"It'll take about a week to get through this city." he reminded them.
"Fine." Fireheart growled. Suddenly he glanced up with surprise. "Oh look! An eagle!"
"Where?" Dusty exclaimed, and looked up. Fireheart tackled him down, throwing dust in the air.
"Stop! We have no time to waste." Toxic whimpered, glancing around.
"Fine let's go," Fireheart got up and followed Toxic, Dusty hot on his heels. "No sense of humor," he muttered to Dusty. The white wolf nodded agreement.
Toxic slipped through a small passage that opened up to a large, empty room. "We must stay here." he barked.
"Here?" Fireheart was dubious. The room looked about as safe-looking as a bear den. The walls were slathered with cobwebs, and the ceiling dripped water constantly.
"Yes. I live here." Toxic barked.
"Well, it might work. How long would we be here?" Dusty also looked wary.
"Just until night falls. It's safer that way...I have other living places that will help you two...or all of us for that matter." he barked, sitting down.
"Ok, then." Fireheart followed Toxic into the room and searched for a dry place to lie down. "I'll go get something to eat." Toxic sprang up and took off.
"We may as well get some rest," Fireheart suggested, laid his head on his paws, and closed his eyes.
Later in the day at sunset, Toxic returned with a bulging sack. He dropped it at their feet.
"What is that?" Dusty asked, wrinkling his nose. He grabbed the bottom side of the bag and dumped out the contents.
"Fish and a few small mice!" he yipped with excitement.
"Of course, thank you," Fireheart started to take one, and then paused. "May I?"
"Yes." Toxic barked with surprise at his courtesy. "There are no rules here."
"Oh, ok. Thanks. Want one?" Fireheart flung a plump fish at Dusty. He took another for himself and crouched next to Dusty to eat.
Dusty nodded and began to gnaw the fish.
Toxic sat alone in a corner and groomed himself. When they were full, Fireheart went up to Toxic and said, "Can I talk to you a moment?" When they were out of earshot, Fireheart said, "How did you know Serenity? And why are you going to the Mystic Waters?"
Toxic didn't reply for a moment. "I met her at the kennel in Germany where they did tests on us dogs and other animals." he began hesitantly. "After a while...there was a huge accident in the lab and she let all of the prisoners free. I can't remember any more."
Fireheart was amazed. "Serenity did that? How?"
Toxic shrugged. "It's been so long."
"Wow, I never knew that. So, why are you going to the Mystic Waters?" Fireheart couldn't think of any reason why this wolf would want to go to the Mystic Waters, or even how he found out about them. He had many questions. "Because Seren is going." Toxic said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Oh, well, she left. I don't know where she went." Fireheart hated breaking the news to this eager dog. "I'm sorry."
Toxic frowned then sighed. "Anyway...we should continue to travel in about an hour or so." he barked.
"Ok, I'll get more rest, you should too," Fireheart lay down, but sleep didn't come quickly. He tossed and turned as doubt shadowed his mind.
At that moment Toxic replied to Fireheart. "I don't really need sleep right now. I'll survive."
Fireheart stared incredulously. "What! Everyone sleeps. You have to!"
"Well, I don't." he yipped.
"Ok, whatever you say." Now he really couldn't sleep. Toxin was the strangest wolf he'd ever seen or met. He drifted off with his thoughts in a jumble.
A while later Toxic thumped his tail against the cold floor. "Wake up!"
"Wha-?" Fireheart asked drowsily. "Time to go?" It felt like he had only slept a few minutes.
"Yes." Toxic barked as Dusty stood up.
As they padded out of the room, a new scent rushed over them. Toxic twisted his head around. "Be careful of what you eat around here." he warned them. It smelled like smoke, humans, and garbage put together. It was revolting.
"This is what a city smells like?" Dusty wrinkled his nose.
"And don't let these smells deceive you." Toxic snickered.
"What a place," Fireheart commented.
"How do we know where to go?" Dusty asked, staring at the huge buildings.
"First, we go to the old railroad tracks. That should get us somewhere." Toxic instructed.
"What are railroad tracks?" Dusty asked curiously.
"They're kind of like cars that are put on a specific course."
"Oh. Weird." Seemingly satisfied, he continued the stream of questions about city life, and Toxic answered patiently.
They finally reached the tracks. "Get in." Toxic barked before jumping up and into the cart. Dusty hesitated before springing up and clawing his way into the car after Toxic. Fireheart was last, and as he prepared to jump, the train started moving! He leaped up and Toxic grabbed his paw, pulling him up.
They were jostled about as they rode the train. "Is it like this all the way?" Dustys teeth were chattering.
"Yeah...unless you close the car door." Toxic confirmed, pushing on the massive door. Together, they managed to push it shut. "There, now." They sat down and were silent a moment.
"Lucky for you, I led us all into a food car."
"Yum! Can we eat? I'm starved!" Dusty licked his chops.
Toxic climbed onto one of the crates and opened another. "Here. Have some bread." he barked before tossing out some of the delicious fluffy goodness.
Dusty dove in while Toxic opened up another crate and pulled out a large package of steak. He tore off the seal and began to chew on the red meat.
Fireheart dug through the crates until he found what he was looking for. He dragged out a medium-sized pouch that was emitting a delightful aroma. He tore it off and gazed at a full sized salmon stuffed with bread crumbs and herbs of all sorts. He ate hungrily.
Toxic quickly finished up his meal and let out a sigh of relief.
"Do we have time to sleep?" Fireheart asked, yawning.
"Yeah." Toxic rolled on his back.
"Oh good," Fireheart stretched out and closed his eyes, letting the steady thumping of the train lull him to sleep. Dusty shook his pelt and fell asleep.
When Fireheart woke up, it was dark. He sat up, walked to the open door of the car and sat down looking outside. Toxic was nowhere to be seen. How could he be missing when the car was still moving on? And where was Dusty? Fireheart turned his head and looked around. No sign of them.
He got to his feet and looked in every corner of the car. Still no sign of them.
A small door on the ceiling swung open and Toxic stumbled inside with Dusty trailing after. "Where were you guys?" Fireheart was surprised. How was a door in the ceiling?
"Up there." Dusty replied, shaking his pelt. Toxic sat on an empty crate, looking smug.
"Well, dur! What were you doing?"
"We heard some thumping sounds up there, so we climbed out the door and nothing was there." Dusty explained.
"Weird..." Fireheart was relaxing now.
"In just a few minutes, we'll be where we need to be." Toxic reminded them.
Suddenly, the train jolted to a stop. "That was quick," Fireheart commented.
Toxic nodded before opened the car door. As they leaped out, Fireheart could have sworn he saw a flash of multi colored fur, but it vanished a moment later.
Toxic perked his ears and sniffed the air. "Smell that?" he asked the others.
Dusty looked toward the flash of fur, suddenly forgetting about his starvation. "What was that?" He asked quietly, taking a small step toward the place where he saw the fur.
"What is it?" Fireheart also started towards the place where he saw it.
Toxic shrugged. "It looked like fur."
"No duh."
A pink and black dog/wolf entered the scene. "Who are you?" she asked, squinting her blue eyes at them.
Dusty blinked, taking a step toward her. "Dusty..."
She got right in his face. "What brings you here?" she asked, looking at him straight in the eyes.
"We're just...here."
She eyed the strangers and whipped around. "I don't suppose you're all off to The Mystic Waters...right?" Fireheart nodded slowly.
"I should've known." she barked.
"Why? What's so bad about it?" Toxic asked coolly.
"Lies. All lies!" she replied, grooming her fur. Fireheart looked at Toxic, shrugging. Toxic stared at the pink dog with confusion.
Fireheart had been quiet until now. "Who are you?" He burst out. He stalked forward. "And how do you know what the Mystic Waters are?"
Dusty and Toxic stared blankly at him like they didn't know why he was there.
"Come on! Snap out of it guys!" Another voice sounded behind him. The others were too busy to hear it.
"I'm Lily, and Serenity told me." The newcomer explained. "I met her a few hours ago but I haven't seen her ever since then. Do you know her?"
"A few hours? She was here?" Fireheart was shocked. Had she followed them? He heard another small rustling in the bushes. His ears pricked, and he looked over at Toxic. "So, did she say why she was here?" Fireheart was privately glad that she was so close at hand...ahem, paw.
She shrugged.
Suddenly, a wolf leapt out of the bushes. It pinned Dusty down and snarled. Toxic knocked the stranger off of Dusty and shot a death glare at it.
Fireheart just stood there.
The new wolf fell to the ground then slowly rose up. It had brown and white fur and stunning midnight blue eyes. Also, it had a small feather earring in its right ear. "Wow, what was that for?" It sounded like a female. She shrugged. She had scars lined all over her body. One was on her muzzle and it ran to the bottom of her eye. "Whatever." Her right leg was dripping with blood.
"Who are you?" Fireheart asked, though not unkindly.
Lily glanced at the stranger and felt sympathy.
The brown and white wolf winced as she stepped toward Lily. "I'm-" She collapsed. "Fine." Lily shook her head and sat by the wounded wolf.
Lily began licking the wounds.
"I'm Jay."
Toxic blinked. "Hello...Jay."
"Hey." She nodded to Toxic, who licked his paw.
Fireheart decided he wasn't much help, so he decided to go find Serenity. He slunk off without anyone noticing. Fireheart followed Lily's scent back the way she had come. It followed a distinct path, crossing roads and avoiding signs of danger. He was amazed at her keen senses. Finally, he arrived at a large, run-down human house. Suddenly, he picked out a familiar scent. Serenity!