Trust

Precious' POV

I make it to the station just as a train pulls up here. But I can't tell if it's the right train. Is the Victoria a sleek, white steam train with an amber stripe? It seems my question has been answered when I hear someone shouting.

"All aboard the Victoria Express!" A young man, a badger, stands on a wooden crate by a large brown and black steam train. "We go through stops all the way south to Southward and back up here in Northward! And fret not! All needs are covered, even special needs, with a small fee, ha-ha!"

I approach the lively badger. "This is the Victoria?" I look at the train, admiring its beauty. I've never actually been on a train before.

"Inspiring, isn't it?" He follows my gaze before trailing back to me. "You want a ride? We do free trial rides to the next stop."

"Nice try, kid!" A male's voice says, coming from the train. A black Jackal, he wears a black shirt under an unbuttoned blue vest, and black jeans.

His blue eyes meet mine and at that second, my heart stops. He was handsome, is it because of that or from fear. Maybe it's a scary mix of both.

"We do NOT do free rides." Looking back at the young man. "Always bending our standards."

"Aw, I just thought we could change tactics to get more customers." 

"Pathetic, we're already popular." He turns back to the train.

I open my mouth to speak, but only a squeak comes out. At least I drawn attention. A blue sliver meets my eyes, and he slightly turns to me, I sense his impatience.

I clear my throat. "I-is Jack here?" I didn't, at the time Nigel told me, think it'll be this hard to ask this question.

He fully turns to me, now I have his full attention. My heart races. "Who asks?"

Nigel didn't tell me this question would come up. He made this seem so simple. But I'm never this shy... I should get rid of this silly emotion! 

I look back at him, who seems to be very impatient.

Hold that thought, I can't!

I retrieve the pin from my pocket, and I show it to him. 

"Where'd you get it?"

"Nigel, or Mr. Hyena?" I reply, hoping he at least knows him.

"... Haven't heard that name in a while. Tell me, little girl, why did he give it to you?"

"Oh, puh-lease, Mr. Jackal! Let the girl breathe!" A white deer walks toward us, coming from behind. She's very pretty, with a fashion-sense that suits her very well. She wears a fancy, black asymmetrical dress accompanied by white heels, and she has on many different jewels. "If Mr. Hyena says we should take her, then we should."

"How typical of you, Ms. Doe! You're always so confident in him. What if she stole it?"

"This muchkin? Give me a break!" She looks at me. "Where ya headed, Sugar? We'll give you our protection."

"Um, do I have to pay?"

"That pretty pin can get you anywhere with us for free."

"Well, then, I'm headed to Sunnyville."

"I hear that place is anything but sunny. What're you going there for?"

"That's where my parents live..."

"Parents, huh? Well, come aboard, you can tell us all about it there."

"Ok..." I follow them aboard.

Within a few minutes, the train whistle blows and we start moving.

"I'm Ms. Doe, crew member," she introduces herself, then she points over at the young man I previously met. "That's Mr. Badger, the assistant conductor." She looks at a white wolf, sitting quietly on a nearby seat. "He's Mr. Wolf, the cook, and Mr. Jackal's the engineer."

It's usually easy for me to remember names since I've always been part of meetings with new people when I was with my royal family.

"What's your name, Sugar?"

How rude of me! I realize I didn't introduce myself. "Precious."

"There aren't much dogs here, most have been sent to pounds, or if they're lucky enough, shops, to be sold away as pets. Or killed..." Mr. Badger says. "I see you wear a collar, if you don't mind me asking, are you still a pet?"

"Well, I lost my owners in a fire."

"Oh..." The room went silent. Just clanks and chugs.

I can't tell if I should be sad for my loss or to feel happy for my freedom...

"Great..." Mr. Jackal enters the room. "We've lost contact with Mr. Dingo."

"Mr. Dingo?" I know it's not any of my business, but I can't help my curiosity.

"We don't expect you to know Rodriguez..."

"Ro-Rodriguez?" That painful memory finds its way back to my head again. again.

"Something wrong, Sugar?" Ms. Doe looks worried.

No, they can't be talking about the same Rodriguez. But they have a relation with Nigel, so there's a chance.

"You mean Rodriguez, who was at the zoo nearby from where Mr. Hyena is?"

"You seen him?" Mr. Jackal asks.

"H-he..." I never found it easy to talk about death, now especially that I witnessed it firsthand. "The zoo... he was murdered."

Silence again, this time everyone seems contemplative.

"First Mr. Coyote leaves us, then we lose contact with Mr. Hyena, and now we lose Mr. Dingo," Mr. Jackal crosses his arms.

"... Mr. Hyena never told me what his job was..."

"Probably for a good reason..."

"Do you wear masks just like he does?"

"Darling, how much do you know about Mr. Hyena?" Ms. Doe asks.

"Just that he disguises as a zoo animal with secret intentions to take down the zoo." Mr. Hyena haven't told me much.

Ms. Doe looks at Mr. Jackal, who shakes his head at her, seeming to know what she's thinking.

"Why would Mr. Hyena give her a pin?" She asks.

"She's not part of our group! Until he tells us personally, she will never be."

"Well, we can ask the conductor in charge what we should do."

"That runt?" He mutters under his breath.

"Mr. Hyena entrusted him to be in charge. So what do we do, Conductor?"

Mr. Badger's eyes sparkle like a child, probably because he's not always part of such decisions. Then he clears his throat. "Has anyone brought into question that her style choice has an uncanny resemblance to Mr. Hyena himself?" He tries to sound professional.

"Oh, brother... and what does that mean for this situation?" Mr. Jackal sounds annoyed.

"Don't you think it's because there's something a bit intimate going on between them?"

Uh-oh, not again. I feel the redness creeping up my neck.

"Matching outfits, matching pins..." Mr. Badger continues. "It's obvious. And we should treat future Mrs. Hyena with respect, as would Mr. Hyena like us to do, Mr. Jackal."

"What?!" It seems Ms. Doe has her limits on how far she would defend me.

"Mr. Hyena never falls in love." Finally Ms. Doe and Mr. Jackal agrees on something.

"And I don't either! But Mr. Hyena says he and I have similar taste. She's adorable~" Mr. Badger smirks. "And I'll have a mom," he mutters under his breath.

"Sounds unrealistic..." Ms. Doe crosses her arms.

"Just tell them, haven't Mr. Hyena fallen for you yet?"