The Runaway Maverick

Chapter 9 -New Laws

In my head I started to examine everything Cato had told me: so the world is "governed" by this supposedly overpowered demonic werewolf king who hates disloyalty.

The king also only makes appearances on his birthday or national celebrations but is known for his temper. Cato only knew this because of what happened at the most recent celebration, the news of it had apparently spread around the world like dragon fire.

Well I guess not everyone knew. As I thought this I couldn't help but blush in embarrassment. God how did I not know any of this?

How could Fa or even Tanno not tell me anything about the outside world? Clearly they lived in a delusion other wise if they had deemed that I needed to know how to survive. However the issue is didn't I at least even need a brief snippet of the laws of the world?

Or the fact we even had a f*****g king? This was all too much to comprehend. I was so ignorant to the reality of the world. The rules I had lived my life by were quickly replaced by these new laws.

A rage from lurking in my body soon began to boil as I cursed my own naivety.

"You okay Jess?" Looking up from the snow I caught Cato's eye as he stood ahead.

"Huh?"

"I said are you okay? You're moving awfully slow and you seem distracted" s**t. He didn't need to be worrying about me right now. Not after almost dying.

"Yeah sorry just thinking is all" Despite being uncertain of myself I showed a small smile to reassure him. God why was I so lame?

And with that we began our journey to nowhere again. We had long since left that cave in a dash attempt to ditch any further patrols. From here on out we had to be careful in everything we did. Imagining Cato laying in a sea of his own blood yet again alone was horrible enough.

In just the past few couple of days my life had dramatically altered but luck must have played a part as the good outweighed the bad. Cato was alive, I was alive and there had been no sign of any further danger from the "royal" guards or the b-

The beast.

Simply thinking about its putrid form supplied a strange quivering fear to my heart... Speaking of peculiar occurrences I may have earlier allowed my paranoia to get the best of me.

Okay I ended up screaming bloody murder at an enormous raven that kept watching me even as I changed clothes. I swear it felt as if it was looking straight through me.

That thing was certainly not a normal crow that's for sure! Its size alone would enable it to get two other crows in one. How the actual f**k did the branch under it not snap?

I wish it did.

As I had stared into its eyes I felt it checking me up and down with its bulbous black orbs so intently that a sudden fear had peaked in me. Something about it just seemed so wrong with it.

Sure Cato had to grab me to stop me from throwing rocks at it since my yells had failed to spook the creature away. Instead it had just remained their watching me with morbid curiosity till we finally left the cave far behind.

When I glanced back at it, the black mass of feathers just continued to stare at me.

Creepy.

No, I have not lost the plot. It's just as it was analyzing me, the aura it radiated mirrored that of the same feeling I had experience when I had to carry Cato to the cave.

I'm simply saying that some things should not exist and it was definitely one of them.

Umph.

Due to the fact I was so absorbed by my thoughts, the next thing I knew was I was being spun around onto a shoulder.

"Cato's, what the hell are you doing?" I was unable to keep my irritation from my voice as I attempted to wriggle out of his grasp but instead his grip tightened.

"You were being too slow you nut" As I uselessly struggled against him I began my stream of profanities.

"Put me the f**k down!" He laughed. He actually laughed at me.

"Hey stop it! Your gonna lose your balls at this rate you dickhead mutt!" God he was really pissing me off. So much so that for a short time I forgot my troubles and lost myself in annoying him.

"I bet my d***s bigger than yours" From that I received more laughter.

"Mmmm that's it baby rub the shaft just there" I could tell he was getting uncomfortable as I pretended to rub my non-existent d**k on his shoulder.

"OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHH" I wailed as loud as I could in my lowest pitched voice imitating a male orgasm as best as I could. Sharply after he quickly dropped me. a plumb red blush bruising his cheeks.

"Have it your way you nutter"

"I just did" As he rolled his eyes at my joke of already "nutting". I may not be a comedy genius but that was sure as hell amusing, to me at least.

Happily, I rubbed my victory in face as we continued to travel. Oblivious to anything else I just teased Cato further. Soon I had completely forgotten where we were.

A couple hours later darkness had begun to swallow the setting sun.

"Where are we going Cato?" My words fumbled from my mouth chattering from the chill. The cold had long seeped into my bones.

"You'll see" sighing I nodded.

And holy cow I did.

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As we neared the edge of the slopping mountain path it revealed the biggest communion of buildings I had ever seen. Lost for words I delved in the detail of the view. Densely packed houses lined the flattered clearing growing in size the closer you got to a high rock face where an enormous structure stood.

"Whats that?" I whispered. Never before had I seen anything like it. A building so large had me adrift in wonder.

Following where I pointed, Cato briefly chuckled.

"That's a castle but bloody hell it looks more like a stronghold... Its most likely the home of The King to be that big and fortified" Gobsmacked I didn't notice my mouth agape.

The next thing I heard was Cato bursting into laughter.

"What are you laughing at jackass?" I could feel my cheeks heating up.

Between laughs he corrected himself "I'm sorry but you seemed so awe struck just from the sight of the castle I couldn't help myself. You truly are a country bumpkin."

Rolling my eyes I waited for him to pull himself together so I could retaliate.

"Meow" His eyes flicked to mine full of hate.

"Oh very clever." This time it was my turn to laugh as Cato stood there sulking like a child. Pouting his lips and stopping his feet in retaliation his behavior reminded me of someone:

Tanni...

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As we headed down into town I couldn't help but admire the structure and superiority the stone buildings held in comparison to the huts I had grown up in. Just how different was the world?

Lost in the many sights I felt Cato interlock his fingers with mine and lean in close.

"W-what are you doing?" I swear I'm going to die from embarrassment if this keeps up! But all he did was simplify smile at me pulling me closer. We looked like a couple and I was soon unable to tame the smile that grew on my face.

His hand was warm.

The further we walked, the more people we saw. So many people. I understood why he had grabbed my hand now because I would have gotten lost in this crowd within seconds.

Suddenly he halted in front of a crooked oak door with the number 3680 carved in its wood. The house itself was small and slanted from time. Why had we stopped?

Before I could ask the door swung open with a fist flying out the entrance with feral force towards Cato's face.

"What the f-?"

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