The sound of another voice caused Duo to quickly lift his head to find who had spoken. Seeing a black lion on two legs...and knowing it could talk...

Duo yelped in surprise and tried to scoot away from the feline fellow. His back hit a large trash bin. His blue-violet eyes were wide, and his hat had fallen to the ground where he had been sitting previously.

"What the hell?!" To say he was shocked would be an understatement. Honestly, since when did animals talk?! "What are you? What're you doin' talking?"

After all, animals didn't talk on the colony. They never talked in the stories that Father Maxwell and Sister Helen told him. Don't take offense, little lion man. The young human thing hadn't quite finished adjusting to his new home....