Brian stumbled around blindly in the fog that filled the forest; he found it strange how it was completely clear out in the outskirts of town but suddenly the fog was as thick as a white blanket near their face making his vision horrid. He felt his way to a tree and breathed in the cold thick air before calling out "Dakota where are ya?" Brian asked having lost him a couple minutes into their journey through the woods.
The shape of the little proxy formed in the fog before he was beside him once again, holding his hand now. "Will lead to safe place." Dakota whispered sounding confident in himself before he began walking through the fog with the young man. He managed to weave through the trees without bumping into any as they kept going deeper and deeper into the woods. It was a few miles in when Dakota went to an old cabin and opened the door to revile a small fire and another sleeping proxy lying on the rug near it looking very much like a cat.
The other woke up instantly; he looked over at the two and chirped at Dakota. He stood up quickly getting off his warm rug and quickly going to hug the other. "Dakota missed much. Are ok?" the other proxy asked looking Dakota over worriedly before hugging him again and purring softly then he saw the new comer and tilted his head to the side. "Who are?"
Brian looked a bit nervous unsure if the other person similar to Dakota was as kind as he was to normal people such as himself but he thought what the heck and smiled ever so slightly. "'M Brian. Who're ya?" as soon as he asked he smiled more at the purring from both Dakota and the other one who walked over and nuzzled Brian once.
"Am Tobi." He chirped before going over to Dakota again and holding his hand. "Am Dakota's little brother." Tobi walked with his brother to Brian again and took Brian's hand in his free one before leading them to the fire happily. He sat down making the others sit as well before lovingly resting his head on Dakota's stomach one Dakota had laid down, resting his head on Brian's lap. Tobi purred happily, happy to be with his brother and brother's new friend.
"So do ya 'ave any food 'ere?" Brian finally asked feeling hungry for something to snack on. Dakota looked at Tobi who slowly shook his head and looked down almost embarrassedly. Dakota looked up from Brian's lap to stare at Tobi blankly; Brian instantly began petting Dakota in case he was mad at the younger one for their lack of food troubles.
"Ate lot. Gave most to master though." Tobi admitted finally once he saw Dakota slowly calm down. Dakota nodded a little in understanding before nuzzling his masked face into Brian's hand while Brian looked confused. These two belonged to someone? Then why would other people have sold them in the circus without their master's permission? Or did he perhaps sell one without informing the other? He guessed that they were all possibilities but he might want to inform Dakota's master that he was back.
"'O's yer master? C'n I meet 'im?" Brian asked and instantly noticed the change in the proxies' behaviors when he asked that. They almost seemed frightened when he asked that like they were scared for his safety. Dakota shook his head before petting a hand through his human friend's hair once slowly, much like how he had done to calm him down.
"Not sure master would like. Are human." Dakota stated but that made Brian smile.
"Bu' yer human 'rn't ya?" Brian asked but when both of them were silent he gulped slightly, well they probably were told that they weren't all their lives because they were more animalistic then both but that didn't mean that they should believe it. "So I' 'e like ya guys?"
Dakota shook his head again and walked to a wall filled with charcoal drawings. One was a drawing of the forest they were in but there was what seemed to be a man in a tuxedo standing as tall as a tree without facial features. Dakota pointed at the strange tall man picture before looking at Brian. "Is master…maybe will like. Maybe will let work for too. Can help hunt."
Brian was just going to shake his head and laugh it off saying something along the lines as he was a street performer not a hunter when the fire went out leaving them in complete darkness for only a minute before the flame came back this time there were four people in the room instead of three. One was the tall man in the picture and he was leaning down slightly so that he wouldn't hit his head against the beams of the cabin. He didn't have any facial features but for some reason Brian felt as though it was looking at him; into his very soul in fact. Brian coughed violently a second before removing his hand and seeing red specks on his arm where he had coughed. His eyes widened when he realized what the red was but he said nothing about it; instead he looked back up at the being that had just arrived in the room with the rest of them. Static tickled his brain for a moment before he got the impression it was communicating with him. 'Friend or foe?' he thought he heard and he uttered the first option looking up at the other being.
The being then turned its attention to the young proxies that were huddled to a corner looking frightened behind their black and white masks. Dakota went silent before saying "Is good, helped Dakota escape. Think should let work for so can be with." Dakota replied quietly then curled up a little more in fear of getting slapped or something from the being after nothing happened Dakota slowly looked up at the other being and sighed with relief as he looked at Brian again.
'The proxies would like you to work with me so that you may see them would that be acceptable? Considering the only option besides that would be death I believe it to be a good choice.' It sent to Brian's brain in which instantly Brian looked a little scared before nodding a little in understanding before going over and hugging on the two proxies trying to get them to calm down. Their new master went to another room before coming back with what looked like a weird shirt that did not have buttons going down it and seemed to have a hood to keep the rain from getting him wet, while that was strange he found the next gift from it even stranger; the black cloth mask that had a red sewn face on it that made it appear to look sad. Brian looked at his new master before hesitantly trying it on. He felt a slight difference in himself; more confidence in getting things done but also the feeling of loyalty for his new master was so strong it was almost unbearable.
He looked up at his master and chirped softly before blinking at himself not sure how he made that sound but suddenly he felt excitement as his new master patted him gently with his pale hand before he walked towards the door. 'You're work begins first thing tomorrow.' And as soon as the door opened and he walked out he disappeared into the thick fog.