"Damn it, where the heck are we?" Kael snapped, brushing dirt off his clothes as he glared at the man in front of him.
"Don't worry, kid. We won't get lost. Now get back on the fucking ride."
An hour later...
"We're here, kid. Now pay up."
The door creaked as Kael stepped into the old shop. Dust stirred in the beam of sunlight slicing through the dim interior.
"Old man, I'm here."
He dropped the bag by the counter and walked toward the back.
SLAM!
"Hey, old man, I'm back."
A voice called from within the cluttered shelves.
"Oh, Kael. You're back. Come quickly, I have something to show you. Look."
The old man stepped aside, revealing a black, head-sized egg resting on a cracked pedestal. Intricate glowing runes danced across its surface.
"What is it?" Kyle asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Young one, don't you recognize a beast egg when you see one? You made it just in time—it's about to hatch."
The egg twitched. The runes began pulsing rhythmically with light.
CRACK!
A miniature flare of light washed over the room.
Out of the broken shell emerged a tiny skeletal feline—its bones smooth and pale, with thin trails of flickering blue fire between the joints.
"A Bone whisper Lynx…" the old man muttered, sounding disappointed. "That's quite unfortunate. I thought it'd be rarer. You want it?"
"Eh?" Kael blinked.
The old man lifted the creature carefully and set it down on Kyle's forearm. It clung with light claws, eye sockets glowing faintly as it stared up at him.
Kyle stared back.
"Kael," the old man said as he turned toward a nearby shelf, "I hope you take care of it... because I won't be around much longer."
"Where are you going?"
"Business. Issues. Also, I suggest you pay your debts before Viper's man comes looking for you."
He rummaged through a few dusty boxes and pulled out a white envelope.
"Here's some money. For all the times you helped me out. Take it."
"I can't take that—"
The old man cut him off, grabbing a black walking cane and heading to the front door. Before leaving, he paused and glanced back.
"Well, you'll have to. Or you can leave it there."
SLAM.
The door shut behind him.
Kael stood still. In one hand, the envelope. On his arm, the small skeletal lynx.
It blinked at him—if you could call that blinking.
Kael clutched the white envelope tightly as he stepped into a crumbling alley behind a rundown warehouse. Smoke floated from rusted vents, mixing with the stench of oil and something sour.
A bulky man leaned against the wall, cigarette in hand. Two others lingered nearby, sharp eyes locking onto Kael.
"I'm here to settle my debt."
Derrick, laughed dryly, flicking ash onto the ground.
"Settle? Thought you'd skip town after the old man vanished."
Kael pulled the envelope from his jacket and held it out.
Kael:"That's everything. The old man gave it to me. We're square."
Derrick took the envelope, tore it open, then counted slowly. His smirk grew thin.
"This ain't enough."
"It's all I've got."
Derrick didn't say anything. He just swung — the fist landed square in Kael's gut, knocking the air from him. Kael dropped to his knees, coughing.
One of the other men laughed and kicked him in the side.
"Next time, don't bring pocket change."
Kael tried to speak, but Derrick grabbed his shirt collar and leaned close, voice low and venomous.
"I say when its enough, kid! That clear?"
Kael nodded faintly, blood at the corner of his mouth. Derrick shoved him to the ground.
"You've got Till tommorow. Then I come collect.".....
The door creaked open, and Kael stumbled inside, bruised and limping. The lights flickered on.
The skeletal lynx sat curled up on a pillow, tail flicking, empty sockets glowing faint blue.
Kael jumped into the old couch, arm over his eyes.
"ugh"
The lynx padded over and climbed onto his chest, curling up silently.
He stared at the wooden ceiling.
"Guess im skipping town for now."
"Isn't that right skelly, i should probably name you?"