Chapter 2: A Friend from the Wild
I stepped out of the London Art Shop after clocking out of my shift for today. The work day itself was rather average but easy for me as per usual. The only thing that stuck out today was Mr. Hanworth wishing me a belated "Happy Birthday" and even giving me a raise as a present! My walk home was interrupted by a vibrating feeling in my pocket. I dug into said pocket and pulled out my custom phone from Dawkins and opened it up to reveal the contact name to be "Mum", to which I tapped the green on-screen button to answer the call, holding it to my ear.
"Hey mum, what's up?" My greeting was quickly met with the response of my adoptive mother, Delilah's voice. "Hey sweets, I have to work overtime today since my co-worker isn't feeling well enough today. Can you pick up Dorothy from school, please?" She asked. Of course, I had nothing too important planned for today and Dorothy's school wasn't too far from home. "Sure thing, work safely!" I responded as she ended the call and made a beeline straight for the school.
Sanford's School for Humans and Anthros had opened about a year ago when Dorothy was eleven and as hinted in the name, it was a school that provided education for humans and anthros alike. I was faced with many human and anthro children in schoolwear heading past me and straight out of the school gates, one of the few exceptions was Dorothy whom preferred to wait inside the school building to be picked up. Better safe than sorry, I guess. As I made my way to the front doors, a few of the students did glance at me briefly on their way to the exit but didn't stop me as the atmosphere was filled with the chatter of the kids.
Seconds later, I was in the main hall and approached the reception. The receptionist was a female German Shepherd in a white button shirt and a pair of glasses, tapping away at her laptop until she noticed me out of the corner of her eye and turned her head to meet my gaze. "Excuse me, ma'am, I'm here to pick up Dorothy Dalmatian." The lady tilted her head slightly as I said this. "That's odd. Usually it's either Delilah or that young man, Dylan who comes for her. Who are you?" She asked. Given that I never actually went into the school building whenever I was tasked with taking Dorothy to school, it was a little evident that she wouldn't recognise me. "Oh, my name's Cody. I'm actually one of Dorothy's older brothers." I probably should've expected her to be even more confused when I gave her that answer since it was likely that she was never notified that Dorothy's family had an adopted human. "Well… You'll find Dorothy outside Classroom 3-A, second floor, can't miss it." She instructed me before pulling out her phone and tapping in a number, presumably to call mum for confirmation. "Thank you, miss." I nodded gratefully before heading to the stairway to the right of the hall, some more students passing by me.
As soon as I reached the second floor, I alternated my gaze between up at the ceiling signs that labelled the classrooms and in front of me to prevent me from bumping into any teachers or students on the way. I soon found one of the overhead signs which said "Classrooms 3-A/B/C" with an arrow next to it pointing in the direction of the hallway to the right. I turned in that direction and walked along the hallway, expecting to see Dorothy around the next corner.
"AGH! YA LITTLE MOTHERFUCKER!" I suddenly stopped in my tracks upon hearing what sounded like a young adult's voice in a heavy Irish accent scream out in pain and anger as a human teenager, possibly thirteen years old in dark green cargo pants and a black shirt with grey long sleeves stumbled out from behind the corner, holding his hand and glaring in the direction of the hallway when he suddenly faced me. "OI, YOU!" He called out to me angrily before walking up to me. "Uhhh..." Was all I could say, unaware of what to do about the situation when the teen continued. "About time you got your arse here! Ya little gremlin sister just bit me!" He snarled, showing me his hand which had some faint tooth marks. Ah crap. I forgot that Dorothy was a bit of a biter as a puppy with her often chewing on anything she could find. My only guess being because she was teething, but it seemed like she hadn't grown out of it just yet, now using it as a defence mechanism, especially if she was jumped from behind or threatened. "She's lucky I didn't take a damn boot to her 'ead. Nearly took a chunk out of me like in a zombie film!" The Irish boy growled as he tended to his wound. "Ah… God, I'm so sorry. Dorothy does act out sometimes. She was… put through a lot as a baby." I apologised, trying to diffuse the situation, remembering way back to when Dylan had told me about how Dorothy was nearly the first to be mutilated into a piece of the fur coat desired by Cruella's descendent and she would've been too had Hunter not intervened and defended her. "Yeah, well haven't we all? Ya don't see me sinking my fangs into you!" The boy protested, his aggravated look not fading. "Little shit needs to learn some respect." He then spat at the floor before walking past me as I watched him vanish behind the corner. Just who was that kid?
I sighed before continuing onwards around the next corner and finding the very classroom I was looking for. I peeked inside to see the room vacant with the exception of the spotless Dalmatian herself who grinned when her eyes laid on me.
"Cody!" She exclaimed excitedly before rushing over to me, I quickly knelt down and held my arms out as she wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug. "Hey there, Dory!" I greeted happily, Dory being a nickname I sometimes use for her. "So, how was school today?" I asked as we both let go of each other. "Oh it was great! We read this book called "Charlotte's Web" and then we did this thing called 'Symmetry' where you take two shapes and put them together so they look the same on each side and then you came to pick me up!" She beamed as I smiled at the last words she said. "Yep, I'm here for you today. And you know what you are?" I asked with a sly smirk on my face. "What?" was all Dorothy before I jerked my hands forward and playfully scribbled my fingers on her sides, answering with "Ticklish!", making her laugh and wiggle in place.
I remembered back to a minute or so ago as my face slightly fell before I stood up, hands on my knees with a sigh. "Dorothy, listen to me." I instructed before continuing with. "That boy out there says you bit him. Is that true?" I asked as Dorothy frowned a little, her face hinting that she knew she was in trouble but she didn't utter a word. "Answer me, Dorothy. Did you bite him?" I asked again, more firmly this time. She looked down silently for a little longer before finally answering. "I didn't mean to, he snuck up on me!" She responded. "Still. No biting schoolmates, alright?" I urged, making sure to be both firm yet gentle to let her know that I wasn't angry with her. She nodded as I held out my hand to her which she took with a small smile and we soon headed back downstairs.
"Oh, Cody!" The receptionist I had talked to called out to me as soon as me and Dorothy were in her view. "I called Miss Dalmatian and she explained everything to me. I'm sorry if I saw you as a little suspicious." She apologised, confirming my theory. "That's alright, ma'am. Kind of my fault anyway for never coming in here with Dorothy whenever I was the one to drop her off." I reassured as we both waved to each other and headed out to home.
Me and Dorothy decided to take a bit of a shortcut along the canal walkway, passing by very few humans and anthros. One or two of them did give me a few glances, with one of them, a woman even looking like she was about to "D'awwww" at me walking Dorothy home. It wasn't until one part of the canal was devoid of any other living person when I heard the sound of someone landing on the ground behind me, followed by a voice I recognised all too well.
"'Ey Co-Dee! How's it hanging?" A fox in a white tank top and green cargo shorts greeted me, showing off his golden fang as I smirked at how he pronounced my name. "Hey Fergus, just taking Dorothy home from school." I replied as I looked down at my little sister in question whom gave Fergus a little wave with a shy smile. "That's cool. Say, did you happen to see a humie in her school? Black shirt, pants like mine but longer?" Fergus then asked, using his own nickname for "human". I thought back to when I went to Dorothy's school earlier and then remembered coming across someone who did seem to match his description. But was that really the same person? I was about to answer when I heard someone call out.
"Hey da- err, Fergus. I got the stuff." I looked up at the stairway on my right and saw that very same teenager in the school hallway come down said stairs and over to Fergus with several snacks in his arms. "Haha, nice work, Trevs! This'll last us two weeks at best!" Fergus praised the boy, patting him on the back and examining the contents he was carrying. "Training a human to steal for you, are we?" I inquired, rolling my eyes, feeling this was more important than pointing out to the fox that I recognised the kid. "Chill, Cody. It's more like survivin'. And this lad here's a natural at it!" Fergus defended as I just about noticed the thirteen year old boy shoot a glare at Dorothy whom hid behind me. "Anyway Cody, meet Trevor, my little partner!" Fergus introduced me to the boy who I now knew as Trevor. "Pft, Partner in Crime", I mumbled under my breath with a smirk before remembering the situation between Dorothy and him. "Ah, Fergus, can you give me a moment please?" I requested before turning and kneeling down to Dorothy. "There's that guy I bit." She whispered to me worriedly. "You should apologise to him." I suggested as she looked at Trevor again. "You can do it. You just have to explain why you did it. Just be honest." Dorothy nodded at me in response before slowly walking over to Trevor, keeping a good distance from him however as he crossed his arms and looked down at her with an annoyed look, Fergus meanwhile looking a little confused as he walked over to me. "What's up with the two?" He whispered in my ear to which I responded with "You're going to find out now."
"H-Hi… I'm sorry I bit you. Sometimes when I get scared I do that, but I didn't mean to. I-I'm really sorry and I hope your hand is okay." Dorothy said, looking down at the floor, her voice trembling with guilt. Trevor's unamused expression didn't change for a second until he sighed. "Ah hell, it's alright. We do get a bit mad when we're scared. And I can't stay mad at someone who's sister is best friends with Fergus. Thank ya for apologising, kid." He said, now more relaxed as he held out a hand for Dorothy to shake, which she did so.
"So, Cody, was it?" Trevor's attention was now on me. "Fergus told me a lot about you. Ya living with Dolly and D-Dog as part of their family, yeah?" I nodded in response to his question. "Yeah, I've actually been living with them for eleven years ago. Met them when I was ten years old." Trevor tilted his head in interest at this as I asked him a question of my own. "So how did you and Fergus meet then?" Trevor was about to respond when the fox in question chimed in. "That I can answer." He said as placed his hands on the boy's shoulders.
"So there I was, finding a good place to rest and then I come across this alleyway and see a humie digging through some trash. Curious, I crept up on him real quietly and as I said "Hi" he immediately turned and grabbed a pipe, ready to strike me down! But I was able to cool him down, told me he'd been livin' in the streets for several weeks, sometimes having to "borrow" stuff from shops. I liked the spirit he 'ad in him, so I took him in and now here we are working to help each other live!" Fergus explained as dramatically as possible to make the story sound as epic as possible. At least this tale actually sounded believable, though I could also see Trevor boring a face of embarrassment from Fergus recalling that. "Wait, so you didn't think to get Officer Pearl involved and help him find his way home?" Fergus shook his head at my question. "Nah, already have to keep low from her sights and little Trev 'ere told me that he 'as no family. Oh poor little humie." He whimpered that last line as sickeningly sympathetic as possible as Trevor rolled his eyes.
"Right, well I better get going before Dylan notices we haven't come back yet and starts to have a panic attack." I said with a bit of an apologetic tone from having to cut this conversation short. "Fair 'nough, C-Dy! Talk to you another time!" Fergus said in understanding as we both bumped fist and I turned and continued home with Dorothy but not before waving to Trevor. "See you around, Trevor!" I called out to the Irish teen to which he waved back with a smile.
Trevor's POV
[Flashback – Three Weeks Ago]
No. Absolutely no god damn way in hell am I going back to that hellhole of an orphanage. If I stayed there for any longer, Miss Milly Volent would've eventually broken the bones in my arse. Who in god's name said that it was a good idea to let that orphanage allow it's kids to be beaten with a cane if they do so much as not fold their clothes properly. Can't say I didn't feel bad for the other kids who chose to stay, I know too well that they wanted to be as far away from that god forsaken witch as possible.
So it was just me now, all alone in the streets of London. To think that Dungeness wasn't too far from the place where ol' Big Ben lives, I just hoped to god that Miss Volent wouldn't send police to search for me and drag me back. If Volent did ever get her hands on me after this, then it wasn't going to be my arse that would be sore for the rest of my life. There was barely anyone around in the streets I roamed in, mostly because of how late at night it was. The only thing that was able to help me see where I was even going was the many city lights that illuminated brighter than a drunken priest's nose.
I came across an alleyway as my stomach growled, remembering that I hadn't eaten anything today. Not even breakfast, since all that Miss Volent ever served us in the morning was stale week old porridge that tastes like mushed up wood chippings vomited out by a baby. After looking into said alleyway to make sure it was clear, I headed inside and opened the nearest rubbish bin and rummaged around, hoping to find something that would be at least somewhat edible. I was so focused on finding a suitable meal that I didn't even hear the footsteps behind me. It was the voice that snapped me out of concentration.
"Heya, humie. What'cha doin'?"
"GAH, WHAT THE FUCK?!" I yelped and fell to the ground, grabbing a broken iron pipe and scrambling to my feet, holding the metal stick in front of me to defend myself. "Woah woah, chill the gears!" A fox in a tank top and shorts held his hands up defensively, trying to make it clear he wasn't a threat but I didn't let my guard down.
"Easy there. Not gonna hurt ya. Just saw ya digging through the trash like I do." He affirmed as I kept my eyes locked with his. "Sure you wanna be out here alone in the streets at this time? What about yer parents?" My glare fell a little as he said this. "...I don't have any, they died when I was a baby." I muttered out, the thought of my parents overshadowing me wanting to be cautious as I instinctively lowered my makeshift weapon. "Ah… So you're out here on your own then?" I nodded when he said that as I saw him smirk. "Well, tell you what. Lemme just ask ya something. You ever snitched anything before?" He asked me, I remembered back to when Miss Volent stole something from me. A locket with a photo of my mum and dad inside. That locket was the only thing I had left to remember my parents by and I never even found out what she did with it. So to make her pay, I stole her expensive necklace she got from her wrinkly old fart of a grand dad and flushed it down the toilet. And I even got away with it. "Yeah. I did. And I have no regrets." I said as venom infected my tone. I'll never forgive that nasty old bitch for taking away my locket. The fox chuckled at this.
"I like you. You got a real tough attitude. And foxes like me have always gotta be tough. So… You seem to be in a bit of bother. So here's the deal. You help me, and I help you. You help steal necessities for me like food and water and I let you live with me. How's that sound?" He grinned as I saw that one of his fangs was golden. I took this in deep thought. I honestly had no where to go or anyone to turn to and if I stayed with this fox, maybe he'd keep his word and keep me safe. It was very risky but I really had no choice other than saying no and risk getting caught or getting myself killed.
"You're on." I nodded as he grinned again and shook my hand. "Great. Ya can call me Fergus. I'm like the stealth king of the wilds of Camden!" He said smugly, flexing one of his arms before facing me once more. "And you are?"
"...Just call me Trevor."
A/N: Wow, so Fergus is a father figure and a mentor now. Who would've guessed?
And hello all, just here to say that if you have any questions about Family of 102, feel free to ask them in your reviews and I will answer them in the next chapter as I imagine you'll be wanting to know a few things about Cody and his friends and family or about what the later chapters will involve. See you all later.