The sun had begun to set. Clouds in the sky begun to turn into shades of dull pink and orange. Normally, the skys were always gloomy, and rain was far from rare in the city. With in the large skyscrapers and building, an allyway had been left abandoned by its residents. A tv that had rested in the bare walls of a building had its screen smashed into a million pieces. Glass shards and wires lied motionless on the concrete floor. Hidden beside a dumpster was a soggy card board box. Within the box, was a child.

  A scrawny, little, lion cub had taken shelter with in the flimsy walls of the cardboard. In the reach of his paws, was a flashlight. Rolling it back and forth from paw to paw. He swayed his tail in boredom, the trench coat he had on was covered in dust and dirt. His pale fur was ruffled and dampened by the humid air around him. Tiredly, he turned on his back, with his tail still in a steady sway. He'd toy with the metal of the flashlight with his claws. With heavy eyes they begun to droop and grow drowsy. The cub had a paper bag over his face, hiding his premature mane. Finally, he closed his eyes and begun to drift into sleep. The pitter-patter of the rain drops that had tapped the cardboard roof soothed him.

  After a few mintues the peaceful symphony, it had suddenly shattered by a glass bottle falling and breaking. The boy's eyes shot open. He lied frozen, debating to himself if he should investigate. Not long after, he heard something jump onto the dumpster that was towering beside his little box. He turned his head, it was darker outside, and a light rain had begun to drizzle on the floor. The boy slowly rose to his paws, tucking the flashlight in his trench coat pocket. His ears dropped down under his bag as he crept to the entrance of the box. He cautiously turned his head around the corner. Sure enough, glass shards had been scattered on the other side of the trash can. He looked out to the street that had occupied the front of the ally.

  It was a lonely city road with buildings that towered over everything in its path. Lines of wire stretched from building to building. They were disorganized and messy, covered in shirts, pants, and other clothing the boy could identify. A faint fog masked over further building, making them nothing but a blurred light.

  The coast was clear. At least he had an escape route. He turned his head to the end of the ally, the brick wall with the broken tv had no traces of life. No light had lit up the darken area, nor any movement. It was eerily quiet. Every passing second felt like an hour. He took a nervous gulp and wrapped his paw around the metal handle of his flashlight. The cub clicked it on, only to see trash and the shimmer of the bottle shards.

  "W-who's there?" The boy stuttered.

  Something rustled above the dumpster. He quickly turned his torch to the fowl smelling, metal, container. It was too tall to see what was above it.

  "Show yourself." He attempted to growl. Only sounding like a childish grumble.

  Silence. Absolute silence. Whatever was above him had stopped stirring. He rose to his back legs, in an attempt to see what was above him. Two little glowing specks shined back at him. With a terrified gasp he dropped back down. He arched his back, the fur on his neck had rose to its ends. The thing leapt down to the floor, making a small thud as its paws hit the ground. As the light shone on it, a bright color of yellow blinded the cub.

  "Boo!" The yellow thing said as it tackled him. He let out a scared yowl as his shoulders were pinned to the floor. Under his bag, he opened his eyes to see a familiar, friendly, rat face.

  "SIX!" The cub mewed.

  "Scaredy cat!" The rat teased, a playful smile smeared on her face.

  The cub huffed. He pulled his back legs to her belly and kicked her over his shoulders. She fell on her back with a muffled thump. Six laughed, putting her pink tinted paws on her stomach. The not so big cat sat down, his face red in embarrassment. Luckly, he had his bag to hide his face. He hit his tail against the moist concrete in a rhythm.

  "It's not funny, Six. You almost gave me a heart attack!" He squinted under his bag.

  "For a lion, you're not that intimidating, Mono." Six caught her breath and rolled onto her stomach. Mono huffed again, the tuft of fur on the tip of his tail wilted from the mist of the rain.

  "Sorry Mono. I couldn't help myself." Six squeaked. Mono didn't say a word, just staring at her from under his bag.

  "No words?" Six stared at him. "Okay, then if you aren't gonna speak then I guess you have to come with me."

  Mono rose an eyebrow under his bag in curiosity. The tip of his tail curled. Six noticed his tail and walked towards him.

  "I found a new place. I know how much you love to adventure." Six said in a compelling tone. Intrigued, Mono tapped the tip of his tail against the concrete. His head was raised high, and his shoulders were drooped. She knew he was interested as she begun to circle him.

  "Come on Mono. Don't you want to go on a little adventure? I promise it will be fun!" Six squeaked. Her small rounded ears perked at their peak. "It won't take too long to get there. Not to mention the veiw." Six stood behind Mono and held her paw up to the sky over his shoulder. She opened her paw as small drops of water dampened their fur. Mono looked up to see the sky was darker, and small specks begun to litter the patches of sky that had not been covered by clouds. They froze there for a few seconds in silence.

  "Okay. Let's go" Mono sighed and rose to his feet. Six squealed in excitement and hugged his shoulders. She then ran to the alleyway entrance and looked back.

  "Come on! The sooner we leave the better!" Six's childish glee begun to shine from her smile. Mono rushed to her side and they ran off into the streets of the city.

  They ran down many streets, vacant of any cars. Only trash and clothes scattered the dirty floor. They crawled under chain-linked fences and walked on rods of concrete that had hung off the floor from earthquakes. The two fled from multiple encounters with towns people and stray children. After an hour of running they finally reached the city's boarder.

  "Come on! We are halfway there!" Six smiled and ran towards the feild that had surrounded the buildings. Mono had been panting for air, exhausted by the constant running. He shook off his tiredness and continued to chase Six in the thick grass. The farther they had gone the more patches of moon light hit the grass. Soon, there were no clouds in the sky. Mono looked up and watched as the countless stars would shine onto them. He slowed his speed to a trot as he watched the small specks of light. Six stopped running and looked behind her. Mono had stopped, looking up at the sky. The 10 year-old looked amazed and bewitched by the stars. She slowly trotted beside him, the grass crunched under her paws.

  "I never knew there were so many..." Mono spoke quietly.

  "Isn't it pretty?" Six asked him with a smile. He responded with a quiet nod. Eyes still fixed upon the stars. Six rose to her back legs then flopped on her back. Mono looked down to see a small puff of dirt roll into the air from underneath her. He gently lied on his stomach and rolled onto his back. They both stared at the sky, side-by-side.

  Gorgeous shades of dark blue an purple had filled the sky. Millions of stars twinkled in this clear azure. The grass around them nipped at their backs. Small droplets of water collected onto the thin blades. Slowly, the stars shifted across the sky. A gentle breeze teases their fur as they calmly watched the lights. The moon beamed a dim light over them as it rose to it's peak. An earthy sent filled the two children's' noses as there bodies grew lull.

  Mono closed his eyes. His chest moved up and down peacefully as he begun to doze off. Six had also grown tired. The sound of the wind brushing through her hair and the smell of a fresh air was soothing. The children rarely experience such luxury in the filthy city. Espcially Mono, who had lived most of his life in the city. Well, at least what he could remember. Six's ears suddenly perked up.

  "Shoot! The spot! Come on Mono!'' She rolled onto her stomach then took off. Mono stumbled to his feet, still dazed at the nature's beauty. After they both scrambled through a feild, they entered a bleak forest. The familiar scattered tv's had littered the forest floor. There was a huge rocky hill that stood a few yards away from them.

  "Come on! It's up here." Six said as she jumped from rock to rock. Mono followed her steps and movements. He was some what bummed that they left the field so early. He honestly loved the feeling of grass rub against his rough fur. After he heaved himself up to a ledge, Six happily bounced to a few bushes that had grown on the rocks.

  "Tadaaa!" She sat by it and held her arms out to present the bush.

  "Huh.." Mono said, disappointed.

  Six squeaked happily. She leaned forward and looked at Mono, her whiskers twitched along side her nose. Her eyes beamed in excitement. They looked at eachother for a few moments.

  "Well?" Six tilted her head.

  "Well what?" Mono looked at her confused.

  "Do the honors!" She moved a side.

  Still puzzled, he moved to the bush. He put his paws in it and opened his arms to move it aside. Just more bushes blocked his path like a thick curtain. Mono turned his head at Six. Not at all impressed. She fanned her paw in a gesture for him to move forward. Mono got the hint and moved the briar again. He then just charged through the shrubs. Six jumped a bit in shock.

  "Mono! Wait!" Six ran after him.

  Mono continued to shove through the twigs and leafs of the thick under brush. Determined to see behind it. His body bobbed as he lowered his head to gain speed. His shoulders shifted in a rhythm, one would poke upward as the other dropped down. Soon, he saw small beams of moon light. His eyes lit up, eager to be in the moon light's shine. Twigs and branches clawed at his coat. Brambles stuck onto the fabric as he increased his speed. Mono stuck his head down like a charging bull and bursted out of the hedge. He stumbled by his speed as he came to a stop.

  He looked below him to see a murky bog, littered with moss and lily pads. Mono looked at it, his nose shriveled at the smell. Six soon came tumbling towards him. She huffed and puffed for air as she dropped her lower body in the grass.

  "Mon... no.... *huff* Come o-n." Six pointed to the side of the ledge they were at. "It's... *phew* just down-" Her paw faced a path of rocks jetting out besides the slope. The dark grey stone jetted out in uneven places and slanted up or downwards. At the bottom was a bog, murky and lined with sand or weeds. "There."

  Mono's back shuttered. He could tolerate many smells, but this was gross. With a quiet nod he jumped down the mossy rocks. Six right behind him. They grew close to the water, the green water reaked of the stench. If it were the morning, swarms of bugs would devour them alive. Six grew close to the plant covered water. Her tail curled as she pointed her muzzle towards the water. Mono shuttered once again, but he continued to follow her. She looked at him, a smile smeared on her snout.

  "Watch this..." She whispered to Mono with a claw pointed at the water.

  He looked where she pointed, nothing but a blanket of moss met his gaze. Confused, he squinted. Six stuck the tip of her paw into the water and moved it upward. A beautiful swirl of water split the moss. It bloomed into a longer curl by the water's currant. His eyes lit up.

  She shook the water from her paw and gestured for Mono to try. He stuck his claw into the thin sheet of moss and moved it to the side. More swirls exposed the murky green water underneath. The both looked at each other with childish smiles. Mono quickly turned around and ran to a near by tree. The bark was rotted and grew grey in shade. He looked up and the bent branches that reached at him like blood thirsty tallons. With a high leap, he tried to grab one of them. Six stopped Mono and allowed him to climb onto her back. With another jump he grabbed a large stick.

  He broke it in half by slamming his front paw in the middle of the stick. Six took the other piece of the stick with her mouth and held it. Mono moved his bag to fold over his mouth and looked at her. They both smiled at eachother. With muffled giggles they ran on the edge of the water. The ends of the sticks cut through the moss. Gorgeous spirals of water filled water. In the small streaks, moon shine glistened to the others. The clear darkened sky engulfed them, their shadows danced on the floor. As they continued to play on the far end of the bog something crept thier way towards them. On their side, most ot the trees were dead. Opposite of them was a lush forest. Right in the middle was the rock hill they had entered through. It spilt the two from each other, vines and creepers over grown and dipped into the water. On the lusher side was a dock, a broken hollow tree grew from another patch of land that partly stuck out from beside the horizontal board walk.

  With in the the thick bushes the sound of grass crunching under some one's paws. Mono was the first to notice. He stopped in his tracks. Six almost ran into him, still blinded by her childish glee. They both froze, panting from running around the bog. They bothed turned their attention to the lusher side of the forest. A light guided something towards the open feild that led to the bog. Mono quickly dropped his branch and ran for shelter. Six followed, her stick left behind. The two ran towards the rock cliff and hid with in the vine curtain. Their paws were covered in mud, so were thier clothing. In silence they causiously watched the tree line of the woods just across from them.

  Out came a large wolf-like dog. He wore a sac over his head. Rested onto his body was a green hunting coat, and faded brown trousers. The dog wore black leather boots and thick matted hunting gloves. The two froze as intimidation bubbled in their guts. As the dog staggered down the hill, they could see a huge, fluffly, curly tail rested on his rear. The silent fear they both shared faded. They looked at eachother and tilted their heads. His black fur looked soft, as if it were brushed regularly.

  Before long, another set of paw-steps were heard from the woods beside them. Another beging walked out of the shrubs. This time, they knew who it was. A shiver licked down their backs.

  A snakeish being walked out of the bushes. She had the head of a snake, but the body of another reptile. Many stray children say she is a dragon of some kind. From the looks of it, they weren't wrong to believe so. Her neck was long, and curved in a slight S-shape. On her hands, long tallons pressed against the grass. Her brown and tan scales glittered in the moon light. The fur on her head and tail were neatly brushed. She wore a button-up shirt and a long skirt that drooped over her knees. Simular to a school uniform. It was a teacher's uniform.

  The two made thier way to the dock as Mono and Six watched. They were frozen. Both of them were afraid to move. Only a few yards away, there was the two most dangerous people of both the city and the forest.

  "Why are they here?" Mono whispered to himself. "Shouldn't the teacher be at the-" Six quickly shushed him.

  "Shh! Listen..." She whispered.

  They both shushed and listened to the two. The hunter sat at the dock and set down a shot gun, which he had over his shoulders. He removed his gun and set it behind them. Right next to him sat the teacher. Her tail curled infront of her talons. They both sat quietly at the water. The water by the dock had no moss, but it was murky to the point it became a perfect mirror. The stars glimmered back at them. The teacher looked over to the water and saw her reflection. Besides her reflection popped another head of the hunter. She looked at him, and they both chuckled. The teacher gently shook her head and looked back into the water. A slight smile rose her cheeks. The hunter quietly tapped his paw.

  "So..." The hunter spoke, his voice muffled by the bag over his head.

  Mono and Six almost gasped. They both covered each others' mouths and stared at them.

  "How's life goin' for ya?"

  "They can talk....!?" Mono and Six whispered to each other. They moved their hands from each others' mouths and looked at them. Eager to hear what they were talking about.

  "I have been better." She answered with a sigh. The tuft of fur on her tail slowly swayed from side-to-side.

  "Them kids drivin' ya mad?"

  "They all ways push my buttons, Russel. I have gotten used to it by now."

  "Heh. I don't understand how you handle all of those kids."

  "It's a blessing I haven't murdered them all yet."

  Russel rose his head and laughed into the sky. His hearty chuckle caused birds to flee from the surrounding trees. She couldn't help but giggle at his wolfy laugh. The teacher covered her mouth with her claws, her smile was visible on her cheeks. Once her hand dropped from her face he noticed a large mark on her cheek.

  Russle froze, his head turned to look at her. She didn't look back this time. Instead her attention was focused on the water. Her smile dissapered, and her face grew gloomy with a tired frown.

  "It's 'him' again... Ain't it?"

  She nodded.

  A growl left his throat as he looked at the water. His paw tapped with an impatcients. She saw his frustration as he stared at the water.

  "I'll be fine." She moved her tail to wrap around his back. "You don't have to worry about me."

  "Sadie, you're not fine." Russle looked at her. "Every time you come over you always got some bruse or cut on ya."

  Sadie opened her mouth, but before a word came out Russle continued. "And don't pull that 'my students throw things at me' bullshit. I know what he's doin' to ya."

  She closed her mouth and sunk her head. Sadie looked back at the water. In her reflection she had a visble bruse on her cheek. It was faded, but it was still dark enough to have a faint outline. Russle moved his head down to try to face her. She still blankly stared at the water.

  "Sadie... You know you can talk to me." He paused, in a silent hope she would respond. She stared at the water, her reflection showed that her pupils went from slits to round orbs. "Don't let him get to ya."

  Another long pause filled the air. Nothing but the sound of crickets and rustling leaves filled the silence. Her chest moved upwards as she inhaled air through her mouth. "If I tell you, he'll kill you." Sadie paused again before she continued. "I don't want to lose you again." She lied on her stomach and hung her head over the dock's edge, her eyes closed and her tail curled around her body. Russel lied on his stomach and stretched his front paws over the wood. He lowered his head to try to meet her gaze. "You're not gonna lose me Sadie." She turned her head to face him. Her eyes were dull in color from lack of hope and sleep. Russel's facial expression had been hidden, but the slight wag of his tail said it all. "I'd swim to the Maw and back."

  Sadie let out a puff and chucked lightly. She turned her head to face the water, her eyes marveled at her reflection. Russel moved his head to look down at the water. Sadie looked at his reflection, a smile cracked onto her face.

  "I know you would. And I would do it too."

  Mono rose his body but setting his front paws on a moist rock. His left paw slipped, it made a scrape noise as his chin fell on the stone. He mewed in shock and discomfort. The sounds he made caused The Hunter to raise his head in alarm. He slowly rose to his feet, his tail stopped wagging, and his head looked from left to right. A low growl left his lips. The Teacher looked up at him.

  "Russel?" She said in curiosity.

  "Shh-" The Hunter spoke quietly. He perked his head up and waited. His tail lied still, only the long, loose fur on the end of the curl waved from the steady breeze.

  Mono moved back next to Six. She stepped back too and manage to make a rock tumble into the water in front of them. The whispered plop made The Hunter growl.

  "Get me my gun." He spoke in a low tone.

  "Why..?" She whispered.

  "We're being watched."

  She breathed a worried breath. Her talons tucked under her chest and she rose her head. With her tail she grabbed the wooden handle and nudged it to his reach. He grabbed it with one paw and walked off the dock.

  Six and Mono held their breaths, their backs arched, and their heads drooped. They could hear The Hunter's nose try to sniff them out. His head turned to the moss, it was torn, and all of the gorgeous swirls had become ugly patches of murky water. He padded his way over to that side of the bog, the gun still under his right arm. Mono and Six's sticks were still abandoned on the bog's bank. He moved his head down to sniff the branches, an unfriendly growl grumbled from his throat.

  "So, they came to play Russian Roulette again?" He rose to his back legs, both of his front paws held his shot gun. With a light grin under his mask and the click of his lantern he took a few steps forward. "They call me Russel Roulette for nothin'." As he spoke he loaded his shotgun.

  Six and Mono quivered just at the sound of the loaded gun. The Hunter crept forward on his back legs, he looked much taller. His silhouette made him look like a rabid werewolf. The stomping of his boots sent shivers down their spines with each step. His shadow towered over the vine curtain. The moonlight that beamed into there hiding spot deceased into darkness. Mono gripped Six's tail with his, keeping her close to his side. With every step The Hunter would take, they would step back.

  He let in a long inhale. The sent of rubber, trash, cardboard, and asphalt filled his dry, crusty nose. "Gotcha..."

  As The Hunter pointed his gun down to the vines he felt something touch his side. His head shot back to face The Teacher. "Russel. I think we should head back to the Cabin." He looked at her then looked back. With his left paw he gripped the curtain and tore the vines from the rock. The moon shone into the shadows to reveal nothing. The black pebbles of the shore shimmered like diamonds as the swamp water moistened them. He felt another nudge, this time she used her snout to press against his shoulder.

  "I can tell we are both tired. Let's get a fire started and I can sleep on the couch." She spoke in a quiet tone.

  He put his gun over his shoulders; the leather strap wrapped over his right shoulder and down the left side of his torso. He slowly moved dropped back down to all fours, some loose dust fell off of his coat. "Hm- Must be hearin' things." He mumbled. In the distance the sound of crows cawing caught his attention. The breeze picked up to a low howl. A murder of crows scanned the forest canopy, their wings spread out beside them like a cape caught in the wind. The Hunter looked at her, she had a sense of uneasiness in her eyes.

  "That cowardly lion sent his crow friend to look for ya." He scoffed. "Pitiful Pale City prick."

  "I think he is just checking for runaways again. If he is here for me. Then Thomas realized that I'm not at the School." The Teacher looked at the crows. They all flew together like a stream of wind, dancing around trees and soaring over feilds with ease. Thier acrobatic turns and glides were almost mesmerizing to watch. "If he really wanted me back in the City, he would have come here in person and drag me by the hair."

  "Well, better be safe than sorry." The Hunter turned around and headed for the thick forest. The Teacher followed right beside him. As they left, Six and Mono ran desperately up the rock cliff. Their feet were a blur below them as they plowed through the briar and brush. Twigs and leaves caught again their clothes while their pelts were clawed at by the thorns and thistles. Their inhales were sharper than knives as the wind blew in their faces.

  They both exploded out of the underbrush like fireworks. Loose leaves followed their movements, before they gently fluttered to the grass below them. Mono tripped over his tail and stumbled face first into the grass. Six slid to the side, her knees were bent and her mouth was gaped open. They took big gulps of air as their eyes beaded with tears from running. The forest was silent around them, their panicked breaths echoed and reverberated against the trees.

  Mono and Six looked at each other, mouths a gape and their chests pumping in air. As they stared at each other, Six's panicked face became a smile. Her panting became laughter, she rolled on her back and started to cackle like a hyena. Mono's shoulders bobbed as he panting became laughter. He rolled from his stomach to his back and cackled along side her.

  Birds flew out of trees as their childish shrieks filled the night sky. The moon was above them, the stars glimmered and twinkled in a gentle glow. As the moon fell, the silhouettes of the children casted onto the damp grass. As they leapt and tackled each other, the sounds of there giggles echoed in the dull forest. With ever tumble and tackle the pushed each other into, a cloud of dust rolled under them.

  Their play howled across the forest. As it grew farther and farther, more people begun to hear. Deep within the forest was a run-down cabin. Behind its dark wooden porch was an open window, casting light onto the deck. The hunter's head looked back. He grew silent as the childish laughter eerily whispered into the cabin. "See, there it is again." The Hunter said as he limped to the window. When he put his front two paws on the sill, the Teacher looked up.

  She had been faced down to a dining room table, paper scattered on its surface. She turned around to look at him, "What?"

  "It's those kids again." He said as a growl grumbled out of his throat.

  The Teacher pushed out the wooden chair she sat at and walked besides him. "Who?"

  "Six and the Prick's Son. Mono."

  The Teacher scowled at him. A quiet hiss left her closed mouth. He laughed nervously. "He ain't a prick, I'm just sayin' his dad is. Other than him tryin' to kill me, he's a good kid."

  She sighed and looked out window. As the giggles echoed she thought of her school house back at the city. She rested her arms on the sill and looked out at the full moon. As a smile cracked onto her cheeks, The Hunter grabbed his shot gun that had been neatly been leaned against the door frame.

  "I'll be-" He was cut off as the Teacher gripped his sleeve. He turned his head to see her talons gripped on his thick coat.

  "Let them have their fun." She spoke, her head still rested on the sill. A gentle breeze blew on her face. A chill ran down her spine, her body shivered as it crawled down her neck to her back. The hunter took off his coat and put it on her shoulders, her body jolted as the sudden weight was added. The Teacher turned her head to see the Hunter sit besides her. He wore a red flannel under his coat. It was missing a button at the top, allowing his silky black fur to puff out. The fabric was covered in blood and food stains, along with a few stitched from tears.

  The Teacher set her talons on her shoulders to keep the jacket on her body. She marveled at the stars as they slowly shifted across the sky. For what felt like hours, the sound of play finally died down and her eyes grew droopy. She felt a light nudge on her shoulder.

  "Come on, it's almost dawn." The Hunter nudged her shoulder with his nose. "Let's go to bed."

  "Okay." The Teacher whispered tiredly. As she left the window the Forest was left quiet. Nothing but the howl of wind blew over from the tree tops to the city streets. They were left empty as the cold wind blew over asphalt. Windows and clothes had small amounts of frost on their corners. The sky grew from a faint dark blue to its normal gloomy grey.

  Hidden within an ally, was a small cardboard box. It's walls had been slightly frozen by the cold. Besides it was a dumpster, covered in ice and water. Bottle shards shimmered gently as the ally echoed with soft breathing. Hidden with in the box were two children. One of them wore a rain coat, while the other had a trench coat wrapped around his body. Both of there eyes were closed and their bodies huddled together for warmth. Their noses were close together, the boy's paper bag blocked each other's whiskers from disturbing each other.

  With their tails wrapped around each other they peacefully slept. Dreaming, that with a new day, they can do it all over again.

The End

-[Author's Notes]-
Word Count= 5290
Publish Date= 11/28/20

    I just wanted to say thank you guys for 31 followers! I don't even know if "thank you" is enough to show my gratitude. I'm glad you are here with me and enjoy the craziness I make. I also want to personally thank the 6 people who have been with me through thick and thin. (You know who you are :D Hi guys) You 6 keep me going, and you guys keep my motivation up. I love your comments and I love your cooperation in the conversation tab. Even if you were with me from the first chapters of BSG or if you just started to read it. The memes, slices of life, and constructive criticism helps me out alot and brings a smile to my face.

  So, here is a little drawing of The Teacher and The Hunter. (It's unrelated to the story, but I thought it would suit it).

Thank you all!