a new friend

Oscar always liked to wander. When they went out into the woods, he would often run off on his own. At first aunt Em would worry but after a few times she got used to it. He would always come back safe.

of course there were still times when in the back of her head, she would still get concerned. Times like these when his uncle had come to visit and they'd taken there annual trip into the forest and the boy had been gone for longer than usual.

"Oscar!" She began to call out. "Oscar!"

There was no answer but it didn't take them that long to find him.

"There you are." But she stoped when she saw the rest of the scene. He sat kneeling in front of a dead mother pig, staring at it and holding her piglets in his arms.

Emily looked at the mother. "Grimm?" she asked her brother as he bent down to examine the corpse.

"More like some hungry beast." He told her. "Probably didn't think the runt was worth the meat." He glanced at the piglet wriggling in his nephew's arms.

Oscar looked at it. "What will happen to it now?"

Aron got up and made towards Oscar. "Would've been better if it had died with the others." He pulled out a knife. "It won't last on its own."

"No!" Oscar held the piglet closer as his uncle reached out for it.

Aron at him, almost a little confused. "It's better this way." He told the boy. "A quick death of a short life of helpless suffering."

"please, uncle." Oscar begged, but then Aron pointed his knife at him. "Don't make me cut you too."

"Aron." Emily stepped in before things got to ugly. "Pigs are farm animals. We live on a farm. Your always saying he should be more responsible. Maybe, if he wants to care for it...it could be helpful."

She saw him start to consider it. She was almost trying to convince herself as well as him. Was 8 years old really old enough to look after a pet. But after a few seconds, Aron put away his blade. "Fine, but it's his responsibility. If anything happens to it..."

It was worth it to see the overjoyed look on Oscars face as he took home the squealing piglet. "I'm gonna call you squeaky."