Lassoing the Cresent Moon

25. Reunited

Author's note: For those commenting on the next chapter- I wrote a status earlier in January explaining that I was going on a digital detox. I'm now back. :)

Yes. I am aware chapter 4 is coming out, and I am very excited. As for whether I will continue this based on chapter 4- it is possible. I think it'll be perfect for what it have planned.

Enjoy this chapter.

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Leather straps bound dogday's arms to the ceiling, as he just hung there. His head was raised just enough to see me, but the way his head held low from his neck was a testament of how much life was left. It was hard to see his face past two long once fluffy ears, but i could see that his smile was just as plastered and forced as Catnap's was.

What stood out most was the giant black stain on the wall behind him that emphasized his lack of legs from the way down.

Catnap had presumably cut his legs off leaving nothing but Dogday's barely living top half. A tourniquet was wrapped around his waist but only to keep his organs in. I wasn't sure whether to be relieved or horrified that the pup was still alive.

"There's nothing left to save...not here. You're in CatNap's home, Angel...Their home."

My eyes watered as he called me Angel. I not only wanted to kill Catnap now, but i wanted to enjoy doing it. "I'm not an angel." I bent down and rummaged through my backpack.

"A million pairs of eyes are on you now. Watching...Waiting...Hungry. They want nothing more than to crawl beneath your skin bit by little bit-" He grunted with a painful gasp; struggling to speak. "-fill what feels empty inside of themselves."

"Shut up." I muttered bitterly as I managed to finally find the pocket knife in my bag. No one was getting eaten today.

"That...thing... Catnap. The Prototype is his god, and this is what he does to heretics." I stood up and began cutting at the straps that held him. His wrists must've been numb after so long, because he didn't even notice.

"These little toys follow catnap around to avoid that very fate-" he took another hard breath. "And in return they are fed."

I was able to cut his wrists free but those holding his upper arms felt much stronger. The knife did nothing to them, which led me to try and force his buckles open out of the loops.

"We tried to fight it- the prototype's control. I'm... the last of the smiling critters."

"I'm getting you out right now." I muttered through clenched teeth, as i finally broke one of the buckles loose. There were only three more to go.

He shook his head gently. "Listen to me. You need to get out of this place. You need to live!"

"Shut up! I am not leaving you in here." I grumbled as I struggled with another buckle.

Any mercy I had for Catnap; any at all was gone. This was sick. This was cruel. This was the worst thing I had seen down here. To think that for a moment I had considered him a friend, and possibly an ally.

"But you and Poppy can fix this; end the madness- the torment-" I had just loosened another buckle when I began to hear small steps and babbles between giggles.

My breath hitched. I knew thst babbling all too well. I had to hurry.

"Oh no...OH NO!" Dogday screamed as he attempted to push me away from him with his stump of a waist. "Leave me. Please!"

I caught the critters about to come from two tunnels at both sides of the room. I quickly shot a flare at both sides before getting back to work.

"Just go!" He screamed at me, now trying to headbutt me. What was left of his waist banged against the walls with his movements.