"I don't know." Teo said softly. He shrugged. "Do you feel seven years old? Younger or older?"

Rei cooked the meat that he could, dividing it on the plates. He filled the kids plates up more in case they hadn't eaten in a few days, then Ally's. He didn't make a plate for himself though. He was probably the fattest out of the group--not that he was in the first place.

Brin shrugged. "I don't know," she said. "I just know... my mom told me about birthdays, and mine is in the springtime and how many springs pass is how old I am. And last time we had a birthday was when I was six. And there was another spring between that and now. So I'm seven."

Ally frowned, leaning against the wall and listening. She knew what it felt like to lose parents but these two... were so little. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"Wow, that's a lot of thinking." He told Ally. "I just feel nine. What if I'm not nine? How will I know how old I am!?" He gasped and shook his head.

Rei came out. "Alright, suppers ready kids." He brought out three plates to the table and set them down. "Eat up. All of it even if you're full. I want full bellies."
We don't know when we're gunna eat again...

Brin looked up and grinned at the food. She slipped off the couch to go to the table, but she looked behind her again, and grabbed Teo's hand, pulling him along with her. "We'll figure out someway to tell," she assured him, crawling onto a chair at the table.
Ally walked to the table, but saw the three plates. She frowned at Rei.

Rei smiled. "I wolfed down my food in the kitchen." He assured Ally, even though it was a lie. "I'll go clean up." He said slipping back into the kitchen. He salted the meat and put it in the icebox before disposing of the left overs they couldn't eat.

Teo crawled up and inhaled his meat practically, starving to death. He chewed with his mouth open, un familiar with an mannors.

Ally sat down at the table with the kids, although she was still frowning. She didn't trust what Rei had told her. She ate quietly and slowly, letting it fill up her stomach faster than if she inhaled it.
Brin didn't understand that though, and inhaled her portion with almost as much speed as Teo.

Teo was pot bellied and sleepy by the end of meal, and he rested his head on the table, and Rei came in. "Alright you two, let's get you to bed." He smiled softly. He had a soft spot for helping people.

Brin looked up at him. "Do we get to sleep in real beds?" she asked quietly. She had wanted to ask about his being a kitty, but she lost the conviction facing him.

"Of course. And best of all you get to pick." He smiled widely. His tail flicked. "Come on."

Brin got up quickly, instantly pulling Teo with her and following Rei. Ally smiled a bit, following along in the back. At least the two of them had connected, found something to hold onto in this hell hole of a life.

Rei led them to the upstairs and to all the beds. "Alright you two can pick out your own." He said. "And we'll get you pillows and blankets."

Teo frowned and looked to Brin waiting for her to pick hers. He'd get the one next to hers.

Brin easily walked over to the bed under the little window, pulling Teo along behind her. She let go at the foot of the bed, and scrambled up onto it. She was pretty short, so it was a struggle, but she managed on her own. "I like this one," she announced.

Teo nodded and picked the one next to it easily. Rei smiled and brought over thick wool blankets and pillows. "There you two are." He said lightly. "Now try to get as much sleep as you can okay?"

Brin nodded and curled up with her blanket and pillow, perfectly trusting and feeling safe. She watched Teo though, not closing her eyes yet.
Ally stepped out of the room once they were settled, waiting a little ways down the hall in silence.

Rei joined Ally some time later and smiled. "You ready to go?" He asked softly. He really didn't want to resort to this?"

Teo snuggled under the covers. "Those people are nice right?" He asked softly.