*Huff*Huff*Huff*Huff*
Having rounded another corner, the young wćlf could barely catch his breath before a light kick spurred him forward again. There was no further elaboration from the top, though the pup already knew what must be done. With a difficult whiff, the vivid image of a crowd was painted inside his head, and a heartbeat was all it took before he sped off once more.
*Huff*Huff*Huff*BLEGH*
Another kick prompted him to quiet down, lest others learned of their act. Yet, the pup could not help but squirm in disgust at the rotten stench that had assaulted him the entire evening. Worse still, sweat and smear had only added to the problem as their chase dragged on, leaving the boy to lament his plight.
“*Huff* Let, so stinky, needs wash… *Huff*”
“Hey! I bathe daily, you goof!”
“No, not Triple T.*Huff* Outside disguise, stink!”
Back when his brothers told him that they would be playing another game of cat and mouse, the pup had been thrilled at the thought. After all, despite all the new playmates chasing after them recently, none had managed to even get close before being left in the dust. Indeed, he was just too good at winning games. Combined with his brother’s wit and his brother’s brother’s wisdom, it was simply impossible for the three of them to lose!
*BLEGHHH*
… Though the pup couldn’t be sure that he was winning now. Not fun, that was certain.
“Stinkyyy…”
“Uh, Letti, I don’t think that Let can take this any longer… Maybe we should rest for a bit?”
“HUSH! That stupid bὕnny is still after us!!! Get into that alley on the right, hurry!”
The image of a big, bad bὕnny covered in a huge white cloak was all the motivation needed to make the pup bolt for it.
Earlier that night, the very same bὕnny had rammed into the three brothers with enough force to make him see stars. Worse still, the crash had caused her smelly berries to splatter all over their disguise, especially the area right around his nose!
‘Who even eats rotten fruits!? Nasty!’
The young wćlf had always been proud of three things - his lustrous hair, his strong legs, and his sharp nose. The first was because his siblings always praised him for it. The other two, however, had allowed him to help his big brother achieve the “big plan”. And, while he did not understand why a plan needed to be big, the boy was simply happy to be of help.
*Huff*Huff*Huff*
Unfortunately, as the night dragged on, his hair had become sticky, his limbs had turned into jelly, and his nose was simply abused silly. There was no doubt that the pup was on his last legs. Yet, he marched on, for his brothers were depending on him!
“She just appears again! Faster!!!”
Plus, the super scary bὕnny was still on their tail…
The boy knew that he shouldn’t do what would make him a fool. After all, his brothers always told him that others would boo those standing at the height of foolishness, and he should just listen to them for they simply knew better.
But still, he chose to do the thing.
He turned around.
“Scaryyyy bὕnnyyyy!!!”
And immediately regretted it…
A peak beyond the veil revealed a figure, white as her sheet, perching on top of a faraway treehouse. Yet, instead of browsing the stalls like any other customer, she just looked in their direction, menacingly!
Back when the bὕnny bumped into them, the boy didn’t think much of her, aside from the snowy cloak that made her stand out amidst a sea of brown and gray. Yet, whenever they stopped to clean the stain from their encounter, a white figure would always be nearby. Whenever they tried to trade with a potential customer, she would simply be “passing by”. It did not take long for his brothers to catch onto the act. And thus, the chase between them and a ghostly huntress began. A chase that they were slowly, but surely, losing…
“Darn it! Pay attention to the road, Let!” His big brother hissed, steering him away from some passerby. “How did she even manage to sneak up on us earlier!? Your nose could still sniff past that rotten scent, right?”
“Let still sniffs, no scent of scary bὕnny, just stinky smell!”
“... Uh, Letti, maybe we should just cut our losses and make a run for it. I don’t think that we are still dealing with a growler here…”
“No, no, NO!!! A fetcher or a wanderer would have made mincemeat out of us by now! She just got lucky! Quick, turn left now!”
- - -
With that, the game between a ghastly cat and three little mice continued to run its course. Every time the prey thought they were safe, the huntress would be a spook away. Every crowd that they hid inside, the sudden pale sight would give them a fright.
Many stories had told the tale of rattled rąts being herded towards the cliff. And, had the mice been just a tad more mindful, they might have realized the trap for what it was. Of course, such a feat was simply not feasible, especially when a vanishing wisp of white kept haunting their every move.
Stolen novel; please report.
As the road got emptier while the surrounding walls grew higher, it was not long before their path came to a dead end. Cornered and exhausted, the little wćlves could only look to the distance, where a ghostly figure was fluttering on a rooftop.
“Well now~” The sudden sound from a nearby alley startled all three. With widened eyes, the pups watched in horror as a hazy hazel approached. “Our little game was certainly fun. Sadly, the night is no longer young, though I highly doubt that the same could be said for any of you.”
With shining eyes and a mischievous smile, the big bad bὕnny made her presence known. ‘What- How!? When… Who?’ Such thoughts ran rampant through the minds of two little guys. The third one, however…
“Scaryyyy bὕnnyyyy!!!”
…Had already given up their fight and decided to take flight.
The familiar rush of wind had the eldest hanging for dear life as his brother made the decision to bolt. However, calming thoughts soon surfaced as he surveyed their surroundings. ‘Despite the ghostly thing watching from far above, there seemed to be no other ambush from the one beyond.’ With that, the little wćlf felt his hope soar as they got further away from the alleyway.
Unfortunately, just like any other silver lining he had seen in his life, it was not long before the pup realized that he could ill afford such a luxury. Indeed, the sigh of relief was certainly short-lived, for a wave of will soon crushed down on his mind.
‘Bloodlust?’ Such was his thought as he almost blacked out.
“OUCH!” That was his shout as everyone stumbled on the ground.
“Hippity hoppity, I spot some unlawful properties~”
“...”
The boy could barely register the sound of his hunter as she hopped over the group. All around him, the hard-earned game, something to blame for their misfortune this night, lay scattered. And yet, despite their plight, the little wćlf could not help but chuckle. Perhaps he was just surprised that things had finally come to this point. Or perhaps, the sight of some prizes hiding inside the slacked jaws of his sleeping brothers was just that funny.
“String phones, huh?” Picking up a paper cup that they had dropped, the bὕnny proceeded to spin a yarn. “Gotta admit, you three were certainly creative. Using this kind of wool for your strings, though… If I were to grade this, you wouldn’t even get an “E” for “Effort”~”
“Hey! It’s not like we had much to work with!” Plus, it did its job, didn’t it? Such simple tools had allowed them to coordinate their effort without giving anything away! Indeed, his youngest brother might have been a stuttering mess, but the eldest would be damned to let others dismiss his idea, especially when the very same ingenuity was what allowed them to even make it this far.
The huntress tilted her head, as if amused by the wobbly sight of a silly wćlf. Such thought almost made the pup growl in anger, though he managed to keep it down. Instead, the eldest calmed his mind and observed the grinning grounder.
‘Pure white hair, no hint of black. Average height, average look, less than average chest… If there were a physical embodiment of the word “average”, she would definitely take the cake…’
‘Still, something is wrong… But what-’
As if a bright light had gone off inside his head, the boy finally realized what had been gnawing at him, or more precisely, at his nose. Back when the huntress bumped into them, hers was a faint mixture of wyld and wear, similar to so many other bὕnnies. Now, however, there was only a thick musk surrounding her, as if… as if the previous action was there to mask her real ambush!
In fact, the fruit stain that got left behind was a trap on its own… If she had simply wanted to use the rotten smell as a tracker, some subtle smear from far away could have done its job. However, the huntress crashed into them so that her scent would leave more of an impact, which became the perfect distraction for a masked musk later on.
‘But where is her white clo-’
It was then that the little wćlf saw something which made his blood run cold. With a knowing grin, the bὕnny raised her cloak up, showing him what was hidden inside the brownish-red exterior. White. Snow white… The cloak was hazel on the outside, yet completely white otherwise…
After a difficult gulp, the pup looked behind and casted his gaze towards the distance, where a pale figure stood rooted on the rooftop. White. Long ears. Yet, deceptively bigger and taller than their supposed huntress…
‘...’
The figure seemed to nod its head, as if sympathizing with the tricked prey. A wave of the paw from the huntress, however, shooed it away. As the scarecrow took off into the night, the pup turned around with a heavy sigh.
“What do you want?” At the choking force of will, the boy quickly tilted his throat. “Uh, big sis…?”
His show of submission must have pleased the huntress, for the air soon released its invisible shackle on all three. A quick glance revealed that both of his brothers were still sleeping soundly, as if the snorts and snores had not given it away. With a shake of his head, the eldest briefly considered joining them in baa baa land, where whatever happened this night could just be left behind…
“Think fast, squirt!”
At least, that was until he caught the bundle thrown his way.
The eldest had long forgotten that wonderful feeling, when a child received a gift from his loving mother. However, what was in his hands might come in close second, for it represented everything he now strived to achieve.
Money.
Result.
Reward for their hard work…
The big, drained rocks no longer had the beautiful glow that a pure crystal possessed. Yet, the pup could not help but keep a longing gaze on them.
“9 big. More than enough for all the game you tried to trade tonight. Consider it an extra from me for passing the test.”
The boy could barely open his mouth to ask before another bundle found its way towards him.
“Since you three have been so adamant in not learning from fetchers, wanderers or any other, the elder has given me permission to deal with you lot however I see fit.” Her smile soon turned into a smug little smirk. “The name is Bun`Isa, runner, and now guardian of you troublemakers. Pleasure meating ya!”
‘Oh this bun of a bitch…’
Unfortunately, despite his grievance regarding their newest tormentor, the paper that reeked of oak and stamped with the darn seal that he had come to hate gave him pause. The thought of ripping this apart crossed his mind, though it would most likely not end well for them… Plus, the paper looked like a copy anyway…
With a sigh, the eldest nodded in submission.
With a smile, the huntress bobbed in transition-
‘... Wait, what?’
Before his mind could even register, the pup had already found himself hoisted into the air. After two other “huff”, all three brothers found themselves snuggly secured under the tight grip of their hunter, who had begun to hop her way into the night.
“Hey! What gives!?”
“Punishment for sneaking from your nest, hunting without permission, unauthorized trading attempts, and-” The bὕnny did a spin, which made the rocks that he “borrowed” from some vendors during the earlier chase dropped out. “-That. You should feel lucky that I already paid them on your behalf. However, next time, if you want to be a rotten rąt…”
The choking grasp of will returned, causing the pup to whimper.
“Know that I won’t be so merciful~”
- - -
And so, under the bright moonlight, a big bad bὕnny concluded her hunt, carrying three little wćlves on her shoulder.
How would their story unfold?
Where could their journey go?
Perhaps, only time could tell…
- - -
Kitten crisis, time certainly passes quickly when one is busy.
In the blink of an eye, August had already ended. One blood moon, two cases of lost lambs for me to juggle, and three pieces of news as September came our way.
Despite the hectic schedule that me and my ward now had, I could not help but smile at the wonderful missive that just arrived this morning. In front of me, Hiro looked completely hyped up. He was no doubt curious as to why I had decided to give both of us a day off.
Thus, without further ado, I revealed to him the glorious truth.
“Congratulations! You’re adopted!!!”
And so, we jumped up and down in joy, even when one of us soon stopped hopping and started gob-smacking, which was weird.
Humans and their way to celebrate, amirite?