JoshuaThe city was full of life, honking horns dueled with laughter and distant sirens, a discordant symphony muffled only by the steel and glass canyons that scraped the sky. Yet, tucked away in a forgotten crease where buildings pressed close, an alley languished in perpetual twilight. Here, the city's thrum became a distant echo, replaced by the rustle of unseen creatures and the faint, metallic tang of old trash. Shadows clung to the damp brick walls like cobwebs, shrouding secrets best left undisturbed.
In this forgotten corner resided Joshua, a man ostracized by the world. Though his form mirrored theirs, his pointed brown ears twitched with a canine alertness, and a ragged brown tail flicked nervously behind him. Hunger gnawed at his insides, a relentless beast mocking the symphony of life just beyond. He was a pariah, known only by hushed whispers – the stray.
Hybrids like him were a rarity, existing on the fringes of human society. Some were pampered companions, objects of curiosity with pedigrees as long as their leashes. But for Joshua, there was no hand to hold a leash, no voice to command. He was a creature teetering between two worlds, embraced by none. Abandoned like a broken toy, Joshua had learned the harsh lesson that trust was a luxury he couldn't afford.
As the city fell under the cloak of night, his stomach growled loudly. With a hesitant shuffle, he emerged from the shadows, his gaze darting around like a cornered animal. With a heart heavy with desperation, Joshua knelt onto the cold, hard concrete. Heaving a shaky breath, Joshua lifted his hands, palms cupped upwards. His voice, roughened by disuse, rasped out,Spare some food for a good boy? Just a scrap, anything…please?The words hung heavy in the night air as he begged. His tail, a ragged flag of hope, tucked between his legs.