Shadow of the Night

     "One frozen corn dog, that'll be 2,500 Neopoints," he recited automatically, sliding the item across the counter to a hurried blue Techo.

     His shoulder ached with every movement, a constant reminder of his escapade the previous night. He'd barely slept, his mind replaying the chase over and over. The morning had been torture—Maya had asked him twice if he was feeling alright, and Kumar had wanted to play-wrestle before Shadow left for work. He'd made excuses, mumbled something about being tired, and escaped as quickly as possible.

     Now, six hours into his shift, Shadow was running on pure stubborn determination.

     "Did you hear about what happened last night?" a yellow Kougra asked while waiting for her hot dog. "Near the Money Tree?"

     Shadow's paw froze halfway to the mustard dispenser. "Uh... no?"

     "Some Lupe chased down a thief! My cousin saw the whole thing. Said he was like lightning, just whoosh—" she made a sweeping gesture, nearly knocking over the napkin holder. "—took off after this big scary Grarrl and got the stolen stuff back!"

     "That's... wow," Shadow managed, focusing very intently on not looking suspicious.

     "Right? I mean, where were the Chia Police? Thank goodness someone was paying attention." The Kougra accepted her hot dog with a smile. "Makes you feel safer, knowing there are pets like that out there."

     Shadow nodded mutely and was relieved when she left.

     "You've been awfully quiet today," Hubert observed, swinging by with a crate of buns. "Everything alright?"

     "Fine," Shadow said quickly. Too quickly. "Just tired."

     The Mynci raised an eyebrow but didn't push. "Well, hang in there. Only another hour and you're free."

     The rest of the shift crawled by. Shadow served hot dogs, cleaned spills, restocked napkins, and tried very hard not to think about last night. But every time someone mentioned the chase—and three more customers did—his heart would skip a beat.

     Finally, finally, Hubert flipped the sign to "Closed."

     "Good work today, Shadow." Hubert reached into his pocket and pulled out Shadow's pay—5,200 Neopoints in a small cloth bag. Then he paused. "Oh, almost forgot. Someone left this for you this morning."

     He held out a folded piece of paper, sealed with what looked like dark wax.

     Shadow took it slowly. "For... me? Who?"

     "No idea. It was tucked under the door when I opened up at dawn. Just had your name on it." Hubert shrugged. "Secret admirer, maybe? That Bethany finally making her move?" He winked.

     Shadow's face heated. "It's not—we're not—"

     "Relax, I'm teasing." Hubert laughed and clapped him on the shoulder—the injured shoulder.

     Shadow barely managed not to yelp.

     "You sure you're okay?" Hubert asked, frowning now.

     "Slept wrong," Shadow lied. "I'm fine. Thanks for... yeah. See you tomorrow."

     He grabbed his pay and the mysterious note and practically fled the shop.

     Once he was a safe distance away, Shadow ducked into a quiet alley and examined the paper. It was good quality, heavier than normal parchment. The seal was indeed dark wax—so dark it was almost black—pressed with a symbol he didn't recognize. It looked like a crescent moon with something beneath it. A shadow, maybe?

     His paws trembled slightly as he broke the seal and unfolded the note.

     The handwriting was neat, precise:

          Shadow,

     Yesterday, you acted when others would have looked away. You ran when others would have hesitated. You fought when others would have cowered.

     But you also crashed into a fence.

     You have potential. You have heart. What you lack is training.

     There are others like you in Neopia—those who cannot stand idle while injustice unfolds. Those who fight in the darkness so others may walk in the light. Those who have no powers, no glory, no recognition... only purpose.

     If you wish to learn. If you wish to become more than you are. If you wish to make a real difference...

     Meet me at the Deserted Fairground, near the Cork Gun Gallery, tonight. Midnight. Come alone.

     Look for the shadow that moves against the wind.

     —A Friend in the Dark

          Below the words was that same symbol from the wax seal—the crescent moon with a shadow beneath.

     Shadow read the note three times, his heart pounding harder with each pass.

     Someone had been watching. Someone had seen him chase the thief, seen him crash into that fence, seen everything.

     And they wanted to meet him.

     There are others like you.

     Others. Like him. Others who fought without powers or recognition. Others who...

     Shadow's paws clenched around the paper. The Deserted Fairground was in the Haunted Woods—at least an hour's journey from Neopia Central, and not exactly the safest place even during the day. At midnight, it would be...

     Look for the shadow that moves against the wind.

     "This is crazy," Shadow muttered to himself. "This is absolutely crazy. It could be a trap. It could be the thief from last night, luring me out for revenge. It could be—"

     You have potential. You have heart.

     His eyes kept drifting back to those words.

     If you wish to become more than you are.

     Wasn't that exactly what he wanted? What he'd been yearning for without even knowing how to name it?

     Tonight. Not tomorrow. Tonight.

     He glanced at the sky. The sun was already setting, painting Neopia Central in shades of orange and purple. He had maybe five hours before midnight. Five hours to get home, avoid suspicion, sneak out, and make the journey to the Haunted Woods.

     Shadow tucked the note carefully into his bandana and started walking faster.

     *****

     Shadow waited until he heard Patch's soft snoring from across the room before he moved.

     Kumar was fast asleep, curled up with his toy train clutched in his little paws. The Lupe pup looked so peaceful, so innocent. Shadow felt a pang of guilt as he carefully slipped out of bed.

     Daggle lifted his head from his spot on the floor, alert.

     "Stay," Shadow whispered. "I'll be back before morning. I promise."

     The Doglefox tilted his head, clearly unhappy, but settled back down with a soft whine.

     Shadow grabbed his hunter scarf bandana—he'd washed the blood from where he'd bitten his lip during the fence crash—and tied it securely around his neck. Then, moving as quietly as only a Lupe could, he crept through the house and out the back door.

     The night air was cool against his fur. Above, the moon hung full and bright, illuminating his path.

     Perfect for traveling. Perfect for... whatever came next.

     The journey to the Haunted Woods took nearly an hour at a steady pace. Shadow had only been there once before, on a school trip years ago, and he'd found it unsettling even in daylight. At night, with fog creeping between the twisted trees and strange sounds echoing from the darkness, it was downright terrifying.

     But Shadow pressed on. His night vision helped—shapes that would be invisible to most pets were clear to him. And something about the darkness felt... right. Natural.

     Lupes have no trouble seeing in the dark and like being out at night, he remembered reading once. A love of moonlight seems to be in their blood.

     Maybe this was what he'd been meant for all along.

     The Deserted Fairground loomed ahead, its dilapidated games and attractions looking even more sinister in the moonlight. The Cork Gun Gallery was easy to spot—the garish sign creaked in the wind, and faded targets hung motionless.

     Shadow approached slowly, every sense on high alert. His ears swiveled, catching sounds. His nose twitched, picking up scents. Someone was here. Multiple someones.

     "You came."

     Shadow spun around. A figure stepped out from behind the gallery, moving so smoothly they seemed to glide. They wore a dark cloak with a hood, and that same crescent moon symbol was embroidered on the shoulder.

     "Who are you?" Shadow demanded, trying to sound braver than he felt.

     "Someone who's been watching." The figure pulled back their hood, revealing a red Kyrii with intelligent amber eyes and a long scar across her muzzle. "My name is Cinder. And you're Shadow."

     "How did you—"

     "We make it our business to know things." Cinder smiled slightly. "You're not the only one here tonight."

     Two more figures emerged from the shadows. One was a tall, lean green Zafara with intricate markings painted on his arms, moving with the grace of a dancer or a fighter—possibly both. The other was a stocky blue Gnorbu with kind eyes but a warrior's build, carrying themselves with quiet confidence.

     "This is Whisper," Cinder gestured to the Zafara. "And that's Stone."

     "We saw what you did last night," Stone said, his voice surprisingly gentle for someone his size. "With the thief."

     Shadow's ears flattened. "Are you—are you going to turn me in?"

     "Turn you in?" Whisper laughed, a musical sound. "Shadow, we want to recruit you."

     Cinder stepped forward. "We are the Dark Shadow League. We're pets who can't stand idle while injustice unfolds. We fight in the darkness so others may walk in the light. We have no powers, no official authority, no recognition... only purpose."

     Shadow's breath caught. Those were almost the exact words from the note.

     "We work outside the Defenders of Neopia," Stone continued. "They handle the big threats—the supervillains, the world-ending disasters. But what about the everyday crimes? The theft, the bullying, the pets who prey on the vulnerable? Someone has to protect those that others overlook."

     "And we think you could be one of us," Cinder said. "You have the instincts. The heart. The courage. What you lack is training—and that we can provide."

     Shadow looked between the three of them. "How many... how many of you are there?"

     "Enough," Whisper said with a grin. "Small cells scattered across Neopia. Neopia Central, Meridell, Brightvale, the Lost Desert... anywhere there's darkness, we're there to push back against it."

     "We saw you chase that Grarrl," Stone said. "You didn't hesitate. Didn't think about yourself. You just ran. That's rare. Special."

     "Even if your technique needs work," Cinder added, but her tone was warm, almost teasing. "That fence looked like it hurt."

     Shadow's face heated. "I... yeah. It did."

     "We can teach you how to fight. How to move. How to use your natural abilities—your Lupe senses, your speed, your strength." Cinder's expression grew serious. "We can help you become what you're meant to be. A protector. A guardian. A hero."

     Everything Shadow had ever wanted was being offered to him on a silver platter. His heart soared.

     "Yes," he said immediately. "Yes, I want to—"

     Then he stopped.

     Flashes of memory: Kumar's excited face when Shadow gave him the train. Patch's concerned expression when he'd asked what was wrong. Maya needing him to watch the shop. Lupana counting their Neopoints, her face lined with worry.

     His family counting on the funds he brought home.

     "I..." Shadow's voice cracked. "I can't."

     The three League members exchanged glances.

     "I want to," Shadow continued, the words tumbling out now. "You have no idea how much I want to. But my family... we're struggling. We're trying to save up for a new home in Meridell. Every Neopoint I make matters. If I join you full-time, I'd have to quit my job, and my family needs that income. My little brother, my siblings, my owner—they're counting on me."

     Silence fell over the fairground. Shadow's heart sank. Of course they wouldn't want someone who couldn't commit fully. Of course—

     "Family first," Stone said quietly. "Always."

     Cinder nodded. "Shadow, you misunderstand. We're not asking you to abandon your responsibilities. Many of our members have day jobs, families, lives outside the League."

     "We work at night," Whisper added. "In the shadows. During the hours when most of Neopia sleeps. You'd still go to work, still help your family."

     "And," Cinder said, reaching into her cloak, "we pay our members. Not a fortune, but enough to help. The League has... benefactors. Wealthy pets who believe in what we do and fund our operations."

     She held out a small pouch. Shadow opened it carefully. Inside were at least 8,000 Neopoints.

     "That's a signing bonus," Cinder explained. "If you join us, you'll receive a monthly stipend—30,000 Neopoints—just for being active. Plus bonuses for difficult missions."

     Shadow stared at the pouch. That was almost as much as he made in a week at Hubert's shop.

     "You'd keep your job," Stone said. "Keep helping your family. We'd just ask that you keep your eyes open. When you see injustice—like you did last night—you act. And when we need you for something bigger, something that requires a team, we call on you."

     "Think of it as... freelance heroism," Whisper suggested with a smile.

     Shadow looked between the three of them. "You're serious? I could... I could do both?"

     "We believe in taking care of our own," Cinder said. "The Dark Shadow League isn't just about fighting crime. It's about supporting each other. Being there for one another. You help us protect Neopia, we help you protect your family."

     Shadow's paws trembled as he clutched the pouch. This was... this was perfect. Better than perfect.

     "So what do you say, Shadow?" Stone asked. "Will you join us?"

     Shadow thought of the Kacheek's grateful face. The thrill of the chase. The feeling of purpose that had filled him. He thought of Kumar's smile. His family's needs. The promise he'd made to always help them. With the League, he could do both.

     "Yes," Shadow said firmly. "I'm in."

     To be continued…