[Color=pink]Melanie Rose Pourri[/color][hr][I]The Warren, 12:30PM[/i]
Melanie gleefully took her last bite, nearly swallowing a french fry whole. A deep chuckle shook the table. Mel curiously looked up to see Nolan with an amused smile on his face before he took a sip of rootbeer.

[Color=pink]"What's so funny? Something on my face?"[/color] Mel asked selfconciously. She dabbed at her lips and muzzle with a napkin. Nolan shook his head lightly.  [Color=red]"Oh, it's nothing..."[/color] he answered. Mel shook her head back, more vigorously. [Color=pink]"No, You can't just say that! I need to know,"[/color] she protested, leaning slightly forward with pleading eyes. 

[Color=red]"Fine, fine. No need to beg,"[/color] Nolan laughed. [Color=red]"It's just cited how happy you look when you eat something you like. You just kind of beam when you take a bite. And yet, you eat so fast I don't see how you even enjoy it!"[/color] he explained, paws spread pads up and brows raised in a bemused look.

[Color=pink]"Oh,[/color] Melanie uttered, surprised, with a tinge of heat in her cheeks. She looked down at her empty plate, then over at his, only about half finished. [Color=pink]"I guess I'm just used to being the middle kit and runt of the litter. It was tough having to compete for food, coming from an impoverished family,"[/color] Melanie confided, feeling a little embarrassed. She picked a crumb off her plate with two claws then ate it thoughtfully. [Color=pink]"If I liked something, I ate it especially fast so nobody else could take it from me."[/color]

Nolan tilted his head and smiled gently, his eyes softened. [Color=red]"I come from poverty, too,"[/color] he told her sympathetically. He moved his paw slightly toward hers but drew back and flexed his claws. [Color=red]"But, my philosophy is to take it slow. Savor every second, and it will last longer,"[/color] Nolan explained. As if to demonstrate, he took another big bite of burger, and chewed slowly and contently. Melanie looked at her own plate then watched him eat, enviousky. Nonchalantly he took a few fries from his plate and dropped them on hers. Melanie's eyes went wide and she snatched them up greedily. But as she ate them, slower than usual, she wondered if maybe predators weren't so scary or different after all.