Chapter 50

As he got to his feet, the paw that he'd hurt leaping from the balcony buckled under him. His stomach growled, reminding him he'd missed his lunch and dinner. His vision blurred. He thought of stopping to rest, finding a patch of woods, and hunting for dinner, but the panic switch in his brain went on, shutting down all his reasonings. Run, it said. And he obeyed.

When he got out of the town, he raced across fields and forests and open pastures.

Every time he looked back, he caught a shadow approaching, trying to chase him down. By nightfall, he was moving on pure fear and momentum. No matter how hungry and exhausted he was, he couldn't slow down. Because he was certain that if he stopped, he'd never get to start again.

But what if he slumps and dies of hunger and exhaustion? He couldn't bring himself to think about that. It was easier to keep running, although he didn't know where he was running to. But at least he knew what he was ru