The Aeronaut's Daughter

Another Oxford?

(Lyra P.O.V) 

We walked through the alleyways until we came to a large square. Numbers of children were standing there holding up baskets and buckets to shield their heads from a shower of stones from up on the roof. 

Looking up I saw (M/C) angrily tossing the stones and yelling out: "Leave me alone!"

"What are you afraid to come down and have a fight?" a boy mocked laughing. 

The same two girls who were picking on that poor cat were calling him names and shouting out unkind remarks up to him. 

"Hey!" I shouted. I stomped forward. "HEY!" I bawled out loudly. Everyone turned to him. "Go away and bother someone your own!" 

"What did you just say?" the mean blonde-haired girl from before challenged me. 

"You heard her!" (Y/N) stood by my side. "Leave! Don't make Pan and Aster yap at you," 

The children flinched but didn't run. (Y/N) shared another glance and nodded. We turned back and clicked our fingers together. 

Pan and Aster turned into small lion cubs and they growled. The mob of bullies ran away again like cowards.  

"And don't come back!" I added in. 

We all turned our attention back upwards. Just then more stones come falling down on us. 

"Hey!" I shouted. "Enough with the rocks!"

"We just sent those children away!"

The rocks stopped. 

"Is that you three?!" (M/C) called out again. 

"Yes! Now will you chill out!" Will shouted up. "We just wanna talk!" 

(M/C) peered his head over the roof ledge and stared down at us. "I thought I told you guys to leave!"

"We're pretty sure we told you we can't do that," I talked back up. "And you're staying here. What difference does it make?" 

(M/C) still didn't come down. 

"Look can you come down please?" (Y/N) asked. "It's really difficult to have a conversation like this," 

"That's my cat!" (M/C) leaned his head over. "Let go of my cat before I come down!"

Will looked a little nervous. 

"Hey! Chill!" (Y/N) shouted. "Will saved your cat. Be grateful," 

(M/C) just stared down at all of us. 

"Will you please come down?" I implored. 

(M/C) pulled his head back. 

"Is that a - yes?" Will asked. 

We heard the clanking of roof tiles then an abrupt silence. Next thing we heard is squeaking and a sudden "Ow!" 

From a small gap between the two buildings in front of her appears (M/C), he blows on his hands, rubbing them together. He stared dangerously at Will. "You saved my cat?"

"Yes. What's your cat's name?" 

"Lion," 

Will settled the cat down and it ran right into (M/C)'s arms. 

"I've been looking for you everywhere," he stroked him tenderly. He suddenly saw how bruised his dear companion was. "What happened to you?"

"Lion was attacked by those children who were mocking you," Will said.