Jeremiah's gaze snapped to the young man hovering at the mouth of the alley, trusting that Billy would cover his back if the lynx made another move. Sure enough, a fresh jet of black ink shot from above, followed by the beast's agitated yowl. The trust wasn't misplaced.

"What the hell is this?" Jeremiah demanded, voice rough with adrenaline. "You using that thing to jump people or what?"

"NO!" the stranger blurted, raw panic in his voice. "No, it's not like that! I swear!" He took a hesitant step forward.

Jeremiah raised the knife, halting him in his tracks. The man's hands shot up, palms open and trembling. Beside them, the lynx snarled, only to be met with another blast of ink from Billy. Another guttural growl answered, but Jeremiah could feel through their bond that Billy was tiring. This needed to end — fast.

"Please," the man pleaded, voice shaking as he edged closer, arms still raised high. "Just let me explain, alright?"

Jeremiah studied him, squinting through the gloom. He couldn't make out the stranger's features — just a gaunt silhouette framed by desperation. There was something in his voice, though, a thread of familiarity that pulled at Jeremiah's gut. It didn't sound like a mugger's bluff. If anything, the man sounded more afraid than Jeremiah was.

"…Fine," Jeremiah said at last, tension crackling in his voice. "But no sudden moves."

The stranger's relief was almost palpable — his whole body sagged.

"My name's Lewis. I… I live in the old Maddock apartment building."

Jeremiah raised an eyebrow, knife still steady. "You're one of the squatters Ulrick mentioned."

"That's —!" Lewis started, then let the fight drain from his shoulders. "Yeah, okay. Technically, we're squatters." He rushed to add, "But Ulrick knew. He said it was fine. Sometime he would even bring us supplies. We're not hurting anyone, I promise."

Jeremiah considered this. That did sound like Ulrick, always doing favors, always looking out for the people who slipped through the cracks. And Ulrick had specifically asked Jeremiah not to mess with the apartments. Still, Lewis could just be saying what he thought Jeremiah wanted to hear.

"Let's say I believe you," Jeremiah said, knife still poised between them. "What's all this, then?" He jerked his head at the lynx. "If that's how you welcome your neighbors, you've got a funny way of showing it."

Lewis shook his head, wild hair tossing in the darkness. "No, no, this is just a… misunderstanding!"

Jeremiah snorted. "Sure."

Lewis winced but pressed on. "We… the others and me… we watched you build your shop."

Jeremiah blinked, caught off guard. He'd known that Amani's renovations hadn't been subtle, but he hadn't thought much about being watched. Maybe he should have.

"And the Tangled Lynx?" Jeremiah pressed, voice flat.

"Maddie is my… friend," Lewis said quietly.

"Maddie?" Jeremiah echoed, brow lifting. Then realization dawned, and his eyes widened. "Wait, as in… Maddock?"

Lewis managed a tired laugh. Even in the shadows, Jeremiah caught the flash of a genuine smile. "Yeah. Named after the lot. I found her as a kit, tangled in a thorn bush in the old Maddock park. Sometimes you can find berries or roots there, if you can get past the brambles."

He took a cautious step closer, voice warming with memory. "She was so small — no bigger than my forearm, and mean as the nine hells. Still got the scar to prove it." He rolled up a sleeve, as if to show, but didn't come any closer just yet.

Lewis's tone softened, almost fragile. "But she was weak. Skin and bones, barely hanging on. I spent days just getting her to eat. It took a month before she could walk straight… twice that before she'd let me out of her sight."

He drifted nearer to the lynx, attention wholly on her. Maddie lay sprawled, sides heaving, sticky ink clumping her lashes. Jeremiah edged away, moving back toward Billy's bowl but keeping the blade ready at his side. Maybe it was foolish, but something told him to hear the man out.

Noticing the space Jeremiah gave, Lewis closed the last gap and knelt beside Maddie, lifting her battered head into his lap. The lynx twitched at his touch, but after a breath, pressed her nose into his palm, purring weakly.

Lewis stroked her fur in a slow, careful motion. "Once she got stronger, she started looking out for us. Cleared the Maddock lot of the worst critters — made it safer for the rest of us to forage. Her magic helped things grow when food ran short. She even chased off those bastards that tried shaking down the residents."

The smile on his face grew soft and bright, visible even in the faint alley glow. "People were scared at first. But… she earned their trust. Life wasn't easy, but with Maddie around, it was a little better."

Jeremiah let his knife arm fall, the tension in his shoulders easing just a bit. "Then I came along…" he said quietly, understanding the chain of cause and effect, guilt creeping into his voice.

Lewis's hand faltered for a moment before continuing to stroke Maddie's battered fur. "We don't blame you… well, most of us don't. The older residents kept saying Ulrick wouldn't let you just throw us out. But Maddie…" he shook his head. "It's not like we could explain that to her."

A cold weight settled in Jeremiah's gut as he remembered the raw surge of emotion and wild impressions that had crashed through his mind when he tried to attune with the lynx. So much fear, anger, and confusion. That bitter, festering sense of loss and resentment, like an old wound ripped open. If Jeremiah had to guess, this wasn't the first time something like this had happened to Maddie.

He swallowed. "Did you ever think to tell Ulrick what was happening?" He wouldn't have let Amani do what she did if he'd known… right?

Lewis shook his head, exhaustion lining every feature. "Ulrick is a… good man, but Maddie's still wild at heart. And with us living so close to Market Street, I was scared. Not just for me — for her. If something went wrong, if Maddie hurt someone… I was afraid of what would happen to her, or to all of us."

He let out a trembling sigh. "I tried to keep her calm. Kept her inside, talked to her, did everything I could think of. But she was too agitated. Restless. She wouldn't settle, no matter what I did." His voice dropped to a whisper. "I must've fallen asleep. By the time I woke, it was already dark… and she was gone."

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

For a moment, Lewis pressed his forehead to Maddie's side, shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

A gap in the clouds let a slant of moonlight spill across the alley. Jeremiah glanced down and noticed the young man's bare feet, torn and bleeding, leaving a trail of dark, wet prints behind him on the rough stone. The realization hit him with a fresh pang. Lewis had run through the night, barefoot and desperate, just to catch up.

Jeremiah hesitated, the knife hanging limply at his side. For a long moment, the only sounds in the alley were Lewis's muffled, broken sobs and the ragged, uneven breaths of the battered lynx. Guilt gnawed at Jeremiah's resolve, but fear — sharp and cold — held his feet rooted to the cracked stone.

He drew a slow, shaky breath and forced his voice steady. "Lewis, I'm not trying to be the villain here. I get it, I really do. She's your friend. She's family. But you have to see it from my side, too." He gestured helplessly, feeling every ache in his torn knuckles. "She attacked me. If Billy hadn't been here…" He trailed off, shaking his head. "I might be dead. What if it happens again? What if it's one of my customers next time, or a kid?"

Lewis's face crumpled, grief and desperation etched deep in the lines of his expression. "I know. I know how it looks, and I'm sorry. Please — just give us a chance. I'll take Maddie. We'll leave the Crossroads behind, find somewhere safer. I swear we'll never come near your shop again. Just… let us go. Please."

Jeremiah exhaled a long, heavy breath and dragged a hand over his face. The weight of the moment pressed down on him, thick as the humid night air. Could he really trust that Lewis could keep Maddie away? That she wouldn't hurt anyone else if she got spooked or angry? A wild beast that had learned to see people as the enemy — or worse, prey — wasn't something he could in good conscience ignore. Jeremiah was more that aware how those situations typically turned out.

He studied the young man, hunched and bleeding, clutching the lynx like she was his last anchor in the world. In Lewis's desperation, Jeremiah caught a flicker of himself — lost, scared, fighting to hold onto the only thing that made sense. The only thing he had left.

Was there really no other way out of this?

Something flickered at the edge of Jeremiah's thoughts — a glimmer of possibility, faint and uncertain. He reached for it, desperate, and an idea began to bloom. Maybe there was another way.

Why couldn't Maddie be made to understand?

Anyone else might have been out of options. But Jeremiah wasn't just anyone. He had the System.

He offered a silent plea to whatever forces were listening — Sarah, fate, the System itself. Then he straightened, determination settling across his shoulders.

"I… might have a solution," Jeremiah said, voice quiet but sure.

Lewis startled, head snapping up, eyes red-rimmed and raw with hope. He hugged Maddie's head close. "You do? Please, whatever it is, I'll do it. I'll pay, I'll help! Just please, help her."

Jeremiah lifted a hand, signaling him to stop. "I said I might have a solution. I'm not sure it'll work. But what I do know is that, if it's going to work, Maddie will have to agree to it herself."

Lewis hesitated, confused, then nodded. "I… I don't know what you mean, but if you think it's the only way, then try." He bent over Maddie, whispering to her with trembling hands. "I know you can't understand me, girl, but please — just trust him, just this once."

The lynx, battered but loyal, rumbled a deep purr and nuzzled Lewis's cheek, licking his nose.

Jeremiah let out a slow, steady breath and reached out to the System with a thought.

I would like to form a bond.

As always, the System's response was immediate, a glimmer of text flaring to life behind his eyes.

——————❇——————

Acknowledged.

Please select the beast and type of bond.

——————❇——————

Jeremiah focused on Maddie, holding the image of her in his mind, and formed the word: Contract!

Unlike his earlier attempt at attunement, a different window appeared.

——————❇——————

Warning! You do not have any Contract slots available. Any Contracts formed will be as Auxiliary Bonds. Auxiliary Bonds do not contribute toward personal growth of the User or Beast, and bond point accumulation is greatly reduced [1/10].

Active and Auxiliary Attunements may be swapped freely. Contracts must be renegotiated on a case-by-case basis. Pacts cannot be Auxiliary.

Would you like to continue and form an Auxiliary Contract?

[Y/N]

——————❇——————

Jeremiah blinked at the prompt, momentarily taken aback. He hadn't known about this restriction before, but it made sense — the System had always displayed his bond limit on his status. He'd assumed it would simply prevent him from creating new contracts once he'd hit the cap, but apparently, it would still let him form a contract, even if it offered no additional personal growth. That was worth remembering.

Relief washed through him. That's fine. I don't need the power or extra bond slot. I just need this to work.

He selected Yes with a thought, and the prompt vanished. In its place, a new screen materialized.

——————❇——————

Please state Terms of Contract.

——————❇——————

A blank template opened, waiting — lines empty and formless, ready to be shaped. It reminded Jeremiah of his first contract with Billy, only now, the possibilities stretched out before him, waiting for him to write the rules.

He let out a low sigh, bracing himself for the work ahead.

Lewis, noticing his pause, looked up, worry etched in every line of his face. "Is something wrong?"

Jeremiah shook his head, glancing at the waiting System window. "No… just need a minute to get this right."

Twenty minutes of work later, Jeremiah had something he felt like he could live with.

—————————♛—————————

CONTRACT CLASSIFICATION:

[Beast ↔ User | Initiated Contract]

Status: Pending

Bond Level: Auxiliary

Bond Integrity: Stable (Initial)

Permanence: Revocable by Mutual Consent or System Breach

—————————

PARTY A:

Jeremiah Bridge – System-Registered User – Iteration: [Mystical Menagerie]

Sapience: Full [No adjustments]

Willingness: Confirmed

—

PARTY B:

Maddie – Tangled Lynx – Designated Guardian of the Maddock Lot

Sapience: Above Average (Beast)

Willingness: Pending (Subject to Acceptance)

—————————

✦ CONTRACT TERMS ✦

1. Nature of Offer:Jeremiah Bridge (User) agrees to grant Maddie (Beast) a permanent right of safe residence within the enclosed courtyard and garden of the Mystical Menagerie. User further agrees not to forcibly evict any current residents of the Maddock Apartment building (hereafter "the Residents") without just cause or due process.

Value:Secure territory, safety, ongoing access to known residents, and continued coexistence with chosen human and animal companions.

System Notes:User must maintain minimum acceptable habitat standards as determined by System.

—

2. Exchange:

Maddie (Beast) agrees not to attack, threaten, or otherwise harass Jeremiah Bridge, his customers, or any non-hostile sapient being on Market Street, so long as none pose immediate threat or danger. Maddie further agrees to act as guardian of the Mystical Menagerie in Jeremiah's absence, alerting him (or designated proxy) to intrusion or hostile activity within shop boundaries.

Implied Exchange:

Mutual benefit through shared protection, stability, and safety.

Value:

Shop security, deterrent effect, and additional protection for residents and clientele.

System Notes:

System will monitor for contract compliance via observable actions and reported breaches.

—

3. Consent:

Beast Consent Status: Pending – Awaiting confirmation from Maddie.

User Consent Status: Confirmed.

—————————

🜁 Finalize Contract [Finalized Contract will be sent to Party B for review]

🜃 Cancel Contract

—————————♛—————————

It wasn't perfect, Jeremiah knew that.

But for a first attempt all on my own? Not bad, he thought, a weary smirk flickering across his lips.

He took a slow, steadying breath and finalized the contract.

Maddie's steady purr faded, replaced by a taut silence. She lifted her head from Lewis's lap, muscles coiled and eyes bright and narrowing with something sharper than suspicion. For a moment, the alley felt brittle with anticipation.

"Maddie?" Lewis's voice was soft, uncertain. "What is it?"

Jeremiah held her gaze, refusing to look away. The weight of everything — Lewis's pleading, Billy's wary presence, his own frayed nerves — pressed in on him. He tried to steady the silent plea thrumming in his chest. Come on… please let this work.

For a heartbeat, nothing moved but the restless flick of Maddie's tail. Then, just as doubt threatened to crack Jeremiah's resolve, a new System screen flared to life in the air between them.

——————❇——————

Your Contract was Rejected.

——————❇——————

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