Chapter 3

Suddenly the door to city hall opened, and a large brown bear in a jet black suit stepped out. The crowd cheered as their mayor appeared, and Sharky almost fell over when he realized who was with him. "Hey, that's Thorn! That's my dad!" Sharky exclaimed as Serena leaned in closer to look. "He looks so tiny!" the Siamese joked as Sharky elbowed her, "He's much bigger close up obviously." The cheers from the crowd died down as the brown bear by the name of Mayor Bruce Grizzworth stepped up to the podium. Thorn, a light brown leopard gecko, stood also in a suit beside the mayor. A lynx and an owl with lab coats stood off to the side, Sharky had never seen them before and guessed they were some sort of scientist. "I called this meeting to address a very important decision we have made." Mayor Grizzworth announced, waving a large paw towards the others on stage. "To protect this city from any more accidents, mutants will no longer be tolerated in this city." Anxious whispers broke out among the gathered animals, as Serena and Sharky exchanged nervous glances. Mutants? Where they real? Shark I wondered to himself, he had never seen one up close. However, he had certainly heard others talking about them on the latest news. Serena shifted her weight on the branch, "I've heard they were dangerous and wild. I think they have been roaming the city at night, destroying and stealing from local stores." she meowed, as Sharky continued to listen. The lynx and owl had stepped forward beside the mayor now, as Bruce continued. "Our researchers have been running tests and have found them to be extremely dangerous and even deadly. We will no longer be safe until all mutants are captured. From this point forward, no one shall be caught on the streets at night since it is too dangerous. The meeting is dismissed!" The mayor finished, as he turned to leave. The crowd left to go about their business, still talking and whispering among themselves as they broke up. Serena and Sharky leaped down onto the grass, "That was strange, it went pretty fast. I had never seen those scientists before. I guess mutants are dangerous enough to be captured." Serena said as she led Sharky through the crowd. The leopard gecko kept silent, wondering the same things she was wondering. It was a little strange. Would simply capturing dangerous wild animals be enough to keep everyone safe? Shouldn't they create a way to help the mutants instead? Sharky's mind spun with questions, as he dipped his head goodbye to his friend. Perhaps no one was brave enough to help them, he thought, and maybe he could be the first.

. . .

"So, what did I miss? How was the meeting?" Sharky had invited Ash and Serena over to his house that afternoon, he now sat on his wooden swing while Serena kicked a leaf around the yard. Ash sat back on his haunches, his grey and white tail sweeping the ground. "You didn't miss much," Serena answered, "The mayor announced something about the mutants should be caught-- or something like that." she meowed, her blue gaze still focused on the crushed leaf. Sharky sat on the wooden swing thinking to himself, before saying; "Ash, have you heard anything about the mutants? Or have even seen one?" Sharky questioned, as Ash turned his muzzle to face him. "Oh yes, I'm from Winter District, I see glimpses of them all the time. I guess they feel safe in a place with not as many animals as the other districts. Keeps them from being caught." he huffed, as Serena looked up from her leaf-stalking. "Wait, you've seen one? T-they exist?" her voice hardly rose above a whisper, Sharky listened intently. Ash nodded gravely, "At first I thought it was some sort of elephant, it stood rigid against the snowy fields as it towered over me. Stalking closer, I could barely make out its large grey legs through the snow. And then it turned around. It was a tiger with the large front tusks of an elephant, black and orange spots all over its elephant body. The creature hissed at me, I was frozen in fear. I turned around and ran as fast as I could towards my pack, that was the first and last time I ever saw one." Ash finished, as he laid his head on his paws. Sharky and Serena both silently eyed each other, their gazes full of shock and dismay. The leopard gecko stood up, breaking the shocked silence as he leaped off his swing and padded over to stand before the others. "I want to help the mutants, who's with me?" he said aloud, as Serena and Ash both raised their heads to stare at him. "Are you joking? Help the mutants? They're wild, they will hurt you if you get close, or even kill you." Worry edged Serena's meow, Ash looked curiously at him. Sharky turned his head to face the city, "I feel like they need help, there has to be a reason they attack innocent animals. I'd also like to know why they are mutants, you know? My parents say that they weren't always like that, and I believe them. So who's with me?" Serena rose to her feet, her white fur glowing in the sunlight, "I'm with you!" she shouted, as she smiled bravely at Sharky. Ash slowly stood up, shaking out his thick gray fur, "I guess you'll need someone to protect you two from getting in trouble, I'm with you." he said, as Sharky swished his tail in happiness. "Thank you, " he nodded, "Now let's go catch a mutant!"