Chapter 24

The following morning as the sun shined down upon the streets the sounds of people rushing about could be heard from all around. Gunner was sitting down on top of the southern wall while eating a piece of roasted meat that was common among the survivors who'd managed to build up a small area specifically for breeding wild beasts that could help sate peoples' hunger. It was from a beast similar to that of a deer but also held bird characteristics that made it stand out beautifully. If one was to ask the name of the beast with it's antlers and body of a stag, it's front feet were like that of a bird that could be used for grabbing onto things or even as weapons for battle, bird like wings, and long flowing feathered tail it would be called a peryton. In the wild it would be a highly dangerous beast to anger but domesticated from birth they'd become docile like any other home kept beast.

"Be sure to watch how you sit. I don't want to be the one to break it to the prince if you topple over the wall." General Tao said as he approached Gunner while making his rounds to check the different wall posts. As part of his duty he was in charge of making sure all sections of the wall were secured and free of problems. If he was to watch Gunner fall over the southern wall he was certain the prince would blame him for not ensuring the safety of the man.

"It's quiet out there this morning. Is it normally this quiet?" Gunner thought out loud as he turned his gaze from General Tao to the ruins of the city outside of the safety zone.

"Of course not! It's only this quiet because of their failed attempt the other night." General Tao blurted out without thinking.

"The other night?" Gunner repeated those words as he recalled how Prince Clyde had acted strange the other night with him. Wondering if the prince was trying to keep the fact that the wall had been struck the other day from him he could only become curious as to why he'd try to not get Gunner involved.

"That's right." General Tao affirmed with a nod of his head.

"Tao, I'm heading off. You can tell Prince Clyde if you see him that I'll be back by nightfall." After speaking Gunner hopped to his feet and began to make his way down the wall. He could hear the aggravated grumbling of the general behind him as he left.

"I'm not a pigeon! Tell him yourself!" General Tao scoffed as he folded his arms in front of himself.

Not stopping to listen to General Tao's words he made his way down slowly until he was standing at the gate of the southern wall. He had never been fond of being kept inside like a house pet and his curiosity was beginning to rise after learning that the wall had been attacked just a few days ago while he slept safely in a warm bed. If something was going on with the walls that Prince Clyde was holding back from him he was going to find out what it was. Keeping himself to the shadows as he moved along the wall he made his way for the southern gate until his hand was pressed up against it. Looking around he could see a regular sized door off to the side that was made of iron bars. It was one that was built in for the guards to get in and out in the face of an emergency.

"Psst!" Gunner quietly pulled in the attention of a young guard that was standing nearby.

"Huh?" The young man was confused as to why Gunner would be calling out to him. Seeing that Gunner was motioning for him to come closer he glanced around as if to make sure it was really his attention that he was trying to pull.

"Yes, you!" Gunner blurted out in frustration at how slow the man was being.

"Can I help you?" The man asked as he slowly walked over to Gunner to find out what he needed.

"Yes, you can." Gunner smiled innocently before knocking the young guard unconscious.

After pulling the young guard's unconscious body over and leaning him against the wall he began to search the man for a copy of the iron door. The young guard was obviously a demi human from the look of him. He had a pair of black wolf ears on his head that twitched as the man slept. Considering the man was a strawberry blond his ears stood out all the more.

Finding the key to open the iron door Gunner left the young guard there. From behind he could hear the man shifting in his sleep as he began to wake up to the sight of Gunner closing the iron door with him leaving the safety zone behind. Panicking at the sight in front of him the man tried to climb back up to his feet but soon found himself falling unconscious yet again from someone behind him. Gunner never did see the man get knocked unconscious a second time because he was already making his way for the ruins of the city.

Inside the safety zone the only one left standing by the iron door the guards used was the man who had ensured the young guard could not stop Gunner from leaving. Apollo gazed down at the sleeping guard with a smile on his face.

"He really does feel like an untamed hound at times like this." Apollo chuckled to himself as he swept his gaze over to the iron door. He was not sure what the man was doing but the fact that he had desperately knocked out a guard in order to go explore the city ruins outside the zone had peaked his interest. The more he learnt about Gunner he felt like he had found a wild beast in his own way. Something about the man's free spirit felt alluring to him and made his chest pound with excitement.