Matthew 18:21-22 NLT

Then Peter came to him and asked, "Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?"

"No, not seven times," Jesus replied, "but seventy times seven!

Koa and CatNap returned to Home-Sweet-Home. Upon Koa's request, CatNap had let her down to walk. As they returned to the medical rooms in the back of the orphanage, CatNap tensed up and paused.

"You okay," Koa asked gently.

CatNap looked to her, and glanced back to the door as he backed up slightly.

"I don't know if it should go in there. They won't want to see me," CatNap said, his voice full of worry.

"Why not?" Koa asked.

"After everything I did? Especially to DogDay," CatNap stated. "I can't go in there."

He tried to turn around but Koa stopped him.

"CatNap, you can't run from this," Koa gently spoke to him. She sighed in resignation before she spoke up again. "Yes, I can't say so much for Poppy, but DogDay truly does want to talk to you. He really does want to rebuild your friendship."

CatNap stood there as he thought about it. Perhaps that wasn't such a bad idea. It would be nice to talk with and try and work things out with DogDay. He looked up to the door for a moment, then back to Koa.

"I'll admit, I'm not too worried about DogDay. It's Poppy and Kissy that worry me," CatNap admitted.

She glanced to the door, and came up with and idea, "would it make you feel more comfortable if I went in and spoke to them first?"

CatNap didn't have to think about that as he nodded immediately. Koa nodded in return.

"Okay, I'll do that for you," Koa said gently.

Koa returned to the door and slowly walked in.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" DogDay and Poppy shouted at the same time.

'Well, this is going smoothly already,' Koa thought to herself sarcastically.

She glanced over to Kissy Missy, who was sitting in a corner. All she did was raise her paws up in a shrug.

"We were worried sick!" DogDay shouted. "You shouldn't be out of bed, Angel! You're still recovering!"

Before she could respond, DogDay was by her side and his hands were around her shoulders and he was gently but forcefully guiding her back to bed.

"DogDay, I'm fine. I was just taking a walk," she insisted as she walked alongside him.

"'Taking a walk,'" Poppy repeated, confusion flooding her voice. "And where, pray tell, were you walking?"

Before Koa could respond, realization hit her like a tone of bricks.

"You went to find CatNap, didn't you?" Poppy demanded more than she questioned.

"Yes," Koa admitted, not even trying to find an excuse or lie, as she sat down on the bed. "And I found him."

"What?!" Poppy exclaimed.

"Is he okay?" DogDay asked, worry flooding his own voice.

Before Koa could respond, Poppy spoke up again.

"Why would you do that?! Why would you go after him? After everything he did, why would you go to him?" Poppy demanded.

"I wanted to see if he was okay," she explained, trying to stay calm despite Poppy's yelling. She turned to DogDay and responded to his earlier question, "and he's fine. He just needed a bit of space to think. He's actually-"

"And what is there for him to think about?" Poppy demanded rudely. "He's just as responsible for the Hour of Joy as the Prototype! He's the Prototype's most loyal follower! He-"

"WAS!" Koa interrupted loudly.

Poppy froze. She stared long and hard at Koa. Had she heard her right?

"Excuse me?" Poppy questioned.

"CatNap was a loyal follower of the Prototype. But, he's not anymore," Koa said gently.

It was quiet in the room. DogDay didn't know how to feel. Excitement? Happiness? Relief? Maybe a mixture of all them?

The silence was cut by Poppy, who burst out laughing.

"And what, pray tell, is so funny?" Koa demanded, matching Poppy's earlier tone.

Poppy tried to stop laughing. Whenever she tried to speak, she laughed harder. After a few minutes Poppy finally calmed down.

"I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It's just when you said CatNap was the Prototype's most loyal follower, was, it was just funny to me. CatNap would never turn against the Prototype!" Poppy insisted.

"Well, technically he didn't," Koa admitted.

"See," Poppy said. But before she could say anything else, Koa spoke up again.

"The Prototype turned CatNap against him himself. The Prototype betrayed CatNap," Koa said.

Poppy made a move as if she were about to make a snide comment, but she paused. The look on her face showed as if she were in deep thought.

That actually made more sense. And it sounded more realistic.

"But… CatNap has been following the Prototype for years! Why would he suddenly change sides like that?" Poppy questioned in a more reasonable tone.

"The Prototype manipulated him. The Prototype took advantage of a lost little boy, and manipulated him," Koa simply said.

Outside in the hall, CatNap listened in. At first, it didn't sound it was going well in there. But then it started to settle down.

It felt good when Angel came to his defense.

"But that doesn't rectify what he's done," Poppy suddenly said. "He killed so many people. And DogDay, he killed your friends. He tore you in half!"

CatNap flinched.

"I know that," DogDay could be heard saying, his voice was quiet. "But we turned our backs on him first. We weren't treating him like the best of friends."

"But that doesn't-"

"I'm not making excuses. And even though you're right, it doesn't excuse what he's done, I forgive him," DogDay said.

CatNap gasped.

"I forgive him," DogDay said again.

"You too, DogDay? Well, what about the others? The other Smiling Critters CatNap tortured and murdered? Would they forgive him? Would they want you to forgive him?" Poppy challenged?

Koa stared at Poppy in shock."How dare you, Poppy?"

"What?" Poppy said defensively. "I'm just asking a question."

"No, you're trying to guilt trip him!" Koa accused before she turned to DogDay, "you don't have to answer-"

"No, it's okay," DogDay said. He took a deep breath before he spoke, "I can't speak for the dead, but after everything, I can't say for sure if they would. But I'm not going to submit to peer pressure, Poppy. That was one of the many mistakes I made with CatNap in the first place and I won't make the same mistake twice. It was our fault that CatNap faced so much abuse. We should've just tried harder to talk to CatNap ourselves instead of ignoring him. But I will say if my friends are watching us now, and if they're seeing how repentant CatNap is, and seeing how he is now, they would forgive him."

Koa smiled and rubbed DogDay's arm.

"Really, DogDay?" Poppy tried to challenge again, but Koa cut her off before she could say much else.

"Poppy, that's enough! CatNap was angry. He didn't know who else to trust. The adults mistreated him, and he clung to the first thing that offered a solution. Not the best solution, and no, it fixed nothing," Angel spoke up. "But when someone is lost, we need to help point them back in the right direction."

"And who are we to turn him away?" DogDay questioned.

"Exactly," Angel said in agreement.

It was quiet in there. CatNap guessed everyone was probably thinking of what to do next.

"I…" That was Poppy's voice. "I guess. But if he tries to-"

"I already told him, Poppy," Angel spoke up. "But that applies to us too. We need to work together."

"All I want," DogDay said quietly, "is my friend back."

At that, CatNap got up and slowly walked into the room, earning everyone's attention. CatNap walked over to DogDay, who stood up slowly.

Once CatNap was in front of DogDay, he sat down and looked him in the eye. After a few minutes of nothing happening between them, DogDay spoke up.

"CatNap, I – omph!"

CatNap suddenly pulled the orange-brown dog into a tight embrace, surprising everyone in the room. CatNap was suddenly heard crying.

"CatNap, I – omph!"

CatNap suddenly pulled the orange-brown dog into a tight embrace, surprising everyone in the room. CatNap was suddenly heard crying.

"I'M SORRY!" He wailed. "I'M S-SO SORRY!"

Tears started to well in DogDay's eyes. He returned the embrace just as strongly, but at the same time he made sure to be careful with CatNap's injuries.

"No, CatNap! I'm sorry," DogDay cried. "I shouldn't have…"

He couldn't finish. The two Smiling Critters hugged each other close, comforting each other. Koa watched, a happy smile on her face and tears in her eyes. Even Poppy found herself crying happy tears, though she tried to hide it. Behind CatNap, Kissy approached and hugged the two Critters tightly.

After a while, the tender moment between two best friends ended.

"Now will you please rest, CatNap?" DogDay playfully questioned, earning a chuckle from CatNap.

"Okay," CatNap sniffled. "I have to say, you pack a mean bite, DogDay," CatNap actually praised. "I'm proud you finally stood up like the true leader you are."

This surprised DogDay, though he flinched when CatNap rubbed his missing right ear.

"I'm sorry, CatNap," He apologized. "I wa-"

"It's alright," CatNap interrupted. "You were protecting yourself and Angel"

That certainly caught the attention of every living toys in the room. If CatNap was calling Koa 'Angel' as if it were completely natural and not forcing it out, then maybe he really had abandoned his cultist relationship with the Prototype.

Everyone watched as CatNap took his place in a bed beside Koa, and he was asleep the second he got comfortable.

…..

…..

CatNap opened his eyes.

He found himself outside. The sky was clear. The sun was shining. He looked around and found himself in a wheat field.

Confused, he sat up, but froze immediately. He didn't hurt. His body felt… great! He looked at his paws, only they weren't paws! They were human hands! He ran his hands over his face, and found that he was no longer CatNap, but Theo again!

He started to cry in happiness, though he maintained his composer enough to look around his surroundings.

He was definitely in a wheat field. It was nothing but wheat as far as the eye could see in every direction. And the wheat danced in the slightest breeze that blew.

Theo stood up and asked out loud, "where am I?"

"It's good to see you, Theo," a voice of a young girl called out.

Confused even further, he asked, "who are you guys?"

All six of them smiled. One of the boys, a young boy with black hair and dark eyes stepped forward and showed a star pendant around his neck. The other boy, blonde hair and green eyes, showed a light bulb pendant. One of the girls, a young girl with her black hair in pigtails showed a flower pendant that had different colored pedals. A girl with blonde hair and blue eyes came up with a lightning bolt pendant. Another little girl with brown hair and sparkling brown eyes showed a heart pendant. And the last girl, her brown hair in a single pony tail and bright blue eyes showed a pendant of an apple with a bite taken out of it.

Theo looked closely at the pendants. All of a sudden, he realized he had a slight weight around his own neck and looked down, seeing a Cresent moon pendant.

That was when he realized that these were the kids who were turned into the Smiling Critters.

His friends.

He started to get emotional. Tears of guilt and shame flooded his eyes. Unable to hold in his emotions, he fell to his knees and released all the guilt he felt.

As he wailed, he screamed, "I'M SORRY! I'M SO SORRY!"

One of the kids, the little girl with the heart pendant walked up to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. She then knelt down and placed her hand under his chin and made Theo look up to her.

All she did was smile. A smile that said so many words in just one little action.

Theo started to calm down. He then grabbed the girl in a tight embrace, which she immediately returned. The other five kids walked up to them and joined them in a group hug. Theo started to cry again. Though not in grief, but of love and relief.

"We forgive you," the little girl with the multicolored flower pendant said.

"And we're the ones who should apologize," the boy with the star pendant said.

"We ignored you," said the girl with the lightning bolt pendant.

"We didn't treat you like a real friend," the boy with the light bulb pendant said.

"Can you forgive us?" the girl with the apple pendant asked.

All Theo could do was nod. He felt at peace. He felt loved. He felt at home. He smiled.

...

...

CatNap opened his eyes. He found himself back in Home-Sweet-Home. Though, he wasn't in pain. He didn't feel confusion.

Instead… he felt at peace.

He was truly forgiven.

He looked over to Angel's bed and saw her asleep, DogDay's head and paw resting on her abdomen. Getting up, he walked over to her bedside and laid down, placing his own paw, minding his claws, and head on her abdomen.

Before he closed his eyes, he glanced to Angel, then to DogDay, and whispered, "thank you. For not leaving me."

He closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

Unbeknownst to him, DogDay and Angel heard him, and, their eyes still closed, smiled.

...

Over the next several days, Koa and CatNap recovered nicely. CatNap's burns healed fast, and his other wounds healed as well. Koa's bruises were almost healed, but still tender. The swelling in her eye went down as well, and the cuts to her shoulder were healing, though they would no doubt leave scars. Broken bones were another story, however. Everyone knew broken bones took weeks to heal. And they didn't have that kind of time. They would just have to make do and be more careful.

Over time, Kissy surprised everyone by bringing backpacks to Angel for their contents, such as food, water and clothing, (the food and water she shared among the others). When she was recovered enough to stay out of bed for long periods, she asked Kissy to take her to where she got them.

Kissy lead her to a back room beyond the Gas Production Zone. There was a large collection of backpacks and other personal items here. Upon closer inspection, she found wallets with ID's belonging to people she recognized on Missing Person files over the last few years. They must have come to the factory to investigate themselves or maybe they were homeless folk finding a place to rest.

Among the pile, something caught Koa's attention.

...

Back in the medical center of Home-Sweet-Home, Poppy stirred awake. When her vision focused, she saw Angel talking to Kissy, DogDay and CatNap.

"You all okay with this?" Koa asked quietly.

"We've come to far to turn back now, Angel," DogDay responded.

Kissy nodded in agreement.

"I will do whatever I can to help you. I doubt The Prototype told me everything, but I told you all I do know, and I will help you however else I can," CatNap said.

"That's alright, CatNap. I doubt that as well. And I thank you for telling me. I doubt Poppy would've," Koa responded.

At the mention of her name, they all had Poppy's attention.

"What's going on?" She asked, adjusting herself to sit on the edge of the bed.

All four of them looked in Poppy's direction.

"Oh, we were just talking," Koa answered simply. "Merely talking about our next course of action."

"Oh, that's good," Poppy stated.

A hum of acknowledgement was her only response. Poppy noticed the look Koa was giving her.

"Is something wrong?" Poppy asked.

"Well, now that you mentioned it, I would like to talk about something," Koa stated.

Poppy titled her head in confusion, but then realized, "oh, is this about the backpacks? Please, it's simply not im-"

She was cut off when Koa stood up and pointed a silver MODEL 350 Smith and Wesson revolver right at her head.

"Woah! A-Angel, what are you doing?" Poppy questioned in fear.

"I'm done playing your little game, Poppy. You better start talking, and you better start now!" Koa growled as she walked towards Poppy.

"Angel, please, let's not focus on something so trivial as-"

WHACK

Poppy was cut off when Koa smacked her gun against Poppy's head, knocking her down on the bed. Poppy groaned in pain as she brought her hands to her head. When she noticed they felt wet, she looked at her small hands and found them covered in blood. Before she could get up, Koa pinned her down by pressing the muzzle of the gun to her forehead.

"You don't get to call me that. I'm done playing nice, Poppy. You better start talking! And if I don't like what you say, I'm pulling this trigger." She cocked the hammer of the gun to emphasize her threat.

Poppy whimpered in fear. She stole a glance to DogDay, Kissy Missy and CatNap. When they noticed her glace to them, DogDay crossed his arms and glared, shacking his head, while Kissy glanced away rubbing her arm uncomfortably. CatNap just glared and hissed. Poppy had none of their support. They were done with Poppy as well.

Shocked and upset, Poppy glanced back to Angel, who still had her gun to her head.

"I'm waiting," Koa warned. She slightly squeezed the trigger, showing she wasn't bluffing.

"OKAY! OKAY!" Poppy yelled in fear. She took a few deep breaths before continuing, "okay. I'll explain."

Poppy proceeded to explain that Koa was not the only human to come to the factory. Poppy had Kissy Missy send out letters to friends and relatives of those who used to work here. However, none of them made it past Huggy Wuggy. After so many failed attempts of calling for help and so much time had passed, Kissy eventually found Koa's file, and found that she was reported absent the day of the Hour of Joy. Poppy felt hope that one employee was still alive. She had Kissy send Koa that VHS tape and the letter, hoping Koa would come and do what so many others had not.

And she did.

"You are perfect for this," Poppy insisted. "You can end this! You can kill the Prototype! You can get revenge on- gah!"

Poppy was cut off when Koa suddenly removed the gun from her forehead and grabbed her by the throat.

"You lying, murderous little bitch!" Koa yelled as she slammed Poppy against the wall and started choking her.

"Are you serious, Poppy?! You led so many people here to be killed?!" DogDay yelled behind Angel. "How- How could you do that?!"

"I… didn't… kill anyone!" Poppy choked out.

"You sent calls for help without warning anyone, including me, of the danger that was lurking here!" Koa growled, beyond furious.

"I… had no choice!" Poppy choked out. "The Prototype has to die! And I'll do whatever it takes to accomplish that!"

Koa was shocked. Frowning, she choked Poppy harder, forcing her to open her mouth, and Koa forced the muzzle of the gun into her mouth.

"You sick little…" Koa was unable to finish.She never felt this enraged. She wanted to kill the doll, but she couldn't. Not yet at least. She was smarter than that. They needed Poppy.

Not removing the gun from the doll's mouth, Koa got closer to her face, "you are so, so lucky, that I'm not unreasonable nor an imbecile."

She removed the gun roughly from Poppy's mouth, actually ripping out a few of the doll's teeth and making her gag and spit out some blood.

Not removing Poppy from the wall, Koa turned to face CatNap and DogDay, and asked in controlled frustration, "do you think you boys can help me keep a tight eye on Poppy?"

They replied simultaneously:

"You don't have to worry about that."

"You can count on us."

Koa glanced to Kissy and gave a sad look, "are you okay?"

Kissy shook her head. She looked at Poppy. Tears flooded her eyes. She rubbed her arm and turned away. DogDay walked over to comfort her.

Looking back to Poppy, Koa pointed the muzzle of the gun right between the doll's eyes and warned, "I'm warning you right now, Poppy, you try anything, I will kill you with this and don't you think I won't! CatNap and DogDay already have my permission to take you out if they catch you trying anything."

Koa clicked the gun, revealing it wasn't even loaded. Then she roughly removed Poppy from the wall and handed the doll to CatNap, who raised the doll to his eye level and gave a low hissing growl, showing he was ready to fulfill Angel's request if she tried anything.

"So Poppy," Koa said as she pulled out several bullets and started loading the gun, "since you were ready to walk into the Prototype's lair, without giving us a chance to rest, mind you, is their anything we should… expect," she growled as she clicked the cylinder of the gun closed, "down there?"

All Poppy could do was stare. She couldn't believe what was happening. They turned against her.

After not receiving an answer for several minutes, Koa glared at Poppy.

"You think silence will help you?" Koa asked rhetorically. "Don't think for a second that it will."After another minute of not getting an answer, Koa continued in a level voice, "listen, like I said, I'm not unreasonable. You want the Prototype dead, fine. But it won't be through your wish for vengeance! From know on, we're doing things my way, CatNap's way, DogDay's way, and Kissy's way. Or we're not doing things at all. I'll take my chances and leave this factory all together with them and leave you to fight the Prototype alone, unless you start talking. Oh, and we'll know…" she glanced to CatNap then back to Poppy, "if you're lying."

CatNap growled again in warning, slightly squeezing the doll tighter.

Staring a bit longer, Poppy sighed in resignation.

"Okay." She took a deep inhale of air before she spoke again. "Yes, there is something in the Prototype's lair. If you thought Playcare was a lion's den, that was nothing compared to what else is here…"

I TRUSTED YOU, BUT NOW YOUR WORDS MEAN NOTHING BECAUSE YOUR ACTIONS SPOKE THE TRUTH.

- Unknown

End Credits song: Sound of Silence by Disturbed

AN: I hope you all enjoyed this story. You have no idea how tricky it actually was for me to write it. But I have to give credit to a few of my followers for this. And I want to thank you both: Guest9k and Blackjackist00! (Archive of our Own)

Both of your great ideas and your encouraging words helped this story come along a great deal and I do believe this story would've been a complete failure if it weren't for your ideas and encouragement, and I praise God for the motivation and creativity to write to begin with. I also want to thank EVERYONE for giving my stories a chance and for your likes!

Thank you all!

Until next time!

God Bless!

HuntsWithTheWolves