Chapter 16

"What exactly are we looking for?" It wasn't a serious question from Key, he was just trying to drown out the tension-inducing silence.

For a long time he had thought of just such moments, but now that they were there, he didn't know exactly how to deal with them. He no longer felt lonely now, alone in the struggle against exploitation. Jinki had not hesitated and immediately stood by him. He appreciated that. But with every second that passed, he felt his heart racing faster and faster.

Even though he knew that the boss had a show to announce and observe, he was still afraid of being caught. Had they really thought of everything? What if the boss himself had forgotten something and would come back? How would they explain that? The stuffy air quickly caused the first beads of sweat to form on his forehead.

"For anything that can help us..." Jinki looked around slowly and intently in the wagon, which had a bestial stench of alcohol.

He had always known that Key was right. But he too had always felt helpless. What exactly was he supposed to do about it all these years? He had grown up with it, and at some point he became numb to it. But Jinki no longer wanted to accept this excuse. He wanted to find a solution, not only so that the animals could have a real life. But especially because he knew that Key would be able to sleep better at night.

"And what is this supposed to be?" asked Key and began to open the first small cupboards and rummage around in them with trembling hands.

"It could be anything. Clues that we can't afford a new lion, or that we don't have time to find a new one."

The two of them knew that now was the time when they could quietly look around the Chief's wagon without getting caught. Key breathed loudly and lo