Kisara was snoring loudly. The alcohol had already got her. So were the other kids. The only ones still awake in the cave were the Molrrets and Regulus, who were all busy being fascinated by the copper Azuls.

  What craftsmanship, such texture, much interesting.

  Then they heard three pairs of footsteps, rushing towards the cave. Regulus and the Molrrets recognized these footsteps; they belonged to three girls who were part of the urchins, their younglings.

  “KISARA !!! D’AKA !!!”

  The three girls entered, screaming from the top of their lungs. Loud enough to awaken both Kisara and D’aka. Loud enough to awaken half of the sleeping child.

  The three girls were tattered and scared. Panic in their faces, desperation in their voices. Looking at them was enough to snap Kisara and D’aka awake… what the girls were about to tell them was enough to sober them up.

  ***********

  They ran.

  Kisara and D’aka ran like their life depended on them. Behind them, were some of Kisara’s girls who were struggling to catch up.

  They rushed in such a panic that they did not even think to bring Regulus along.

  ‘Please. Please.’

  Kisara prayed. Prayed so hard to higher beings who never cared for them. She only had one wish. That they were not too late.

  “Huff Huff”

  They stopped running, their breath barely caught up to them. They had arrived where they were supposed to be…

  They reached Ana.

  Her face… beaten to a pulp, yet her eyes still showed despair, a tinge of desire to be saved.

  Her body… broken, battered, defiled.

  Ana… was dead.

  They were too late.

  Witnessing Ana’s body, Kisara's eyes wavered. They could not focus on the reality in front of her.

  Kisara wailed.

  Filled with anger and fury.

  Overwhelmed by guilt.

  WHACK WHACK

  She punched a nearby wall. Hitting it so hard her fist broke, blood flying. It was her fault. She should have protected Ana. She was a failure. It should have been her.

  D’aka was late to react. He too was deeply affected. Once he realized that Kisara was harming herself, he tried to stop her… but he could not. He could not muster the strength to stop her fist.

  The other girls caught up. They saw Kisara punching a wall, D’aka desperately tried to stop her, and on the ground, the lifeless body of their dear sister. Tears burst out of their eyes, but they must stop Kisara from hurting herself.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  The girls held Kisara’s bloodied hands while D’aka held her body. Four people were needed to fully stop Kisara. All Kisara could do was stare at the wall, bloodied by her own hands.

  “I’ll kill them. I’ll kill them all.” Kisara swore to herself as she cried uncontrollably.

  “We will, Kisara. We will.” D’aka promised her, failing to hold back his own tears.

  The night was silent. It was a night like any other. Just another night where a child lost their life unceremoniously.

  *********

  The cave was no longer dead silent. The street urchins were awakened by the commotion. None of them knew what was going on. Not even the three girls who started the whole commotion. The three of them were covered in blankets — trembling, hoping — that D’aka and Kisara could rescue Ana. That they had not ended up abandoning their own sister.

  John was nursing his headache. Not only was the hangover killing his head, the current situation just made it worse. He hoped that the worst had not happened. After all, they were just enjoying their success. Their lives were supposed to get better from here on out.

  “Eda, Grigori… what happened?”

  Azali asked them. The current situation was making her uncomfortable. It reminded her of the time when they were all desperate to survive. A time before they met Regulus.

  But they could not answer. They too were just awakened by the commotion. They too were rattled by the tense atmosphere.

  Even Regulus stopped being fascinated by his copper Azul. The mood in the air was tense, filled with the younglings' nervousness. He did not like it.

  Then he heard footsteps.

  D’aka’s. Kisara’s, and some of the younglings who were following them. The footsteps were slow, listless… defeated.

  Regulus smelled blood. Kisara’s … and Ana’s.

  Kisara was the first to enter. Hand bloodied, face streaked with tears. The girls followed next, equally dejected. And the last to enter … was D’aka, carrying Ana’s body.

  The urchins were shocked into silence. It had almost felt like forever since one of them died. Now, reality was setting back in. They were just a bunch of unwanted dregs of society, fated to die like trash on the street.

  John messaged his temple. The worst had just happened. All the good things that had been happening were nothing but a sweet dream.

  The three girls' worst nightmare came true. They had abandoned one of their own. They were nothing but self-serving scums.

  “ANAAA, ANAAA.” All three of them abandoned their blankets and crawled towards Ana. They knew it was their fault. They wanted forgiveness from Ana. — A forgiveness that would never come. A forgiveness they did not deserve.

  Kisara hugged the girls, offering them the warmth they needed. And they cried their hearts out in her embrace.

  “It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault.” Kisara reassured them tirelessly. And once their cries started to die down, she asked them the question she wanted to know. “Who? Who did this?”

  Two of the girls did not know who did it. But one knew, “It was Omar. From the Lorca gang.”

  It was the worst news for John… or was it? It was another gang messing with them. But they got Regulus now. The question was, could they even use Regulus like a weapon? Could they control him?

  The answer to this question was important to John. Because both Kisara and D’aka looked like they were on the warpath, and now that the entire street urchins witnessed what happened to Ana, there was no way to stop a gang war between them and the Lorca.

  John's question was about to be answered. He saw Regulus approach Ana’s dead body. The way he reacted— would decide the Urchins’ fate.

  “Regulus…” D’aka was a bit worried. He knew Regulus was a cannibal, and he did not want Regulus to eat Ana. But somehow… somehow he felt fine to let Regulus approach Ana.

  “Ana…”

  Regulus gently stroked Ana’s face. He put his hand near her nose … There was no breath.

  He put his hand on top of her heart … There was no beat.

  He now knew for sure … Ana was dead.

  Regulus touched his forehead to Ana’s. He slipped a copper Azul, his newly acquired treasure into Ana’s hand.

  “Ana … Thank you for the fur you gave me … I will always remember you.”

  Regulus let go of Ana … then his entire smell changed.

  His face … filled with wrath.

  Regulus peed on the floor. When the Molrrets smelled the scent of his pee — their emotions changed. They were filled with aggression, enough to scare any of the urchins that saw their face.

  “KIIIIEE~”

  “KIIIIIEE~”

  The Molrret started to squeal loudly. Some of them started to dig, while others peed.

  RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE

  And the earth shook violently.

  “Regulus… what’s happening?” In the midst of all that, even Kisara momentarily forgot her anger. She was worried that all of them would be buried alive.

  RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE

  RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE

  “Omar … was it?”

  Regulus asked. Confirming the identity of the one who threatened their herd. The girl who identified the attacker could only nod in fear.

  “Regulus !!!” panic settled in her voice. The tremor was getting unbearable and the other urchins started to scream, fearing for their life.

  RUMBLE RUMBLE

  BAM

  BAM

  BAM

  Molrrets.

  Molrrets started to violently pop out of the cave. Dozens of them. Hundreds of them. Soon, almost the entire cave was filled to the brim with Molrrets. Almost suffocating the urchins with their numbers.

  “Kisara …”

  Regulus spoke.

  “ … we’re going on an extermination.”