PA 3.5: End of a Tail

Chapter XXXIII Part IV

The walls were all the same, checkered with brown or white brickwork that were rarely broken up by a window leading to the inner courtyard or outside and into the streets. Being so far away from Kemonotown proper, nobody was outside, leaving Jason's attempts at waving for help fruitless.

"HEWY," he tried to yell, pressing his lips up against the window like he was about to kiss it, "OWVER HER!!"

"Oh my dog," Riley hissed, "Jason, thats a fucking bush!"

"N-No!" Jason stammered, "Look, it's actually a person! They could get us out of here!"

Nobody moved back to the hallway window, instead, both Riley and Olivia watched on as Jason continued his futile effort. When Riley thought complaining might be the best way to endear herself to the energetic manul aside her, she wasn't prepared for the look of congealed disgust plastered on the cat's face. Riley thought to ask about it, but Olivia caught her gaze, and her features softened.

"It- That window must be so dirty..." she murmured.

"Dogs are so filthy" is what Riley nearly said before she caught herself. Instead of the remark, she opted to give the Manul a once over, seemingly only now noticing the bandages that adorned her shoulders and beneath her skirt.

"... Are you hurt?" Riley asked, peering closer at the things.

Olivia nearly jumped back, looking down and seemingly realizing what the cat was talking about. "I'd... really rather you not look at those," they said, their previous optimistic tone waning.

The turkish van's eyes widened for a moment as her mind swam with ideas. "Y-You didn't do that to-" She stopped herself from expressing them. "Or- Nevermind, s-sorry."

"It's fine!" Olivia cheered.

Capper nearly slipped, leaving cause for alarm as the trio turned to help him. He waved his singular paw infront of them, halting them, and then pointing forward with his stump arm.

"D-Dog..." he whimpered, pointing ahead at a black cat peering it's head around the next corner, ducking back when it realized it had been spotted.

"Isn't that..." Jason whispered. "Liles?!" he then shouted, earning a smack on the head from Riley.

A paw stuck out from behind the corner, waving at the group. Olivia grimaced.

The four emerged from the hallway and into the intersection Liles had drawn them into. Despite Jason's anticipating an ambush, there was nothing but the cat himself, clutching at his right arm and appearing extremely nervous.

"Hey," Jason began, "are you okay?"

"He's gone." He spoke glazed over. "Josh- Joshua's gone."

"What?" Riley belted out, "What are you saying? He can't be- we just saw him!"

Olivia raised her paws to her chest. "Oh no," she muttered, raising her mitts until they covered her face.

"But we- we just..." Riley slumped, her features becoming slack.

Jason examined Liles' demeanour, then let his eyes fall to the floor. "Shit, you're serious, aren't you?"

The cat replied with a desperate glare. He opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't force the words.

"We still don't have anyone that can use this STUPID wand, and you all don't-" she stuttered forward, menacing with the wand, "none of you care that one of our own just died!"

"I don't know what you want us to do," Capper sassed, "He's not the only person to have died, and sure as hell won't be the last. A-All we can hope for is that we don't end up on the obituaries with 'im."