I
hurried to catch up to Ren. "I guess we have no choice but to find some
work."
While
we moved deeper into the town, the milling crowd pressed in around us. Somehow,
we had lost Cody. The musty stink of unwashed animals polluted the air and made
it hard to breathe. I could taste the rancid perspiration on my tongue.
I
gagged. With how advanced the structures
are, you'd think they'd have the decency to clean themselves. My
self-control nearly snapped, but I stopped myself from voicing such a rude
opinion.
The
four-story, animal-sized, buildings were arranged in neat rows. The first floor
of every building we had passed so far was a shop of some kind. In the big,
open square we sauntered into, there were several merchant stands and stalls.
The cacophony of noise made my head spin.
"Ren?"
With my front paws, I patted at his side.
Ren
started. "What?" His eyes scanned the stalls.
After
sighing, I licked my nose. "I was asking what type of work we should do to
get some toys."
"Work?"
Ren hissed before locking eyes with me. "I will not do some menial task
for a few toys."
I
blinked. "But we have to get some new toys or else we'll never defeat The
Monster!" Mom ... .
"Then
we--" Ren leaned in close and lowered his voice. "--steal them."
While
gasping, my eyes grew wide. "S ... S ... Steal them?" I trembled.
Ren
shushed me. "Tell everybody why don't you?"
"But
... Mom always told me that stealing was wrong."
"Only
if you get caught."
Once
I inhaled a mouthful of the rancid air, I shook my head. "We can't do
it."
"Then
you'll never save your mom." Ren spun away from me and crept towards a
stall.
The
owner appeared to be sleeping. Soft, melodious breaths rolled off his tongue.
Just as the scent of burning fish entered my nose, my back began to itch.
Ren
reached out and snatched a squeaky toy. "Eas--"
Two
large dogs appeared out of the shadows. After a jolt of energy knocked the toy
from Ren's grasp, a string tied his paws together. A rough-looking cat joined
the dogs and instructed them to take him away.
I
gasped. This is terrible! I have to find
Uncle Cody! With my stamina running low, I turned and sprinted back the way
we had come.
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