Clayton watched with awe as Noah expertly slingshotted cookies into monster after monster’s mouth creating a clear path for them into a store. Clayton looked around the place and felt a shudder, “This place is creepy.”

Grabbing a shopping cart Noah chuckled, “Nah this place has nothing on red lake valley. I still have nightmares about that.”

Confused Clayton tilted his head, “Wait what's a nightmare?”

Noah gave a soft smile while he walked through the store grabbing various supplies, “Oh uh, right amnesia. Ok so when you go to sleep or uh close your eyes for a long time you're sleeping. When you sleep you have a chance of dreaming, dreaming is like a recollection of things that make you happy. 

Nightmares are the opposite of that, its unpleasant it can make you wake up in the middle of it because you get so scared.”

Clayton nodded, “Oh, ok. Then I think I had a dream last night.”

Noah raised a brow, “Really what did you dream about?”

Clayton swayed his head slightly, “Somebody was telling me a story about a blue bird.”

Noah smiled, “That could have been a dream or a memory, or both. But either way it sounds nice. Do you remember the story?”

Clayton shook his head, “Kind of, I just know it was about a little blue bird.”

Looking over some of the clothes Noah gleaned over at Clayton, “Pick out some clothes and try them out while I get some more sugar and get you gear.” 

Clayton nodded and watched Noah leave before he began picking out some of the clothes he found appealing. Such as a gray short sleeve shirt that had long sleeves coming out from the shoulders that went under the short sleeves. To a blue vest and some gray pants. Shortly after trying the clothes on and finding what fits him. Noah returned with a backpack filled with supplies on his back and one in hand. 

Noah smiled at Clayton, “Oh that looks a lot better, here, I filled it up with supplies so we will last longer on the trip.”

Clayton nodded and put on the bag and the two headed out of the store. Clayton expected to see more monsters out and about but no there weren't. He raised brow, “So, why aren't there more monsters?”

Noah smiled, “Oh that? Ink’s been killing them while we were in the store to help secure a safe route.”

Clayton blinked, “Oh, ok that makes sense… I think.”

The two enjoyed silence as they walked along concrete paths. Until Clayton heard the distant sound of sniffing and growling.

Clayton stopped, “Hey Noah, do you hear that?”

Noah stopped, “Hear what?”

Frowning Clayton listened carefully as he heard the sound of heavy paws hitting the pavement when suddenly it stopped as Baboosh came in and landed behind them. 

It took in a deep breath and it chuckled, “We found you! It is time to get you.”

Noah’s eyes widened and he grabbed Clayton’s wrist, “Run!”

The three headed beast only laughed, “Run? Run! There is no escape in a hunt!”

Swiftly Noah pulled out his slingshot and a cookie. He took aim and fired at the three headed dog.

The cookie landed near Baboosh and the head named whip looked at it in longing, “Cookie! Cookie! So yummy  it would be for our tummy!”

Baboosh nipped at Whip, “Hush you! We are on a hunt, there are no cookies in a hunt!”

Noah giggled, while he ran with Clayton in tow, “There are now, you're welcome!”

Baboosh howled, “Ughh, curse you smart human! Whip snap out of it. We do not need cookies! We need to please our master!”

Clayton and Noah kept running until they couldn’t hear the creature anymore. They ran and ran until they couldn’t anymore.

Clayton took in large breaths between panting sweat dripping down his face, “Do you think we lost it?”

Before Noah could reply they heard a loud long howl.

Frowning while he looked back Noah directed his gaze back to Clayton, “That’s a big no.” 

The duo resumed their running. If it wasn’t for such a keen difference in the change of his surroundings colors. Clayton wouldn’t have noticed the fact that the buildings were changing to trees. 

Stopping once he saw the ominous glowing red fog coming in. Clayton stopped Noah, “Where are we going.”

Shuddering Noah glanced at Clayton, “Uh, all the other ways are gonna force us to go back to that dog. But to answer the question, we're heading into Red Lake valley.”

Clayton nodded and he took more time to take in the change of surroundings. The trees rippled like the skin of worms, all while staying still. 

The deeper they went the more his vision was clouded by the red fog. But despite this he could still see Noah. 

Until suddenly at the premise of where the fog made a shape blurry were the waving silhouettes of people. Eyes widening Noah grabbed Clayton by the wrist and spoke only one word, “Run.”

Clayton wanted to protest that the waving people were well worth greeting but perhaps it was better to go with Noah’s lead.

The two wove between the trees until they came to a clearing. Sudenly all the waving figures around them were snatched up by these things that took to the sky’s open air. Clayton heard nothing but his breath and Noah's.

When he changed his gaze back to the clearing there were deer all together in a herd. They weren't grazing, they stared directly at him and Noah. 

Noah sighed, “Few it's just some deer.”

Right when Noah was done speaking all the deer opened their mouths wide at them. To claytons horror the deer's skin peeled back revealing large teeth edged tongues but the skin kept peeling back. Clayton didn’t want to look any more. Thankfully Noah grabbed him again and they ran. Only when Clayton looked behind him he saw a huge wall of moving flesh with teeth-egged tongues and cloven hooved ligaments pulling it forward and around trees.

They kept running, Clayton’s lungs were starting to burn, he didn’t know how much longer he could keep this up until the duo hit a large concrete wall. Clayton turned back to the wall of flesh only to watch as it hit a certain point, hissed and left.

Clayton looked over to Noah, “What, what was that thing?”

Noah shuddered, “corrupted deer, god im just glad you didn’t get taken off by one of those birds.”

Clayton tilted his head, “What's a bird?”
Chuckling Noah looked to the path along the wall, “Ill explain later but first im-”

Running out of the forest covered in blood that was not his own was Baboosh. Howling Baboosh set his gaze on Noah and Clayton, “Ha ha! Found you, we have found out pray!”

With his teeth bared Baboosh charged for Clayton only for Ink to come out of nowhere and tackle Baboosh. Gnashing of teeth echoed as the two clashed.

Quickly Noah set down his bag and pulled out an amber orab with a pin and looked to the two clashing animals, “Ink tell me when!”

Ink pushed Baboosh back towards Noah before leaping back, “Now!”

Aiming and pulling out the pin Noah threw the amber ball for Baboosh. Swiftly Noah pulled Clayton away. Clayton watched in awe as the amber ball exploded into this sticky substance that clung baboosh to the floor.

Baboosh howled and squirmed while Clayton, Noah and Ink got away. 

Once a good distance was reached while following the walls they reached these large barred gates where two guards were posted. 

The guards were dressed in black and blue armor with baseball caps. They had pistols on their hips with these chainsaw spears they kept in their hands. 

The two guards looked to Noah and smiled, “Hey Noah, here to trade with Lilith again?” One spoke while the other raised a brow at Clayton, “Is he with you Noah?”

Noah smiled and nodded, “Yes to both questions.”

The two guards nodded and the gate rose. Clayton followed Noah in with Ink shortly behind. He looked in awe at the bustling streets. There were these mechanical things that people could get in and out of and be transported in. There were side vendors selling food and items. 

Noah eventually led Clayton to a building that read Morning Star Cafe. Clayton tilted his head, “What is this?”

Smiling, Noah grabbed Clayton’s wrist, opened the establishment's door and brought him in.

Immediately Clayton’s nose filled with something very pleasant. Like the cookie Noah had given him but this smelled just so, so much better. He saw colorful foods being served out on plates. With colorful light green and yellow papers by them having writings on the parchment.

He saw a large counter with a container that had bigger colorful foods stacked in interesting ways. 

Noah, still smiling, shouted out, “Lilith, I'm back!”

It was then, Clayton assumed Lillith came out of a set of doors from the back. She had bright copper red hair wrapped into a tight bun, emerald green eyes and pale skin. She brushed crumbs and chocolate off her apron and blouse.

Lilith then set her gaze on Claton and her once pleasant happy face shifted into a snarl befitting of a dragon. She pointed her finger at Clayton, “Noah I swear to the furry of god and the demonic armies that you better have at least tested this one before you brought him in!”

Noah nodded furiously, “Yes! He can eat sugar. Not a monster, just uh, a guy with really, really bad amnesia.”

Lilith raised a brow. She eyed Clayton up and down. It almost felt like she was calculating every detail about him and noting it down.

She gazed a bit longer before she huffed and pulled out an brightly colored food. While holding it she turned to Clayton, “Fine, I guess we'll see. Here you must be hungry after your trip sir.” 

Clayton gingerly took the plate and its contents. He looked in awe and looked to her, “I eat this? Even though it's so pretty?”

Lilith rolled her eyes, “Yes, you eat it.” 

Looking over to Noah she raised a brow, “yesh where'd you find him a dumpster?”

Noah shook his head but the two flinched when they heard Clayton choke and inhale the piece of cake until there was nothing left.

Staring at Clayton, Lilith hummed and narrowed her gaze. Shrugging she turned her back, “Fine have as much cake as you want just don't kill youre self doing it.”

Clayton looked to Noah, “Does that mean I can have some more?” 

Gesturing to the slices of cake set up on the counter Noah took a seat and patted the one next to him, “You heard her, as much as you wanted.”

Smiling Clayton sat next to him and practically engulfed all the cake in front of him. Lilith even had given him four more plate fulls till he was done. 

She watched him devour the last plate and sighed as if defeated in combat, “Fine, he’s cleared you guys can go.”

Suddenly over half the people in the cafe got up and left in a synced walk. Clayton watched them leave through the door. He looked in awe as the second they exited they went from looking like normal people to all having blacked out uniformes. 

Lillith looked back to Noah, “So how did you meet him?”

Frowning Noah sighed, “I found him in a crater from a fall and he has really bad memory loss. So, I was thinking of taking him to the mayor.”

Lillith’s eyes widened, “No way you're planning on-'' The words died in her throat. She looked at Clayton like she was staring at a ghost. “God, I hope they say no.”

Noah shook his head, “To each their own. Well sense he has

 been cleared now. We can go.”

Clayton raised a brow at Lillith before looking to Noah, “So where are we going next?”

Gesturing to the door Noah put both of his hands in his pockets, “To the mayor's office she can help get your memories back.”

Clayton’s eyes widened, brushed the cake crumbs off of his shirt and took to his feet. Leading him out of the cafe Noah brought Clayton to a tall black stone building. It had large colorful stained windows with shapes that looked oddly familiar. 

Guards stationed at the door looked at the two, one spoke before the other, “So, here to discuss with Atheria?”

Noah nodded and the guard sighed before the two soldiers opened the doors. 

Upon entering the building Clayton saw a large red carpet. He saw it ended at a large chair with an even bigger desk. Around this large room were more guards that all shared the same stoic expression. Their uniforms black, guns on their hips and swords on their backs.

The duo walked up to the desk and the chair turned around. There before them was a woman with ridiculously long flowing light violet hair. Her slitted eyes a piercing sapphire. Her skin looked pale as snow.

Her outfit consisted of black armor over a frilled white blouse with violet accents. Her pants were black and set next to her was a large scythe. 

Atheria tilted her head slightly to the left while she folded her arms, “So, what is it you dragged from the hellscape beyond this time Noah? A new worker?”

Noah huffed, tears faintly formed in the corners of his eyes, “No, not a new sacrifice for your garden. He has memory loss and you were the only person I could think of.”

Atheria hummed her eyes set on Clayton, eyeing him up and down. She smirked before she stood up and flared out some of her hair, “Alright I can help restore your memories but, in return he has to work for me.”

Noah sighed, “as a guard?”

Atheria smiled showing off her fangs. She looked to Clayton, “No, for something as tolling as memory loss you must survive being lead Sheriff for two weeks.”

Before Noah could speak again Clayton spoke, “Alright you have a deal, I survive being Sheriff and afterwards you restore my memories.”

Noah looked at Clayton in horror but yet again he was cut off. Atheria looked to Noah, “I'm sure you can show him the way.” 

Gritting his teeth Noah glared at her, “Sometimes, I really hate you.” 

Leading Clayton out of the building Noah grumbled under his breath and sighed, “Clayton do you even know how to fight?”

Clayton titled his head, “What’s fighting?”

Groaning while he slapped his forehead Noah pulled Clayton further along the streets of the city, “Defending yourself like, how i killed those monsters?”

Shaking his head Clayton scratched the back of his neck, “Sorry but no, I don't know how to do that.”

Pulling out his slingshot Noah furrowed his brows, “You might do well with a slingshot.” 

Noah then lead Clayton out to a cleared area by one of the walls of the town and set up a couple of pottles and cans. 

Handing Clayton the slingshot and a marble he explained, “Ok so you aim with the wood and you pull back the rubberband while the marble is in front of the rubber band . Then you let go.”

Doing as instructed Clayton pulled back the rubberband to his cheek while makeing sure the marble stayed in its designated spot he aimed at one of the cans and fired. The marble flew hit the wall and richosheid back to hit the spot right before Noah’s feet.

Noah flinched, “Uh, ok maybe one of the deputes at the shariff’s department would be able to do better with you.”

***********

Dark black wings loomed over Baboosh who was still stuck in taffey still. Baboosh whimperd, “Sorry Lucifer.”

Lucifer groaned and rolled his eyes before with a few good flaps of his wings the taffy flew off the young cerbirus, “Let me geuss you got sidetracted?”

Baboosh shook it’s three heads, “No, we fallowed the sent. It lead us to prey. Prey was with little boy. Little boy did this.”