Behind the Curtain ||DISCONTINUED||

Show Time

*Short Chapter*

I sit just outside the main ring. I can hear the crowd cheering and shouting. Aurora, a rare snow leopard African leopard mix, is doing her act. She first did some fancy jumps and flips up to the tightrope platform, and just finished walking across. Her tar- white fur shines from the tent lights, and her green eyes gleam.
She gracefully jumps down and pads back to the curtain, tail swishing. As she walks by me, she mouths good luck to me. I nod to her.
In truth, I am afraid of the act, doing it with Tele.
He didn't perform very well during the training, but it's to late to go back. I take a deep breath. Blade is sitting beside me. He gently lays his tail on my shoulder, to reassure me. Tele comes padding up from behind. His wide eyes are dim, empty.
He silently sits beside me. I can barely hear him breathing. I gently nudge his shoulder, and say "You see that?" I nod toward the moon, whose silvery light shines down from a small hole in the tent.
"Soon, we won't have to look at the moon through the tent, because we'll be free." His head jerks up to look at me.
"Soon, we'll leave, and we'll never have to perform again, and we can bring everyone else." His eyes have regained some fire.
"Really? I thought you were against leaving." Tele's eyes are the size of the moon.
"I changed my mind." I only have time to give him a small lick on the head before King walks into the middle of the ring.
I can feel my back stiffen, my fur bristle. A low whistle sounds from his lips.
The tree of us stand up, and pad out into the ring. King's riding crop glints in the yellow ring lights.
He begins with low whistles and subtle clicks. We perform small circles and growl at him. He signals Tele, and he lunges forward. King whacks Tele and pushes him back. The crowd yells and cheers. I lunge forward, and King shields himself with the stool. I bite the fake leg, and it falls off. King hits me on the flank, leaving a stinging pain. I retreat as Blade lunges forward. Every time we lunge, the crowd gasps, and every time we get hit, the crowd cheers. By the time the show is over, my whole body is sore from the whipping of the crop. Several cuts and bruises line my front legs, and longer cuts line my flank and back legs. Tele and Blade are no better off. I nudge aside the curtain that leads to the backstage. As I do, Tele limps over next to me.
"We're you serious? About leaving?" He asks.
"Of course." I respond.
"However, we first must figure out how."
Tele looks at me with new fondness. I can tell Blade overheard us, but he makes no comment. That's fine, he rarely speaks anyways.
As we limp backstage, I can see Aurora crouched in the corner. I can hear faint whispers. A familiar smell wafts over from where she is crouched. I sniff at the air. I can tell Blade has picked up the scent as well. Suddenly, I recognize the scent.
"Raze?"

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Credit for the character Aurora goes to Fizzybubbles37!

Sorry the chapter was short, I do plan on publishing a longer one soon!