Thief Among the Fallen

Reo

I woke up feeling as if there was cotton in my mouth and like I had been run over by a horse. I moved my head slowly then stopped as pain caused my eyes to fog up with red. Memories came back in a fog and in flashes; my father had beat me again for not bringing enough money back. Never mind that I
had been almost caught by the guards; all he cared about was the fact that I hadn’t brought enough money for the drinks he always craves. I pushed myself up off of the dirty floor, and then waited for the pain in my head to recede before moving to a kneeling position. It took a long while before I was able to lift myself up and walk across the room; gripped the small wobbly table that stood by the door. A note fluttered to the ground and I stared at it dumbly before moving slowly to retrieve it. I finally was able to make out the words, they read,
I have left. I cannot stand this life anymore so I have run away back home. My father will take me and my sweet daughter back. Reo looks too much like his father to come with me. I pray he will forgive me someday.
I allowed the note to slip numbly from my fingers, my mother had abandoned me. Now my only reason to stay was gone, everyday I had come home and endured what my father had given me now she had left me. Indignation swelled in my breast then I stomped it out; no she was my mother and father had treated her worse than he had me.
It was time to leave; I chewed on some Honey root to numb my headache. I checked to see all of my things where with me before I made my way across the tiles of the roofs that lay before me. There was no moon tonight, but that didn’t matter; I could navigate these streets and roofs blindfolded. I stopped on the roof of an inn, but which one? I tensed when I heard something creak behind me; that was the only warning I got before I went sliding, painfully, towards the edge of the roof. As I slipped towards the edge I groped for the windowsill below me. When I finally got a good grip on the sill I pulled myself up and quickly slid into the room; someone slept noiselessly in their bed. I padded noiselessly towards the door; when I touched the handle I felt the floorboards shift. I ducked as a hand cracked into the door.
I scuttled towards the window but found it blocked by someone else. I made a risky choice; I began to charge the person in the window. The person wasn’t expecting this and swung out of the windowsill; I felt myself suspended then began to fall. I twisted like a cat and landed on all fours; I looked up at the two faces that where peering down at me then ran.


Freefall and Wolf

They stood there watching the boy scurry away into the dark alleyway. Freefall rolled his shoulders in aggravation, “Any idea who he was?” Wolf shook his head.“Probably some common thief was that who you kicked across the roof?” he asked. Freefall nodded,“You still should have caught him before he pulled that stunt though.” Freefall told his companion; Wolf barred his teeth at him then motioned in the direction the boy had disappeared,“We’ll go after him during the day. We’ll see if he stole anything of value. Maybe he can even help us a bit…” Wolf said thoughtfully, Freefall grinned at him.
It was about time they where doing something to locate the Gem Stones.Wolf awoke suddenly at the sound of commotion in the commons. He rolled out of bed and slid into the hallway,
“… Where is he Nell!! I know that you are hiding my boy!!!” A man’s shrill voice demanded, she answered quietly and the man’s voice rose louder,
“HOW DARE YOU!!!” he thundered. A scuffle of feet sounded as a woman screamed, Wolf moved silently down the stairs only to see that the man slumped forward. A young man stood panting above him,“Are you alright Nell?” Nell nodded shakily,“Yes but you need to leave now Reo. Before your father…” Reo held up his hand, “Not yet. I have a score to settle, I was attacked by two of your guests last night.” “Reo! You need to leave now! If your father awakens then... well lets just say you will get a harsh beating.”