CLimbing the ladder - Ruin's escape part 2

With a head full of strange and confusing thoughts, Ruin followed the strange Phuzo farther down the sewer tunnels. Miyuki, was how she introduced herself, and claimed she was a freedom fighter. Ruin wasn't sure what that meant, freedom...what an alien concept. what did it mean for one to be free? The only freedom he knew of was death. A peace he had given many a phuzo in his time.

As they progressed in silence, the sounds of pawsteps behind them caused the unlikely duo to turn quickly, Miyuki brandishing a thin sword, while Ruin took a step toward the approaching figures, his lip curling as he drank in their scents. It was hard to detect through the stench of the sewer rushing beside them, but after a moment Ruin's demeanor softened and he twitched his tail toward Yuki to soothe her as he padded forth on all fours.

"Children." He grunted, pressing his belly to the ground as he crept closer, nostrils flaring as he attempted to look as non threatening as he could. It was a collection of four young phuzo, each one thick with the stench of fear.

At Ruin's comment, Miyuki sheathed her blade and approached the scared cubs, two were very young, no more than three, she guessed, with one who appeared to be around 6, and one on the cusp of adulthood. She smiled softly and held up her hands as Ruin loafed closeby.

"hey.... it's alright kids, we're on our way out of the city... you can come with us if you want, we're heading somewhere safe, away from all...this" Miyuki said softly, gesturing back the way they came, toward the chaos the city of Praque had become in a few short weeks.

The oldest phuzo nodded a little, holding the youngest in their arms as the other two clustered behind them. It seemed as though this rag tag group had already been through much, with the way they stuck close together, with the eldest taking a protective stance between Ruin and Miyuki, and the other children.

"y...yes please" was all they offered, eyeballing ruin with clear worry.

Noticing this, the massive Phuzo leaned in and pressed his nose to the top of their head, nudging them softly before moving to take up a position behind the kids.

"Don't worry, We'll keep you safe!" he winked, his voice taking on a strangely youthful tone. Luckily none here knew him, so such behavior didn't seem out of place. If anything, Miyuki seemed releived to see him open up a little more from his stoic disposition she had seen earlier.  

The young phuzo group seemed at ease with that reassaurance, with one of the younger phuzo reaching out to pet Ruins big face, causing his long ears to flap softly as he nudged their little hand and snorted with amusement. His eyes, normally cold and emotionless, now twinkling with a youful mirth.

With that settled, this motley crew now began their trek toward the edges of the city, where the sewers met up with trash offshoots that lead beyond the wall.