I explained my theory to Hunter and Hudson on the way to the catacombs.
“Bullshit!', Hunter said, “you can't be serious!”
“I am Captain Firechaser”, I said, “it ain't right, someone's trying to jam a square peg into a round hole.”
“You seriously think Mark might be innocent?”, Hudson asked.
“Here's why”, I said, “look at Mark for a minute. He loved kids, he always hung out with Ace and the others and he blamed and beat himself up when Ace tripped over a vine and messed up his nose, you really think that he'd just go black and murder everyone he'd lay down his life for? That'd be like me killing Adelind.”
Hunter sighed, “you do make a valid point. Let's assume for a minute that Mark IS innocent, then who crushed the eggs?”
“Were about to find out”, Hudson said unlocking the door to Mark's cell. The room was underground, that way no one would hear Mark scream.
He was laying in the back of the room against the wall. Hunter had told me what Shadow had done to him on the way here, I could see the holes from the pitch fork where Shadow has stabbed him and his shattered paw was bandaged up. He was chained up so tightly that his other three paws were losing color. He look petrified of us.
“Here's what's gonna happen”, I said, “your going to tell us exactly what happened, and if I don't like the answer, you will die.”
“They're going to kill me anyway”, Mark stated, “why should I speak.”
“Because I don't believe you did it”, I said sitting back on my haunches.
Mark looked genuinely surprised at my words. I could tell he wasn't sure how to reply.
“You...you don't?”, he asked.
“Nope”, I replied, “I've seen you play with my cubs and I saw how angry you got at yourself when Ace tripped over a vine and got a bloody nose. I don't believe you could have worked up the stomach to do what happened tonight.”
Mark just stared at me.
“Hunter were there security cams in the hatchery?”, I asked.
“Yeah”, Hunter replied, “why?”
“I want the footage”, I said, “past twenty hours. We'll know real fast what really happened.”
Hunter left with Hudson and Shadow arrived. Mark looked absolutely horrified.
“I'll be back in three minutes”, I said, “you are not to touch him, understand me?”
“No promises”, Shadow said.
“I've said it a few times now Shadow”, I said, “and I'm saying it again, someone is trying to jam a square peg into a round hole, and until I know more, if you touch him,whatever you do to him I'll give back to you three times as worse, have I made myself clear Captain?”
Shadow winced, “sir...yes...sir.”
“Good”, I replied. I stepped out and left the door open as Shadow turned to face Mark. The halls were empty except for a few other RDH humans who were awaiting trial. I walked up to the command center where I found Hunter, Hudson and Lung looking at monitors.
“Major!”, Lung said, “your theory was correct! Come see this footage.”
I ran over to them. The film showed a single winged Feral dressed all in black tipping over the eggs and stepping on them. It also showed the little hatchling who died trying to defend his friends. The film was painful to watch as it was getting shot, but I was happy because this proved that Mark was innocent.
“Put this on your tablet Hunter!”, I shouted.
Hunter quickly downloaded the film. Before he could even hand it to me, I grabbed it up and ran back down the hall way. The door was still open and I could hear Mark begging for Shadow to back up and get away from him. Just in time.
“SHADOW!”, I roared sliding in on my tail, “STAND DOWN!”
Shadow looked at me.
“Mark is innocent”, I said, “I can prove it!”
“How?”, he asked.
“This”, I showed Shadow the footage, I saw his face drain from anger to regret and Mark started to cry.
“Mark never had wings”, I said, “the Feral in this film has one and there's a scar on one side, plus, he's not as tall as Mark, he didn't do it Shadow.”
“Thank you Tyro!”, Mark said crying happily, “I owe you my life!”
Shadow looked at Mark and started undoing the shackles, “and I owe you one hell of an apology.”
Mark laughed through his tears, “you can start by stabbing yourself with that pitchfork.”
Shadow laughed, “I'm sorry Mark, I really, truly am, can you ever forgive me? I'll understand if you don't.”
Mark smiled and hugged Shadow, “I forgive you Shadow.”
Nina soon entered, followed by Adelind and Lung.
“I knew you didn't do it”, Nina said hugging Mark, who began crying again.
“I hate to brake this up”, Lung said, “but now our actual killer is still on the lose.”
“Shouldn't be too hard finding him though”, I said, “dude only has one wing, should be easy as pie.”
Mark smiled, “when you find him Major, Shadow get's first go and I'll clean up the mess.”
Shadow laughed as we left the catacombs. Mark went to the vet to get patched up while the rest of us went back to the barracks to get some sleep. When I got back to my room, I explained to my friends that Mark was framed by a single winged, red Feral. Fireclaw quickly checked his sides and then said.
“Phew, it wasn't me.”
We laughed at his remark and then hit our beds.