Street Rat

Chapter 3

I had made it back to the fence. I jumped over it with ease, and landed quietly on the other side. I took my time walking back. Silently, I was hoping Misty would change her mind, and come running to the fence calling for me to come back to the cottage, and forget that day. She never came. Rain started to come down at an astonishing rate, soon it was pouring. My fur was sopping wet and I could barely see a few inches past my nose, but I didn't care. I walked slowly through the woods. Looking over the path that I had taken that day to get away from the hounds. Then, I saw Twilight's body still laying on the ground. The buzzards hadn't even picked at him. It looked like he had just collapsed that day instead of almost a week ago. That's when I lost it. I cried, I cried for Twilight; I cried for myself; I cried for Tiger; and I cried for Misty. I walked over to Twilight, and petted him like he was still alive. Thunder roared in the skies and lighting clashed above my head.

"Shut up!" I shouted over the storm. I howled like the demon I was. I didn't care who heard me. I was done with the world. I could care less if the hunting dogs found me. I had lost everything that had meant something to me in my life.  A single, eerie howl answered mine. I knew that howl, the hunt had begun, but this time I didn't run. I stayed where I was and waited for the hounds to take me away. I looked in the direction of where the howl came. Hunting dogs suddenly appeared on all sides of me. I was surrounded. The hunting dogs chained me up and held me there in a matter of seconds. 

"Well, I never thought I would live to see the day," boasted one of the hunting dogs.

"Hello, Crimson did your master finally let you out on a mission without Killer?" I asked. Crimson growled at me, but he composed himself. I smirked at him. I knew he wanted to kill me, so taunting him just made it that much sweeter.

"Haul him back! Master is expecting us!" Crimson yelled at the rest of the dogs. They barked and howled in reply. The chains tugged on my wrists and neck making me walk behind the hunting horses. I looked back trying to get one last glimpse of the fence. I'll never forget you Misty. We walked along for a while. We came upon a secret entryway under the ground. So this is where the hunting dogs lived. No wonder they appear and disappear so quickly. They pulled me into the tunnel. It smelled like death down here. Scanning my surroundings, I noticed skulls, and different types of  bones scattered around the tunnel. Torches blazed on the side of the walls making the tunnel a sickly red color that resembled the color of fresh blood.

"Nice lair, did you decorate it yourself?" I asked. Crimson looked back at me and growled. I just smiled. Why is this so much fun? Some hounds came forward and took the horses down a separate tunnel. That must be the stables for all of their mounts. They grabbed my chains once more and led me forward.

"Your father will be very pleased to see you," One of the hounds said in a raspy voice. I laughed at his statement.

"My father would be happier if he saw me hanging by a rope," I scoffed.

"Well, maybe he will give me the honor to do that," Crimson growled.

"I thought Killer was the number one hound," I said. Crimson stopped, and walked towards me growling.

"Go ahead, end me. I'm sure my father would be very pleased with you," I sneered. Crimson huffed and walked away leading the rest of the hounds with him. I just rolled my eyes at him. Inexperienced hound, I wonder where my father and his top hound is. We continued to walk down the hall. The smell of death and rotting flesh just got worse as we went further down the tunnel.