Title: First Blood
Author: S J Smith
Rating: Teen
Summary: Zolf finds someone in the park.
Disclaimer: All hale Arakawa!
The sun couldn't fight its way through the clouds overhead, but Zolf didn't care. It meant there were fewer people around to see what he was doing. He crept through the underbrush, heading for the trap he'd set, wondering if he'd caught anything. The animals in the neighborhood – and their owners – were getting too wary. He had to search farther afield to find his prey.
The sound surprised him, making Zolf hesitate until he saw the younger boy, crouched over something in one of his traps. He waited for a long couple of seconds before continuing on. "What's going on?"
The boy raised his head, wiping his eyes on his forearm. Snot trickled out of his nose and his mouth twisted, as if he was trying to keep from crying more. "S-someone hurt this kitten," he said, leaning back to reveal a tri-color cat, its leg all tangled up and bloodied in the wire Zolf had laid out two days before. The cat lay on its side, panting heavily, obviously in shock.
"Oh, that's terrible," Zolf said, walking closer. He squatted next to the boy.
"Who'd do something so mean?" the boy asked. "I tried to help her get loose." Tears leaked down his cheeks. "I think I hurt her more."
His mouth tightened, but Zolf reached into his pocket, pulling out the pocket knife he always carried. A part of him thought he could still get something out of the cat, but not with the little boy here. "See if you can hold it," Zolf said, and the boy obeyed. The cat struggled for a few seconds, letting out a piteous cry, then lay still. Zolf used the knife to pry at the wire embedded in the cat's leg, finally loosening it enough that the limb – well, what was left of it, at least – slipped free. "There."
The cat squeaked and kicked, and its claws raked over the boy's hand and leg. He yelped but kept hold of the cat, showing he had some grit to him. "I can take her home, Auntie will know what to do with her!" he said, smiling tightly at Zolf.
Mentally, Zolf sighed, but allowed a faint smile to show. "All right," he said, wondering if he'd caught anything else in his traps. "Take good care of it, now."
The boy smiled brightly, cradling the bleeding, shocky animal in his arms. "I will. Thanks, mister!" He trotted off, crooning to the cat.
Zolf looked after him, wondering what might've happened if he'd kept the boy – then deciding it was far too much effort to get involved with people. At least, right now. He'd need a lot more time if he was going to invest in such a plan.
Oh, well, it would keep. Whistling to himself, Zolf took the wire trap apart, planning on moving it to a new area of the park, somewhere a kid might not scurry around in, and find his prey.
Note: Written for the live journal community, FMAGiftExchange, for the prompt of: "Roy&Kimblee, the day they met". In my head, this takes place when Roy is around five or six years, while Kimbley is about twice that.
For those of you concerned about the kitty, in my head, she does lose her leg, but becomes part of the Madam Christmas household, holding mice in terror for her days.