Joseph, just a child of seven years old, ran giddily down the dirt roads that ran from the Beastfolk city of Wolfhaven, a city upon the southern shore of the Outskirts and a haven for those of the beast blood.

The wiry dirt path wound its way from the walls of the city and ended at a small house. Along his way, Joseph took in the sweet smell of the lilies and asters that grew wild on the forest floor. All around him, massive pines shot upward, their prickly needles ascending as if attempting to touch the heavens.

The small cat-boy scurried down the beaten trail to the humble and economical hut at its end.

“Hadvir!” he called out as he approached the doorway and opened the shanty door.

Inside, a hefty man stood over a butcher’s table, a cleaver in his hand and a half-chopped rabbit before him.

“Hefty” was the word for Hadvir, as he was all upper body and skinny legs. He too was one of the Beastfolk, with dog-like ears and a bushy tail. Perhaps that was why Joseph found himself so drawn to him. Dog or not, as far as the small cat-boy was concerned, he was family.

And Joseph liked it that way.

“What’s the rush for, kid?” Hadvir laughed, putting his butcher’s knife down and wiping his bloody hands upon his white apron, staining it pink.

“I’m not a kid!” Joseph retorted.

“Oh really?” A wry smile formed on Hadvir’s lips. “And who does all the hunting?”

Joseph pursed his lips in a pout. “I hunt, too!” he said.

“Oh really?” the dog-man laughed, ruffling Joseph’s hair, causing his cat ears to twitch. “What did you catch today?”

Joseph knelt down and placed his rucksack upon the ground. Hadvir watched curiously as the small boy rummaged through whatever he had stored in there—enough to make odd clanking noises. Finally, Joseph pulled out a gargantuan beetle, black and shiny, with large pincers and single horn.

Hadvir contorted his face in disgust.

“Ew. We can’t eat that!”

Joseph stomped his foot. “I tried my best!”

“Well, let it go,” Hadvir chuckled. “I caught rabbit today!”

A big smile crossed Joseph’s face, his catlike ears perking up. “Rabbit?!”

The world is naturally cold, or at least it seems that way.

Hadvir wasn’t his father—at least not his real father. Joseph’s mother died of sickness shortly after my birth. He guessed his father hated him for that, because he simply abandoned Joseph right after.

Joseph still remembered shivering in the winter...

The day Hadvir found him...

    Joseph remembered the day he found him...

                 ...as vividly as he remembered the day Hadvir died.

It was morning when it happened; the mists in the forest had fully sank below the canopy, becoming a ghostly brume that filled the space below.

Joseph had only just awakened, the smell of meat on the spit above the fireplace wafting into his room and making his stomach growl.

As he rubbed his hazy eyes, there came a knock on the door. It was not a normal knock. This knock was rather...forceful and invasive. Joseph looked at Hadvir curiously. Something was different. The look on the dog-man’s face was unusual. It wasn’t surprise or eagerness.

The look on his face was terrified, as if he had seen a phantom in the fogs outside.

Suddenly, the door burst open, flying from the hinges and slamming onto the dirt floor in a plume of dust.

“Been a while, hasn’t it?” A tall, burly, Angel entered the room, followed by two soldiers at his side.

Joseph felt his blood freeze as he beheld the luciferous yellow halo that wound itself around the Angel’s arm.

“Torro!” Hadvir gasped, a tremble in his voice.

The Angel smiled darkly. “You should have known better than to run from your master.”

Smoke filled the room as Joseph’s muscles contorted into his cat form. He hissed, bearing his teeth and claws.

“Joeseph!” Hadvir exclaimed, jumping between them.

“My, my,” Torro said, holding up his hand, “it seems you’ve found a pet.” The angel stepped forward. Suddenly, his fingers hardened and became shiny and metallic.

Joseph gasped. The Angel’s fingers were small, bony blades.

“Scared, little kitty?” Torro laughed. “My Given Power allows me to become a blade.” He turned to Hadvir. “Now onto you...” He swiped his bladed finger across the dog-man’s shirt, splitting it open. “I’ve found you, Slave Number one-seven-three-three.”

“Sl-slave...” Joseph merely muttered, his eyes wide and teary.

Torro pointed directly at him with a long, bladed finger.

“Get rid of the cat!”

“No!” Hadvir said as he swung his fist.

“Not smart.” The Angel laughed as he grabbed the other’s arm, his knife-like fingers digging deeply into the dog-man’s wrist. “Soldiers! Arrest the slave!”

“Hadvir!” Joseph exclaimed, his voice gurgling through tears.

“Don’t worry, kid,” Hadvir said, smiling. “It’ll be alright. I’ll be back soon!”

Joseph said nothing as he watched them lead Hadvir away.

Joseph still remembered that smile...that stupid smile...

Hadvir was lying....

He was lying, and Joseph knew it...

So why? Why did Joseph do what he did? He hated himself for it.

Maybe he couldn’t help it? Maybe it’s just who he is?

When he read it in the newspaper that Hadvir was to be executed—executed right here in Wolfhaven...

He couldn’t stop himself from trying to save him.

Joseph pushed his small body through the crowd to the front row and stopped.

He felt his heart rise to his throat. There he was. Before Joseph, behind the line of Angelic soldiers and their rifles, stood Hadvir, his arms tied tightly to a wooden post.

“Ready men!” the man in the middle called out.

The crowd became silent.

“Fire!”

“Hadvir!” Joseph exclaimed. As the shots sounded, he jumped forward, slipping past the riflemen and to the post.

“Kid...?” the prisoner coughed, “is that...you?

Joseph quickly removed Hadvir’s black hood.

“Why?” Joseph cried. “Why did you have to defend me? Why didn’t you let me just die with you? You’re my family, Hadvir!”

“Listen, kid,” Hadvir heaved, blood gurgling in the back of his throat and dripping down from his lips. “Run...out there is a big world...there are...” He grunted. “Lots’a people...go...you’ll find your family out there...”

“Hadvir...” Joseph mumbled in tears.

“Just never forget me...and that...”

Hadvir smiled widely, a perfect bliss upon his face, a happiness that defied his situation. “Joseph, I will die, but...” He paused, “You will always be my family!”

“Aim, men!” the soldier called out again, “Kill the boy, too!”

Joseph turned to Hadvir...

Hadvir was dead, and Joseph hadn’t gotten to say goodbye. Instead, he ran. What else could he have done? He hated the world that day. He had no one. He was cold. Hungry.

But I met you, didn’t I...

...Philos...

“Uri! Vylet!” Philos, only seven years old, exclaimed to his friends as they searched through the woods. “Look! I found the kitty! He’s a big boy, too!”

Joseph hissed, his hair standing on end.

“Don’t worry!” Vylet said, pulling a slice of ham that she got from the kitchen out of her pocket. “We aren’t gonna hurt you!”

“Come on!” Philos said, his hand outstretched, “I won’t hurt you!”

Joseph writhed as the boy’s fingers got closer. He jumped forward and sunk his fangs into Philos’ hand. Philos winced, then pet Joseph’s head softly with his other hand.

Joseph stopped. Why? He had hurt this boy. Why did he react with such kindness?

Out there is a big world...

Philos smiled. “We’ve always wanted a pet!”

Suddenly, Joseph transformed in a poof of smoke.

Go...

“I’m not a pet!” he exclaimed.

Philos smiled at the others, then turned to him.

You’ll find your family out there...

“Then,” Philos began, laughing, “can you be my brother?”

Philos saved my life that day...

    He gave me...

                 Family...

Hyena nudged the gun against the back of Joseph’s head.

“I’m sure the others have already killed your buddies,” she sang, “so I’ll make this quick!”

She laughed. “One!”

“Two!” she sang.

Joseph remained unmoving.

“Bang—”

Before Hyena could finish her sentence, smoke exploded from Joseph, causing her to shield her eyes.

In an instant, Joseph, in cat form sheared her arm with his claws. Hyena raged as she dropped her gun and held the bleeding wound.

“Why you,” she said as she reached for her spare pistol.

“Nope!” Joseph exclaimed as he morphed back to human form, his heel spinning in an arc across his opponent’s face.

Hyena felt the ground. She looked up to see Joseph’s gun near her head.

“Now,” he said, “give me a good reason as to why I shouldn’t blow your face off?”

“Kill me,” she laughed, “Hound has probably already set fire to that stupid old woman’s house by now, and—“

“What did you say?” Joseph started.

“I said what I said!” she laughed. “Now kill me!”

Joseph groaned a long groan. “Ugh! This was a set-up!”

“Now kill me, little kitty! Just kill—”

Joseph crossed her jaw with a great kick, and Hyena fell silent. He stopped and looked for a door.

Uri’s in danger!

Alphonso’s staircase was a short ascent to a doorway at the top of the stairs. It was dark along the hallway, with only the light that seeped from behind the door at the top to guide him. Alphonso reached the top and opened the door.

“Looks like it’s my lucky day, pal!” Fox said as he realized it was the man he fought days prior who was to fight him now.

“Couldn’t be luckier!” Alphonso cracked his as the door slammed behind him.

On the opposite end of the brightly lit, empty, circular room, the muscular Alphonso saw Fox seated in a small chair, a bat in his hands.

Alphonso smirked at Fox’s cowardice, but it didn’t surprise him. Alphonso inspected the slugger in his opponent’s hands and smiled. It was wrapped tightly in barbed wire.

Alphonso reached into the pocket of his brown vest and pulled out a small, silver switchblade.

Fox suddenly burst into laughter, pointing the bat at the young man. “That knife won’t save you, guy! You’re gonna die here.”

Alphonso chuckled as he flipped out the blade to reveal a comb.

“Please!” he huffed in clear derision as he ran the comb carefully through his styled hair. “You think I need a knife to beat your ass?! No.” He retracted the comb, and returned it to his pocket. “A real man talks with his fists!”