Kit flinched when the boom of a cannon shook him from his sleep.

Pouncing from the bed, he was on three legs before he remembered giving his body the order to shift. His heart racing to the point where he was certain his heart would burst through is chest. A growl rippling from him.

Life had taught him to constantly expect danger, to suspect that every shadow held an enemy wanting to kill him, to believe that he was never truly safe.

Even when he found no enemy trying to kill him, that there was no danger. Kit didn't trust his own nose. Confused as to why every instinct was on high alert, that his very blood seemed to scream with the need to protect. He looked back at the bed to see the reason why.

Now he had something else to protect.

At some point during the night, Romany had joined him in the bed. He couldn't fully remember why or when, but she sat upright rubbing he sleep from her eyes. Just as confused as he by the sudden, explosive noise.

Flicking an ear back in her direction, but otherwise he only had eyes for the door, in case anything came around the blind corner. He spoke a low voice, unwilling to move from his protective stance by the bed.

"Can you see anything out the window?"

Silent like a shadow, Romany slipped from the bed. A sniper in the truest form as she tiptoed towards the window. She paused only to lift her gun from her jacket, discarded on the floor from the night before. Cocking it, she looked outside.

For a moment, she didn't say anything. Assessing the world outside the window. Kit waited, impatient for an answer. For the first time, he peeled his eyes from the open doorway, looking o her, waiting.

With a sigh, Romany turned around at last. Pulling on some trousers and a shirt, she said quickly. "Let's go."

Not needing to be asked twice, though still very much on edge. Kit followed, his turn to be like a shadow as he kept close to her. His head low and his ears alert, not still fully trusting whatever she had seen outside.

Once again, the world was full of chaos. This time, fortunately, all were going in the same direction. Soon, what seemed to be a million people were gathered at the centre of the area. Well organised in spite of the huge number of them.

Quickly the two made their way over to where their own group was waiting. Kit pretended to ignore the knowing look he received from Vic. Doing his best to resist the urge to take a bite out of his flank.

Settling beside the bear and the eagle, Kit danced his gaze across the clearing. Searching for the Giant, who should have frankly been difficult to miss. Narrowing his eyes, his tail flicking from side to side.

Catching sight of the cannon which had jerked him from his sleep, making a mental note to kill the idiot who thought that was a good way of waking the troops.

"Go time is in three hours and approximately twenty minutes," Peter spoke. Kit was getting the growing impression that is was a man of few words. Why use twenty words when five will do the job?

Peter listed off the different group names, Kit strained his ears until he herd his own and looked to Sybil.

When the orders were given out the various groups spread out, some stayed and settled. To wait out the three hours until go time. Whilst others headed to the woods to hunt, or run or play, Kit wasn't certain.

Most were trying to make what could be their last hours, as good and as happy as they could. To take their minds off the dire situation that they were faced with.

"There are seven setups just like this," Sybil explained. "All along the border, with similar numbers in each one. When the countdown happens, every member will spread out and make their way back towards the beach. Towards the island, and with any luck we will force the beasts to come with us."

It was arguably the most ridiculous plan Kit had ever heard of. But he knew with the time restraints, there was no time to put anything better together. All he prayed for, was that it would succeed regardless of the cost.

No matter how many died in the effort to make it work, it was minute in comparison to what would happen if it didn't.

"We have eighteen helicopters in the air, armed with guns to spot if any have been missed." Sybil drawled off. It was no rousing speech, it left none of them inspired. But the truth of the matter was that little could.

Every person there knew the stakes.

"You have three hours, spend it how you wish. But for the love of God, don't be late."

For a moment no one spoke, leaving Kit alone with his thoughts. He looked back at Vic, Max and Romany. Wondering if they had any ideas on how they wanted to spend their last hours. An ear twitched forward, watching them.

Max moved from foot to foot, his feathers ruffling beneath the gentle breezes which stirred the area. He closed his eyes for a split second, thinking.

"I don't know about you guys, but I cant bare to go inside right now. I'm going to the forests, anyone who wants to come with is welcome to."

Nothing ever sounded more appealing at that moment in time. To spend what could be the last few hours with the people he had come to know as family. He only wished that everyone was here, those still breathing and otherwise from the island.

Stepping forward so he was in line with his best friend. There was no need for the two to exchange words to know the sentiment behind the action. Soon enough, Vic and Romany had joined them.

Rolling his head back, as he based in the warmth of the slowly rising sun. Kit enjoyed it for a moment, in no mood to be the one making decisions. Happy to go wherever he was told, he waited. More patient then he ever remembered being.

For all he cared, he had all the time in the world. It was going to end one way or another, be it a happy or tragic one. The one thing that Kit wasn't going to let change, was this time now. He refused to let anything mar or ruin it.

"Would you like to come with us," it was Romany who spoke next. Her words this time directed at the newcomers to their group

"You enjoy yourselves, we'll find a way to occupy ourselves. We have our own farewells to make," Sybil said. Her tone more solemn than any of them.

By the way the others nodded in response, Kit could guess that no one had any arguments to make with this. The time was there's.

Kit watched them leave, silent as they made their way away. Splitting into different directions until they were out of sight. Blending into the hundreds of heads. He twitched an ear, and then returned his attention to his own small group.

Having apparently taken charge of their small group. Max spread his wings, prepared to leap into the sky. "Let's go then, I don't care where. I just want to get the hell out of this place," before they could answer. He was gone to the skies.

Following as closely as he was able, the remaining ground dwellers pursued the eagle into the forests.

Once they reached the shadows of the heavily wooded areas. Something took over Kit. He lunged forward and took off running. No reason or whim about it, other than the need to just run as fast as his paws would take him.

A growl sounded from behind him, and soon Vic was making chase. The wolf and the bear in a race, with the human lagging behind but keeping up as best as she was able.

Barely noticing her struggling behind them, her pants audible even from his growing lead. His paws thundered against the earth, as he fought harder and harder to lose Vic. As though a beast was chasing after him.

His long tail wagged in he wind, enjoying the thrill of the chase without worry of what would happen if he lost.

Vic suddenly leapt, barrelling into Kit like a bullet fired from a gun. The two rolled and rolled, laughing the entire time as both fought to stay on top until they crashed to a stop. The bear using his advantageous height and weight to keep the wolf still.

Both members panting hard from the long run, Kit leapt to his paws. His tail wagging from side to side. Leaping again and again, battering at bear with playful paws, careful to not inflict any actual harm.

Romany caught up eventually, staggering to a stop and falling to her knees. Coughing hard as she caught her breath but the sound was mostly drowned out by her fits of laughter. As she watched the two act like cubs, playing.

With a screech, Max threw himself into the scrap too. A bundle of feathers and talon as they circled and circled.

At last the three young men fell apart, landing hard on the ground as they caught their breath. Shaking from the effort of the run and fight.

It was stupid, in hindsight. Considering how tired they all were after years of combat. Bu that moment, they had shown how truly young they were. How most of their young adulthoods had been taken from them by the island. In that moment, their true ages shone through.

That was when the cannon sounded for the second time that day.

Looking up, Vic narrowed his eyes with a growl. "It's time to go."

Soon it would become apparent if their entire lives would be taken by the island.