Tobara yanked another barberry root out of the ground, remembering when she pocketed circles instead of plants. Her knees hurt, not from running through the alleys of Ojaveda, but from sitting in one spot, grass turning her pant legs greener with each fragrant prize. She closed her eyes and pictured the hideout, hazy with smoke and full of drunken old men. The Fence, a menki not much older than herself, always had a cut waiting for her. She spread her money through the slums, buying rat stew, getting her stripes dyed into new patterns, getting her fortune told or her portrait drawn - whatever helped her neighbors out. When the fenki looked at her full hands again, she saw product that she had to move herself, just like the people she used to buy from. There had to be a more profitable plant out there. She got up and tied off her cheap burlap sack, brushing stray blades of grass from her aching legs. It was time to move on.
“Gramps always said there’s more profit in danger.”
The phrase seemed to waft over the young Akkaio on the breeze that picked up as she approached Kada-El’s. Her ears swiveled toward the pair of dwarves exchanging stories. One smiled and gestured to the pitcher of beer between them. Without daring to interrupt, she retrieved a mug from Allelia and poured herself a pint. More came, but she nursed her drink unnoticed as others joined, telling tales of Maulberlords and massive clackers. Tobara forgot herself and drank more as she listened to the patrons' tall tales. She went to bed that night with a pleasant buzz and a head full of ambition.
Her sense of adventure lasted well into the next afternoon. She struck out past the giant stalagmite folk said leads to the Bronze Doors. There were certainly new and interesting plants around, but it was the big campsite that got her attention. The fire pit was still warm, and her old habits told her to look around. She searched every bed and chest, every barrel and crate, but nothing of value had been left behind. Soon voices came faintly over the lake’s water. A crowd stood around a sinking cart, chattering amongst themselves. One rogue stood opposite them. Cautiously, the girl approached. She spotted a guard when she drew close enough, and her stomach sank. What if he had worked in Ojaveda? What if he recognized the cub that had done such a terrible thing, those few years ago? It was an eternity to her, but to an adult, she knew, it wouldn’t have seemed so long.
She snuck in, standing directly behind a Ynnwn as she picked up what she could from the buzz of voices around her. Someone created a sinkhole with Blue Way magic in an attempt to steal the cart’s contents - a load of kegs. Not a bad mark, either - common, with few identifiers, and even if the label was branded onto the kegs, you could just pour the contents into a new one. Someone knew what they were doing. She ducked behind others who were bigger than herself while the guard scanned the crowd.
At one point, the rogue stormed off, huffy about the accusations flung at them. Tobara took the chance to flee.
“What are you doing?” they asked as Tobara matched their stride.
“Play along. I want to get away from the guard, too.”
Tobara saw a grin under the mask as the stranger tossed a vial her way. She caught it and tucked it into her bag. The pair snuck back, waiting for the group to leave the cart alone, but someone announced their presence. Tobara didn’t hear what the rogue shouted back. She trembled and searched for the guard for a moment. It didn’t take long to calm herself.
“Where’s the guard, anyway?” she asked, managing to sound brave. “Already offed?”
“Went to Kada’s to drink.”
Tobara nodded.
“You’d better get back there and act innocent.” the rogue said.
Doing her best to look dejected, she plodded back to the group. A dwarf with a sword in either hand ran up and stood before her.
“What did you want near that shady rogue?”
Having recognized Migg and Jess in the group, she gave the dwarf the same story she had given the elves a few days ago. It made her nervous, telling that story. She’d been told the key to a good lie was to convince yourself, after all. Whether it was true or false, even Tobara couldn’t say. Still, people seemed to believe it, so the true part - the one where she used to steal for an Ojavedan gang - must have worked.
The investigators discovered that someone was using a mechanism with Blue Way and silver wire in bodies of water to alter the landscape. The group spoke of checking other trade routes. Tobara knew that road would lead to Ojaveda. She opted to stay with the cart full of beer. Eventually, four of the others who remained grew bored and left, leaving only herself and one other woman. That was when the riverlings struck. The first couple went for the smaller, easier target as she sat in the cart, making small talk. One monster bit her leg, teeth rending flesh until she almost passed out. The other fenki drew it away and killed it with ease. Tobara drew her sword and climbed down, hanging further back from the beasts’ territory.
Between fights, the pair of fenkies began to speak of poverty and crime in Ojaveda. A spark grew in the Akkaio while the other fenki was so casually beating riverlings down with magic. Something feral in her told her to take its hide. She realized as she skinned the beast that she hadn’t had her First Hunt before running away. Pushing the thought aside, she let the savage energy take over.
“I’m going to wear that one.” she announced.
The other fenki smiled as Tobara draped the raw hide over her shoulders.
Groffels began to arrive with updates on the group’s progress. The riverlings kept coming as well. It wasn’t long before the last one arrived.
“I just got a groffel that they need the other barrel - do you want to go with me? They said the cart should be fine.”
“Hm...maybe I'll watch from a distance. Just in case, y'know?” Tobara replied. “That rogue might come back, after all.”
“I hate to leave you here alone with the riverlings.”
“If I step back, they won't come after me.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, go on.”
“Be back soon.”
It had been the rogue’s goal, but the rogue was gone. At least, the first one. Tobara stood back as she said she would, watching wary reptilian eyes glare back at her. Her leg still hurt, and she was starting to feel the weight of her metal helm pushing down on her. She was parched.
“I could tap one.” The thought surprised her. It would be far too obvious.
“Would it?” It wasn’t like the riverlings would testify against her in court. She could leave, and the first rogue could come back, or someone else, and who would know?
“Nobody. They’d have suspicions, sure, but no proof. Besides, you deserve this. No one asked you to, but you stayed and you guarded the cart. You’re the last one standing and it left you favoring one leg.” She took a hesitant step towards the cart, her conscious screaming “no”.
Later that evening, an unusually small rogue in full disguise entered Gugrontid’s lower village. They took a Pterosaur, handing over some sticky circles for fare. Last anyone saw of this rogue was them, keg in tow, running through the East Gate while its guards investigated two small and relatively harmless explosions of two bottles near the gate. A few riverling scales and a single crushed night mushroom were found in the pass to the road.
[Loved the event! I hope to see a continuation soon.
]
