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CIRCLES (UN)BROKEN

I.

ANTON

---

The Saguaro's Hip. One of the finest saloons in the town of Echo, or this side of the southwestern states, as the proprietress, one Madam Dora, would claim.

Indeed, The Hip (as locals called it), was among the fancier establishments in Echo. It boasted a stage for weekly entertainments, a well-appointed restaurant, and an extensive bar with the best selection of drinks, all at a relatively affordable price.

Business was very lucrative, especially for a mining town like Echo. After all, when you crammed hundreds of working men in the middle of nowhere, booze, music and girls would be in high demand. Madam Dora provided those needs with generosity in her saloon.

And... if the men needed the discreet company of other men, The Hip would be happy to provide them with their needs. That is, within a reasonable price and a mutual understanding to keep things under wraps.

For Anton Novak, working at the Hip has its ups and downs.

Officially, the tundra wolf was one of the saloon's pianists who worked in the evenings. Unofficially, he was one of The Hip's male escorts. One of two. His coworker was an albino cougar called Sam Ayers, who had worked in the saloon for a year before Anton joined.

Anton was glad he wasn't the only male escort in the saloon. For a town like Echo, there was a surprising number of men with, ah, sexual inversion from all sorts of classes and backgrounds. If he had to guess, more than half of the men in Echo preferred the company of other men, which was fine by him, but with only two male workers in The Hip and hundreds of potential customers, things can get a little hectic.

Luckily, the booking system that Madam Dora had put in place prevented the Hip's men from becoming overworked. Still, there were days when Anton and Sam could get really busy.

Anton counted himself lucky that he only had two customers today, and one of them happened to be one of his favorites.

"You like that huh, boy?"

The young caracal above him let out a shuddery sort of breath. "Y-yeah... don't stop!" he all but whined.

Anton chuckled and dragged his tongue around the feline's hard shaft, over the sensitive head which made the caracal moan and writhe underneath him.

"You're real cute when you make those noises, Elliot," the wolf said, sending Elliot a salacious grin that made the tips of the cat's ears burn deep pink.

Not waiting for Elliot's proper response, Anton wrapped the feline's cock with his mouth and started sucking deep and fast.

The caracal cried out in ecstasy as his body tensed. Anton knew Elliot was about to come soon so he went all the way down, hilting the feline's cock deep into his maw while his tongue swirled around Elliot's throbbing manhood, eliciting another round of pleasured moaning.

Elliot came with a loud, high pitched cry. His hot seed flooded Anton's muzzle and he gulped it all down. The feline was breathing heavily, flushing up to his ears as Anton proceeded to clean his cock with his tongue.

"How was it, boy?"

"It was really great..." the caracal panted with a grin. He held Anton's gaze for a moment before he went in for a kiss.

The wolf obliged. Elliot was the kissing and nuzzling type, and doesn't seem to mind that he was tasting his own seed when Anton's tongue filled his muzzle. The caracal savored the kiss, in fact, and began to paw at Anton's sturdy chest and belly. Anton grabbed the cat's paw and guided it down to his hard cock, wordlessly instructing the other male to jerk him off.

The two of them laid on Anton's bed, kissing and sucking on each other's tongues while Anton's hard prick was being jacked off by the caracal. Their moans and quickened breaths mingled between their lips. As they had been going at each other for the better part of the hour, it wasn't long before Anton came into Elliot's paws.

Anton breathed hard, giving Elliot's cheeks a fond pat. "That was pretty good," he said.

Elliot flashed him a wide, blushing grin.

The two males reveled in the afterglow as their sexual high slowly came down, simply enjoying each other's warmth.

"Thanks, Anton," Eliott said a while later with a satisfied sigh. "That was great, as usual."

"Anytime, boy," Anton smiled back, pushing himself up. "Want me to help you clean up?"

"Oh, of course. But only if you let me clean you up as well," the caracal's grin widened.

Anton was reminded how surprisingly cheeky and flirty Elliot can be in private. As the son of Echo's postmaster and one of the town's postmen, Eliott was always very polite and courteous out in public. But behind closed doors, he'll lose all inhibitions if you call him a good boy and have your paw around his ass or cock.

The two of them cleaned the spunk on each other's bodies in companionable silence. Anton had prepared a bucket of water, clean rags, and a bar of unscented soap earlier. It had become a weekly ritual for them of sorts.

Anton then grabbed a brush and turned to the mirror to make sure he won't look as if he hadn't just been fucking another male.

As a wolf, he had a naturally tall and muscular build. His fur, which was two different shades of dark gray, made him look almost black in the dimly lit room. Anton wrestled his fur down with his brush until they weren't sticking up at odd angles, before he moved to his black hair, combing them back to place. Only then he put on his shirt and trousers back on, followed by his suspenders and then his waistcoat.

He dabbed a few drops of pine scented cologne on several points on his body to cover up Elliot's scent on him. He offered the cologne to the caracal, who declined, as he brought his own cologne, which smelled like sandalwood.

"Well, I'll be seeing you next week then," Elliot said after he had finished dressing up.

Anton nodded. "Of course. Same time?"

"I'll try, but you know how my schedule is," the caracal smiled almost apologetically. He leaned forward and gave Anton a peck on his cheeks. "And here's for the trouble," he added.

The wolf felt a few coins being slipped into his paw.

"Thanks, boy," he rumbled, patting Elliot's cheeks affectionately.

The caracal grinned. The insides of his tufted ears flushed red once more. "Anytime!"

Anton proceeded to escort the caracal from his room and down to the saloon on the first floor. Elliot began putting some distance between them before they descended the stairs, but he gave Anton a hint of a smile before he went all the way down to the first floor and made a beeline for the bar.

The wolf hung back on the second floor balcony and went to count his tips. Two copper nickels. Ten cents. Not bad for a tip. Two more days and he can collect his weekly earnings from Madam Dora.

After looking at his pocket watch, Anton decided that it was as good a time as any to have dinner. He spun on his heels and was about to head down to the kitchens when he came across Cynthia.

"Afternoon, Anton," the desert fox greeted with her usual friendly smile.

"Afternoon, Cynthia," he replied, smiling. Cynthia was already dressed up for the evening, wearing her usual off-white sleeveless evening dress. Her short hair was curled up in her usual style when she was working.

"Anything I can help you with, m'lady?" he said with an overly exaggerated bow.

The desert fox waved her paw with a giggle. "Oh, stop that Anton. Well, I was wondering if you had seen Sam?"

Now that was a good question.

"Not since this afternoon," he replied.

Cynthia's smile dropped a little, and she folded her arms. There was a contemplative look in her eyes. "I see. I wonder what's been troubling him."

"Yeah, I wonder that too," Anton nodded.

Sam has been acting strange as of late. The albino cougar wasn't the most sociable type, preferring to keep to himself most of the time, but he had been broodier and quieter than usual since the start of the week.

He had worked with Sam for nearly a year, and he knew that the cougar would sometimes have his broody moods, especially when he had a rough client. But something feels different this time.

It was as if Sam was distancing himself from them. But why?

"Maybe he's in the kitchens?" Anton suggested. "I'm heading down there for a bite. Wanna come with?" he offered his arm to the vixen.

"Of course. I'm about to head down there myself, " Cynthia linked her arm with Anton.

The two of them went down to the kitchen through the server's stairs at the back. There were already a few staff members of the saloon having some food on the long dining table by the servant's hall next to the kitchens, but there were no signs of Sam.

The cougar didn't even come down to eat at his usual time, and Cynthia looked worried.

"I'll go look for him," Anton said when they had finished eating. "He's probably brooding somewhere on the rooftop or something."

Cynthia sighed and nodded. "Alright. Come tell me when you do."

"Will do," Anton flashed her a grin and climbed up the stairs.

Sure enough, he eventually found Sam on the rooftop balcony.

The cougar was leaning against the railing, staring into the sunset. He was shirtless. The white, almost colorless fur on his broad, well-muscled back had a sheen of sweat. Just how long had he been standing there?

"Hey, Sam," Anton called, standing next to his friend.

Sam turned his head slightly to look at the wolf. "Anton," he greeted with a ghost of a smile.

"You missed dinner," Anton said. "Cynthia had been looking for you."

"Mmm..." was all Sam said. He was staring into space again.

Anton sighed. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"Hmm? Nothing," Sam answered somewhat gruffly. He sighed. "It's just... I feel like I'm going nowhere with this town. Like I've been going in circles. Know what I mean?"

Anton tilted his head, giving his friend a curious look. "I can see that," he said with a hum.

Echo was in the middle of nowhere after all, practically isolated from the rest of the world. The nearby Danicka Mines lured hundreds of men from all over the country in search of gold and silver, but other than that, there wasn't anything much to do in the town. The Hip was one of the main sources of entertainment for the townspeople, the other being Lake Emma located to the east of the town.

Sure, there was the Prescott Railway where people could take the train to travel to other parts of the country, but the train only comes through Echo every couple of days and it mostly transported goods from the mines. Passenger trains came only twice a week.

The closest town to Echo was Payton but it was not any better than Echo. It was more of a village with a few ranches. There's also Coalville, but it was miles away and it was more of a worker's camp rather than a proper town. Providence was another town in the valley, but it was further up north and required weeks of trekking through the canyons and the desert.

It was only natural for some people to feel like they're trapped here, in Echo.

"So you're thinking of a change of scenery?" Anton asked.

Sam's shoulders went rigid for a second, before it relaxed a little. "Perhaps. Not sure where I'll go though."

"The west coast will probably be your best bet," Anton said. "St. Frank perhaps, or maybe Kingston Bay in the northwest?"

Sam gave Anton an unreadable look as he hummed contemplatively. "That's a thought..."

"Come on, let's get you inside and get some food before the clients start coming in," Anton gave the cougar a friendly slap on the back. "You can think whatever is on your mind while you eat."

Sam let out a long, drawn out sigh. "Fine... fine..."

The two went back into the building, with Anton's paw still on Sam's broad back.

Sam went back into his room to freshen up a little. He had been quite sweaty after all. God knows how long he had been outside, standing under the hot afternoon sun. Summer was approaching fast and temperatures had been steadily rising to uncomfortable levels.

After seeing Sam down to the kitchens to eat, Anton went to look for Cynthia in her room, but he found it empty. He then went down to the Drawing Room on the second floor, which was most likely where she would be, given the hour.

The Drawing Room was a large, beautifully appointed parlor located on The Hip's second floor. It was far cry from the more conventional saloon and restaurant on the first floor. In fact, when Anton first saw the Drawing Room, he thought the room wouldn't look out of place in a mansion or a palace. It was just that impressive.

Most of the girls were already inside, chatting and laughing by a cluster of plush armchairs and sofas. Anton quickly found where Cynthia was sitting and tapped her shoulder lightly.

"Hey. I found Sam brooding on the roof," he told her. "He's downstairs now, eating."

Cynthia looked slightly relieved. "Well that's good. He's been brooding a lot lately. I do wonder what's on his mind..."

Anton was about to give his own thoughts when clients were starting to trickle into the Drawing Room. It was also when Sam arrived, looking more freshened up than ever. Anton decided to leave the conversation for another time, especially when the girls put on their best smiles and sashayed their way to the men.

There were only a handful of clients tonight, and none seemed to be inclined to give Sam or Anton their attention. The wolf decided to pass the time by playing a few cheerful tunes on the piano, adding to the calm but conversational atmosphere of the room.

Sam, who had been standing around and looking restless, decided to help Harlan, their resident bartender, serve drinks to the clients and the girls in the Drawing Room.

Hours passed and soon it was time to close up the Drawing Room. Anton and Sam didn't get any clients tonight, and only a couple of the girls managed to snag a client or two.

Bored out of his mind, Anton stayed back to help Harlan sweep the carpets and clean up the tables while the girls went back to their rooms. Sam had slinked off to who knows where after the last guest had left. Probably to brood again.

Just as he was finishing up, Sam reappeared. The cougar poked his head in, as if making sure the coast was clear, before he strode towards Anton.

"Here."

Anton blinked at the small bottle of whiskey in his friend's paw. It was one of the good ones in Harlan's stock, but there's only less than a quarter of the amber liquid left.

"Did you nick this from Harlan's bar?" Anton half joked.

"Eh, I might have," the cougar shrugged nonchalantly. "He won't miss it either way. This was in the trash pile. Want to share?"

"Sure, why not?" Anton went and grabbed a couple of glasses.

It was good stuff. Not as good as the ones that their hare bartender keeps in the cellars for special occasions, but Anton liked the way it burned down his throat.

"Well, I'm going to bed." Sam said once they had finished the bottle.

"Ah, I was thinking if you'd like to play some cards," Anton said. "I'm bored, and I could use some company," he gave the cougar a meaningful grin.

Usually, Sam would accept, especially if things had been slow as this night. The cougar was definitely a good fuck, especially when he wasn't working. He had also taught Anton one thing or two when he first started.

However, all Anton got was a blank sort of stare and a soft, tired sigh. "Not tonight, Anton. Sorry. I'm... really tired," Sam said.

Trying not to look too disappointed, Anton shrugged. "Eh, it's fine," he said, clapping Sam's broad back.

He really wondered what has been eating at Sam these past few days. He had been uncharacteristically quiet and unenthusiastic. Even Cynthia, Sam's closest confidant, was concerned. He wouldn't be surprised if the vixen cornered Sam and demanded to talk the moment she could.

In fact, Cynthia immediately approached them as the two of them made their way back to their rooms on the third floor of the saloon.

"Hello, Anton. Sam, may I come in?" she asked, turning to the cougar, picking on a voice that allowed no argument.

"If you must," Sam said, blinking, and invited her inside.

What followed was a small argument between the two. They weren't being exactly quiet so Anton could hear the gist of what they were talking about from his own room.

Apparently the girls were having a small party to themselves in one of their rooms, and one of them felt bold enough to peek at Madam Dora's roster for tomorrow.

The girls were definitely tipsy. One does not look at Madam Dora's roster without her explicit permission unless you have a death wish. Either way, some foreigner apparently had booked Sam for tomorrow. The conversation was muffled afterwards, followed by sounds of hushed argument. Sam didn't sound too happy about something.

It was over shortly afterwards, however. Anton then heard Cynthia wishing Sam goodnight, and Sam's door closed.

About half an hour later, just as Anton was slipping under the covers, he heard someone slinking outside in the corridor.

Anton opened his door a crack to see who it was, and was surprised to see Sam's large figure sneaking down the corridor. The cougar was dressed for travel, wearing a jacket and even a scarf tied around his neck. And unless Anton was mistaken, there was a knapsack tied to the cougar's waist as well.

What the fuck?

He quickly put his clothes back on and followed after the cougar as quietly as he could. Sam was pretty far ahead from him to be able to see the wolf following him, but Anton kept a careful distance.

Just where is that cat going?

Anton began to dislike the answer that came to his mind when he saw Sam sneaking away through the saloon's back door and out to the streets.

He should really follow Sam.

Thinking quickly, Anton grabbed an electric torch from the utility cupboard and was about to follow the cougar outside when he came face-to-face with Harlan.

The hare had a highly disappointed look in his face while he spoke.

"Anton. Mind explaining why there's a bottle missing--where are you going?" the hare stared at him.

"Sam had sneaked out. I'm trying to see where he's going," he said quickly. "He's been acting strange all day."

Harlan blinked. Twice. His reaction was understandable. Sam was not the type to sneak out.

"I see," the hare nodded. "I'll inform Madam Dora. Now go."

"Thanks," Anton quickly left through the back door.

Sam had gained some distance from him but fortunately the cougar was still walking down the Main Street. Anton kept to the shadows, following the cougar as quietly as he could. It became harder to do so when Sam left the town altogether and walked into the open desert. There were only a handful of covers where Anton could hide from, and he was afraid to lose sight of Sam, especially when the cougar suddenly picked up his pace.

Did he sense him or hear his footsteps? Can't be. Sam didn't even glance back.

Eventually, they reached a point of the road where the path branched into two. Someone was waiting for Sam underneath the signpost, and they're carrying a lantern. Anton hid behind the closest boulder and observed.

He wasn't too far away to see that the lantern-carrying figure was Jack, a scraggly mutt who worked in the mines. He also had been Sam's regular these past two weeks. Jack had visited at least three times every week, and Sam had been completely smitten with the older male.

Anton couldn't see why. Jack was all fur and bones, and his demeanor was far too friendly to be genuine. He had seen Jack regaling Sam with tales of his adventures before he got to Echo and his plans to leave once he struck rich in the mines.

It was all bullshitery of course. Anton had seen men like Jack. Slimy bastards whose promises were too sickly sweet but they wouldn't do jackshit to keep their word.

But why was Sam meeting with Jack all the way out here?

The two of them exchanged pleasantries under the signpost. They chatted for a short while, with Jack placing his arm around Sam's waist. Anton blinked in surprise when Sam reached into his jacket pocket and produced something and showed them to Jack, who played with them with his paws. Coins, judging with how they winked under the lantern light.

The coins were returned to Sam, and then Jack said something which seemed to surprise Sam, judging from the cougar's gait. There was a reassuring gesture from Jack, and then the two set off to the direction of the mines.

Bewildered, Anton followed at a distance and kept himself as silent as possible. Jack and Sam walked for a while until they reached the Danicka quarry and mines. The pair walked past the quarry and continued toward the mines proper, which was dug into a rocky hillside. Just when Anton thought they were going to enter one of the mine's many entrances, Sam and Jack went off to the side, going over about a quarter mile until they reached an outcropping... and disappeared.

Anton quickened his pace until he reached the outcropping. In the dark, he could barely make out the shape of a hole by the side of the mountain. Sam and Jack's scents were coming off from the airflow that was carried out from the opening so they definitely had gone inside.

Squaring himself, Anton took a deep breath and stepped into the dark tunnel. There's a strange feeling that came over him the moment he walked through the tunnel opening, but Anton shook it off as he had a more important matter to pursue.

The only source of light was from Jack's lantern way up ahead, and Anton didn't dare to turn on his electric torch just yet. Being a wolf however meant that Anton had a superior sense of smell and could easily pick up Jack's dusty, musky mutt-ish scent and Sam's rosemary-scented cologne amongst the dry, dusty stone and rocks and stale air.

The tunnel twisted and turned several times and even narrowed at some point, and it branched out into at least four other tunnels. Anton picked up Sam and Jack's scent easily and followed them through a smaller, narrower tunnel to the right. There were points where it was so narrow that Anton had to walk sideways and his shirt was caught on the sharp rocks several times.

The mutt and cougar went deeper still, where the air was heavier and smelled like metal and something old.

The two men seemed to have stopped at a cavern at the end of the tunnel. Anton crouched behind a nook by the wall, keeping his presence hidden. With Sam and Jack's voices echoing around the cave, Anton could easily hear what they were saying without having to peek from his hiding place.

"See? There's the gold I told ya!" came Jack's excited voice. "We're gonna be rich, boy!"

"And you say you've found more?" Sam asked, wonder and amazement in his voice.

"Yeah, I've stashed 'em in that sack right over there!"

There were some rustling sounds, which was then followed by Sam's confused voice. "Jack? These are just rocks."

"Keep looking boy. They're under the rocks," said Jack with mirth in his voice. "Have to keep them well hidden, you know?"

There were sounds of rocks shifting, and then Sam spoke out again. "Uh... Jack? There's nothing but rocks--"

There was a loud, resounding thud, followed by a thump as if something heavy had fallen to the ground.

Anton didn't bother to be careful as he peeked through his hiding spot.

Sam was lying face down, unmoving. His paws were limp around a large, tattered sack filled with rocks. Jack himself was busy rummaging through the cougar's pockets. A strange grin was plastered on the mutt's thin, scruffy face.

"Where is it... where are those damned coins..."

Sam stirred. "G-guh... wha..."

Jack grabbed the pickaxe which had been lying next to him. For a frightful moment, Anton thought the mutt was going to drive the sharp pick through his friend's head. Thankfully, Jack merely hit Sam's head with the broad side of the pick, not that it was any better. It still made an uncomfortably loud smacking sound and Sam fell back down.

The mutt continued rummaging through the cougar's pockets before he stopped for a split second. A very wide grin was plastered on his face.

"Aha!" Jack pulled out three coins from Sam's jacket and held it aloft. Three gold coins--a golden eagle and two double eagles. Fifty dollars. Sam's entire earnings.

Sam suddenly stirred, turning around to look uncomprehendingly at the mutt above him.

"Jack..." he began hoarsely. "What--hrk!"

Jack kicked the cougar's side viciously, making Sam double in pain. Then he reached for his pickaxe again, and was about to swing it back to Sam's head, but the cougar was quicker this time. He lunged forward, batting Jack's bony arm away without much effort and grabbed the mutt's other arm that had his coins.

He only succeeded in making Jack drop the coins before Jack retaliated by kicking him in the groin. Sam made a pained whine as he crumpled down to the ground. Jack didn't waste time to kick Sam's head, hard, against the rocky surface of the tunnel.

"Why. Won't. You! STAY! STILL!" he all but shouted, kicking Sam's head with each punctuation. "Stupid big cat and your stupid--"

Jack didn't get to finish his sentence as Anton jumped on him, snarling, with his claws out.

Surprised at the wolf's sudden appearance, Jack fell down as Anton wrestled him to the ground. Anton wasn't expecting a bony man like Jack to have such strength however, as he found himself being viciously fought back.

"Fucking hell--" Jack snarled, almost pushing Anton off of him, but Anton pushed his weight to Jack, who began flailing under him.

"You fucking faggots--get off me!"

Anton hissed when Jack started clawing at his face, but two can play at this game, he thought as he flexed his claws out and slashed at the mutt's face.

Everything was a blur of clawing, punching, and kicking. Anton could taste blood in his mouth. He distinctly heard Sam's incredulous, "Anton?" over Jack's unholy snarling and swearing.

Anton blinked in surprise when Jack was standing on top of him and the mutt was reaching for his pickaxe which had fallen wayside during their scuffle. There was an unsettling gleam in Jack's eyes as he gripped the pickaxe.

And then Sam tackled the mutt down, snarling. Jack fought back just as viciously. Anton didn't hesitate jumping in, wrestling the pickaxe away from the mad mutt's grasp.

Jack let out a choked noise when Sam gave him a powerful headbutt that caused his head to hit the tunnel wall with a thud. The mutt slumped down the ground, out cold.

Anton was breathing heavily. His paws were bloody, and so was his nose. Sam didn't fare much better. The cougar was tense and he was breathing heavily. Blood was pouring from his face. He threw the unconscious Jack a look of utter contempt.

Sam's red eyes then turned to Anton, who couldn't help but flinch a little from how intense it was. The lantern's light reflected on the cougar's eyes and made them seem like glowing red embers.

"What are you doing here?" the cougar asked, his voice hoarse. "How even..."

"What do you think? I followed you," Anton replied, pushing himself up. "You were acting strange all day," he added pointedly.

"Oh..." Sam said, shoulders slumping.

"What were you thinking coming out here alone with this bastard?" Anton asked, glancing down at the scraggly mutt. He felt like kicking the canine for good measure.

Sam gave Anton a look that's half fearful and half resigned. He turned his head "It-it doesn't matter anymore, does it?"

Shaking his head, Anton looked around and saw something glinting in the ground. Sam's coins. He quickly picked them up.

"What should we do then?" Sam asked, still staring at Jack's unconscious form. "I mean, with him?" he jerked a thumb at Jack's prone form.

"Well it's obvious, isn't it? We will bring him to the sheriff," Anton said. "Is his office still open at this hour?"

Sam looked uncertain. "Maybe?"

"Right. Let's get this over with," Anton sighed.

He and Sam went to pick up Jack. Just as Anton was about to lift the mutt's arms, there was a snarl and his face exploded in pain.

Anton rolled on the ground, reeling from Jack's surprise attack. He suddenly felt a pressure on his body, and then around his neck. He choked when Jack squeezed the air out of his windpipes, with the mutt's claws digging into his flesh. The wolf clawed and trashed under the mutt, trying to get himself free, but Jack had suddenly become ten times stronger.

"Die you stupid whores!" Jack screamed. There was a deranged sort of look in the mutt's eyes.

Spots danced at the edges of Anton's vision, and there was a sharp pain when the mutt started slamming his head on the ground repeatedly.

Anton thought that he was going to black out when the pressure suddenly left his neck.

He coughed violently, sucking in much needed oxygen into his lungs. His vision swam and everything was out of focus, but he could just make out a large white form wrestling around with a mangy mutt, snarling and yowling. There was a glint of steel amongst the flurry of limbs, claws, and fangs.

The moment when Anton's vision stopped swimming, Sam and Jack were having a tug of war with the pickaxe. Sam was backed into the wall, pushing with all of his strength to resist Jack who was trying to slam the tip of the pick into Sam's head.

Anton quickly scrambled to his feet.

Sam snarled and pushed.

Jack stumbled. A flash of surprise colored his face as he fell backwards with Sam on top of him.

Sam seemed to freeze for a full second before he pushed himself off the mutt, scrambling backwards. He collided with Anton, who fell back from the sudden impact, and Anton felt his back hit something hot and metallic.

The lantern was snuffed out as it clattered noisily to the floor, plunging the caverns into pitch black darkness. There were only the sounds of their labored breathing for a deafening minute.

Anton patted his pockets and fumbled a little when he found what he was looking for. Paws shaking, the wolf clicked the switch on the electric torch. The device flickered on and off for several seconds, and Anton was thinking that it had become damaged during the fight with Jack before it finally flickered to life, bathing the tunnel once again in a weak yellow light.

Jack was twitching on the ground, letting out choked noises. Anton gripped Sam's shoulders firmly as they pushed themselves up and walked closer. He saw Sam's paw was curled around a large rock. His entire posture was defensive.

Anton blinked when he got a proper look at the mutt on the ground.

"Fuck..."

Jack was coughing out blood. His entire body spasmed and his eyes were wide in terror and surprise. Blood was pouring from the mutt's head and all over his face. The pickaxe which he had been trying to drive into Sam's head was now lodged deep into his skull.

The rock that Sam had been holding slipped from his paws and fell to the ground with an audible thud.

Jack choked again as he coughed out more blood. He let out a couple more spasms before he went still.

Silence fell in the tunnel. The only sound Anton could hear were his and Sam's labored breathing.

Sam was the first to speak.

"He's dead," the cougar's voice was hoarse.

Anton could only nod mutely. His gaze was transfixed at Jack's body. He couldn't look away.

"He's dead," Sam repeated, terror in his red eyes. "Oh god... I killed him!"

Anton's ears were ringing. He forced himself to look away from the body and grip Sam's shoulders.

"Sam. Sam. Listen to me. We need to get out, and get the sheriff."

The cougar turned to look at him as if he was crazy. "That's a one way ticket to the gallows!"

"No. No. We won't be hanged," Anton said firmly. "Also, isn't the sheriff your friend?"

Sam opened and closed his mouth. "Y-yes but we only have our word and a dead body--"

Anton felt his hackles raise.

"Sam..."

"And do you think they'll believe the words of two whores like us!? Jack is a miner and the miners will lynch us first before William could calm them--"

"Sam."

The cougar was shaking now. "We'll hang... oh god we'll both hang... I shouldn't have come--"

"Samuel!"

"What!"

Anton grabbed Sam's muzzle shut, imploring the cougar to be silent.

Sam's hackles slowly rose. His eyes widened as he finally felt what Anton had felt for the past few seconds.

There's something in the caves with them. Lurking in the dark. Watching.

The smell hit Anton's nose before he could determine who or what was watching them, and he nearly gagged. It was a heady, sickly-sweet stench of rot and burned flesh... and something else that he couldn't quite describe, but equally foul.

Sam's ear flicked and he turned his head to an opening in the cavern. Anton turned his ears towards it as well, shining his electric torch down the dark tunnels. The weak light couldn't reach more than a couple of feet nor penetrate the darkness.

Anton heard it as well.

Sounds of limbs scraping and stomping against dirt and rock. As if there were dozens of people crawling and scraping against the tunnels, but it didn't sound like multiple people.

It sounded like something big and heavy was making its way towards them.

The stench of rot grew stronger, as did the noises.

"Sam... we should move..." Anton whispered. He was barely aware how tight he was gripping the cougar's shoulder.

"Yes," was all Sam said as they both bolted up.

The two men half-ran, half stumbled their way towards the exit.

The tunnels seemed to twist and turn forever. Anton wasn't sure if fear and adrenaline were making him perceive things differently, or if the tunnel was just as labyrinthian. He had to force himself through the narrower tunnels, and there were frightening moments when he thought he was about to get stuck.

He could hear the thing pursuing them. The sounds of many limbs had quickened, and the stench of rot seemed to permeate the entire cave. Whatever was pursuing them was getting closer.

The wolf chanced to look back to the tunnel.

He saw...

Anton saw...

The wolf pushed himself to run faster, practically dragging Sam forward, or was Sam dragging him forward?

He wasn't sure and he did not care.

Anton didn't even hesitate when they reached the point where the tunnels branched and pulled Sam towards the tunnel where the waft of fresh desert air was the strongest.

The ringing in Anton's ears grew stronger just as a bellowing roar echoed through the tunnels.

Whatever was pursuing them was right behind them.

He could feel something large and sharp grazing his shoulder moments before he and Sam burst out of the caverns and into the open air.

What followed was a roar of frustration so deafening that Anton felt rattling deep into his bones.