before?'

I contemplated my choices, but I couldn't bear to say goodbye to those warm and delicious foods. I've already suffered and endured a lot before as I just live off of scraps and leftovers of people thrown in the dump I called restaurant. Some of them even rotten, the taste funny and is malodorous – even more so than the ruffians at Old Baba's.

'I can't give up the food I'm having now.'

Food is something I would even wrestle against a beast.

'I'll just continue to look for an alternative. I'm still young and have a lot of years ahead of me. No rush.' – I consoled myself as I decided to just wait patiently while I devise a different approach to the problem.

'And one day, I'll also be a mercenary and fill my stomach silly. – I wistfully thought to myself.'

I suddenly flinched as I felt cold onto my skin. Looking up, few drops of water is falling from the sky slowly. And soon, it turned into full on heavy rain.

"Crap!" I cursed as I run and searched a place for shelter. I saw a restaurant up ahead and took shelter in it's extended roof.

The rain poured down explosively and without mercy. The people walking in the street also scrambled to their feet finding shelter.

The door of the restaurant I took cover chimed open as a man dressed in white long sleeves and a black vest walk out. "Runt! Get out of here! Your filthy self is sullying our business!" he scowled, his brows furrowed together. "Get out, now! Before we drag you out ourselves!" he added.

"Tsk!" I clicked my tongue whilst I glared at the man. "Stinky ass!" I cussed at him as I ran away and into the thicket of falling water.

"What did you say?!" his muffled voice drifted into my ears in the thick and boisterous sound of rain. "This scum! This is why dirt poor peasants like you are nothing but pest and leeches to society!" he barked aloud. "I see you loitering around my place once more and I'll have you beaten, dreg! Ugh! Bad luck and flies would flock my place because of your filth!"

I stopped in my tracks. – 'The what? Dreg? Me, bring bad luck and flies? This donkey!'

I turned around and faced the direction of the restaurant where the man was. "Oh, really?! Well, high and mighty benevolent Monsieur! –" I shouted back. " – I missed the part where that's my problem!"

I once again started to run but my mouth was just itching to say more and so, I stopped. "And, you say your place? I thought you're the servant! You could get sued for deception and impersonation, you know!"

"You –"

Before he could say more and get the last words in, I darted off into the distance in search of another shelter.

As I sprint, I caught glimpse of a waste bin in an alleyway, and decided to head off in that direction.

I took off the cover of the bin and used it as a makeshift umbrella. I crouched down, quivering from the cold. "How unfair." I muttered under my shaking voice.

'All I wanted was shelter. Was it necessary to say those hurtful things?'

"Hmph! They could only say those things because they're born privilege!" I grunted, choking in my words. It wasn't the first, but that didn't mean it didn't stung being insulted, especially from people that were handed everything their entire lives.

And that is also why I am here, in this cold alleyway, a waste bin cover for a shelter, trembling in the cold, and didn't looked for another establishment for shade, since I might receive the same treatment. "If only Old Baba's place is near here, I wouldn't even look at your restaurant, sleazebag!"

The torrential rain continued to pour down, seemingly no intention at stopping at all. Time passed in what felt like hours, I stayed there huddled into my knees, when a tiny sound came from my right.

I swiveled my head towards the sound, where my eyes laid upon the cutest thing I have ever seen.

Slick, charcoal-colored fur. Tiny paws that are coated with white furs, diverging from the rest of it's obsidian body, making it look like it was wearing socks. It's big, round green-colored eyes are half-closed, it's perk up ears trembling, so are it's entirety.

"Meow." The kitten meowed in a hushed tone.

Concurrently, it was in a corner of the alleyway, shaking from the cold just like me. It was alone and without shelter.

I stared at it for quite some time, and seemingly noticing my gaze, it tilted it's head towards me. Boy and kitten stared at one another, and before I know it, I was already walking towards the kitten.

The kitten tried to scoot over, fear evident in it's eyes as I strode closer. But it's tiny body and paws didn't allow it to ran away fast, as I clutch it in my embrace.

"Hello." I said in a gentle tone, while I went back to my former spot. The kitten wiggled and squirmed, trying to break away. "It's okay. I'm not gonna eat you." I soothed the agitated feline. "Maybe, if I don't have food no more. Then, maybe, I will."

The kitten seemed to have understood as it struggled more fiercely.

"Hehe. Just kidding." I grabbed the bin cover and put it over my head as I huddled once more – the kitten in my embrace. "I'll let you go later when the rain stopped. For now, this generous man will give you warmth and shelter."

'That no one gave me.' – I thought despondently.

For a while, I had to pacify the kitten before it finally calmed down, and nestled comfortably in my arms. "What's your name?" I asked, before laughing to myself as if expecting a cat to respond. The kitten seemed to have the same idea as it looked at me with those round eyes of it with pity.

'Now, a homeless cat is pitying me. Just great.'

I petted it's tiny head, it's wet fur brushed against my palm. It closed it's eyes, enjoying the pet the human gave it. And like that, two homeless being just sat the corner of an alleyway, while waiting for the rain to pass.

"Finally." I muttered with glee. I stood up and put the kitten down, startling it awake from it's nap. "Meow." It cried, looking up at me.

"Well, this where we part ways now, li'l kitten." I bid farewell to the little feline, while water drip from my hair and body, the rain now stopped.

"Meow." The kitten brushed it's body in my feet, acting cute. I bent down and started petting it again, while it purred in contentment.

"Bye now, take care." And like that, I left the alleyway drenched like a rat. As I walk however, I felt a presence behind me.

I stopped and looked over my shoulders. There, the kitten was following, skipping on it's tiny paws, keeping pace with me.

When it noticed that I stopped, it also halted, sat down, tilted it's tiny head, and looked up at me with round sparkling eyes.

'Oh, no! Don't do that.' – I exclaimed internally, preventing myself from squealing.

"Go, there. There's big, mean humans out here. Go back there, now. It's safer." I said while motioning with my hands, shooing the feline away. But the feline in question just stared much more intently, melting my heart away with it's cuteness.

"Err…" I scratched my cheek, not knowing what to do. "Sigh… come here." I gently slapped my knees, beckoning the kitten over.

It skipped with delight, rushing towards me and then purred while rubbing it's body in my feet.

'Oh, boy. Looks like I'll have another mouth to feed, huh? I guess I'm an adult now, for I now have responsibility.' – well, ain't that something coming from a midget not even barely ten years old?

I scooped the kitten up, and held it up eye level to me. "Well, I'm going to adopt you now. Ain't that delightful?" I blurted out with a smile etched into my face. "Then, I'll have to give you a name. Hmm, what would be good?" I pondered, while the kitten licked my fingers.

"Oh! Since it rained when we met, how about rainy?" the kitten stopped licking my fingers and looked at me with disbelief. "Err, is it bad? Hmm, then, how about torrential rain? It sounds badass, noh?" I nodded my head as the more I think about it, the better it sounds.

But, the kitten seems to have a different idea and would love to differ, however. It's tiny paw slapped at my hands holding it. "Meow!" it grunted in it's tiny voice.

"You don't like it? But it's cool!"

"Meow!"

"Okay, okay. I get it, torrential rain." I conceded whilst I contemplated for a new one. "Oh, right! I don't even know your gender and I kept making names. Well, if you'll excuse me." I peeked over at the kitten's rear. "Oh! You're a mademoiselle!" I exclaimed.

"Well, isn't that cool. Now, what name would best suit you. Hmm… Oh! Oh! How about… Huyana?"

The kitten's eyes sparkled, it's tail swayed to and fro. "You like that? Is that your name, Huyana?" the kitten's tail swung more vigorously, seemingly fond of the name I gave it.

"Huyana!" I howled, grinning while spinning on my feet, the kitten now named Huyana in tow. Stopping, I booped Huyana's nose. "Well, now that that is solve, let's go to your new home, Huyana."

And so, Huyana and I, cat and human, head off into the direction where our humble home is.