[Wolfie_Barrow]

Kaj Kat frowned, sulking as he walked. "Why are we in the slums?" he growned out loud, stopping and turning to glare at Zur. "It smells here. And... it's really hot. And dirty. And I don't like it."

The Void Fellox sighed. "The only reason you're not happy is because there aren't any bookstores around." He shook his head and moved around a pile of trash. "We're here looking for a Snicky. Wolfie said she wanted one."

Kaj Kat grumbled to himself. "Why did I have to come along?"

Zur came to stand beside him and, whacking him over the head with his paw, said, "Because if I left you at home you'd cause a disaster or something."

"I'm not that dependant," Kaj Kat murmured, rubbing the sore spot where Zur had hit him. Letting out an annoyed breath of air, he continued forward, aware that the Fellox was watching his every move.

[Wolfie_Barrow]

Zur kept his eyes on the Draculi, only leaving his glowing blue form to glance around the alley-way they were located in. They reached the opening, and paused, the crowds in front of them rushing around like traffic. Suddenly, without warning, Kaj Kat darted away, into the rush, leaving Zur's eyesight.

Relief flooded through him. He was finally away from the Fellox, finally free. All he had to do now was find the right direction, follow it, and go home... But the people around him turned him in circle,[ dizzied him, and by the time he managed to get to the other side of the street he had no idea which way to go. He wasn't even sure if he was on the same street anymore.

Meanwhile, Zur was panicking. "Kaj Kat?" he called out. Part of him was furious, another part of him was worried about what Wolfie would say, and another part of him was worried that the vampire cat would actually get harmed. That wasn't likely, though. In the time that Zur had known him, he had a reputation of being one of the luckiest people living at Wolfie's cave- in an uncanny sort of way.

Kaj Kat glanced around at his surroundings- behind him was yet another alley way, this one more barren than the last one he was in. There were a couple trashcans, a few doorways leading to apartments, and then just dust, everywhere. He swallowed, turned back to the street, still swarming with other people, and took a deep breath, trying to slow his racing heart.

[Wolfie_Barrow]

Zur sighed and rolled his eyes. He would find Kaj Kat later. Right now he had to find a Snicky for Wolfie, before the sun went down and she had to come and get him, probably embarrassing him in the process. That was never fun. He looked around at all the garbage and rot and took a deep breath. Would he have to look through all the trash cans and wasted food to find a Snicky? Considering the fact that he'd never done this before, he had no experience on finding a Snicky.

Well, now was the time to change that.

At that moment, Kaj Kat was sitting in the alleyway he'd stumbled into. His eyes were half-lidded in boredom now, as he waited for Zur to find him. He glanced around for a moment, just checking to see if there were any 'Ninja Snickies' hanging around waiting to attack him or something. Maybe if he found one of the creatures Wolfie would give him lots of books to eat. He'd be very happy then, yes he would.

Zur pawed at a pile of apple cores, half-eaten loaves of bread, and broken plastic forks. He had no idea where a Snicky might be hiding- it could be anywhere, really. It could even be hiding in his fur, waiting to surprise him. At that thought, a chill ran down his spine and he stopped to inspect his body.

[Wolfie_Barrow]

Kaj Kat stood and, stretching, began looking around at his surroundings with curiosity. This was his first time in The Slums, and his first time on a Snicky hunt. Like Zur, he wasn't quite sure what to do, so he began digging through the trashcans. He stopped when he found an awefully big book. His stomach growled. Searching for a Snicky would have to wait until after he finished eating the book, even if it took him all night.

Zur huffed. His patience was growing thinner every moment he didn't find a Snicky. There had to be one around here somewhere... If not, the entire trip and loss of Kaj Kat was all for nothing. Zur hated it when he did something for no reason. It made him feel... well... Like he had to reason. Which was strange, but then again, all of Wolfie's pets and friends were strange. No news there.

Take Kaj Kat for example. He can't eat regular food- in fact, he chokes on it and usually ends up having to spit it out. He has a very strict diet of books- the bigger the better. Some people had a hard time understanding him and his unusual eating habits while others, like Zur, simply want him to find a way to eat books properly- with a fork and knife or something, instead of just tearing the pages out, crumpling them up, and shoving them into his mouth.

Which was exactly what he was doing.

[Wolfie_Barrow]

Zur cried out in frustration as he began digging through the piles of trash faster and faster. The sun was going down and there was still no sign of Kaj Kat. There wasn't any sign of a Snicky, either. Soon Wolfie was probably going to send someone after him, to take him home or something. Maybe they would help him in his search for the little monster that put him in this misery.

He spotted something and gasped, leaning closer... then groaned when he realized it was just a piece of trash. Sitting back, he raised his head up and howled.

"Very productive," a familiar voice purred. "Very productive indeed."

"Shut up," Zur snarled at Scarlet. "Don't just stand there, start looking for a Snicky. Either that or you could go find Kaj Kat."

"Humph," the Slynx narrowed his eyes. "Fine. I'll go and find the book-eating freak."

[Wolfie_Barrow]

Scarlet mumbled curses under his breath as he made his way, slow step by slow step, out into the street. he wound his way around the people and animals, jumped over a random log, and sniffed the air. Catching the familiar scent of the book-eater, he followed it a few yards before he spotted him.

"I was supposed to come and find you," he yawned, then sat down and began licking his paws. They were so dirty after being in this place, he'd have to clean himself very thoroughly when he got home to the cave...

Kaj Kat interrupted his thoughts. "Alright, you found me, now lead me back to Zur." He'd finished the book a while ago, and was now antsy to get home.

The Slynx squinted at him. "I was told to find you, not to retrieve you. Besides, I don't take orders from scum."

Zur was oblivious to this entire thing. He was still busy searching frantically for a Snicky. He swore that as soon as he found it, he was getting out of that place and never going back.

[Wolfie_Barrow]

Kaj Kat sat down, staring at the Slynx in front of him. "Why are you so mean to me?" he said. He wasn't used to people being malevolent to him, since he lived with Wolfie and everyone there, except for Scarlet, was either really nice or too insane for him to care. He felt his stomach churn.

"I told you," Scarlet said. "You're scum. I can't be kind to scum. Especially when it lives off books."

Kaj Kat felt a lump form in his throat. Scarlet knew very well that the Draculi was unable to eat anything other than the pages of a book. Wolfie had explained it to him before, and Kaj Kat had been there while that was happening. So why had Scarlet ignored everything?

Zur was sitting on the ground staring at the piles of garbage in front of him. He was taking a break, but even then he kept an eye on his surroundings. The Snicky could come out of nowhere, could crawl out fromt behind that tire laying in front of him, could fall from the sky. Heck, it could start raining Snickies. Then Zur could grab a handful and run home... That would make Wolfie happy, wouldn't it?

Wouldn't it?

[Wolfie_Barrow]

Zur slapped himself, sure that this whole thing was driving him mad. And just a simple Snicky, too! A creature that shouldn't be that hard to find... He began to laugh as he told himself that it was all silly, that the Snicky was silly, that Wolfie was silly, that he was silly... He was insane, that's what he was. He raised his eyes to the walls on either side of him and began scouring them inch my inch. He could still see in the darkness that crept up around him as the sun went down...

Kaj Kat scowled at Scarlet. "Well, if you're going to act like that, then I'll just find the Snicky. When we get home, everyone will know that I found it and you did nothing and Zur... What is he doing?" he trailed off, lost in thought. Was the Fellox looking for him? Was he looking for the Snicky? Had he gone home and left Kaj Kat alone with the Slynx?

The Draculi shook his head. Going by Zur's personality, he was probably just looking for the Snicky, trusting that Scarlet would bring Kaj Kat back. He was probably going nuts by now, searching like a maniac. That was Zur.

[Wolfie_Barrow]

Zur groaned as he stepped in a pile of dung. What was that doing there, anyways? He took a few steps away and thought, I'm glad I don't live here... He thought about home, how clean Chouko keeps it, and how he wouldn't have to look for the Snicky if he was there. Then he thought about Scarlet and Kaj Kat and wondered why it was taking them so long to get back.

"Look, can't you at least point me in the right direction?" Kaj Kat whined. He really needed to get back to Zur, because the sun was almost completely gone, it was hard for him to see, it was cold, and he was actually getting scared.

"No," Scarlet mumbled. "I think I'll just go home and leave you here as rat food. They get hungry, you know..." And with that he jumped out of the alleyway, instantly lost in the crowds merely inches away. Kaj Kat moaned and hugged himself.

[Wolfie_Barrow]

Was that a Snicky? Zur looked closer- no, it wasn't a Snicky. What about that...? Nope. That's a frog. Wait, what about that one? No, that's a crumpled up candy wrapper. Zur was somehow able to make his paws into fists and he punched the air, gritting his teeth. Where was the little monster??? He was going mad searching for it, until it occurred to him that he could check other alleyways... He darted into the stream of people and down the street. There he found yet another dark, garbage filled alleyway, except that this one was much smaller. He went in anyway and began inspecting everything that looked like it moved.

Kaj Kat, frightened of the darkness now completely surrounding him, hesitantly stepped into the throngs of people and was carried away as if by the undertoe. He felt that it wasn't as bad as being alone in that alleyway. At least if something creepy with large, pointed teeth and big red eyes came to spook him there would be other people extremely close by to help. Almost uncomfortably close. It was sort of suffocating, really. He didn't have OCD, but after this trip to the Slums, he'd probably acquired it.

Zur sighed and rested his head in his hands. He couldn't find the Snicky, Kaj Kat and Scarlet were still gone, and the moon was coming out. What would Wolfie think of him, covered in filth from head to toe from searching through rotting trash, partly insane because he did all that and he never found a Snicky... She'd probably laugh and kick him out or something. He couldn't afford that... He had to find a Snicky... He had to...

There was nothing else he could do.

[Wolfie_Barrow]

Zur thought he'd quit right then and there as the first few drops of rain hit the dirty ground. He was at his wits end, and he didn't think he could put up with anything more. He searched faster, and with more determination, because he didn't like it when his fur got wet, unless he was taking a bath or a swim in warm water. He paused for a moment to think about Kaj Kat, who probably would go mad, in the literal sense. He shook his head. Perhaps he should find the Draculi before continuing on any further.

Which was probably a good idea, because at that moment, Kaj Kat was hiding in a trash can with the worst stench he'd ever smelled. He didn't mind, though, because it was beginning to rain outside, and rain was his worst enemy. He hated it with a passion. Something scurried past him, out into the cold night air, and he shivered. What sort of creature would want to get stuck out in this weather. It was insanity. Or was he insane? He didn't know anymore.

Zur stepped back and, suddenly, slipped on an empty can, which rolled out from under his foot. With a cry, he twisted to the side, making a sharp pain shoot up his leg from his ankle. Perfect. Just what he needed. A sprained ankle. He really was a mess... What would Wolfie say? What would everyone else say? He limped forward and continued searching...

[Wolfie_Barrow]

When was Zur going to come and save him from this Hell? Kaj Kat was freezing and, even though he was still curled up in the disgusting trash can, water was still managing to get in. He whimpered to himself, starting to become unsure of whether or not he'd ever go home. A cold ball of fear seized him in the stomach and pushed his heart into his throat. He swallowed. Home seemed so far away now... Like a wish that was just outside his reach...

Zur sniffed at a small bit of trash on the ground and shook his head. No Snicky. Would he ever find one? Or would he just be stuck out in the rain his whole life? There was still no sign of Scarlet or Kaj Kat, and he doubted there ever would be. Perhaps Wolfie herself would come and save him from this madness. He really couldn't take it anymore... If the rain got any harder, he'd explode.

[Wolfie_Barrow]

Zur scrambled under an overhang, getting himself out of the rain. He shook himself, getting water everywhere. He wondered about Kaj Kat, and how he was faring. He should go and find him... He should go and take him home. Wolfie can wait to get a Snicky... It was beginning to pour. He wouldn't last very long, and he was probably going to catch a fever or something...

Kaj Kat curled himself tighter in the corner of the trash can. The puddle of water on the bottom of the trash can was slowly getting deeper, and he was beginning to shiver violently. He stood and pushed the top open with his nose, then jumped out. There weren't nearly as many people on the street anymore, so he began walking down the street, unsure of which direction he was going, but not really caring, as long as he found a better place to keep dry...

Zur glanced out towards the street just in time to see a familiar Draculi passing by...

"Kaj Kat!" he cried out, and began racing out to meet him. The blue and black vampire kitty skidded to a stop and whipped around, the hopelessness he'd been feeling completely vanishing with the familiar voice. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Zur!" he exclaimed. "Let's find somewhere dry, ok?"

[Wolfie_Barrow]

"This way," Zur said, and led the Draculi back to the overhang he'd found. They sat close to each other, trying to give each other warmth. After a while, Kaj Kat stopped shivering, and that's when Zur cracked down on him.

"That was really stupid," he said. "Running away like that." He hit the vampire over the head, but with barely any force. "What happened, anyway? Why didn't you come back with Scarlet Smoke?"

Kaj Kat shook his head. "He called me a freak and deserted me the minute after he found me." He sniffed. "Why'd you send him?"

"Oh, I'm sorry..." Zur mumbled. He let out his breath and leaned back against the wall behind him. "I guess now... we wait until it stops raining."

"And then we go home," Kaj Kat said.

"And then we go home," Zur agreed.

[Wolfie_Barrow]

Kaj Kat shivered and wrapped his tail around himself, trying to keep warm. The rain had slowed just a little, but it wasn't showing any signs of stopping any time soon. He whimpered and closed his eyes, wishing Wolfie had thought to send them on a day in Summer. At least then there wouldn't have been a chance that they'd get stuck in this.

As Kaj Kat pulled his tail around him, Zur was doing the same thing. They twitched slightly every time a drop managed to land on him or anywhere near him. He hated the rain so much, he just wanted to find the darn Snicky that put him in this misery, go home, and have it done with. How hard could it be to find a Snicky anyways?

This day couldn't get any worse.

Could it?