Raised by Lions

Chapter 18: Bullets Fly

The sun was setting and the streets of the Back Alley Market were starting to get darker than usual. Free and Louis were returning from one of their unnual trips to the ice cream shop in the city. The neon lights would soon start turning on and they were casually talking, as if the low light wasn't making it hard for Louis to see.

They turned down a familiar alley and were stopped by a group of leopards blocking the exit. They turned around, only to see the other end blocked as well. Neon lights nearby turned on, glinting off the leopards' guns. Louis immediately went for his own gun and Free wasn't far behind. The two moved to stand back to back, each facing a side of the alley and a group of leopards. Free was still much taller than Louis, but it was nice to know the fawn had his back.

"Looks like an ambush," Free said, just loud enough for Louis to hear. Louis nods. Of all animals to get stuck in a shootout with, Louis was thankful it was Free.

A tense second passed before bullets ripped through the air. Free and Louis fired back without hesitation. Two leopards dropped from Louis' shots, though three appeared in their place. Could it be the Madaragumi? If so, what could they gain out of ambushing the two of them?

Louis heard Free hiss as a bullet sunk into his shoulder. The squelching sound of flesh ripping open being too close to Louis' ears for the 13 year old's liking. Free reloaded and Louis heard three bodies drop to the floor. Louis felt a bullet graze his cheek, but ultimately miss him. He shot four more Madara and watched more step into their places. Free tapped Louis' free hand with his fist, crouching into a more feral stance, as if about to pounce. He handed his gun to Louis and then moved away from the fawn's back to attack the offending leopards head on. Louis took the larger gun and duel wielded the weapons, even if one was comically large in his hand. It felt almost too natural, but Louis didn't want to think about that right now.

A seering pain shot through his arm and a momentary decision found him ducking behind a bunch of trashbags. He glanced at his arm and just as he though, a bullet had lodged in his bicep. He wasn't sure why he hadn't frozen up and chalked it up to adrenaline. He still had some bullets and his arm was numb enough to ignore the wound for now.

He stuck his head out of his hiding spot and sunk three more rapid fire bullets into the leopards before ducking away again. The rest of the shootout went by in a blur of gunshots and red splattering the alleyway. When the last leopard fell and several were heard running off, shouting obscenities, Louis cautiously turned to face Free. He could hear Free's laboured breathing.

Free was crouched on all fours, blood on his hands, dripping from his claws, and a bloody maw, pearly white teeth stained with red. Louis wasn't sure if he should be afraid or not, but he didn't feel afraid. He took a deep, slow breath and whispered, "Free?" Free slowly looked over to the fawn at the mention of his name, his shoulders relaxing. He seemed to be coming off the adrenaline rush as well.

"Shit! You're hit," Free scrambled over, still on all fours. "So are you," Louis said as Free looked over his arm. "I'll be fine, but you- we need to get you out of here." Free threw his jacket over Louis' shoulders and picked Louis up like the fawn didn't weigh anything, which to him he probably didn't. Then the lion took off at a quick pace towards the Shishigumi mansion. It wasn't too far from them luckily.

Free was worried that some carnivore would either smell the herbivore blood and try to take Louis, or that Louis could bleed out or fall unconscious before they reached the mansion. Both of those scenarios were unfavourable.

Louis listened to Free's heartbeat where the lion held him against his chest, trying to stop the way his sight was spinning. Free's heartbeat was irratic, sometimes slowing before he'd swallow and then it would pick up again to a speed that would be expected for an animal running this fast. Was it fast? Or was he just losing consciousness? Louis wasn't sure.