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“A Leap Forward” by MikasiWolf (part 1 of 3)

In a world where followers of The Movement — also known as Parkour — called Traceurs live on the roofs, away from the discrimination and persecution of life of the ground, Lesaut the African civet was tasked by the community leader to mentor a newcomer by the name of Snoss.

Today’s story is “A Leap Forward” by MikasiWolf, who is a Wolf Mercenary writer.

"A Leap Forward” had formerly appeared in Claw the Way to Victory by Goal Publications (formerly published by Jaffa Books), and Furry Trash by Rabbit Valley Press and you can find links to more of his stories on his Wikifur or Furaffinity page.

This is a story in three parts, which will continue next time, and conclude at the end of the week.

Read for you by Khaki, your faithful fireside companion.

Transcript
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You’re listening to The Voice of Dog.

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I’m Khaki, your faithful fireside companion,

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and Today’s story is

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“A Leap Forward” by MikasiWolf (https://twitter.com/mikasiwolf?lang=en),

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who is a Wolf Mercenary writer.

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“A Leap Forward” had formerly appeared in

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Claw the Way to Victory

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by Goal Publications

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(formerly published by Jaffa Books),

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and Furry Trash by Rabbit Valley Press. https://www.rabbitvalley.com/item.php?item=9809&return_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rabbitvalley.com%2Fsearch.php%3Fsearch_text%3DFurry%2BTrash%26return_number%3D25%26page%3D0 by Rabbit Valley Press (https://www.rabbitvalley.com)

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and you can find links to more of his stories on his Wikifur or Furaffinity page https://en.wikifur.com/wiki/MikasiWolf https://www.furaffinity.net/user/mikasiwolf/

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This is a story in three parts, which will continue next time, and conclude at the end of the week.

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“A Leap Forward” by MikasiWolf, Part 1 of 3 Lesaut dashed across the roof of one

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out of many five-story apartment buildings that dotted the neighborhood,

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sinewy and powerful muscles coiled effortlessly against the wind on his lush,

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spotted fur. Right at the edge of a drop, he slammed a foot on top of the parapet,

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springing him over to the next building.

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Years of practiced ease

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kept his footpaws tucked upwards as he soared over five floors worth of air

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and potential death,

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with room to spare as his toes and bum cleared the broken glass fused on the opposing wall.

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All paws landing flat against the ground, he continued unfettered,

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black-tipped tail

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lashing twice for balance.

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The civet’s strides ate up the steel stairs leading up before him,

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practically dancing over three at a time.

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He had no idea what he was running towards, but that was simply the guidance that came with

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the Flow. There was a certain thrill to the chase,

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not the chase of quarry,

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but the chase for the freedom

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the open roofs offered.

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Here, the land belonged to no one,

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save the birds and anyone with the skills and dexterity

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they had been born or imbued with.

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And how many in the neighborhood could really deny that fact?

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His muscles uncoiled

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even as he threw his spotted and striped body down to a lower level,

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thick fur cushioning the blow as he rolled over his right shoulder.

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Muzzle tucked against his chest

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as his legs fell back onto the ground,

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he stepped back up in seamless movement, running onward to come what may.

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Paws stretched forward as he kept stride, Lesaut

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double-vaulted across two warm ventilation units,

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paws pushing twice against the humming surface.

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He sprung towards the wall of a stairwell at an angle,

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bunching one powerful foot off it,

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and landed right atop a greyish building.

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Finally slowing himself to a walk,

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Lesaut found the gargoyle at the edge

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and perched atop it.

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He surveyed the open expense of

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the field of low-rise buildings and community spaces below,

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chest heaving slowly as a welcome breeze ruffled his fur.

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His muscles ached,

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but in a good way.

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Here atop the municipal building of Intersection, he could see much of the city that mattered to the ground dwellers,

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or Grounders as was known to them.

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Something about this spot drew him constantly to it.

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Whether it was the weasel-shaped gargoyle so resembling the African Civet he was,

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or the familiarity of the building layout here

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to that of his old hometown of

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Clichy-sous-bois in the banlieues of Paris,

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he knew not. But here he felt at ease,

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the calm after the sweat and thrill his lifestyle offered.

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He observed a group of cubs playing ball down below,

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their cries audible even seven stories up.

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The largest whom Lesaut recognized from his previous musings as a brown bear

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dashed through the other cubs with the ball at his feet,

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and Lesaut almost smiled at the incredulity of it.

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A guy of his size would be better suited as a goalkeeper, and yet

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the bear found a better use for it.

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By dashing through opponents without actually contacting them, he effectively cleared a path

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through psychological repulsion alone.

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Cubs would stay away so as not be rammed away,

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but the bear would not be charged with a foul.

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A fine example of adapting one’s body to your surroundings. Lesaut’s

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smile wavered as he saw a cub by the sidelines,

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watching the others play while he stood alone,

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his head following the ball as it journeyed across the patchy field.

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From his striped tail and black mask, Lesaut knew he was a raccoon,

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looking strikingly similar to his younger brother.

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A lump crept into his heart

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as he remembered how he had felt when he was the racoon’s age,

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wanting to play, but not being able to.

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Honesty. Respect. Humility.

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Sacrifice. Hard work.

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All these were the very principles of L'art du déplacement,

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the art of getting around.

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Over time, its disciples called it The Movement. Lesaut remembered that Father valuing only the last two principles when he taught his son most of what he knew about The Movement.

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His training was harsh, intensive,

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and he didn't see the need for a kid to enjoy himself,

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already ensuring Lesaut and his other son Cicel did

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jobs for the local Bosses when they were good enough to run.

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Getting away from danger was important when you lived in the poorer parts of a banlieue,

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the ghettos of Paris.

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The banlieues were never kind to the unwary and unprepared,

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and it was for their own survival that the brothers had to learn it fast.

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Father was Foreign Legion, and had signed up back in the Old Country.

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His tour of duty had led him to Paris,

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and it was there he had set up roots,

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anxious that his cubs had the best life possible for one of their background.

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But things didn't always work despite one’s contributions to a society that quickly forgot about them,

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and he was only allowed a third-rate apartment in Clichy sous-bois.

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Having only the principles of The Movement imparted to him by a mentor,

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he was confident that his family and community could put it to good use.

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Within months, The Movement was thriving in their community, and the standard of living of their people had improved since then.

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They had enough to eat,

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which was something to be said for immigrants like them.

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Lesaut barely heard the slide of denim against granite,

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followed by a faint thud of pads on hard ground.

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“Thinking much?” asked the newcomer

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as he slid next to Lesaut.

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The silky chocolate pelt of the British Angora cast a shadow into the side of Lesaut’s vision. Lesaut

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turned to him, his facial mask creasing.

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“I’m sorry, say again?”

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His English had improved a lot since he moved to this new land,

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but some of the euphemisms of the people, Traceurs or otherwise

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made understanding difficult at times.

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“You can usually hear me around the time I tic-tac here,”

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said Liam, miming the wall-jump Lesaut had done to get here.

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“Seems like you haven’t.

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Wonderful game going on down there.

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Ever played it?” The cubs below howled as the bear scored.

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Lesaut’s jaw tightened.

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“No. Haven’t got time.”

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His tail lashed and Liam felt it.

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“It’s fun! You should try football sometime.

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They call it soccer here, God knows why.

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I used to play it before I left school.”

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The cat licked the back of his paw, raspy tongue catching onto the fur.

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Donning a Slazenger sports vest and jeans,

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the cat always wore his khaki-green Dockers cap front to back, such that he had to modify the earholes to fit comfortably. Lesaut

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knew that doing so allowed the cap to stay on even during strong winds or a particularly explosive move.

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Too many beginners lost their brimmed headgear when the wind came.

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“You’re off work early,”

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said Lesaut, nose twitching as he scented Liam.

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“How was it?” Despite going through practically the same movements to get to where he was,

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Liam never seemed to sweat much.

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But he had been accustomed to The Movement and environment longer than he had.

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“Oh, same old, same old,”

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said Liam with a wave of paw.

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“My regular client left a message on my cell, so I up and went to see what he had for me.

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Just a ream of documents in a sealed envelope I’m supposed to drop off near the bus station, you know?

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The jobs aren’t coming in nearly as much these days.”

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Liam sighed. Lesaut understood.

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Disciples of The Movement made their living mainly through deliveries that would otherwise be impractical or unsafe

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through the normal channels.

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They functioned somewhat between a courier service and runner, getting the goods to a venue by a set time.

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Usually they were urgent manifests or signed transfer orders that the shipping office and private establishments required in hard copy

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when handing over their goods, but half of the time,

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they were deliveries one was better off not knowing.

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Intersection was a city from which all avenues of transport

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led to the rest of the North American continent and beyond,

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and was therefore a major transfer point of goods between different cities,

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illicit or otherwise. Lesaut

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had done document deliveries when he wasn’t window-washing,

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but had passed over all food delivery jobs ever since the incidents with the Chinese and Italian takeout.

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Noodles and pizza weren’t the best of foods to be jostled around.

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“But what else can we do?”

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asked the civet, turning to Liam.

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The Angora’s ear flicked as he assessed him.

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“The Movement is our life.

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If we take on jobs down below, the very freedom we came for is lost.”

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Everyone knew the inconveniences associated with job application;

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IDs and background checks with the police were better off being left alone.

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An immigrant worth his salt

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avoided tangling with the police where he could.

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Liam let out a breath.

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“Sometimes, freedom is making the decision to accept change.”

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He looked at the cubs and kits below

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dispersing as they shook paws and got to his feet.

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“Alright, soccer game’s over.

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Coming with me to the Gathering?”

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Lesaut grinned and bounced back on the balls of his feet.

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“When have I ever missed

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it?” “There’s a first time for everything?”

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Liam stuck out his tongue and dashed off. Lesaut

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envied Liam;

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the cat bounded effortlessly across all obstacles that presented themselves,

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never tiring even as he completed

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explosive move after move.

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He kept his claws retracted when performing wall runs or vaults,

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only unsheathing them the moment he gripped onto a surface.

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Claws flipped out as he gripped onto an overhanging bar and flipped forward,

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his momentum throwing him forward in a perfect arc.

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There were advantages to being a cat, but the civet had no reason to be envious.

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The Movement encouraged the use of any means possible to get to one’s destination.

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As long as he remained a civet,

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he would take the environment in his stride, and remember

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there was something new to learn each day. Lesaut

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followed close behind,

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grinning at the clawmarks the cat left on the concrete surfaces. ***

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Each day, the disciples of The Movement known as 'Traceurs'

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would meet on their own mutually-agreed roof for dinner and socializing.

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And once a week, there would be a get-together known as the Gathering,

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in which everyone would share their own thoughts and encouragement they may have for the rest of the immediate community.

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Lessons learnt, job offers and personal philosophies;

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everything went

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as long as it was constructive to one’s well-being.

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From what Lesaut understood, Traceurs had been coming to Intersection for years,

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most having left their previous homes for reasons including prosecution.

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Intersection's position and locality in the United States

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had made for an ideal stopping point for one to take a breath

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even as a decision on one’s destination was formed.

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The cost of living and rent had made ground living impractical for most Traceurs, and the roofs became their homes.

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Finding a community that shared their beliefs and background gave many of them a reason to stay on.

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No one knew who the first Traceur in Intersection was, but for now, Liam had been the longest represented this block. Liam and Lesaut finished off with a forward body flip, landing upon a nearby roof.

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They walked over the floorboards laid over to their meeting point,

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breathing slowly as they felt the cool evening breeze.

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One of the few roofs with no roof features such as AC units or

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even a stairwell,

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the gathering ground was nicknamed the Patch.

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Here, an old chimney stuffed with burning kindling

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worked as well as any campfire the Traceurs could stretch out around without any space constraints.

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Despite the dimming light, Lesaut

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could see that some of the Traceurs were only just arriving.

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A red panda pounced from a cooling tower,

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gripping noiselessly onto an old telephone mast on the roof’s edge.

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He peeled silently off the claw-marked wood as he descended head-first in an overhead flip,

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nodding to Lesaut as he got back up.

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In contrast, a patter of feet was punctuated with a chirp as a flash of brown landed,

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tumbling in a roll.

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Like all large-tailed Traceurs,

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the otter flattened his tail as he tumbled,

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softening the force of his fall through it.

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The otter gripped paws with Liam and Lesaut.

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More of the Traceurs arrived.

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A mountain goat precision-landed on the parapet with a signatory clack of hoofs,

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his chamois friend following two seconds behind.

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An ocelot accompanied by a visiting binturong

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clambered onto the Patch,

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barely panting from the exertion of their climb.

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Liam glanced back from the campfire he was lighting

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as a cross between a snarl and a growl pierced the air.

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An oversized lump of

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black and brown fur bounced off the stairwell of an adjacent roof,

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flipping twice in the air before landing with a thump.

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The wolverine's companion,

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a marten, succeeded in only one flip, but landed noiselessly next to his bigger counterpart with an exaggerated bow.

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“Let's get this thing started!”

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bellowed the wolverine as the

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nearby Traceurs wrinkled their noses.

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The pungence of assorted spirits emanated from the large mustelid,

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and the clinking of his form-fitting pack suggested he had brought more for himself.

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Despite their size, wolverines were excellent jumpers, and Skaya was all too anxious to remind them of that fact.

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As Lesaut dragged an empty crate out from its tarpaulin,

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Kruski the mink ran up,

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slamming a foot onto it in a boost

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-jump. Lesaut growled as the mustelid landed,

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bouncing around the leopard Ahsun.

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The leopard waved off his insistences to match his moves, and Kruski sulked, looking furtively around for someone else to match his energy with.

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Those not helping to set up the gathering carried on with

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warm down exercises and chatted among themselves.

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There were a couple of Traceurs who weren't from the community,

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but all who followed the philosophy of The Movement were welcome.

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Laughter and wisecracks could be heard as the

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Traceurs recounted their day’s experiences,

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some of them miming the moves they had perfected.

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Lesaut could see an unfamiliar horse who stood nervously by as the others talked among themselves,

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throwing looks towards him every now and then.

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He looked quickly around for someone

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who might have introduced him,

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but nobody spared the horse more than a glance.

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Probably a newcomer.

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“Hey, Ahsun,” Lesaut greeted the leopard in Lingala,

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the language his family back home spoke when not out in public.

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“It’s good that you could play for us again.”

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The leopard had brought his guitar,

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as he had the last two gatherings.

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It was a well-worn instrument, but Lesaut knew that out of the many possessions of a Traceur,

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a musical instrument was one of the most treasured.

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It was a companion

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and invoker of one’s song and spirit,

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testifying to one’s experiences in life.

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Ahsun grinned, fangs flashing in the firelight. “When

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I have an instrument, I will play for everyone.

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But I won't be able to play them unless its songs of my own.

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The songs must come from one’s heart to be true,

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is it not?” “Fair enough,”

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replied Lesaut, and Ahsun mused back into his tune.

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It sounded like a traditional song from the Congo his mother had taught him when he was a cub.

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What was it again?

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Oh, yes. Uél é moliba makasi. Or in English, “Uele,

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the Current is Very Strong”.

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Lesaut saw Liam exchanging a couple of words with the nervous horse as he patted him on the shoulder,

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and he relaxed. If Liam was fine with the stranger, so was he.

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He tucked his feet against his chest and listened to Ahsun playing, but a question nagged at him, and soon,

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cultural familiarity overrode the fear of posing the question.

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“Ahsun, had you ever considered returning home?”

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asked Lesaut tensely.

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Many of the Traceurs came here to avoid conditions back home in the first place.

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Ahsun thought for a moment, and the strumming of his guitar slowed.

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“You mean where? Home is here.

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On rooftops.” His whiskers twitched as his rosetted browed creased in confusion.

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“No, I meant back to where you were previously from,”

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Lesaut switched back into a tongue the leopard was more familiar with,

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observing the leopard’s muzzle and tail carefully.

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His tail didn’t lash any more than it already was,

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so he could carry on for now.

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Ahsun nodded. “We all have at some point of time.

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For the first month it’s difficult to think about those we leave behind.

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Little brothers and sisters,

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and our mother too, of course.

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Not so much for our older brothers and father.”

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He and Lesaut laughed.

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“But here, we have another family.

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A family in which we can all agree on the same thing.

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It is not perfect, but no family ever is, see?

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Back home, things were bad,

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so I came here. My skills came along with me, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

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I enjoy the freedom The Movement gives us, but without a regular job,

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who are we really?

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Contributors? Freeloaders?

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Think forward, not backward.

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When you arrive somewhere, you think of the here and now.

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Not the past.” Lesaut saw his point,

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but he couldn’t imagine spending nine hours of the day cooped up within four walls,

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having to suffer the whims and fancies of countless different personalities,

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each with their own individual preference of food. Lesaut

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had been inside fast food joints countless times

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—here, every eatery seemed to be just that

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—and had always been overwhelmed by the scents of so many different species punctuated with the stink of stale oil and burnt meat.

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The very thought of being within a confined space was claustrophobia in itself, and Lesaut could imagine that the freedom of the open air

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would be preferable

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any time. Ahsun was one of the few Traceurs who actually worked a job on the ground,

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not without reason.

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He did supplement his income with frequent deliveries at night, and Lesaut suspected that it was as much a means of relieving that pent-up energy

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as well as being a nocturnal.

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Ahsun looked back at Lesaut.

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“So how fare you? Ready for the fast-food job I told you about?

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Pay wasn’t the worst last time I've checked.”

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His fangs flashed in a grin once more.

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Lesaut's nose twitched.

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“Well, you see-” “Great to have you here, everybody!”

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spoke Liam as he stamped onto the wooden crate he now stood upon,

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beating out a tempo as his fluffy tail twitched.

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His Londoner accent was tinged with that of the East Coast after years spent in Intersection, but was no less coherent.

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“On behalf of all Traceurs, gathered or otherwise,

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I will begin today’s gathering with the creed of The Movement.”

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“As had been taught and so instilled in us.”

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the Traceurs chorused.

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Lesaut shot a glance at the new horse, who mouthed the last half of the sentence in time.

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“We are all capable of any natural movement,

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as was so with our ancestors of long past!”

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spoke Liam. He had taken off his headgear along with the other Traceurs.

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“We are all capable of any natural movement, as was so with our ancestors of long past!”

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the congregation replied.

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Lesaut felt a chill through his spine as he felt the sense of belonging

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that pulsed through him each time the creed was spoken.

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“There are no obstacles, only Challenges.”

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Liam emphasized the last word.

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“There are no obstacles,

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only Challenges!” “Without wings, we seek to find them.

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With paws and tails,

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we seek to best them!”

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Liam swung a clenched paw forward Lesaut

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could pick up the horse’s whinny as he stuttered.

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He flexed his own paws and muscles,

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the power of suggestion already spurring him to leap from roof to roof,

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if only the Gathering allowed for it.

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“We live by the principles of Honesty,

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Respect, Humility,

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Sacrifice and Hard work.

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We prove nothing to anyone but ourselves!”

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Liam gritted his teeth at those gathered before him.

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“Live by these words.”

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“Live by these words.”

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completed the Traceurs.

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The angora clapped his paws together.

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“Those were the very guiding principles the father of The Movement laid down thirty years back

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when common people discovered they were capable of so much more

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with the very bodies with which we had come into the world.

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Without our principles, we are nothing. For it is the Spirit of The Movement

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that makes us people,

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not merely the ways and means we get around.

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And today, we have a visitor!

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Snoss, would you like to introduce yourself?”

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The horse gurgled.

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“Err…Hi, everyone,” he said,

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eyes darting to the Traceurs boring their eyes on him.

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“Hi, Snoss!” the seated Traceurs replied.

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“Surely there’s more to it than that!

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Don’t be a pussy!” drawled Skaya in his thick accent.

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“Respect, Skaya,” reminded Liam sharply.

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“Snoss, perhaps you should take the floor.”

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The cat looked incredulously at the crate he was on

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and the Traceurs laughed.

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All eyes were on the horse as he stepped towards the crate,

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hoofs clopping across the concrete.

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With a single uncertain leap,

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he clomped on top of the wooden surface to the cheers of the Traceurs.

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Not a good sign. Traceurs weren’t supposed to perform any moves they had little confidence in. Lesaut

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didn’t think that the hoofs were going to give much traction for wall moves.

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The horse paced nervously

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on the makeshift stage,

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his throat muscles contracting and pulsing as he found his words.

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Now that the firelight was on him,

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Lesaut could see that Snoss was a Palamino, and kept himself fit.

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A black, unkempt mane crested and dripped over his sleek golden forehead,

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accentuating the whites of his eyes.

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Muscles across his chest and legs

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practically strained against the Nike track pants and shirt that he wore even as he moved,

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and for a moment, Lesaut wondered if he did it for the benefit of onlookers.

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But there were no mares in their Traceur community, or any other females yet, for that matter,

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and the nervously flickering eyes and clicking teeth did not particularly strike him

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as a suave operator.

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“Good evening, fellow Runners—”

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“Traceurs.” whispered Liam.

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Snoss’ eyes widened at the cat before continuing,

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the locks of his mane flicking.

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“Oh! Sorry. Well, good evening, fellow Traceurs. I'm Snoss

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Tanner. I'm new to this community, but not so new to The Movement itself.” Lesaut

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could see a sheen of sweat on the Palamino’s coat.

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I—I've seen you guys passing overhead every now and then, and I realized that there are others who understand the way I feel.

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I feel restricted by the very chains that bind many of us down, and thought I might be able to

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better myself in life and in person.

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So here I am.” he neighed nervously.

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“Thank you, Snoss.”

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said Liam. He leapt up on the crate in a swift motion even as Snoss descended,

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his tail barely flicking.

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“We all know from the words of the Founder that individuality is the very essence

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of L'art du déplacement,” he continued.

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“Without it, we can never be the unique selves that make us who we are,

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each and every individual distinctive from each other.

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We would be mere drones in the sea of society,

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achieving only what others had before us.

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“But one cannot be stagnant in his beliefs,

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for to reject change is to reject self-improvement.

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Though we have but attuned our bodies and mind to the paths of the city, we need to help others on their way to succeed.”

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“Are you suggesting that we teach others the very moves we taught ourselves?”

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the otter put forth. Lesaut

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knew him as a regular not from within their community, but had never spoken to him before.

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“Succinctly put, Reed,”

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said Liam, whiskers twitching as his head tilted.

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“Not just the m oves,

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but the very philosophy of The Movement.”

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“Sounds like waste of time to me,”

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drawled a deep voice.

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None of the Traceurs needed to turn round to know it was the wolverine Skaya.

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“What do we get out of it?”

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Liam looked back at the mustelid coolly.

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“You find your way to the wrong campfire, mate?”

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Already his tail was starting to sway back and forth, and Lesaut

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wondered for the umpteenth time

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why Liam hadn't banned that oversized lump of bourbon-scented fur from the Gatherings.

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Skaya may be the best brawler among them, but the civet didn't doubt that Liam would have the support of the rest if it came down to it.

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“No, but I'm starting to wonder if you are losing your touch.”

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Skaya laughed uproariously,

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and even his acquaintance Kruski looked nervous.

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The rest of the Traceurs threw scowls at Skaya, but as long as the Gathering was on,

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nothing could be done.

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“I would therefore like to hear any views anyone may have on this suggestion,” continued Liam,

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forcing his tail to stay calm.

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“For though some of us

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may not see the purpose of such a plan,

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it will give others the capacity to embrace our ways.

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And through that,

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we will know what it is like to mentor others.”

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“Why exactly should we do that?”

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asked the red panda.

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“All that talk about mentorship sounds very well and good in theory,

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but how practical is it, really?

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Chao and I already have our paws full assisting each other in jobs.

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It wouldn’t be in the best interests of those occupied with contracts

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to sacrifice whatever cash time there is for themselves.

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We’re paid by the job, not the hour.”

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Liam nodded understandingly.

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“Point taken. Ahsun?”

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The cat turned to the leopard who fidgeted.

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Not many of the Traceurs respected his decision to continue his day job with the Grounders,

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and yet retain several delivery runs.

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They felt that it made his commitments

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double-ended, such that he couldn't be trusted with their beliefs.

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“Many of us are here because they have no one else to turn to—”

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began the leopard.

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“Speak for yourself.” muttered Kruski.

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“—but here,

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they find family.

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As family, we should help younger brothers.” Ahsun's ears flicked. “That is why I keep coming for gatherings. Because you all family.” Everyone

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was silent as Ahsun echoed their thoughts.

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Lesaut knew every one of the Traceur's stories despite having only been here for half a year.

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Ching the red panda and the pangolin Chao left Fujian province after the government made serving in the armed forces mandatory.

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Ahsun barely escaped after civil unrest plagued his hometown, and suffered weeks in an overladen ship.

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Less than half of the refugees survived.

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Skaya worked at the bus depot in a city he neglected to mention.

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A night at the bar saw him breaking the jaws of two guys who insulted him,

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and how he made his way to Intersection City

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was anyone's guess.

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Everyone had their own story,

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but everyone was also alone when they arrived in a strange land far from home,

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a home they could never return to for as many reasons as there were Traceurs.

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No one knew Liam's story,

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but that much was due to one who had done so much to keep everyone together.

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“Thank you for your insight, Ahsun.

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You have any thoughts on this, Lesaut?”

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Liam asked quickly even as Skaya made to comment.

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“I think Ahsun has a point,”

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said Lesaut. “The very principle of The Movement is not just the freedom to move, but also freedom of self.

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I do not believe that anyone in the world has the right to deny that of anybody.

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I’m for it.” “Then we shall reconsider our current status before such training is to be done,”

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said Liam as he folded his arms.

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“I would now pass the floor to everyone else.

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Does anyone have anything they would like to share with his fellows?”

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“I heard from my contacts that the police are looking for a missing cub,”

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said Chao. Reed confirmed it with a nod.

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“About 16 years old,

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fled from police custody.

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No mention of species, though.

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Best everyone look sharp for now.

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The cops leave us alone,

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but they can make life difficult.” “Oh ya, Dirty Slick says he needs a couple of guys to make a discreet pass to some of his bros over at the bus station,”

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said Skaya. “If any of you want the job,

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it has to be done before sunrise.

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The nocturnals might be better suited for this sort of thing, if you ask me.

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Who the hell does deliveries in the dead of night?”

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“Those who wishes to deliver illegal stuff.” said Liam.

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The Traceurs snorted.

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“When has that stopped me?”

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asked Skaya as he lifted a bottle of Budweiser to his lips.

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Everyone knew Skaya had quite a reputation.

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Some gangs operated their smuggling rackets through Intersection's many transport channels,

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and certain goods were delivered by less orthodox means to prevent prior searches by police.

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“Alright, then. Is there anything else?”

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asked Liam, his whiskers twitching.

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“If not, I declare the Gathering over!”

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Liam slid off the crate in a fluid, easy movement

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as the others started talking among themselves.

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Lesaut saw Snoss sitting uncomfortably to the side,

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so made his way towards him.

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“Hi, it's Snoss, isn't it?”

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asked Lesaut. “I'm Lesaut Maboisa.

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Maboisa.” Snoss jerked his head towards him as he sat upright,

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ears flicking agitatedly as his eyes darted to Liam who was chatting with some of the guys. The stallion gingerly shook Lesaut's paw, and even through calloused pads, Lesaut could feel that the cool hooftips of the horse were barely worn as they should have gotten from contacting concrete surfaces.

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A newcomer indeed.

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“So, where're you from?”

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asked Lesaut, fighting back his misgivings of the stallion's lack of confidence. “I'm from Paris.”

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“I'm

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from New York,”

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said Snoss, his teeth clicking even as his eyes darted from left to right.

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Lesaut wondered if he thought he was about to get mugged by him and the guys.

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But it kind of made sense, given what he heard from others about that city.

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“I've been here for about a week.

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The city's not quite what it seems.”

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He laughed nervously Lesaut smiled. “Found out about the roof community when you took to the buildings, eh?”

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Snoss looked surprised.

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“Shit, did Liam tell you about that?”

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He stuttered, nostrils flaring as he did. Lesaut shook his head. “I've only just found out about you during the Gathering. Most everyone here learnt about

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the other Traceurs only when the

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thirst of The Movement drew them upwards.

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We are not from the same place,

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but we are all of the same...”

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Here Lesaut fought for the right word.

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“Same mind?” “Same heart.

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Same spirit,” clarified Lesaut. “Sorry, my English is lousy.”

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“I understood it just fine,”

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assured Snoss. He looked back skittishly as Skaya ran past them, showing off a wall-step move

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against a weighted crate

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for the benefit of Kruski and anyone else who would watch.

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His clawed, muscular feet gave a certain traction to his technique,

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and he ended it rather gracefully for his stature.

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Liam looked disapprovingly at him,

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but one knew better than to confront Skaya in the midst of his moves.

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The cat walked towards Lesaut even as the civet was explaining to Snoss

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why showing off wasn't an encouraged aspect of The Movement.

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Disciples of The Movement aimed only to improve oneself,

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not to be better than those around them.

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“Getting acquainted, I see?”

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commented Liam as he neared,

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whiskers twitched in a grin.

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Snoss looked relieved that his introductory was here.

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“So how are you finding the community so far?

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Nothing like you’ve seen before, eh?”

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“It’s definitely unlike the get-togethers in Manhattan.

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The guys are much rowdier there.

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And Lesaut here seems to know a lot more about The Movement,” answered

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Snoss, looking uncertainly back at the civet.

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“Well, he’s not the only one.

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Go talk to the others!”

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Liam threw up his paws. “Go on, scoot!”

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Snoss looked taken aback,

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but he got up with a toss of his mane,

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looking uncertainly among the different cliques of Traceurs.

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“That settles him for now,”

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said Liam, rubbing his paws with satisfaction.

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“Come, Lesaut. There's something I need to talk to you about.

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Away from the others.”

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A dash coupled with an overpaw vault

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later, Lesaut perched on a concrete encasement as Liam paced around.

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“What’s this about, Liam?”

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The cat was agitated even as he found his words,

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tail lashing about even as he moved.

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Lesaut was starting to recall an American phrase which had to do with cats and their tongues

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when Liam finally spoke.

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“I would like you to mentor the new guy.”

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This was the the 1# of 3# parts of

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“A Leap Forward” by MikasiWolf,

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read for you by Khaki, your faithful fireside companion. Tune in

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next time to find out how Lesaut reacts at the prospect of having to mentor Snoss!

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As always, you can find more stories on the web at thevoice.dog,

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or find the show wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you for listening

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to The Voice of Dog

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About the Podcast

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The Voice of Dog
Furry stories to warm the ol' cockles, read by Rob MacWolf and guests. If you have a story that would suit the show, you can get in touch with @VoiceOfDog@meow.social on Mastodon, @voiceofdog.bsky.social on Blue Sky, or @Theodwulf on Telegram.

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About your host

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Khaki