Thunder resounded in the skies above New Babbage as lightning flashed over the Vernian Sea. Ships were docking in port for safety, and preparing for rough seas, while airships were advised to ground themselves and deflate. Private owners paid little heed to the warnings, but experienced hands were readying for a torrential downpour.
Nicholas’s girls were also hard at work, but not for the storm. Today was Diamond’s birthday and as an early present the procurer happily announced this would be their final day regulated to the brothel. The girls eagerly broke out their supplies for a large celebration. Most of them were looking forward to the cake and a special bottle of champagne, but some worried Trixie would ruin the festivity somehow.
Beryl stayed upstairs keeping an eye on the impending storm. Outside, those who were listening for her signal watched the darkening skies apprehensively. The feline hoped that they did not abandon her over the weather. She doubted Crystals ‘special present’ to Diamond would get near her after Nicholas learned of it, but she was still wary. The drink would cloud their judgement this evening, and if she was caught…
Rain crackled against the cobbles of New Babbage, making the slippery grime covered ground a hazard to anyone on the roads. The out of control blaze at the Blades and Bowls was extinguished. The water penetrated coats and slid down the necks of pedestrians, and umbrellas were carried away by powerful winds. Her would-be protectors probably included Wright, Rayn, Mariah, the militiaman, the urchins, and countless others. Unfortunately, they and their weapons were soaked completely. The guards enjoyed their dry environment and the company of the women, whose moods had vastly improved.
It was almost six when the guests gathered in the Entertainment room and readied themselves for their fun filled evening. Trixie’s hair had returned to it’s usual color, but she stared daggers at the birthday girl. The two kept a close watch on themselves while everyone else focused on their impending freedom.
“Keep an eye on her tonight, Crystal,” Diamond whispered to the other woman. “She will try to get her revenge again. Don’t let her anywhere near my cup.”
“Yes, Diamond,” She responded loyally. Beryl doubted anyone but her could hear them in the room. Despite her assurance though, Crystal soon lost track of Trixie as she reminisced about tomorrow. “The first place I’m going is the Turkish Baths for three hours.” Crystal shared happily, but her friend was not paying attention as she waited for her cake and champagne.
While she talked the younger woman kept eyeing Beryl in her corner and smiling. Perhaps Crystal still thought her plot to have the feline declawed tonight would go forward. The familiar already had them trimmed back and covered with rubber, but Diamond wanted an end to her rising star. Her friend was desperate enough for validation to get it done for her.
Fortunately, Mr. Herding was on Beryl’s side. It had not been easy to keep his confidence after the brawl, but he trusted her fully now…
Hyde departed early that night at her insistence, eagerly heading to recruit his cohorts for his nefarious plan. While he went about that hoping to catch his subjects off guard, Beryl went to Mr. Nicholas. He had heard her screaming and expected a complaint, but what she did have to say made him drop his drink.
Haltingly she informed him the drunken Hyde threatened to make the bodyguards disappear. After they confronted him in the halls over being too possessive, he said he would get help and ensure his men would have accidents. That nothing would come between them.
She had acted terrified, like a wounded kitten trembling before a growling dog, but Mr. Herding scoffed at her warning. She attempted to add names of people he might recruit, but he refused to listen. He set Mr. Quillman to keep an eye on Hyde after that evening, as he did admit the man was clingy. The situation changed after the public brawl.
Mr. Herding was calling her into the office with a knife in his hand and three guards standing beside him. She entered the room and the men shut the door behind her. She waited nervously before Nicholas told her she was right. He needed to know everything she knew about the men and the woman.
That night she told him about Hyde and Wright, offering that Wright worked closely with the militia. Since the militia presence began after the brawl Nicholas believed her even more. Despite everything they had helped her standing with the procurer. She could only say that Hyde had suggested Domino as a bouncer to work for him, as she’d warned during their last meeting. She also told him about Russell and his pet Sigmund the sloth whom she had not mentioned previously. When the animal showed up later his men knew that it understood human speech. None of their conversations in front of it had been ignorant or accidental.
Beryl had betrayed them, but Cyan had ordered her to be devious and that she must survive. She could only guarantee that if she could not be held responsible by Mr. Nicholas whatever Hyde did next. It was impossible for her to betray the urchins, but her other friends were another matter. If they had arranged tiny accidents the way she suggested the fallout would have been minimal. Now…she had been forced to make a promise.
“But everything is closing in on us! The Militia, pirates, who knows what else! Wouldn’t it be better if I just left Mr. Her-,” She stopped as Nicholas jabbed the knife into his desk and stared at her growling. The feline lowered her gaze knowing she had gone too far maintaining her cover.
“You’re not going anywhere,” the procurer replied as he stood up and walked to his window. While he was looking away she continued to look for places he might have hidden a ripped letter. “You work for me. We have a contract and I never want to hear you speak of leaving again, no matter what happens.” He turned back to her and approached the smaller woman intimidatingly and she cringed before him.
A blow never landed and when she looked up he had softened to a smile. “I’ll make you a deal. You promise me that you will never even consider leaving my employ, and I will never strike you again.”
The crash of thunder was the only thing that interrupted the partiers merriment, and those brief pauses were laughed away as the rain resounded on the roof. Beryl waited in sullen silence for the moment her plan went into action. She silently cheered when the cake finally arrived with the champagne.
Everyone else was in a great mood. Trixie had not played any prank or gotten her revenge. It appeared things would go well as the celebratory drink was passed around. Each patron, entertainer, and guard was given a glass to toast Diamond and Beryl took hers half-heartedly. She raised her cup but did not drink with the crowd, prepared to explain she only drank Ravilian red wine. No one noticed her lack of action and she slowly moved into a shadow to get out of the way of what would follow.
Diamond was about to enjoy a slice of cake when Trixie threw her glass behind Diamonds head without warning. The two women sneered at each other as the attacker spoke, “Sorry, my hand slipped. I had been aiming for your head, dear.”
“Really?” Diamond asked as she picked up her cake filled plate and hurled it back. She and the men behind her had to move aside as the dish broke and pastry littered the ground. “Sorry, my hand slipped too, you cow!”
Beryl watched the growing resentment in the room while she hid in a shadowed corner recalling Qismah’s words. ‘Serve it in a tea, but avoid strong alcohols. That will produce rage instead.’
Weeks ago she had no idea how she would get everyone to drink Qismah’s special brew, but during the last birthday party everyone drank the champagne in a toast. It was a weak alcoholic drink so it was unlikely to be a killing rage. She hit her face against an iron skillet when she drugged it half a month ago, but if this worked that would be worth it.
The cheerful celebration shifted as the girls and men felt the potions effects. The women let out their claws first as Diamond and Trixie threw cake at one another. Cream stained favorite dresses and ruined gloves as the ladies moved on to attacking their opponents physically. Voices shouted as women pulled at hair, scratched at faces, and bit whatever hand was laid against them. Weeks of anger at their own protectors bubbled to the surface as several leapt at the men and attacked.
The fight broke out of the entertainment den as the furniture was decimated or upended in their wake. The watchers outside were moving closer to investigate the disturbance. They were cold and soaked by the storm and the heavy winds pushed them about, but even that had not been enough to keep Wright, Mariah, Fly Copperfield, or the others away.
Visibility was poor as indistinct figures erupted from the buildings, one or two through the front windows. The watchers could see that fighters were heedless of the weather. Most who had dared try the roofs, even knowing they were being counter watched moved forward and stopped. Hyde nearly slipped and fell off the roof as the loose wet shingles went hurtling towards the ground.
Making their way to ground level, Wright was the first to rush down the street as he reached for his truncheon, followed by Domino who drew a stolen sword and intended to kill anyone in her path. They were quickly followed, and not by those who considered either of them allies.
Mariah Lanfier had long considered the wolf a threat, but Domino was a danger to everyone around her. She called out as she attacked stabbing for her back, distracting the pirate from her goal as their swords clashed in the cold rain. Neither had time to notice Fly Copperfield rush past them with his gun wrapped tight in a bearskin bag with a half dozen urchins rushing after him.
When Wright reached the mob he found himself pulled into the group punching and striking, and was surprised when Crystal jumped on his back and bit his ears. He’d expected to fight the men, but what madness had possessed the women too?
Russell was right behind him, Sigmund running the other way calling for help, but he was surprised by the women’s ferocity as well. He was going to fight them off when tiny teeth biting their ankles, and scratches at their legs and back, revealed even more surprising foes. He gave a shout as feral cats swarmed into the fighters screeching and hissing as the deluge soaked their fur.
The conspirators wondered where Bookworm would be with her backup, but the one senior officer on duty had been posing as a patron that evening, and he drank the champagne. Wisp, the silent moreau who had faithfully delivered Beryl’s letters, watched the chaos and ran off to inform Captain Heinrichs. The small lad had joined as a scout just weeks before.
Loki Gearhead and Rayn Demark watched the display, and heard the cats screeching wondering if one of them was Beryl screaming. Loki pressed a release on the hang glider in his pack which opened as he designed it, and cried out as he was blown away by the massive winds as it unfurled. Rayn Demark tried to rush across the rooftops in his vulpine shape, but the water made the slippery shingles slide out from even his lightfooted form and he fell to the ground below with a panicked yelp.
Hyde tried to go the back way while the attack centered on the front of the building. He threw several broken shingles over the rear guards heads while trying to distract them into facing the other way. His ploy would have worked if the militia had not arrived with truncheons and blowing drowned out whistles as they tried to bring order to the streets again.
Their presence brought even more fighters from rival gangs to join the fray as they tried to get in a few punches against their rivals. Tepic and his friends were not to be left out of the brawl. They snuck forward and tied shoelaces together, throwing planks between legs, and trying to bring down some of their enemies. Once or twice they accidentally brought down one of their friends trying to keep the peace. They intentionally targeted Mr. Hyde who Tepic heard made a mess of things for Beryl. As one of the urchins tripped him, and another attempted to steal his knife, Hyde kicked the child until he released his hold on the blade.
As the storm raged friends lost track of their allies. Even those who could use scent to tell friend from foe were blind thanks to the storm. Twice Wright and Russell struck one another while trying to fight their way through and they were not alone. Militiamen tried to subdue the both of them mistaking their intentions and others as well. Rain drowned out orders and lightning was the only illumination powerful enough to let them see. Hyde shouted at everyone to let him through as the felines swarmed around underfoot. Tails were stepped on and the cats saw nearly everything on two legs as an enemy of Strifeclaw. Domino had almost defeated Mariah, but the older pirate had an advantage. She called on her own friends for aide as Bookworm arrived. The duo fought in tandem, forcing Domino to defend, unable to strike back once while she stubbornly refused to flee.
Even those trying to watch from a distance were not spared as the fight spread out and covered more territory. More gangs were forced to defend their turf and possessions that were being broken apart in the mayhem. It wasn’t a fight anymore, it was a riot spiraling out of control.
******
Long before the fight became a raging war outside, Beryl had emerged from her shadow undisturbed once the brawlers had departed. She was unaware that her friends would soon be locked in a struggle against her other allies. Since she had given no signal, which was supposed to be her screaming, the watchers would hopefully just let the fight wind down on its own.
For now she had a clear path to Nicholas Herdings office next door. The entrance in the den led to the adjoining house. Here Nicholas lived and worked in his private home and office. She crept upstairs and entered his unlocked work room. The feline did not know how much time she had, Nicholas was one of the people who had not attended the party himself.
She started to tear through papers looking for the second half of Amnelys letter. She tossed papers to the ground, opened cabinets, thumbed through books. The floor was littered with discarded messages and bills, but none of them from Fly’s sister. Beryl was about to go through the bottom shelves of his desk when Mr. Herding darkened the door.
“I said get off of me!“
Hyde swung wildly at yet another cat as it attempted to pounce. Once again, some part of him was regretting getting involved with the riot. Temperamental urchins, harried militia, crazed commoners… Even the feral cats in the area were lunging at him from all sides. Thankfully, he wasn’t at the heart of the riot, or he might have been overwhelmed by the chaos within.
‘This is your fault!’ Hyde could hardly hear the voice in his head over the outside noise. ‘If you hadn’t tried that pub brawl, we wouldn’t have all this trouble!’
“Oh, shut up. I’m not the idiot who came up with this brothel scheme, dam–!!”
The thunder boomed, the lightning flashed, and all at once Hyde saw a glimpse of a woman in red, carrying a large bag, trying to escape. The others were too preoccupied with their own battles to notice her fleeing.
Not Hyde, though. Hyde would instinctively make his way towards the woman in red, with the intent to capture.
He knew that chloroform he smuggled out of the hospital would come in handy.
Violet stood by the open window, the sound of the distant brawl just possible for her heightened hearing to pick out over the raging storm,omig stood behind her smiling at the chaos, ” where is that Brawl happening omig? and please tell me Olivia is not responsible”
the wolf laughed ” what Olivia go out in a storm like this and dirty her latest dress? not going to happen boss, no report is its over at Herding’s brothel, seems that every notable in New Babbage is tearing the building apart in some attempt to either get in or out of the place,”
the Rabbit moreau laid her hand paws on the slick window sill and leaned into the storm, rain pelting her face “thats the Place beryls working in now correct?” the wolf nodded ” you know omig this is what i love about this city, it is always just one step away from total chaos, call Qismah, and Olivia, and get us a cab, we’ll dine at the Brunel while the storms,both tempestual, and mortal rage”
Rain poured from the dark sky, drenching the rioters below. Russell Firecrest fought his way through the crowd, trying to reach the brothel door on the other side of the road. The way ahead was full of angry figures, moving around each other like perverse shadow puppets.
Russell froze as small feline forms converged on the fight from every direction. His mind started to replay the nightmare he had been seeing for days, Beryl laying on the ground bleeding. He rapped his knuckles on the side of his head, trying to think clearly and ran into the crowd.
Progress was slow and painful, arms grabbed at him from all sides and blows connected as he staggered forwards. He tried to push through the mass of dark figures. A sharp pain erupted from the side of his head as a furry fist sent him reeling. He grabbed the arm and kicked at where he thought its owners leg would be. The paw in his grip pulled him sideways and brought him face to face with Wright, who let go when he saw who he was grappling with.
Cats. Cats everywhere, leaping onto him, clawing at him. He tried to pull them off without harming them at first, but as he continued this became impossible. He tripped, falling into the feline river beneath. Two urchins pulled him back up, realising whose legs they had grabbed. He ignored them and pressed forward, sidestepping a gang members wild swing, taking out another with a jab of his cane to the man’s armpit.
The door was in sight. Throwing an unfortunate guard over his hip, Russell surged forwards. One of the enraged girls leapt at him and he pushed her past, not caring where she landed. Almost there. A whistle sounded behind him and he felt a truncheon strike the back of his knee. Stumbling, he span and swung his cane wildly. It slammed into the jaw of the militia man who had tried to bring the adventurer down, sending him floundering backwards into the frenzied battle.
Russell climbed to his feet shakily, using his cane for support. Nothing was in his way. Glancing over his shoulder, he couldn’t see any of his allies anywhere. The free-for-all battle seethed as gangs tore into each other. It was utter bedlam. Hoping his friends weren’t far behind, the battered adventurer reached for the door handle…
The storm was already half blinding Loki as he sailed through the raging storm. He was essentially a kite untied in this weather. As soon as he unfolded the wings of his contraption he knew it was a bad idea, and he felt it to be a worse idea now as he sailed through the soot cover clouds higher into the atmosphere. any sign of the cobled paths below in the city had long since vanished. Loki threw up his hands in the air and yelled at himself ” YEW MUS’ BE INSAN!!”
The little Blue urchin kitten folded his arm and looked as he was half pouting as he sored in a chaotic pattern through the air. He then scratched has his now matted and soaked head ” Oi, Tha’s a poosibliteh.” little blue hands reached around into a drenched a lfaling coat and presented what looked like a modern day multi-tool knife. Quickly the little urchin worked, his mind focused on nothing else but the project at hand. Lighting clapped as the wings quickly fluttered off and out of his pack, now he was at a controlled free fall…
“He what!?” Myrtil exclaimed, making the poor lad who had come to give her the news jump.
The small boy tucked at his shirt and repeated in a whisper, as if the words would have less weight that way. “Fly is heading towards Mister Herding’s brothel… “
Myrtil slapped the table and called for six volunteers. Boys and girls crawled out of every corner of the hideout and stood before her proudly. She nodded at the brave urchins and pointed towards the small boy who was still standing near the hole in the wall, fidgetting. “Teddy will show you the way. Run as fast as you can and bring him back before he can use his gun!”
Rayn felt pain in places that he hadn’t felt before, he knew it wouldn’t last long but still the immediate pain was so intense that he could barely regain his bearings. He slowly got back on his paws shakily then looked to the sky to see Loki being battered by the winds as he soared further and further away.
Rayn wasn’t fond of violence and right now Cyan’s friend needed him so he shook off the rain briefly and climbed his way back to the rooftops, this time taking care of his footing.
When he got to the roof he saw Loki struggling with the glider. He was thrashing in the wind and looked like he was trying to take the glider off. Rayn knew that if Loki fell from his height the kitten would not survive. The fox looked around for something that he could use to stop the blue kittens imminent descent.
He noticed a series of laundry above, several tossing about in the wind loosely. One of the sturdier ones might be the only way to prevent the blue kitten from a fatal fall. Rayn nibbled the line free and then assumed his other guise. He knotted it just in time to see Loki falling from the sky.
“What could possibly go wrong, right?” he asked the aether as he ran in the kittens direction and off the roofs. Swinging in the air he felt his hands slipping on the wet rope down to the knot he made. He hoped that it stayed tied as his momentum took him the other way as Loki came flailing down right into his path. He crashed into him as he grabbed him with his free arm, sending them twirling about from the sudden impact. They struggled to grip one another as Loki dug his claws into Rayn’s back in a desperate embrace. They both yelped internally as they started to swing back into the building.
As soon as he had come into contact with the teeming mass that had exploded forth from Herding’s Brothel Wright knew he had made a mistake. Within mere moments the wolf had nearly been overwhelmed by the crowd, but it was too late to turn back. Instead he endeavored to clear his own path towards the brothel.
To that end the wolf swung his truncheon low, crooking the handle of the solid Mahogany baton into the first knee he could find. The man was caught off guard and went down back first onto the cobbles. The pained gasp that wright heard over the sound of thunder and the crowd told him he had winded opponent, but the wolf was unsatisfied. Wright used the back end of his sweep to bring the solid truncheon down on the man’s head, hopefully rendering him unconscious.
Wright would have taken a moment to appreciate his takedown, unfortunately the person who jumped upon his back didn’t leave time for reflection. The wolf yelped in pain as teeth clamped down on his ears. Wright instinctively grabbed for the arm that had latched itself to his chest and pulled the writhing body over his shoulder and threw them to the ground.
Wright was stunned at the sight of the woman as she tumbled to the ground. It was unexpected to see women in the crowd fighting with such ferocity, but to the wolf it was not unfamiliar. Their presence changed nothing in Wright’s mind, his goal was still to reach the door and incapacitate anyone who stood between him and there.
Mariah stood in the pouring rain, keeping an eye on the passageway to Mr. Herding’s establishment, as she had for the past several days. Even once the militia members had pulled back, except for the single individuals who went inside, she’d kept at it. Captain Hienrichs had certainly not requested that, nor had her friend. But Mariah knew Bookworm was hoping she’d continue – she did still seem worried about that cat, even when she was angry with him. Or her. Or whatever.
So Mariah kept eyes and ears open, even as she played various parts – from a lost tourist to a sleeping wino. She wasn’t bothering about playacting tonight, though – not in this rain. She’d had her share of wet watches on board her ship during her smuggling days, but she would have given up this one, had she not heard rumors of the party that was supposed to happen tonight. Somehow, she had the feeling that this might well be the catalyst for something. Still…
‘I’m getting too old for this sort of thing,’ she thought sourly, as rain practically poured down the back of her collar. She shifted her feet, trying to find a place where the gutter wasn’t overflowing. Suddenly, the sounds of a growing disturbance penetrated even the near-continuous thunder of the storm. A boiling, writhing mass of men and women were disgorged from Mr. Herding’s building, and it wasn’t long before the crowd was augmented by the various watchers.
Mariah saw Mr. Wright, and then Miss Domino, charging ahead. It was the bloodlust in the female pirate’s eyes that decided Mariah on what she would do. She’d heard Bookworm’s many complaints about the woman; taking this chance to subdue her might give the Captain a bit of a break. So Mariah drew her own sword and dove toward her, hoping to intercept her before she had a chance to attack anyone.
Somehow, the pirate sensed her attack and whirled, sword flashing up with the movement and blocking her stroke. For several minutes, in the midst of chaos, they trades blows. Mariah’s long years of training, as well as the black dye that was washing from Domino’s hair and running into her eyes, kept the ex-smuggler equal at first, but she could feel the incredible strength of the woman, and realized that her age was going to start telling very soon. ‘Damn it,’ she thought as she felt her grip starting to tremble ever so slightly. Domino’s eyes widened, and she redoubled her brute-force attacks, pushing Mariah back several steps.
Suddenly, a second blade appeared beside Mariah – one she recognized. “Nice of you to drop by,” she said, panting a little.
“And miss this?” Bookworm replied. The Captain kept her eyes on Domino, parrying the pirate’s heavy thrusts with strokes that weren’t as skillful as Mariah’s, but still managed to do the trick. Feeling a bit revived, Mariah sprang forward, and the two of them pressed their attacks, hoping to turn the tide against Domino…
((Posting for Domino))
Domino cursed as she deflected Mariah’s blade. She countered with a savage swing at the older woman’s head, knocking her onto her back foot. The pirate leapt back as Bookworm’s sword neared her face. She swung her blade and batted the other away.
Taking a few steps back, Domino looked for something to give her an advantage over the two women now facing her. She saw a discarded truncheon lying in the gutter and scooped it up, pausing to deflect a thrust at her leg. With the shorter weapon in her off hand, she continued to fight back, blocking and countering with increasing ferocity and desperation. She started to gain ground.
Mariah lunged forward, blocking Bookworm’s path for a moment. Domino seized the advantage, pushing her blade aside and slashing low, leaving a deep gash across her leg. Mariah stumbled back and fell to the ground. Domino shouted in triumph, but fell quickly back into frantic defense as Bookworm leapt over her fallen comrade and attacked with new ferocity.
The Pirate struggled to block the militia captain’s attacks. Stepping back, she felt a cat screech and claw at her leg as her foot landed on its tail. Bookworm launched herself at Domino and kicked with all her strength, sending the pirate’s stolen sword flying off into the storm.
“Surrender, Miss Domino – you shall not win!” Book shouted, her sword tip inches from Domino’s chest.
Domino looked from the point to the captain’s face, weighing her chances. “Next time, ya lice infested bilge swiller!” she shouted, before turning and running down an alley.
Rain drenched his clothes as he followed the other urchins. Cyan wasn’t sure he’d be able to stop Fly, but he knew he could at least help find him.
Teddy showed them the way, but the storm drowned out the street lamps leaving them running almost blind in the darkness. Cyan had much better night vision that the human urchins who had volunteered, and he kept them trudging through the weather on the correct paths. He was the one who saw Fly prowling slowly towards the Herding residence. He had slowed down to case the building without getting attention.
Cyan pointed Fly out to the others and they approached him.
“Hey Fly.” Cyan said
Fly looked distracted and didn’t even look at the gathered urchins when he said “Get away from me. You don’t want to be here.”
Cyan considered his response before he began to talk, what others would often describe as a tirade, “ Why not? Herding is a bad man but do you really want his murder on your conscious. You don’t even know if-”
The cheetah cub never got to finish his lecture. Yelling could be heard from the establishment which interrupted the children. As they watched with mounting curiosity a fight erupted into the streets violently.
Fly rushed to the door and the other urchins followed Cyan in pursuit. As the chaos ensued only two of the urchins were left to tackle Fly down and kick away his weapon. The fighters were getting dangerously close as Cyan grabbed the gun. He made sure the others had a good hold of Fly before the seven of them ran back to the theater, the almost teenager fighting to get free at every turn.
Wright was surprised at the ferocity of the Battle, and the confusion. Under normal circumstances the riot would be confusing enough, but with the darkness and the sound of rain and thunder drowning everything out to a roar it became even harder to tell who was friend and who was foe. Wright and Russ had traded a few blows in the comfusion before seeing one another’s faces lit up by a well timed flash of lightning.
The wolf cursed under his breath as he jabbed one of the ends of his Truncheon into a man’s windpipe. So many had been fought already, but it seemed with each passing moment more and more people joined the fray making the already out of control situation even worse. Suddenly a path cleared in front of him, the door to the brothel was in sight.
Wright lunged forward, but another man stepped into his path. It was then, the tired wolf abandoned any sort of warrior code and swung the heavy mahogany baton straight into a most sensitive place. As the man fell over Wright slipped his truncheon into his other paw and a reached into his pocket.
A set of brass knuckles glinted in the gaslight and the wolf charged forward again. He drew back his fist and punched the first new opponent to come near him in the cheek, the second got the heavy truncheon square in the neck. With the way finally clear Wright again dashed forwards towards the door, but to his dismay another figure already stood there, reaching for the handle.
Then the way shut again and the seething mass closed back in on the wolf. Wright frantically swung at anyone within reach. It seemed that no matter where he swung there was always someone in the path of his fist and his baton. There were even people at his feet. He should feel little hands prodding at his paws, looking for shoes and laces that weren’t there. Adding to the mess were the cats, cats everywhere, biting at his toes, clawing at his coat, there were so many of them.
Wright closed his eyes for a moment and the world seemed to stop. When he opened them again they were glowing, but only for a moment before the wolf charged back into the fray with new vigor and strength as he threw as many of those in front of him to the ground as he could.
A guard about to swing his club into the back of Mr Hyde’s head felt a tugging at his elbow and staid his blow to counter this new menace. He glanced down into the drenched but smiling face of an urchin, who was holding up a small hip flask at him.
“Drink Mister?” the high voice cut through the storm’s fury.
The man snatched the welcome spirit from the lad and downed it in one, just the thing to revive him during this melee. A sudden stillness dropped onto him and he toppeled backwards like a felled tree.
Grinning to himself, the boy stepped over the body, filling the hip flask from a larger bottle, looking for the next deserving recipient of a drink full of prime Micky Finn…