Music of the Night

Chapter 45

Chapter 45

During his walk, Arthur's ears were perked up to listen to his surroundings. He had to nudge Agata by his leg to ask him to describe where they were or the direction they are heading too. He was thankful that the Congo lion can lower his voice to what sounded like murmurs but very decipherable.

The Honduran white bat sometimes wondered if his hearing besides listening could construct an image in his head.

Alas, that was not the case! 

The first group he was dragged to were the Madaragumi with their weapon choice of katanas and from what Arthur assumed to be blade weapons just by the sound he heard. If these guys weren't so power hungry and threatening, he would like to introduce them to Sameer since he knows how to fence and use swords back in Gryphon Cross.

"You're awfully quiet, little bat," a member behind him commented. "You're not scared of us?"

Arthur turned his head around while walking. "Of course I am. I don't know what is going on but I'll keep my ears out for anything."

He heard chuckles and purrs around him. Was it something he said?

Arthur's wings could feel something similar to wood and the tapping sounds of their footsteps as they entered what seemed to be a building. Arthur was thankful to remove his shoes so that he could feel the texture of the floor and hopefully hang upside down somewhere.

He could hear something incoherent and high pitched which made the bat all the more curious.

The Honduran white bat didn't care that he was straying away because he heard something very familiar. He used his two fingers to feel up the source of a sound. It was something like a tiny plant or was it a tree? It had branches, leaves, and even the unique bark when he ran his fingers across it.

"Hello there," Arthur murmured with a smile. "You sound healthy. Did they give you special nutrients in the soil? Or trim you a bit?"

"What the hell are you doing?" he heard a growl from Agata. "You're gonna get killed if you stray away like that! Come on, before-"

"Hey! What are you doing fondling the boss' bonsai?!" an angry voice demanded. The voice was really deep that it made the bat jumped to the point he hung upside down on the rafter. 

He shouldn't have done that.

Arthur was suddenly grabbed by the neck despite hanging upside down. "Do you realise that us jaguars and leopards can climb? Answer me or I will have my group make a delicious soup out of you."

"Ack! I..I..." Arthur was struggling to explain when a claw was gripping his neck too roughly. Agata leaped up to bite on the jaguar's tail to release the little Chiroptera. He was surprised to see the leader of the Madaragumi not flinching but threw Agata down and beckoned his men to restrain the Congo lion.

Arthur exhaled once the grip loosened and rubbed his neck. This wasn't the first time his neck was a target to some animals. He turned his head to the direction of his attacker, swinging a bit to calm himself.

"I heard chittering sounds," Arthur explained slowly. "I didn't know you had a cherry blossom bonsai and from the sound I was curious. Please, I'm terribly sorry. It's a habit for me hearing the plants and flowers since they can be rowdy sometimes."

There was silence and Arthur swore he heard one of the members said: "Are you sure he's not drinking poppy milk?"

"You can't tell if I am a jaguar or leopard?"

Arthur shook his head. "I can't exactly feel your spots as I tried to picture my friend who's a tiger. Plus, it's hard when you aren't able to tell the kind of animals where sight is needed."

The head of the Madaragumi smiled softly at the bat. He was just too cute to be eaten! Then again, bats are just mice with wings. He'll need to test this little one to some tests. He checked the wall clock, noting that he has an hour and a half.

"Alright, I got something for you to do," he chuckled as he leaped down to the floor. Arthur was still hanging upside down and lowered his head to listen with those disc-shaped ears. 

"Bat, let me see you tend to my bonsais and in return, I won't eat you," the leader announced. Arthur focused his direction at the voice. Some of the leopards and jaguars were unnerved by his cloudy blue eyes as if he were a ghost.

"Do you think he's a Vampyrum?" he heard one of them whispered. "If he sucks one of our blood, we might be undead as well!"

"Don't jump into conclusions! I don't think he has the guts to even eat his own kind."

Arthur gulped, wishing he was back in his dorm drinking tea or even play a tune from one of his instruments. More importantly, he promised himself that he will take Mizuchi out for breakfast one of these days as she has done for him with dinner and movie.

He hope at least Mizuchi is okay and his friends in Cherryton.

Because tonight's going to be a long night for him....

...

Meanwhile on the other side of the Black Market, there was a building with a health sign dimly lit outside of the streets of blood. The smells of cooked meat, blood and even the sounds crackling skin was enough to make any carnivores go into frenzy.

All carnivores were enjoying their bloody supper and chatting away as if it were another day. Then again, the Black Market is for carnivores to let out their predatory desires upon their prey without getting into trouble since the meat are donated from hospitals and orphanages.

Suddenly, their bustling activities were halted as all of the carnivores gazed upon the moonlit sky.

A white apparition of a bat was flying past the market and all of the carnivores held their breath. It wasn't the first time they saw this bat and he looked menacing with the red liquid dribbling at the corner of his mouth and orange wings large enough like a tent to capture the smallest cub.

Once the figure was gone, every carnivore had a sigh of relief before resuming their night.

The white bat used his echolocation consisting of inaudible clicks to locate the place he was flying to. Finding a low roof, he hung upside down before knocking the door.

Out came a buffed giant panda with a scar over his right eye and another across his left cheek. The bat noted the bamboo strap draped on his body with his ammunition and the smell of the burning cigarette in his mouth.

"You came," he commented gruffly. "And to think I'd be getting some peace and quiet a minute ago."

"They were very terrified of me flying at night, Dr Gouhin," the bat laughed, his amber eyes behind his glasses were twinkling with amusement.

"Still believing in the Vampyrum crap despite them being adults, Dr Kirk?"

"Very which I am surprised. Of course, I do know a few Vampyrums in my life...But enough about me! Shall we have our conversation? Of course I'd bore you with my planet theories and about the universe."

The giant panda shook his head. He has never had an animal that rubbed him the wrong way like that grey wolf. Dr Kirk just has that feeling that made the panda a bit calm yet wary around him. Speaking of which, he hoped that magazine worked out for that pup.

"I'd rather let you come in here before anything happens," sighed Gouhin before inhaling his cigarette. "There's a turf war going on between four organisations and I am not getting involve in that."

"I reckoned," Kirk puffed his fluffy white fur. "Now, you want me to brew you the bamboo tea this time?"

"You are sure you're not a Vampyrum trying to hypnotise me?" Gouhin smirked as they both entered the clinic. Kirk laughed, his little fangs showing up at the roof of his mouth.

"I can see my own reflection in the mirror, thank you very much!"

Little did he know, a group of leopards just walked past the clinic with a Congo lion and a blind Honduran white bat.