"Filthy fucking Grounder Birds!" Master Sheer Wolf had screamed at the four morning patrol Dogs. "They think they're so damned clever! Think they run this fucking city! Well, they don't run this city! We do!"
No patrol had ever dared return to the master empty handed before, particularly when their hands had needed to have held something so great. That was the first misstep.
"What?! Balderdash Alley is EMPTY?!" the master had said when the next day's patrol had returned with their report. "Did you search any other streets?!"
The leader of the morning patrol spoke up, "Yes. We searched, and all other streets surrounding Balderdash Alley were vacant as well."
Master Sheer Wolf had said nothing in return and had only glared at the Dog.
"Also, other patrols have reported similar findings in their territories."
The master had been quiet at that too, pacing around the inner den, first scratching his beard, then his bald scalp as he went. Cracks of sky had shown through the old, fallen and shambled concrete walls that formed their main territory's inner and outer dens, illuminating the faces of the master's most important Dogs, the ones privileged enough to stand on either side of the master's seat in the middle of the den. On the right hand side was Ring Shepherd, overseer of all that happened within the Riser Dog's numerous dens, and Fox Digs, coordinator of the patrolmen and mastermind of the wrangle. On the left was Star Coyote, the only female permitted within the inner den of the main territory and lead caretaker of the women and children, and to her left was Howl "Killer" Wolf, the master's son.
Awkward in the silence, the leader of the morning patrol had felt it necessary to speak again, though he had not been addressed, "What shall we do, Master? Every patrol has returned to their respective den. They, we, await further instruct--"
The master had picked up a piece of rubble and thrown it at the impertinent Dog's face before the Dog could finish what he was saying. The rubble had connected with his forehead, sounding a painful thwak. The master had then turned to the Dogs who stood to his immediate left and right. "Can you stomach this? We stand here now, all of us, talking and watching, safe within our dens." That was the second mistake. "God knows what the Birds are up to right now. And you can bet that all those fucking Rats and those pissing, miserable Cats are trying their damnedest to secure the city's streets for their own while we wait here and leave them free to do as they please! Fuck the Birds! We need to get out there and claim what's ours!"
No more than a minute had passed once the master had finished speaking, and the inner den was empty, save the master and his son. Ring Shepherd, Fox Digs, and even Star Coyote had all formed hunting packs to suppress any and all Sun Cat or Roof Rat uprisings in Balderdash Alley and its surrounding areas.
"Son," the master had said. "Why haven't you joined the hunt?"
The boy, short, even for a child at the age of eight, had looked up at his father, peering through the red, bushy hair that hung in his childish, freckled face, and said, "There was some noise this morning before daybreak. The idiots failed to mention it. I was out before any of them. I wanted to see what it was."
"What did you find?"
"I saw a Bird teleport with someone. I'm sure it was the girl. I've seen her interact with one of the Birds before." Howl often ventured off separate from the rest of the Riser Dogs to explore the city whenever he saw fit. At his age, it was easy for him to blend in with the other factions, particularly the Roof Rats.
"I suppose you want to go find her, then?"
"Yes, Father. May I?"
The master had chuckled at his son's request. "We don't call you 'Killer' for nothing."
Howl was now halfway across the city, hot on the trail of his prey.
