Running away [Angmor]

[Mali]

Mali was ready to pounce. If only there weren’t so many people around, then she would. If only the fish vendor wasn’t right there, talking to another customer. Another customer? Mali wasn’t a customer, more like his little pest. She was going to perform her ritual routine, come up—more like sneak up—and steal from the stand. Some times she got away unnoticed, others he would catch sight of her, but he was never fast enough to catch her. He was far too large to be able to run after her. In fact, he was even far too large to speed walk. Such an act would probably give him a heart attack.

The fish was in her sights, she licked her lips in the anticipation of what it would taste like. To keep herself hidden from prying eyes, she currently wore a satin cloak with gold trimming to cover her ears. It was painful, having them pinned back like this, but it was the only way. Her tail could easily be hidden, but her ears posed a problem. She hadn’t perfected her change back from form to form, and if she attempted this in her cat form, she most likely would be trampled by people.

Slowly moving over to the stand, she watched the vendor and the customer talk, aware that any moment he might catch her. She placed her fingers over the fish, her anticipation of the taste growing even more. She could feel herself salivating at the memory of the item at hand. She picked it up slowly, raising it to her bag and placing it inside. She was just buckling the bag, thinking of how easy this success had been before she heard it. “Oi! What do you think you’re doing?! You won’t get away without paying this time!” She was too far away for him to grab from the other side of the stall, so while he was climbing out the opposite side to try to snatch her, she took off. Running as fast as she could, she laughed to herself. Humans were so simple. “Get her! Someone, stop her,” She cursed to herself. He had gotten help in the chase. But now she didn’t know who was chasing after her.

Pushing her legs faster she grinned, thinking that she was out of harm now. Glancing behind her, she smirked. Her hood stayed on her head, still covering her ears, the cloak flew behind her, her tail barely visible. She was going to get away with it, again. That is, if only she had been looking where she was going and not at who was chasing her.

[Angmor]

Being a thief is perhaps the most secure employment in all of Alagaesia.

[/Color]
Vanlo chuckled aloud to himself at the thought, drawing a few curious glances from the people around him as he weaved his way through the congested streets, the youthful spring of his step reinvigorated by the promise an interesting job. Today, like most days, was simply a wonderful day to be alive.

After some wandering around the southern portions of the Empire for almost a month, taking small but complicated jobs for the Varden, he got the notion of making his way back to Teirm, one of his favorite stomping grounds. Because of the city's wealthy commerce, thieves and other patrons of the underworld seemed naturally drawn to the place, and most of the great operators ended up here, at some point. However, since trade with Surda and other countries mostly dried up since the latest inflammation of the war, the city fell on hard times, causing many businesses to collapse, and by extension, forced much of the criminal underworld to relocate to more lush environs. Vanlo was not sure why the fancy had struck him to return, but it was soon proven to him that his instinct was good. With news of the impending peace summit between the Varden and the Empire being held in Feinster in two weeks, many were predicting at least a temporary end to the war, and with it a renewal of trade and commerce. Every remaining trader in the city was preparing for this supposed business boom, scrambling to restock their wares, commissioning caravans, and to find any way they could to sabotage the competition.
This is where Vanlo came in.

Since he had returned to the city and started renewing relations with old contacts, he had received no less than three offers from some of the les scrupulous trading companies, looking for thieves to take on jobs to hamper their respective business rivals. Vanlo's only difficulty was in deciding which job to take. After all, they all sounded equally fun and interesting, but all in different ways. Hell, there was a possibility that he could take them all if he juggled them correctly. But then, which on first?
When this thought occurred to him, there was only one thing to do; throw his head back for a hearty laugh.
It was just such an excellent problem to have, to be presented with so many challenges that he wasn't sure which one to choose.

He bounded forward at a leisurely trot, smiling brightly at the world.
Ah, Teirm,[/Color] He thought to himself, looking out at the newly bustling streets, filled with smiling and hopeful citizens. You're coming alive again. I hope this peace lasts, if only for your sake. I'll land on my feet either way.[/Color] In the mean time, it was off to one of the city's more disreputable taverns, over by the docks. If he was going to decide which job to take, there would be no better place to get advice.

Just then, he heard the sound of a muffled cry from somewhere ahead of him. Now, here in the marketplace, it was not particularly unusual to hear loud exclamations. But after spending most of his life on the streets, Vanlo knew the cry of a robbed man when he heard it. Someone up ahead had just got caught pulling a lift.
Vanlo’s smile widened.It seemed that the city’s other half of commerce was also coming back to life.

As he watched, he caught stirrings in the crowded street, like an animal disturbing a field of tall grain with its passage. Sure enough, he caught a glimpse of a small figure pelting down the street toward him, dodging and weaving through the mass of people. From the delicate gait, he guessed that the Pinch was a girl. Looking further on, he saw the stirrings of at least two pursuers, with perhaps a few more. For the first time that day, Vanlo frowned. What was this Pinch thinking? Didn’t she know that Teirm placed at least six guards at every marketplace, just waiting to put the shackles on any thief too stupid to plan an escape?
Even as he thought it, Vanlo caught sight of an imperial soldier, his red armor glinting amid the more subdued tones of the crowd as he moved to intercept the fleeing thief. As far as Vanlo could see, the Pinch had no idea the danger she was in. Ten yards more and she would run straight into the waiting soldier.
Vanlo knew perfectly well that it wasn’t his problem, and that he had no reason to risk getting caught himself. But if thieves didn’t help thieves, who else would?

The decision made, he took off at a swift jog, keeping half an eye on the soldier and the Pinch, calculating the spot where they would meet and making sure to get there first… As he watched, the soldier stopped moving and planted his feet, hand reaching for the sword at his waist… The Pinch continued to pelt forward; completely unaware of the danger she was in… It was no or never. Just then, it occurred to Vanlo that he might be wrong, and the Pinch just might not be a girl. Considering what he was about to do, that could be slightly… awkward.
No turning back now.[/Color]
With that thought, he put on a quick burst of speed. Just as the Pinch was about to run smack dab into the soldier, Vanlo put himself squarely in the way.
“There you are!” He cried cheerfully, catching the Pinch in a warm embrace just as she ran into him, like he was being reunited with a long lost friend. For a moment, she seemed to have no idea how to react, and simply stared up at him like a surprised deer. To his relief, Vanlo found that he had guess correctly, and was now pretending to be hopelessly in love with a young woman, looking to be in her early twenties or late teens. That would help considerably.
“I was so worried about you.” He said, staring into her eyes with his practiced devoted look. “When you didn’t meet me like we had agreed, I was afraid some better man had stolen you away from me.” The girl, starting to regain possession of her senses, opened her mouth to protest. Thinking quickly, Vanlo put a hushing finger against her lips, kissing her lightly on the forehead. “No, don’t say anything. I don’t care why you were late. I love you too much.”
Throughout this exchange, the soldier had been standing in the background, blinking in surprise. Vanlo turned to him now, making sure to keep a tight grip on the Pinch’s hand. “Ah, lieutenant! I’m glad I saw you there,” He said excitedly. The man was a private, but Vanlo figured the average citizen wouldn’t know imperial rank markings. “I just saw a thief run by just a moment ago. If you hurry, you’ll catch him.” Vanlo watched as the man’s surprised expression changed to one of total bewilderment.
“But… She’s…” He stammered. Ah, perfect.[/color]
“Go lieutenant! Before he gets away!” Vanlo practically shouted, delivering the coup de grace to the man’s certainty. The soldier wrestled with his doubt for about half a second longer, then saluted and sprinted off down the street, his head sweeping side to side looking for the ghost Vanlo had sent him after.

The thief smiled widely, turning back to the rather dazed looking girl. “C’mon, love.” He said for the benefit of the curious people around them, linking arms with her and leading her gently toward the mouth of an alleyway. “Let’s go to that jeweler, just like we planned. Looks like things are going to become a bit unpleasant around here…”
Just as they reached the narrow passage between buildings, he shot a glance over his shoulder, just catching what he assumed were the girl’s original pursuers standing and scanning the crowd for their target, just before they were lost to site between the buildings. They had gotten away just in time.
“Well,” He said suddenly, dropping the girl’s arm. “That was the most fun I’ve had all day.”
At this, the girl seemed to regain her senses.
“How did… Who..” She stammered. Vanlo was pretty used to these sorts of reactions. He wasn’t exactly sure why, but he got them just about everywhere he went.
“Of course!” He said brightly. “My name’s Vanlo Kandoliria. You can call me Vanlo. Thief, liar, and all-around scumbag.” He skipped forward a few steps, smiling hard. “And I just saved your backside. Come along. We’re not safe from those guards just yet.”[/size][/blockquote]

[Mali]

Mali could outrun them, she knew she could. She would run faster on all fours and in cat form, but there was no way she could change in front of so many people. She would surely get into more trouble then and there was the possibility of people trying to catch her and find out what she was. She had no idea what she was, and it intrigued her, to imagine what she could be. She knew that others would surely be intrigued as well and would do her harm to find out. So she just had to keep this up, running as fast as her two feet could carry her. As soon as there weren’t too many people around, she would change forms and take the fish in her mouth. A smirk spread across her lips as she saw that the pursuers were slowing, there was more and more distance between them. It was either they were growing tired or she was in fact running faster. Either way, she was going to get out of here. She turned her head to look forward and gasped in the briefest second that she could see the guard in front of her. She immediately cursed her stupidity before she felt warm arms wrap around her and a loud cheerful voice. She hadn’t heard such loud cheerful voices since festivals had been set up a few years ago.

She pulled back a bit to look up at him. Her feline eyes stared at him curiously. Who was this man and why was he saying these things? She glanced at the soldier behind this man before looking back at him. Her hood was still on, so she had no reason to be alarmed yet. She was just curious. Who was he and why was he doing this? She listened to his words, trying to understand their meaning. Was he trying to save her skin, trying to take away the fact that there were still pursuers who would eventually catch up to them? She didn’t want to dispute with him. Whatever his reasons may be, she knew that this was her chance to get out of this situation. If he was going to help her, she didn’t mind. But if he expected something in return, a ransom he would hold over her head for doing this, she would just bolt right here and now.

She opened her mouth to say something, a lie, anything, so that she could follow his lead. She could lie, as long as they didn’t look into her eyes. Her pupils dilated sometimes when she tried to lie. However, his warm finger was raised to her lips and his own came down to her forehead. She blushed. It was a simple gesture, but it made her tingle inside, just the feel of it. Her mother had kissed her forehead, when she was still alive, before. It wasn’t something new to her. But this was a strange man, a man that had come to her rescue. A man whose finger was against her lips and his own had touched her skin. It was embarrassing to say the least. Smiling as best as she could—still trying to act her part—she nodded her head to his nonsense to look as if she was in term with his speech.

She looked down to their joined hands and smiled. Looking back up, this time at the soldier, she smiled as if nothing had been wrong. Acting out her part as best as she could, she shuffled closer, holding onto his arm with her other hand, as if she were also in love with him. In a clingy kind of way, she rested her head against his shoulder, blushing slightly. A shy, quiet girl—as she appeared to be—would no doubt be a blushing bride, or so she believed. She prayed to whatever entity would hear her that the soldier would believe this man’s lies. She never really believed in a thing like God or spirits, but if there was one, she prayed to it right now. As soon as possible, he took off and she sighed quietly, closing her eyes. Looking over to the man again, curious, she had to wonder why he would do it. What could he gain from helping a thief? Mali smiled up to him, nodding her head and linking arms with him, better this time. She rested her head against his shoulder again as they walked off into an alleyway.

Her arm was dropped and her head was lifted from his shoulder immediately. She didn’t want to cause any awkward moments. Glancing back at the crowd, no one looking around for them, her gaze shifted back to the man. He was rather good looking. He was taller than she was, but not by too much. If her hood weren’t on, she would be able to see by just how much her ears made up the difference in their height. Her tail twitched in irritation of being hidden for so long, but she pushed back the urge to relieve her small pain.

Fun? That had been fun? She looked slightly irritated at his words. That was in no way fun, maybe for him, as he wasn’t involved in the incident. But for her, the one that had been chased and frightened to death from the brief moment she saw her crash destination with that soldier, it had not been fun. “How did . . . Who . . .?” Mali stammered, looking at him, her eyes gauging to what extent he might want something in return. She knew of her special abilities, but she rather not use them to solve this curiosity. What would have been the point of the cloak if she were just going to reveal herself? It had been hard enough to keep her secret when he had embraced her. She was lucky that he hadn’t felt her tail. On the other hand, maybe he had, she wasn’t sure. She smiled to him. He was a thief? She would have to learn his ways of lying; he was very good at it. Nodding her head, she glanced back towards the busy street and turned her back to them.

“My name’s Mali. I don’t have a last name.” She smiled sheepishly. At the mention of saving her, her ears pinned back against her head, the top of her hooded cloak moving with it. Hopefully it wasn’t too noticeable that her head seemed to change in size. She frowned and looked down, shy and nervous. “You’re not asking of anything for that, are you? I swear I can return the favour.” Mali fidgeted anxiously on spot. She hoped that he wouldn’t ask anything in return for his good deeds; and if he did, she hoped that it would be something she could easily give him.

[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size]

[Angmor]

Vanlo snorted. "Of course not, m'dear." He answered, grinning over his shoulder at the girl. "Think nothing of it. You know, the biggest problem with the world today is that no one does anything for anyone else without there being something in it for them.”
Interesting. She’s definitely new to the thievery business, then.

[/Color] Around the criminal underworld, he was pretty much the only one to do something for free. Nobody ever offered to repay him. It was almost refreshing, to meet someone innocent enough in the ways of cheating and lying to even give it a thought.
“Besides,” He went on, laughing. “Did you see that guard's face? I haven't worked a good short con like that in far too long. If it wasn't for you, I would have gotten rusty. Please, don't give it another thought."
As his mirth subsided, he realized that his skipping was making it hard for the girl to keep up with him. He slowed immediately, falling into step beside her and taking on a studious expression. For the first time, he actually got a good look at this newfound friend. As far as she was dressed, there was nothing special. Simple boots, simple dress, simple arm covers, all in simple blacks and grays. And yet, there, was something about here that was… Interesting. There was her cloak, for one thing. Now, there was nothing unusual about wearing a cloak these days, especially here in the wet weather of the seaside. But even on this sunny spring morning, the girl was wearing the hood in such a way that most of her face was cast in shadow, leaving only the curve of her mouth and the tips of her short, silky black hair exposed to view. Was she hiding on purpose? And if so, who from? Was she on the run from someone? Perhaps a jilted lover, or a ruthless tax collector? That just sent his imagination speeding off in all kinds of interesting directions…
With that, he mentally canceled all plans he had for the day. He would make sure to stick with this girl, or she with him, if only to see what it was about her that piqued his interest.
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Mali, without a last name." He said finally, savoring the sound of her name.
Mali. Mah-lee. Malimalimali. What a funny name.[/Color] But then again, most names were funny. And this one was just so fun to say.
“Tell me, what did you lift back there to have the guards on your tail? Did you manage to grab it before they caught you in the act?” Who knew? While her getaway could do with a little helpful instruction, she might have some real talent for the lightfingered arts.[/size][/blockquote]

[Mali]

Her smile was instant at his reply to her offer. He didn't want anything in return for his services. She was happy about that. Like he said, usually someone would expect something in return for their efforts. Even though he didn't expect anything from her, she would still do almost anything to make it up to him. Mali was grateful for his kindness and would repay him if possible. "Thank you Vanlo. But if I can show my gratitude, I would like to." She blushed faintly.

Mali thought about what he said. So he enjoyed conning people? And without her he would have gotten rusty . . . What did he mean by that? Did this mean that she had already repaid him? "So then, I've given you something in return," she giggled. "You saved me and in return, at the same time, I gave you a good time." She was beaming at him.

Mali tried to keep pace with him, even trying to copy his skipping movements. However, she was a cat, she hadn't had time in her short childhood to learn how to skip. As well, cats don't naturally skip either. She jogged to keep up when he slowed a bit. About to thank him again, she held her tongue when she felt his gaze on her. She started to worry just a bit. Had he figured out what she was? Or was he just curious? Even she was curious. Without knowing exactly what she was, she knew she was at least some part feline.

Her gaze shifted to her bag as he asked what she had "lifted". Was it pathetic that all she was after was some raw fish? ". . . Raw fish. I 'lift' from other vendors as well but this one remembered seeing me and saw me at his stand. That's when he started chasing me." She giggled, remembering the large man's flustered face. Mali glanced over at Vanlo and bit her lip. "You wouldn't mind if I ate, would you? I've been waiting days for some fish." She moved her hood back the slightest amount, shedding a bit of light on the rest of her face. She knew that her ears were still covered, so it was okay to pull it back.

Her hands slipped into her side bag and pulled out the raw fish. The bones had already been removed, so it was okay to eat it whole. She pulled the fish apart, tearing it into a few pieces before eating them quickly. The taste was divine and her mouth watered around the salty meat. She started to purr for a brief moment but caught herself and stopped. Her hand was raised and covered her mouth as she chewed. She closed her eyes, content, before she swallowed, savouring the moment. Glancing back over at Vanlo, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. He shouldn't have seen that. Her visible green, feline eyes stared at him, looking over his features. She hoped that she hadn't disgusted him.

"Sorry for that. I couldn't help myself. I hope I haven't disturbed you with my eating." She frowned. She liked Vanlo. He was nice and kind, a true gentleman, especially so since he was a thief. She would hate to change his opinion of her. Mali wanted him to like her too.

[Angmor]

"You wouldn't mind if I ate, would you?" The girl asked timidly. "I've been waiting days for some fish."
Vanlo opened his mouth to let her know that no, he didn't mind in the slightest, but then he noticed that she wasn't waiting for his consent. Vanlo watched in amusement as the slab of raw fish rapidly disappeared amid sounds of ravenous enjoyment.
Wow, she must have been a lot more hungry than she looked.

[/Color]
And fish, apparently, was her favorite food in the entire world. From the expression on her face, she was practically purring with enjoyment at her meal as she stuffed it into her mouth just as fast as it would fit. Now, Vanlo was not at all a picky eater, but he would need to get pretty hungry before he started enjoying the raw flesh of a dead animal that much. Still, he had once tasted a dish shipped from some country across the sea, sushi he was told it had been called, that had simply been specially prepared raw fish. He was told by the merchant he had sampled it from that it was a delicy among the rich in that country. Maybe it was just an acquired taste that he'd missed, then. At last finished, the girl looked at him with an expression of embarressment, covering her mouth shyly.
"I'm sorry for that." She said, her tone decidedly sheepish. "I couldn't help myself. I hope I haven't disturbed you with my eating."
Vanlo chuckled. The poor girl still acted like her behaviour was shocking to him, a professional thief born in the armpit of the Uru-baen underworld. She apparently hadn't gotten out enough to see whole buildings filled with people too drunk to see straight, or had to fight her way past eight bigger boys to get a share of a discarded loaf of bread, or outrun a guard intent on cutting off her hand just for stealing an apple, all things familiar to any child of the streets. So the logical question was, where had she come from?
"Not at all, my dear. You haven't disturbed me in the least." He answered, flashing a grin. "I've been that desperate many times in my life. Stealing to eat is far more noble than stealing to get rich, take it from someone who's done both..."
Just then, he noticed a strange thing. When she had eaten, her hood had fallen back slightly, illuminating her face in the wan light filtering between the buildings above them.She was staring at him with two of the widest, brightest green eyes he had ever seen. This was not the unusual part, however, The unusual thing was the fact that the pupils of those eyes were slitted and black, like those of a cat.

Vanlo blinked, just once, his smile freezing on his face for about two seconds. During that time, thoughts whirled through his head. His first thought was what the hell?
His second was a slightly more rational version of the same question, wondering how that sort of thing happened to an otherwise fairly ordinary looking girl.
His third was an answer to that question. It was probably some funny defect from birth, or perhaps a spell laid on her by some wandering witch. He had heard plenty of stories about children having funny things happening to them because of some kind of magical intrigue.
His fourth was a decision that he wouldn't say anything about it. After all, going around with peepers like those, she probably had people commenting on them all the time. He didn't need to be yet another person to point out the obvious. And besides, it made her even more fascinating in his mind. How many girls in all of Alagaesia had cat's eyes? And of all those, what was the odds of his running into one? This was fast turning into the most interesting day he had ever had.
With that, his expression returned to his jovial neutral.
"Still," He said, resuming walking down the alley. "I didn't see your lift, but I did see that your getaway needs a little work. I mean, if you're going to be stealing more fish in the future, I probably won't always be around to con the guards. Tell you what," He paused to leap lightly over an abandoned lobster trap. "Why not come with me? I was off to get some info on a possible job, and I might be able to use an assistant. I could give you some tips, drawn from my humble yet extensive experience." He looked over at her, seeking out those oh-so-fascinating eyes. "What do you say?"[/size][/blockquote]

[Mali]

Happy; she liked him already. Mali smiled to him. So it was noble of her to steal food? She had never tried to steal money before because she never really needed too. She could change forms and as a cat, she could sleep almost anywhere. All she had to do is find a place. Snuggle up against a young girl’s legs and all the sudden you have a new best friend who sneaks you into the house for the night. If she needed food, it wasn’t hard to come by, save for the fish. Mali had never really needed to steal money. Yet she was touched that he believed it noble to steal food. She had never been noble before. “Thank you. I didn’t see it that way . . .”

She continued walking when she saw him freeze for the briefest of moments. What was he staring at? Was it her eyes? Mali frowned slightly, saddened that her new friend was staring at her funny. She liked Vanlo. He was nice and had done a large favour for her by saving a complete stranger. Therefore, to have Vanlo look at her funny would be terrible. Mali made a mental note to self; do not show him her ears at all costs. She still remembered the trouble that they gave her a week back with Convel. When her hood had fallen, everyone stared at her; some were ready to hurt her. To save the day, her friend Convel had to create a distraction to keep her safe. That had not been fun at all. She still felt guilty for putting him through that. Mali did not want to put Vanlo through anything like that.

Soon enough, he was looking at her normal again and she couldn’t help but smile at that. He had gotten over it. She didn’t care to find out why he had gotten over it, suppressing her curiosity for the sake of keeping this friend around. Mali had to admit that the life of a thief was rather lonely. It would be nice to stick around, with him, as long as she could. Mali laughed as he talked about stealing more fish. Her laugh wasn’t mocking, but sounded more as if she was enjoying herself. Looking at him curiously, giggling quietly as he jumped over a lobster cage, she wondered what he wanted to tell her.

He wanted her to come with him, on a job? She was honoured that he wanted her around. She had hoped to stick with him for as long as possible even though she didn’t know how long that would be; this was probably it. Even so, she beamed at him happily. “I would like that. Though I do have a better escape plan, I just couldn’t use it. It would be good if I could learn other methods though.” Her eyes met his and they danced with mirth. This was going to be a lot of fun, she could already tell. Although, she knew that this wasn’t about fun. This was to get information for one of Vanlo’s jobs. She shouldn’t be having too much fun while on this small adventure. Composing herself, a smaller smile now on her lips instead of the wide beam, she looked at him a little more seriously this time. She felt like a child, acting and dressing up like a grown-up. Something that she had seen when she stayed in little girls’ houses for the night, but something she had never been able to do herself as a child. “So Vanlo, where is this job?” her tail ached in its cramped position around her waist, under her skirt. However, it was going to keep aching, because she couldn’t let him see it without there being a big commotion like last time. That was probably the last thing he would want to happen while getting his information.

[/size][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Angmor]

”Now that,” Vanlo said, still grinning broadly. “Is an excellent question. Already asking for good, solid facts. That’s good. Very good.” He laughed.
He walked on for several more steps before he realized that the girl was still staring at him. He wasn’t sure what she wanted from him, so he stared back, mirroring her puzzled expression right down to the adorable tilt of her head. “What?” He asked from that position, still walking. “Is there something funny about my face? A smudge? Is my eye twitching?” Mali giggled slightly, and Vanlo immediately felt his spirits lift. Finally, a genuine sign of amusement from her. Maybe he could coax a full laugh out of her yet…
Not watching where he was going, he didn’t notice the alley taking a full ninety-degree turn until he suddenly ran full bore into the wall in front of him, inciting a soft oomph. At precisely that moment, something in his mind clicked, and he realized that he hadn’t actually answered Mali’s question. Almost before the impact could register, he whirled and fell back into step behind Mali, continuing on as if nothing had happened.
“Where is this job? Again, that’s a very good question. Simple fact is, I’m not sure. See, with this peace summit coming along, we have our choice of jobs to take on. See, there are three major shipping and merchant businesses in this city that are… Shall we say, a bit less contentious about who they associate with. They all want their competitors out of business, or at least knocked down a few pegs, and they come to people like me to do it. It’s all in good fun, believe me. I just need to figure out the job that will be the most fun.”
Right then, the alley came to an abrupt end, depositing them on another crowded street. Immediately, Vanlo’s smile lost a few notches in intensity. He paused on the side of the street, looking carefully through the faces in the crowd for anyone wearing red armor. “We’re going to have to be a bit more careful now, after that stunt back there. News travels fast, and they might be looking for people with our descriptions.” No guards in sight, yet. His smile returned.
“Anyway, we’re going to meet an old friend of mine, someone who is very close to the pulse of the city. He’ll know all about the prospective clients, and what they might be asking us to do. Then we can decide which one to take, and what kind of training you might need before we start.” He struck what he imagined to be an elegant pose, offering Mali his arm. “Shall we?”

[/blockquote]

[Mali]

Mali smiled at him as he stated that she was already asking good questions. So asking for good solid facts was a good thing. She would keep this in mind. However, as the seconds ticked by and she still hadn’t received an answer, her smile turned to a questioning and puzzled gaze. Her head tilted to the side, like a cat or a begging dog. He soon noticed and started to imitate her. Holding back a giggle as he tilted his head the same way she did. Looking down to his lips as he asked her about his face, she shook her head, giggling aloud this time. “No.” she smiled at him, like a cat enjoying a new play toy.

She had noticed the wall coming up and thought that he would too, but she couldn’t help but laugh as he hit the wall. Maybe humans didn’t have the same senses as she did. She knew that they were different in many ways, but she had thought their powers of observations had been better than that. As he fell into step behind her she glanced back at him, finally she was getting her answers. Frowning, she had to admit that she was confused. Of course she understood that companies would want competitors out of business, but what could he do to achieve that? “How do you do put their competitors out of business?”

Looking ahead of them as he stopped, she saw the crowded street. Were they in trouble? Were people possibly looking for them? Mali looked up to him, nodding her head in agreement. They would have to be more careful now. Since his little show to save her, the soldier had most likely not found anything and was now looking for the fake ‘lover’ and fish thief. She nodded her head again. This was going to be fun. However, she was scared. She had gone out with a friend before and it had ended badly. She looked down to his arm and frowned, fidgeting nervously. Could she trust him with the knowledge of what she was? She would have to if she wanted to do this with him. “Vanlo, I needed to tell you something first.” Mali linked arms with him, smiling up faintly. “The last time I went somewhere with a friend, something happened and people were hurt. I’m not human. That doesn’t bother you, does it?” She bit her lip as she waited for an answer. She hoped that it wouldn’t bother him. He was her friend. Even if he hadn’t said that he was, she considered him her friend. He had saved her life, he was something to her, he had to be. Vanlo couldn’t just be some kind stranger, he was her friend.

[Angmor]

Vanlo blinked slowly, digesting this new bit of information with only a single raised eyebrow to indicate it.
Not human,

[/Color] He thought to himself, letting his feet guide him and Mali through the crowd on their own. How very interesting. How lucky can I get?[/Color]
This was far more fun than just ripping off mob dealers. But then, how could she not be human? She looked human, sounded like it, walked like it... Well, she didn't have they eyes like it. Hmm... All the same, it was pretty amazing. What would it be like to look human, but not be exactly. He could not even imagine how that would work, which made it so very interesting to think about...
It was another few moments of musing before he noticed Mali's nervousness. In her nearness against his arm, he sensed her tenseness, like she was getting ready to bolt. Immediately he felt a wave of guilt. The poor thing was actually nervous about what he was going to say.
"No, of course it doesn't bother me." He said, pulling her a bit closer as they walked. Gods, what had happened to her, to make her so worried? How did it come to be that they both lived in a world where unconditional friendship was so rare that she was suspicious of it when she actually found it?
"I don't care if you're not human. I don't care what you are, just who you are. And since you're willing to count me as a friend, that makes you worth friendship to me. I won't ask you any questions, and I won't let anyone hurt you, because you're my friend." He said gently, looking down into her hopeful, mesmerizing eyes. He smiled.
"Besides," He said, looking up briefly to check for guards. "Humanity is over-rated. It must be so fun, being something else."[/size][/blockquote]

[Mali]

Mali couldn’t stand the silence. She knew that he was thinking over what she had said, but it was nerve wrecking. She wanted to know what he thought about it and whether he would want her around while knowing this. She was patient, she had to be to be a cat, but this wasn’t one of her best moments. Impatience screamed in her ears and she felt jumpy. If he said anything about it, anything that might harm her, or lead her into danger, she would bolt. Holding onto his arm a bit tighter, she bit her lip in anticipation. What if he was offended and didn’t want her around? What if he wanted to hand her over to the soldiers? What if he exposed her identity? The negative scenarios seemed to have gained control over her racing mind.

She looked up, a smile instantly lighting up her face. He didn’t mind. He didn’t mind! Thank the lord. Convel hadn’t minded when he first saw her, but that was also because he had seen her as something different from the moment he met her. She had to hide it with Vanlo. She felt him pulling her a bit closer and a light blush spread across her cheeks. Resting her head against his shoulder, she felt relieved to know how he felt. The gentle tone in his voice made her feel at ease. She felt herself relaxing more around him, no longer feeling tense or anxious. She felt him look down and she looked up from his shoulder into his pale blue eyes. Maybe she should take her head off his shoulder.

She giggled, looking forward to the crowd around them. They probably looked like some couple, her head on his shoulder and their arms linked. Mali didn’t mind, thinking about it that way made her blush, but it wasn’t a bad thing. Unless he didn’t want to be seen as a couple, then she would take her head off his shoulder. “It can be. Makes living on the streets very easy but also very difficult. Difficult when I look like this, easy when I don’t.” She smiled up to him, grinning.

Were they headed in the right direction? After he had offered her arm and she asked her question, they hadn’t really been paying much attention to where they were headed. She just had to wonder if they were going to get to this place or were they going in the wrong direction. “So, are we almost there? I’d hate to have distracted you into heading the wrong way.”

[Angmor]

"Oh, not at all." He answered, guiding them to the side of the street to avoid an oncoming cart. "We're right on course. It is a bit of a walk, but we'll be there in no time."
For a brief second, he looked down at her head as it rested comfortably on his shoulder, watching as a fold of ebony hair escaped the edge of her hood and went cascading over the brown leather of his jacket. She was rather pretty, he realized for the first time. Now, this whole con of being a couple wasn't strictly necessary anymore, but she seemed to be enjoying it enough in itself that he decided not to comment on it. Yet again he smiled, marvelling at his good fortune. Here he was, with a pretty girl on his arm, a girl who was not only intelligent, funny, and had the makings of genuine street-smarts, but possessed an interesting, hidden secret. And on top of that, she seemed to be interested in him as more than just a friendly guide to the Teirm criminal side. Where might this lead to, he wondered. Now, this was not the first time he had been in such a relationship. He vividly remembered the first time, when another young thief in training, a pretty girl of sixteen, had taken an interest in him. He had been confused at first, and sought the advice of the man with whom he had been training in the art of lockpicking. The old thief had laughed, slapping him hard on the back.
"Well done kid." He had said. "She is a fine girl. Just don't get too close, if you want to stay free. Women will always try to tie you down. But by all means, court the girl. Enjoy it while you can."
And so he did.

And now it seemed that opportunity had come again. Looking down at Mali again, he realized that the almost unnoticed vibrating sensation he had been feeling against his shoulder belonged to her. A soft sound drifted from under her hood, a deep, burbling rumble just at the very edge of his hearing.
She was purring.
He shook his head, grinning. Simply amazing.

[/Color]
Yes, he would definitely be interested to see where this relationship would lead. Still, as they walked, something knocked around at the edge of his mind.
It bothered him briefly that even though he vividly remembered most of his time with that first girl, he could not seem to remember her name.

. . .

It was recognized throughout Alagaesia that if one wanted to meet someone, the humble tavern was the very best place to do it. Whether one was looking for a shadowy, clandestine encounter or a relaxing meeting with friends away from the prying eyes of the Empire, nothing beat the anonymous environment of a good seedy, dirty pub in a city's most disreputable district.
The Broken Lock definitely qualified as one of these.
Standing some distance outside of the Teirm's south gate, this dockside tavern was a frequent haunt of sailors and mercenaries looking to avoid imperial entanglements. Also, slightly less officially, it was a hub of activity for the city's population of thieves and criminals.
Standing just before the mess of wooden docks and piers thrusting their way into the bay, the tall, thin building was of a very distinctive design. The first of the tavern's three storeys was constructed of stone, a throwback from hundreds of years before, when Teirm had been almost leveled in a pirate raid. The original building's wooden roof had burned away, leaving the structure open to the sky. When the next owner had bought the place years later, after Teirm had been rebuilt as the planned fortress it was today, they had actually raised the building by an additional two storeys on the original foundation. These upper floors were constructed of wood, creating a sharp contrast with the stone of the original building that made the ensemble stand out from the mostly squat hovels of the surrounding buildings. The whole place looked like it had been nailed together out of scraps, and some were wary of staying in the upper floor rooms lest the whole thing collapse in a pile of matchwood. But despite its ragged appearence, it had stood against the storms of time for many years, until now it was just a part of the landscape.
"There it is!" Vanlo pointed, drawing Mali's attention to the ramshackle building as he led her down the muddy wooden track that led down to the harbor. "The Broken Lock tavern, place of business for half the criminals in the city. If you ever need any kind of information, this is the place to get it. If you know the right wink, you might even get it for free."
The front door of the place was inviting enough; large front window beside a stout timber door, set beneath the fading paint of sign depicting a large iron lock with a deep lightning-rod crack down the middle. This was the face of the Broken lock that most of the sailors frequented, and the side that most of the city thought to be the entirety of the business. Vanlo, however, went right past it, instead stepping off the planking of the road into a damp alleyway between the tavern and the net-weaver's shop, leading Mali behind the building. Back here, the place did not look so inviting. Except for a blank wall stacked high with salt-stained lobster traps, there was only heavy plank door held together by heavy iron bands, secured closed by a heavy steel lock. Vanlo looked down, flashing a reassuring smile at his friend. "Don't worry. It may not look like much, but this is the VIP entrance."
Letting go of her arm, he strode to the door, patting the lock affectionately. "Hello there old friend." He said quietly. "How many tumblers do you have for me today?"
Now, for most of the population, such a quality lock would mean to keep out. But for any thief, the locked door was merely a standing invitation, saying that anyone who could remove the obstacle was welcome to come inside. Vanlo smiled back over at Mali, drawing the leather wallet that contained his burglary tools from a hidden inner pocket of his jacket.
"Ever picked a lock before, Mali?"[/size][/blockquote]

[Mali]

Mali nodded her head. So she hadn’t distracted him and they were still heading the right way. That was good to hear. She would hate to hear that she had sidetracked their destination with her frivolous insecurities. Even if he was her friend, she didn’t want to waste his time. Though he would probably tell her that she wasn’t wasting his time, she didn’t want to feel like she was. He was far too kind for her to be of any bother to him. “I don’t mind a walk.” she was part feline; she had to walk. She was used to running on all fours rather than on just two legs, but that didn’t matter. Walking wouldn’t be any challenge for her. He didn’t need to know this, but it made her smile just a bit. At least now, she wouldn’t be some hindrance to him.

Mali closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth from his body. She hadn’t been this close to anyone for the longest time. She had only ever been held as a cat. The little girls that would sneak her into the house would hold her, even smother her, but they had never held her differently. She was just an object, a cute kitty that could play dress up. That’s all she had ever been to them and that’s all that she needed to be. However, with Vanlo it was different. She could be as close to human as possible with him. In addition, he treated her as if she was human too. Convel had also treated her the same way, but he was different. He was too wild to be considered normal. He would charge into battle blazing for no apparent reason.

Content, Mali hadn’t noticed when she had started to purr. Once she did take notice, she had to wonder if Vanlo would notice too. She was purring against his arm, the vibrations of her throat may be subtle, but it was still there. Oh well, he seemed perfectly at ease with everything else different about her, what difference should this make.

As the run down tavern came into view, she had to question if this was really where they were headed. Vanlo had stated that they were looking for information for his next job, but would he find it here? This looked like a place that one would find out the dirty secrets around town, but she had never thought that they would be going to a place like this. The way that he had stated his to do list, it sounded like he was headed towards a fancier place. If not fancy, at least somewhere more average. Her thoughts were confirmed as he pointed to the building. This was exciting. She had never been in this part of town and she had never gone looking for information on anything other than what she was. Maybe if she knew the right wink, she would find out for free. She wondered if there even was a certain way to wink. What did he mean by that?

Following after him, she watched, confused, as they walked past the main entrance. Why were they headed towards the back of the building? It was dark and smelled damp, the docks nearby adding the smell of salt and fish. Mali held herself in queue to the smells of the fish. Now was not the time to be imagining fish; she had already eaten anyways.

”It doesn’t look like a VIP entrance . . .” she trailed off. Her eyebrows rose slightly as he talked to the lock. Why was he talking to the lock? He intrigued her. He wasn’t as unknown as Convel had been, but he was beyond friendly and kind. She wouldn’t mind sticking with him for a while. Or for however long he was willing to stick with her. She lifted her head from his shoulder, their arms still linked. He pulled out a leather wallet and she looked at all the tools curiously. Now she could only wonder what those were for. Looking up to him, she shook her head. “I usually have other methods of getting into buildings” flashing a grin to him, she shifted to run her fingers over a few of the tools. “How do you do it then?” she looked at him expectantly. She was interested and would have to get some of these tools if they happened to work better than her method of jumping in through windows.