"Dear people of St. Petersburg, lend me your ears!" Ozone shouted, standing upon a tree stump. A crowd was gathered around at his feet. The demonic entity had disguised himself to look like the other townspeople. Raising a torch high up into the air, the Sphynx cat yelled, "We will not be oppressed anymore, we will not have it! The royals sit in their palaces and waste our money on extravagant parties! Meanwhile we suffer and die out here! But I say we take no more of this abuse. Down with the royals!"

"Down with the royals! Down with the royals!" the townspeople chanted, raising their own weapons. Torches, pitchforks, shovels and guns. Some even held up rocks and sticks while others were only armed with their fists. But they were ready to attack.

The revolution had officially begun.

———

"Revolution?! How could this be possible?!" Pops yelped. Leading the emperor away with three of his best men, Rooster barked, "Sir, now is not the time for questions! We need to get you out of here!" Deep down though, the Welsh sheepdog knew that the elderly basset hound was the cause, never once listening to the people he was supposed to rule over. Regardless of how he felt, Rooster had a job to do. Thankfully the rest of the royal family was being escorted by his men. He needed to get the emperor out.

A noise caught the attention of the group. Circling around Pops, Rooster and his men looked around frantically. They were currently in a dark corridor all by themselves. "Stay close, your majesty," Rooster urged, his eyes darting back and forth, struggling to see into the darkness. Was the noise a part of his imagination? He was beginning to think that was the case until he heard one of his men scream out in agony. Then something or someone knocked him on the backside of his head.

Groaning in pain as he felt blood drip from his ear, Rooster felt a little spaced out at the moment. It wasn't until he saw Pops fall to the floor that he snapped back into reality. But it was already too late. A sharp dagger was buried deep into the emperor's chest, right where his heart was. Standing tall over his fallen prey, Tiberius's eyes glowed red as he hissed teasingly, "Long live the king..."

"No! This isn't over!" Rooster shouted, baring his teeth. Grabbing his sword, he swung it at the enemy. However, Tiberius had already disapparated with a snap of his fingers and a sinister laugh. Outside, gunshots and screams rang out. Horrified, Rooster tried to get to his feet but fell back down to the floor. He didn't bother trying to get back up. He had one job and he blew it. As his men came and dragged him away, the Welsh sheepdog knew one thing.

The royal family was doomed.

———

"My music box!" Puffball cried, racing through the hallways. Following her as fast as she could while securing her sword scabbard on her back, Chloe hollered, "Come back my snowflake, come back! We need to leave!" The pair arrived in the nursery where Puffball and her sisters and female cousins played. Finding her music box sitting atop the dresser, the princess was about to snatch it just as gunshots went off outside, followed by screaming. Gasping, Puffball ran into her grandmother's arms as she cried, "What's happening?!"

"Your majesties! This way!" a small voice called out. Chloe and Puffball turned around to find young Max sticking his head out from a hidden doorway in the wall. Opening the door a little more, he held it open as he urged, "Quickly! Go through here!" Nodding her head, Chloe replied, "Thank you Max. Come on my dear, we need to go!"

"But my music box!" Puffball protested as she and her grandmother went into the passageway behind the hidden door. Shutting it behind him, Max sighed in relief. The empress and one of the princesses were going to live to see another day, that he was sure of. He was about to leave the room when he spotted an ornate music box sitting on the dresser. This must be the music box the princess had been looking for. Promising himself to return it to the royal family whenever he met them again, Max grabbed it and put it in his pocket before he fled the nursery.

———

"Come on, we need to get away from the palace," Chloe insisted as she and Puffball ran across the cobblestone bridge in the backyard. The plan was to run through the woods and into the city where they could catch a train out of St. Petersburg. From there, they would go to Paris. The pair ran to the trees, running as fast as they could. But they had already been spotted.

"Look! There's Chloe and one of the princesses!" Norman squeaked, pointing at the woods. He, Tiberius and Ozone were perched on top of the palace roof, watching the carnage and destruction from above. Seeing the little princess flee into the forest alongside her grandmother, Tiberius growled. This would not do. Standing up, Ozone cracked his knuckles as he murmured, "You guys wait here, I'll take care of them both-"

"NO!" Tiberius snapped, backhanding Ozone across the face, "The empress is off limits! You go make sure the rest of the family is dead! I'll kill the princess." Rubbing his sore jaw, Ozone muttered, "Fine." The demon evaporated into green smoke and flew away. "Hang on Norman," Tiberius warned the guinea pig before he leaped from the rooftop and shapeshifted. He landed on the lawn fully transformed as a large red wolf with feathers hidden among the fur on his tail. With Norman clinging to his back, the wolf gave chase.

"Grandma, I hear someone behind us," Puffball whimpered, holding her grandmother's hand. Glancing over her shoulder, Chloe's heart dropped when she caught a glimpse of a giant wolf racing through the undergrowth. Picking up Puffball, the cat hissed urgently, "Don't look back sweetheart! We're getting out of here!" The Pomeranian puppy squeezed her eyes shut as her grandmother carried her. The empress, meanwhile, was running as fast as she could. Not too far behind was the wolf.

There was a frozen pond up ahead with a wooden bridge that crossed over the narrowest stretch. Keeping a firm hold of her granddaughter, Chloe ran to the bridge just as the wolf leaped over her and landed on the bridge, blocking the path. Eyes glowing red, the wolf bared its teeth as it glared at Puffball. "Grandma..." Puffball whimpered, clinging to the cat fearfully. Holding her close, Chloe whispered, "I know sweetheart, I know." Using her free hand, she drew her sword as she muttered to the wolf, "I won't let you take her away from me."

The wolf paced back and forth, growling and whimpering as his gaze flickered between the princess and the empress. Hidden in nearby trees with the glowing skull talisman, Norman watched breathlessly. Puffball had her head turned away while Chloe kept eye contact with the wolf. With a final defiant snarl, the wolf stepped away from the bridge, allowing the royals access. Cautiously walking by, Chloe breathed a sigh of relief as she set Puffball down in front of her. "It's okay my snowflake," she rasped, "It's gonna be okay-"

"Grandma look out!" Puffball shrieked, cutting Chloe off. The wolf had jumped from the shore, aiming for the princess. He was fast but the empress was faster. Whirling around, she smacked the wolf on the left side of his face with the edge of her sword with enough force to send him flying through the air before crashing onto the ice hard. Blood dripping down his face, the wolf stood, ready for another attack, when the ice cracked and gave away underneath him. He fell into the dark water below with a yelp.

"Tiberius!" Norman gasped in horror. Abandoning his hiding spot in the trees, the guinea pig dashed across the ice to the open hole. Over on the bridge, Puffball was trying to drag her grandmother away from the scene as she cried out, "Grandma! We need to go! We can't stay here!" Frozen in place, Chloe could only stare as the wolf floundered in the water, unable to swim and unable to climb out without breaking more of the ice. Meeting her gaze, the wolf held eye contact for a second before finally giving up. He sank below the surface, never to be seen again. Unable to watch anymore, Chloe picked up Puffball and fled. All the while, Norman stayed by the water's edge, at a loss of what to do now. Unbeknownst to them, a shrill demonic scream rang out near the palace as a certain demon spontaneously combusted.

———

"Last train out of St. Petersburg!" the train conductor called out, waving his lantern. The train was already slowly pulling away from the station while citizens of all kinds were trying to get on. These were animals who were fleeing from the horrors of the revolution. Among these folks was the empress and one of her grandchildren. "Hang on to me my snowflake, we're getting out of here!" Chloe declared, running as fast as she could. Catching the train, she grabbed the railing on the caboose and jumped up with ease. Mission successful! She and her granddaughter were getting out of here.

Setting Puffball down, Chloe turned and helped another person up onto the train car. Watching this, Puffball decided to help as well. Leaning out, she held her hand out for anyone who needed assistance to grab. However, the Pomeranian puppy leaned too far. The next thing she knew, she lost her footing and fell off the train with a scream.

"Sweetie!" Chloe shouted, realizing what happened. The other passengers had to hold her back before she herself jumped off the train. The cat screamed and hollered, crying out for her granddaughter. But her cries were falling on deaf ears, for little Puffball was laying on the ground, unconscious after knocking her head against the train tracks. Should she ever wake up again, she would have no recollection of her old life. The only clue she had was on the necklace she wore, a little hexagonal key meant for a music box.

It was now the key to her past.