Hope

Mr. Hyena's POV

I watch as two rhinos drag to the scene a dog, bound with rope, screaming insults while trying to break free. But to no avail. My chest gets heavy with all sorts of feelings as they tie him up to a branch of the same dead tree Mr. Lion was buried under. 

She draws out a match box. After a strike of a match on it's box, she holds it up in the air. "All dogs will burn!" She chants and it isn't long before the rest of the animals join along, then she drops the match at the base of the tree and within seconds, the whole tree catches aflame.

Even through the animal's cheers, I can still hear the bloodcurdling screams in the flames.

After the chants die down, she starts her speech. "I've found out that the neighboring zoo, the one that swore their loyalty, had a dog hidden in there. Today, that dog confessed to the murder of our king. Tomorrow, we'll have our freedom from humans and no dog will stand in our way!"

I look back at the, now silent, burning body.

I didn't hear Mrs. Lion come to my side until she spoke, "this is for you, Hyena."

I slowly make eye contact with her, careful not to do something I'd regret later. "What?"

"I know it was your plot to kill his highness."

It all made sense, she knows I get it, but she still decides to conclude her statement, "by us killing your planted colleague, it should give you a warning not to do something so feral again."

"Why don't you kill me? You know I'm not a hyena."

"You have risen in ranks, you're respected here and no one knows who you truly are. I can't kill you. At least not yet..." She walks away. "Tomorrow's a big day, we finally use our domino to gain our freedom. To make things lighter on her, her last day is going to be her special day. She gets to spend her entire day with Mr. Hyena."

Precious' expression was gloomy during is event, but this announcement made her mood change to surprised.

She continues, "I'm sure being with him will brighten her, because a sad sacrifice is not a good sacrifice."

"You really trust her with me?"

"We'll soon see..."

Soon, the event was over and the animals went back into the zoo. It's just me, Precious, and Kayate now. And silence.

I feel bad that she had to witness this. I can't imagine going from a seemingly normal life to this in such a short time. But I guess, this is a matter all dogs will face one day. There's no way to go around such violence and hatred.

"Princess..."

Her chestnut eyes meet mine. I still can't tell what she's thinking.

"It's not over yet." I hold out my hand to her. "I have a place we can go... I know you have questions."

"Ok..." she hesitates before taking my hand.

Precious' POV

Mr. Hyena takes me to a farm a bit far from the zoo. To be honest, that's a relief, I feel much better now that I don't want to go back to the zoo again. 

"This is the farm I always go to cook up some meals."

"Is it abandoned?"

"There won't be livestock and crops if it were." He leads the way inside. "Sometimes humans would come here, farmers, I think. And my good friend, Mac, lives here."

"Mac?"

"He's a border collie, like you."

"Border Collie? You must be mistaken, I'm a dalmation..."

He stops and turns to me. He seems just as confused as I am. "Oh... I apologize." His face clears and he returns an apologetic look followed by a warm smile.

"It's ok."

We continue, going through a rusty arch; the title was unreadable. We traverse on a rocky, dirt patch that leads to an old barn. But we don't go that way.

Nigel continues to explain to me about Mac, that he's the farmers' pet and that he's blind on one eye and he sometimes has a bad temper because his bad past. But he wouldn't tell me much about it though.

A small, wooden house is next to a wooden fence enclosing an open field.

"Who would live in such a small house?"

"Mac would, apparently. That's life of a pet."

I didn't see the name above the house, but it still stumps me how a dog would live like this. "That's just cruel..."

"Hey, Mac!" Mr. Hyena draws attention to the border collie that's inside.

Mac crawls out of his little home. "I knew I heard a familiar voice. But there's someone else with you."

"This is Precious, she's new here. I decided to take her to this farm."

I notice the word 'farm' is being said a lot, so I have to ask, "what's a farm?"

Everyone went silent. Even the birds seemed to be playing along. What now?

"Princess, you don't know what a farm is?" Mr. Hyena asks, finally.

"Is it something I'm supposed to know?"

"Was you asleep for a long time, so that you've never heard of a farm?" Mac asks.

"No," Mr. Hyena corrects him. "She lived as a pet in a castle half her life."

"Ah, I see, you were there just to look cute for royalty. It's a thing all pets go through."

"I also gave them company..." I puff.

"A farm is a place where animals get slaughtered and-"

Mr. Hyena interrupts him, "don't tell her that! Farms are where your food come from."

"Like a kitchen?"

"Before that..."

"Before the market?"

"Yeah, before."

"I never thought of anything before the market..."

"Now, we must take our leave, Mac," Mr. Hyena tells him.

"Shame, I wanted to get to know this spotted lamb. How can something so innocent live in this world like this?"

"Because she has someone like me."

"Hm." 

They hold eye contact for a while, as it trying to read each other thoughts, until Mac says, "make sure you pay the protection toll before you head out..."

"Sure..." He turns to me. "Come on, princess." He climbs over the fence, then he helps me climb over.

I'm still confused, what was that all about?

"Here we are." He stops at an open field. "This is where I catch the juiciest buffalo. I call this place Buffalo Range. I hang out in this place, alone, because no one, other than Mac, can access this place." He sits on the grass, and gestures for me to sit near. "We can talk now... you know, if you want." 

That's right, I can't forget the horrors of this world. It'll return again someday, well, even sooner... I have to get back to the zoo again.

I sit beside him.

"If not, it's fine. It's nice having you around, you brightened my life. I just hope I can keep that light within you."

"... That poor dog... he didn't deserve that..."

"It's my fault... I killed Mr. Lion. That dog, he was my partner, Rodriguez. Mr. Lion tried to kill me and Chinchilla, but then he defended me... Mrs. Lion had set up a strike system, three strikes and you're out. When she found out about Rodriguez' involvement, that added onto his strike, his final warning..."

"Why didn't you save him?" That question made him look at me. "You saved me..."

"I already have two strikes. One from siding with Mr. Bear to bring down the cult, two from being involved with Mr. Lion's death. I'd rather have my last strike saving you. And besides, If I saved him, you'd be all alone..."

"I have Kayate."

"... Right..." I notice a change in his mood, and at then, I realize what I said.

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be, I mean.. you won't get it." He tries to brighten his expression. "It's fine."

Mr. Hyena looks at his watch, then Kayate comes from the nearby hill across the plains, toward us. He has a sniper on his back.

I didn't realize he wasn't with us.

"Didn't mean in to intrude, but are you aware that there's a hawk in the area?"

"Very well aware," Mr. Hyena replies.

"A hawk?" I look around.

"There's someone spying on us," Mr. Hyena clarifies. "Can you create a distraction?"

"I can give you 10 minutes, but I can't gaurantee my well-being," Kayate states.

"I'll cover that for you."

"Oh, before I go..." He takes a handgun out of his pocket and hands it to Mr. Hyena. "I can no longer hold onto this..."

Mr. Hyena hesitates but takes the gun. Then, Kayate walks away, back to the hill he came from.

"What's going on?" I ask.

"Kayate and I have a plan to get you to safety."

"Me? To safety? What about you both?"

"Let's just focus on what's at hand. You're headed across state, right?"

"Yes..."

"Kayate will distract Mr. Fox up there and that'll allow you to run to the nearest station, Bellaire Station." He hands me a lapel pin from his pocket, it looks like the one he wears on the lapel of his coat, a pin with the image of a hyena.

"Take this to a train called Victoria, ask for someone named 'Jack'. The conductor will ask for verification, just show him the pin and you'll have access onboard. There, you'll be safe, and they'll take you to your destination. Got that?"

"I do... but... will I ever see you again?"

"Let's, for the best, hope not." He tries to say with a perfect smile, but I still see the sadness through it. "It's not safe for you here. Once you leave, they'll be looking for you, it'll be hard to come back... It'll be fine, alright?"

"Ok..." I stand. "Well, goodbye, Nigel..."

He stands as well. "See you-" 

I abruptly hug him, and I fail to contain my tears.

"I'll miss you!" I can't get myself to say my farewells just like that.

He returns the hug. "Same..."