The Pack Wars
Chapter 3: Town Gossip
The next day she was walking around the town. Her features hidden by Lucius' cloak she had borrowed. She walked into the store and walked down the aisles, eyeing everything with her claws in her pockets. She couldn't decide what she needed as she was in the soda aisle. It was all surprisingly cheap but the brands just weren't the ones she's used to. "None of the generic I see. Damn...this is just gettin' better and better, right?"
A voice in her head agreed with her as she walked down the frozen food. Sounded like her but it was deeper. Leri rolled her eyes as the voice kept telling her to get the Chinese food. "No, Leric...gotta keep away from that. Ya know why? Lucius'll eat it all before we get a bite."
There was a laugh as she sighed. "And I thought I was the Glutton for Chinese food, Leri."
"We both are, Leric. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. I just don't understand why these humans don't like us. I mean...we used to be human until we were attacked by those stupid lizards."
"They don't look from the inside out but the outside only. Remember, Leri...we're technically screwed here if that hood comes off or ya tail's seen."
"Thanks for the info, Me."
Leric laughed as she continued to look at the food. Nothing just looked good. She straightened up as she heard two people talking in the next aisle. Holding up a claw, Leric shut up instantly and she lost sight of her right eye as Leric wanted a look at what was happening. Leri looked around the corner and watched the two people, listening to everything they're saying. "I can't believe that he's doing that. I mean, the wolves are killing everyone who goes into the forest. The two hikers never returned either, now that I think about it. Five weeks and they never returned."
"He's getting rid of them so we can live peacefully. Then those two...what are they?"
"I don't know myself but he calls then abominations from what he's said on the news."
Leri growled and cringed but kept listening as she tried to get closer. She wanted a few answers as for who's the guy they're talking about.
"I mean, I don't see any harm in that one. She's seen around in the woods."
"How do you know that she's not a demon? I mean, the other that she's with has HORNS! Most demons have horns if I'm correct."
"She seems nice. A few bump into her in the woods, at the town's border. She never hurts them from what I'm hearing. Though that mask she wears gives them some theories. I heard it's made of a certain metal. Anyways, he actually wants them dead. I'm strongly disagree with him though. She could be of great use to us. Protection wise. He doesn't have to kill the wolves."
She finally got near the two talkers and cleared her throat. They looked at her and one glared. "What do you want?"
"Just overheard ya and need a few answers. Hope ya don't mind?"
The glarer groaned and looked down, but nods. "Go ahead."
"Who are ya talkin' about?"
"The new candidate running for Sheriff."
She was silent as she looked at the floor. This wasn't boding well with her past experiences and the State she was in. This was all too familiar. "How many are there now?"
"Just two. One just calls himself Mister. The other just appeared a few days before the candidate picking. No one else wanted so it's just those two."
She crossed her arms and clacked her jaws together as she thought. It was all to familiar and it's killing her slowly just thinking about what might happen. "Can ya tell me more?"
"Well, I can. Don't you have a television or a radio?"
"No...actually I don't."
"That sucks. Well, looks like it's coming straight from us then for you."
"Yeah, it's gonna have to be. Just moved here and the truck ain't here yet."
"Well, when the two reptile people came, both candidates actually started to look a little nervous as I talked to them a few days ago. Mister was the most nervous. It's like he knows something."
She heard Leric yelling ding in her head a few times. She knew what the Anti was meaning. Nodding, she shook her head afterwards. "Can ya tell me more about this Mister?"
"Wears a purple tux when he's out. Other's think he's...you know."
She nods and grimaces from under the hood. That was definitely someone she knows a little too well. "Where is Mister's house?"
"Not too far from here. About five blocks to be exact. Why?"
"Urgent question and answer. Ya know how that is, right?"
The person nods and turns back to her other gossiper as she left them. She went down two aisles and entered as she smelled the one food she'll never put down. She looked at the packs and backed up, tripping over her own feet, and fell against the aisle behind her. The shelf starts to teeter then falls, taking the others with it. She got up quickly and run out of the store, part of her tail was snapped off when it got caught in the toppling shelf. She glanced back and shook her head knowing that those gossipers wasn't going to do that anymore.
She flopped down at the lake, Leric and GENO getting out of her body like a car. "Pit stop?"
"Kinda...damn, why'd I do that?"
GENO crossed its arms, the tail between its legs. "It ain't ya fault, Leri...ya clumsy, we all are."
"I killed two people! This is just gettin' better and better."
"It could've been worse."
"Yeah, like what?"
"Killin' them yaself."
Nods and grunts. "Yeah...that's true."
She heard a yelp and looked over to see Shadow looking at them with wide eyes. "THREE OF YOU?"
They all groaned and she stood up. "Shadow, relax. Let's just call it personified Schizophrenia."
"The Hell I am...that's just too awkward looking at three of you."
"Each is a piece of me that I gained, yet lost, durin' my life. Wrath and the Darkness within me. Personified and acts like me. Scary at the thought but is actually quite nice once ya get a hang of it."
He just stares at them, they felt his fear growing. She looked at her doubles and motions, they nod and disappear back into her back. He shook his head and looked back. "That isn't right."
"My life ain't right, Shad...it never was, and never will. Oh, good news on ya part. I killed two humans. Bad news on all our parts, whoever gets control of the town is gonna kill us all. He wants ya wolves, Lucius and I dead."
He grunted and looked away again, thinking about something. She tilted her head and leaned back on her palms. "What?"
"I kind of knew this was going to happen. Since we killed anyone who came into our territory we got the reputation. But why you two? Why do they want you dead?"
"Don't know myself. I'm meetin' with one of the people later. He's gonna answer me if he likes it or not. I think I know who it is too...which is scarin' me shitless right now. I'm actually shakin' thinkin' about this. I don't wanna see him again...especially after what he did."
Shadow walked up to her and nuzzled her claw, feeling that she was right about shaking. She looked at him and pet his head, scratching behind his ears. She saw he was clearly enjoying it and giggled. "Thing is...I'm stoppin' this conspiracy. I ain't lettin' ya pack die for what's been goin' on. Ya have to protect ya friends...no ifs, ands or buts about it."
She sighed and pulled her claw back, reaching up to her mask and pulling it off. He gulped as he saw the jaw bones and only bone. "This is why I wear this mask...the past's a killer, never lettin' up one bit. Whatever it kills the same gets up and kills. It's a never-endin' cycle in life...for humans and animals alike. But I will protect ya. I will if it costs me my life for the third time. I don't like endangered species lists growin' due to the lifestyle. I got legs...gotta use them and never stop walkin'. I'm gonna stop it...I'm gonna slash until it stops. Never stoppin', never restin'. Trust me on this, Shad."
He just stares at her, then nods after a while. "I'm placing everything on you. You sound like you know the life we live a little too well. I was wrong about you...you're more grown-up than I thought. Scars that will never go away...you're riddled with them. How many fights have you been in?"
"I've been in a War to be exact...not proud of it either. Won, but scarred physically and mentally. That's why I'm not afraid of the bed I lay in. I'm gonna protect ya with everythin' I got. No sound sleep until this stops...the conspiracy's gonna stop, and it's gonna stop soon."
She groaned and just laid down. This was too much, her past has caught up with her more than she would've liked. She looked down and saw him walk toward her side. He laid down next to her and looked at her. "Then we have to stay together on this, am I right?"
"I ain't gonna leave ya."
"Good...I don't want to be alone when the time comes."
She grimaced and reached over, pulling him onto his back. He looked at her with a questioning look and jumped as he felt her scratch his belly. He starts to kick, a grin forming on his face. She looked at the sky and nodded. "I don't either, Shad...I guess I came at the right time...wrong place, right time...gotta love it that way."
She was making her way toward the cave after a few hours with Shadow. Her mind completely clouded by the thoughts and questions she had. Lucius looked at her and walked up, wrapping his arms around her. "What's wrong, Leri? Another troublesome day?"
"Worse...Past Catchin' Up to Me Day."
"WHAT?"
"I got a feelin' that we have a Nevada dweller here...and runnin' for Sheriff. This just ain't my year, or day. What's a Ramodo supposed to do with someone like that?"
"Who is it?"
"Possibly Warden...that yellowed eyed creep...it's like I followed him here. He took on to travelin' right?"
"He called about a month after he left and said he found a good place to stay. Didn't tell me where though."
"That's the reason right there! DING DING! FORBIDDIN' TERRITORY! No one dares come here from there. They don't wanna be killed by the wildlife. I remember Brad tellin' me about this place...murder around every tree, every corner. I just added to the list...MURDER BEHIND EVERY ASILE!"
He looked shocked when she said that and held her closer.
This was beginning to get on her nerves and he knew it. She hated Warden with a passion and he didn't blame her. She curled up in his arms and closed her eyes, trying to calm down. She didn't like how worked up she was getting. Though it did hurt that she killed two innocent gossipers. He sat down and just held her, staring at the cave entrance. He was feeling trapped. What's wrong with me? He thought and rested his chin on her head. I can't shake this feelin'...why can't I? They fell asleep after a few minutes, the darkness growing inside the cave.