Kairn - Chapter 1
He couldn't believe it; his parents had kicked him out just like that. He wasn't a piece of trash just to be discarded, he had flesh and bone. He had feelings, passions and goals. But, apparently they didn't want to share it with him. They didn't care what he wanted or thought. All they could pay attention too was the fact that he could kill them with a flick of his wrist. The power that surged in his chest, made his fur ripple with an untouched energy.
Now, he stood on the corner of their street, the dark sidewalk loomed to his right and left. The right side ominously dark from a burned out street lamp, the left lit and stretched on until it finally turned. He turned and strode down the right path, the darkness of the fallen light enveloping his sullen grey coat, his green eyes flashing for a second in the last rays of the still lit street lamp.
He pulled his green wool lined jacket around him. The city was cold, situated up in the high mountains. Kairn had heard before that when it was permitted the city was warm even through the winter, but now that machinery littered the urban landscape and everyone forgot the old ways, the heat was gone.
Street lamp after street lamp passed over him, the pulse of the light fading then growing seemed to call him as the city began to grow darker and quieter. His ears flicked back, was that a siren? No, his parents wouldn't call the monitors would they? It sunk in rather quickly, yes, they would. He had threatened to turn them inside out and light their organs on fire. He quickened his pace, his tail that was wagging before slid between his legs as the siren grew louder. This couldn't be happening he thought. An hour ago he was warm and comfortable in his house and now where was he? Cold, being hunted for what he was. He looked over his shoulder as he caught sight of a sleek, black and blue car whizzing towards him. Did he use it to escape? No, that would just deepen the punishment. The car stopped along side him, as he stopped as well. The window of car reflected him for a moment, then it slid down to reveal a slim muzzled canine, he couldn't tell the species from the dim light of the street. "What are you doing out this late?" His deep voice washed over Kairn, dominating, the voice of law. "Nuthin." Stupid, that's what they wanted to hear. "Why don't you take a ride with us?" Fuck no, is what he wanted to say. But, if he resisted they might kill him.
The seats in the car were cold too, black leather. The car smelled very stale, not an old stale but a clean, official smell. He sat in the back seat, his head down, fiddling with the end of his jacket. "So, you know what you did back there is illegal." Those bastards had called the monitors. "Yea" is all he could muster, he knew what was gonna happen. He didn't even see the person sitting next to him, not even when he got in the car. No scent, no image, just there. Only when they struck with blinding speed and slammed metal cuffs around his wrists did he see them. He kicked and fought, his hands igniting for a second in orange ambient flames. As the cuffs clicked around his wrists, pain flew through his body, the world blackened as the stale leather smell faded.
The first thing he noticed was the wet, muggy feeling he had in his legs, then the thick stench of the trenches hit his nose. The scent was so strong it snapped his eyes open as he became alert. Hatred, yelling, denial, the monitor's vehicle, the invisible person, the cuffs, he looked down at the silver pieces. The cuffs were bulky and a reflective silver, what did they do? He put a hand over one of them and concentrated, pain racked his body as he yelped, falling back on the cement. They stopped his magic, his power....shit. Magic was the one thing he could do, and the one thing that had pushed him from his house, well, more than that but it was a big one. They weren't meant to come off, at least not by him.
"So, you know what they are now." Kairn spun to the voice, raising his hands, then realizing the cuffs. A thin muzzle poked out from a doorframe, shadow hiding it from view. Kairn took a quick glance around; it looked like a large storage place, with one exit. The figure moved into the light, Kairn recognized him as the monitor from the night before. He was a canine, his eyes shined with bestial intent. "What are you gonna do?" Kairn asked, his voice sounding shaky and small as it echoed across the room. The wolf's mind flew, was he going to kill me? Rape me? Turn me in to some higher power? The monitor sneered, raising his hands. "Now just stay still." No fucking way, as he ran towards Kairn he ducked to the side. The monitor slipped past him as Kairn planted his hands on his sides, focusing. He only managed to singe the fur on his side as the cuffs punished Kairn. "You little shit, I'm supposed to feed soon!" "What?" Kairn wondered aloud as the monitor ran for him again, blood lust flashing behind his eyes. Again, he side stepped, but this time he waited. As the monitor toppled he ran beside him, slamming his fist into his face. He didn't have flames, but he had the next best thing. The large canine reeled, regaining his balance. Kairn advanced, planting his foot in the monitor's groin, making sure to dig his claws in. A loud yelp and some additional hits to the head soon welcomed the monitor to the cold embrace of the floor.
Kairn stood over him, his chest heaving from the encounter. He was going to eat me, he thought as he turned to the shadowed door. He had never heard anything like this, what would cause another canine to want to eat another? Well, he was lupine but they weren't far apart at all. It would still be cannibalism. He pushed the thoughts away, focusing on the matter at paw. No place to stay, no money, no vehicle. Wait, what if the monitor left his car? The keys to the cuffs might be inside! Kairn turned to the body of the monitor, his heart racing. After searching the body for keys but coming up with only lint and an empty wallet he went outside. The car was here. He walked to the driver's side and tested the door, it opened. My luck isn't too bad tonight I guess, he thought as he searched the vehicle. No keys, damn.
Turning to leave the vehicle he slammed into an invisible body. How could he have forgotten? That's all he thought before he couldn't breathe, hands squeezing his throat as he was lifted from the ground. He kicked out with his legs, trying to dig his foot-claws into anything, but the hands didn't loosen. He squinted his eyes, trying to see what was choking him. He only saw a large raccoon pass by the alley he was currently being choked in. He blinked, and the raccoon was before him, placing his hands around something. Soon, he could breathe again as he dropped to the cement, gasping for air as his throat seared with pain. Kairn picked himself up, still gasping as he lashed out at the raccoon. "Whoa, whoa, easy now, I'm a friend." Kairn lowered his paws, still balled into fists. The raccoon held out his own paw, "Names Jasckal, you look like you need some help." Kairn eyed him, waiting for a moment. He grasped his paw. "Now come on, we need tah' get yah cleaned up."
The raccoon had wound his way through the lower trenches of the city for an hour before they finally stopped. Kairn stared up at a huge steel door, tucked snuggly back into an alley. Jasckal stepped forward and heaved the massive door, his body betraying the strength he displayed. Inside was a plain room, blank walls, blank cement floor, Kairn wondered how the raccoon stayed here. "Follow me, little man." Kairn raised a brow. "Who you callin' little?" Jasckal turned. "I be callin' you little, don't you hear?" The wolf stood his ground. "Hmm, guess you don't want these then huh?" Jasckal brought his hand from his pocket, twirling a pair of silver keys. Kairn glanced at the cuffs he was still wearing. "You bastard." "Now follow." The raccoon entered the blank room, Kairn glanced behind him. The alley stretching to his right and left, two choices, but here was his third. He sighed, and followed Jasckal inside.