Sins of the Father Part Two: Chapter Twelve (Patreon)

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Chapter Twelve

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Airn and Deg strode quickly through the rest of the market. Airn hoped their swift pace would dissuade others from coming to offer greetings, or trying to strike up conversations. Airn did not wish to be rude, but she was already late. Not only that, but she’d had enough condolences for her loss to last her a damn lifetime. Several months on now, and she was still hearing how sorry people were for her.

On one hand, she was immensely proud to have made such an impact on people, alongside her mate. Practically the whole Warren knew her by name, now. That they all wished to express their sympathies was a soothing balm on a still raw wound. But on the other hand, sometimes Airn just wished they’d all shut up. There were a thousand more urd’thin who’d lost someone just like her, who trudged through their dreary lives in the darkness without so much as a shoulder to cry on. Hell, she wasn’t even the only expectant mother to be who had lost her mate. She wished at least a few of those who went out of their way to offer her their support would do the same for others in her place.

Yet Airn knew the truth wasn’t so simple. Her Warren was but one of several, all interconnected by a truly massive labyrinth, stretching out beneath the entirety of Illandra. Though often viewed as a singular entity, in truth each Warren was akin to its own sub-city, with its own tribes, not unlike the districts of Illandra above them. Thousands upon thousands of urd’thin dwelled throughout the underground, each doing whatever it took to survive. To protect their families. Airn could never know all their names, let alone all their countless personal tragedies and triumphs. The simple fact of it was, Airn was better known now than most urd’thin would ever be.

Her ascension among her people had been gradual, a process slow enough that for years, she hadn’t even realized it had been happening. It began not long after she first met her beloved, a foreign urd’thin with unusual gray fur. He was born in a far flung desert, and came to the city after being tricked into a life of labor by ill-intentioned nobles. Or so, at least, he’d claimed. To this day, only Airn knew the truth behind the mask of mortality her beloved Vakaal always wore. She’d met him at the same fountain in which she bathed, looking lost, and alone. His story was all too easy to believe, just as he’d intended. But the Warrens were always a welcoming place to urd’thin in need, and so Airn invited him into her home, until he found his way.

As it so happened, the new arrival possessed the rare knowledge of languages and written words beyond those of the local tongues. He fancied himself a poet, of sorts, and brought with a deep and abiding love of stories. Though at first he only read to Airn, it was not long before he was reading stories to the local pups, too. As word spread, more and more urd’thin came to hear him read whatever tomes they could get their hands on. Before long, he had dubbed himself the Warren’s Teller of Tales. Why he refused to be called their Storyteller, only Airn knew. And like all his secrets, she kept that one to herself.

Once Airn was able, she took to writing her own stories, to read to the other urd’thin as well. Whenever possible, she wove her people into them. Her Warren heard exciting tales about heroic urd’thin, leading adventurous lives. Though the Warren had plenty of books, few had ever heard stories about their own people. Before long, they came from all across the underground to hear Airn and her lover tell them. After he was gone, and Airn had processed the worst of her grief, she returned to telling tales. And in that way, she was able to share her sorrows with all the warrens.

But the stories were not all she took over for. While her beloved Vakaal was still around, he often accompanied their friends to the surface, offering his advice and protection. Everywhere he went, success followed. Somehow, they always returned with more food, more coin, and more goods whenever Vakaal was with them. The guards rarely chased them, and when they did, they never managed to get close enough to pose a threat. Life was better than Airn had ever known, until the day Vakaal met the noble in the alleyway.

Now, Airn organized their missions to the surface. She might not be a miracle worker like Vakaal, but she had the savvy to make up for it. Airn knew the streets as well as anyone. She knew which doors were easily unlocked, which shops and warehouses were untended at night, which guards would slit an urd’thin’s throat for a laugh, and who among the humans would dare to stand up for the downtrodden. And if it came down to it, she had learned to fight from the best of the Watchers. The harder she worked for her people, the more success she saw, the more her Warren knew her name. Yet the more they looked up to Airn, the more she felt as if their lives were her responsibility.

That responsibility weighed all the heavier across her shoulders every time she dreamt anew of flames. That morning’s nightmare was not the first time slumber found her in the midst of an inferno. It was always a little different, the imagery never quite the same. Some such nightmares were more surreal and dreamlike, while others were all too real. In some, Airn glimpsed her lost lover, heard his familiar voice imploring her, warning her. In others, she was alone. And always, Illandra was burning. Never could she decide between watching it burn, or fighting the flames.

In her waking hours, Airn knew they were only dreams. Spawned, no doubt, by the loss of her lover, and the stirring embers of rebellion smoldering so treacherously near, she feared the urd’thin may yet get burned. Airn dreaded to think just how tempting the flames would be, if aiding a rebellion was what it took for her people to cast off their oppressors. Already, some of her people were being tempted away from the Warrens, and into the waiting arms of Death in the Night. Airn did not blame her people. After countless generations of persecution and cruelty, what did they have left to lose, in setting their oppressors’ city alight? Yet Airn wanted more than to continue the cycle of violence. What good did it do to break their chains, if they simply took their tormentors place? One day, it would all just happen again. Besides, Airn feared the greater truth that far too many urd’thin and rebels alike seemed unwilling to acknowledge. If Illandra burned, they would all burn with it.

“You okay?” Deg’s voice finally broke the silence, echoing off the cold, mossy stone of a tunnel somewhere beyond the markets.

Airn shrugged, but managed to offer her brother a smile. “Not really, but I’ll survive.”

Deg put an arm around her shoulder, squeezing her against him in a gentle hug. “I don’t wanna be a bother. But I’m here if you need me.”

“I know.” Airn leaned her horned head against him. “And thank you. But don’t worry. It’ll pass. And I’ll cheer up once I feel the sun on my fur. Or better yet, once I get some of that silver water and something delicious to eat.”

Deg nodded as Airn pulled away. “Yeah! I’m really only going for the food.”

The two urd’thin continued on through cramped tunnels, and over rickety walkways spanning reeking sewer canals. Wobbling bridges crossed canyon-like viaducts. In larger spaces, immense, fluted columns rose through the shadows, barely visible at the edge of the lamplight. Here, the scents were both less chaotic but also less pleasant than in the warrens. The air was unpleasantly thick with the smells of sewage and refuse, of stale water and sticky mildew. Despite the dirty looks, insults, and dangers of the streets above, Airn was eager to feel the warm sunlight, and to smell the fresh air.

Airn followed signs and guiding runes, eventually an old maintenance corridor. From there, clambering over the broken stone littering an old doorway led them to a rusted ladder. The ladder in turn led them towards the surface, and into an outbuilding behind an old goods warehouse. The ladder’s access point was a metal plate in the ground, that all intents and purposes long since rusted shut. Or so it would have appeared to any neutral onlooker. The urd’thin took great pains to maintain the inoperable appearances of many such entrances to the underground. Airn and Deg helped each other through the hole, then very carefully replaced the plate.

The building they were in now was little more than a shed. In an age long past, it was part of an entire complex built to help maintain the city’s intricate sewer lines and aqueducts. Nowadays though, that facility was gone, long replaced by the warehouse where grain and other perishables were stored. Only the ladder’s access shed remained, hidden away by a red-brick wall overgrown with vines.

Airn and Deg carefully eased the stiff wooden door open on rusted hinges. Harsh, golden sunlight spilled across the shed’s interior, illuminating little more than rotted boards, a bucket with a hole in it, and several worthless, rusted tools. Airn squinted, shielding her burning eyes. A life spent mostly in shadows and lamplight left her eyes struggling to adapt. Urd’thin had naturally sharp vision in the dark. While sunlight did normally give them any trouble, those of the Warrens took longer to adjust to it than others.

“Damn, that’s bright.” Deg eased up alongside the door, rubbing his eyes.

“Just give it a minute.” Airn forced herself to peer through the crack in the doorway, making sure the way was clear.

“Ain’t my first time up here, yanno.”

“You’re complaining like it is.” Airn eased the door open another inch, pressing her muzzle to the opening. “Looks clear.” She opened it further, allowing more light to flood the small room. “You ready?”

Deg dug his palms into his eyes. “Ready as I’m gonna be, I think.” He reached down to check his hammer, ensuring it would come free easily. “After you.”

Airn tested her knives as well, drawing each from its scabbard then sliding them back into place. When she was satisfied, she slipped through the door, and out into the sunshine. Her eyes ached in the bright light, but she forced herself to endure the pain without squinting too much. The more discomfort she was willing to endure, the sooner her eyes would be adjusted. She quickly circled the small, grassy area between the shed and the wall around it, ensuring it was as empty as it seemed.

By the time she’d returned to the door, her eyes were nearly back to normal. If anything, the colors were extra vibrant. The tall, overgrown grass smothering the ground was a brilliant emerald shine, topped here and there with stalks of golden grains. Flowering vines crept all across the crimson brickwork, their hanging purple blossoms nearly as large as Airn’s hands. Airn stood in the sunlight, focusing on its warmth. She spread her arms like a newly emerged butterfly, stretching its wings. Compared to the darkness and the constant, clammy chill of the underground, the sunlight’s radiance warmed her to the core.

“Damn, it’s hot out here.” Deg grunted, shielding his eyes as he joined her. “Feels like my fur’s gonna light on fire.”

Airn flicked her tail against her brother, ignoring his complaints. Deg had never appreciated the sun’s warming glow quite the same way. “Just close the door.”

Deg did as she asked, easing the door back into position, careful to preserve its disused appearance. “If I pass out from the heat, just drag me somewhere safe, okay?”

“More like leave you behind.” Airn took a deep breath, savoring the fresh air. The earthy scents of grass and the sweet smell of the flowers mingled with something slightly smokier. “Can’t you at least appreciate that everything doesn’t smell like stagnant water and piss up here?”

Deg smirked at her, one ear perked. “Not everything smells like piss in the warrens.”

“In the Warrens? No.” Airn scrunched her muzzle. “But that damn sewer we had to traverse getting up here?”

“Yeah.” Deg rubbed his eyes again. “I think the piss was the nice part, actually. At least the bridges held up this time.” He paused at the bottom of the crumbling, red-brick wall surrounding the shed. Deg sniffed the air. “Actually, kinda smells like smoke, and burnt bread.”

Airn followed her brother towards a section of wall where broken bricks served as handholds. “Maybe that bakery threw out another batch. If they did, we should grab all we can carry on the way back, before we head into the Warren.” She gestured at the wall. “Need a boost?”

“Nah, I got it.” Deg quickly scrambled up the wall, flattening back as ears near the top. He lifted his head just over the edge, surveying the area beyond. “Looks clear here too.” He swung a leg over the wall, then paused. “Want help?”

Airn shook her head. “I think I got it. Go make sure no one’s coming. If I don’t join in a second, come back and give me a hand.”

“Got it.” Deg twisted around atop the wall, vanishing from view as he clambered down the other side.

Airn scaled the wall slower than her brother, choosing her purchase carefully. More than once, she’d scraped her pads raw on sharp sections of cracked brickwork. Once, the mortar even gave way beneath her weight near the top. She’d slipped and banged her muzzle on the wall. With a pup on the way now, Airn felt it prudent to be extra cautious. Plus, she did not want to risk soiling or damaging her favorite dress. She tested each handhold carefully, wedging her sandaled feet against only the most solid-seeming footholds. When she finally reached the top, and swung her legs across the wall, Deg was waiting for her. Her brother held his arms up to help her down. Airn climbed hallway down, then reached one of his arms and hopped off the wall. Deg caught her with a grunt, depositing her on her feet.

Deg dusted off his hands, grinning at her. “About time. You took so long, I thought you’d gone back to talk to that old lady again.”

“Oh, shut up.” Airn brushed off her dress, then looked around. They stood beneath a large, gray-painted warehouse with a red tile roof, the same shade as the wall behind them. An extremely tall wooden fence with flat-topped posts divided the warehouse lot from its neighbors. On one side was a bakery, and on the other, a general goods store. Hired security often patrolled the warehouse lot, watchful for thieves. “Any sign of guards?”

Deg nodded, pointing to the far side. “Yeah, there’s two of ‘em around the front. Havin’ a chat.” He turned, and indicated a large, haphazardly stacked pile of empty crates along the fence. “We should probably just climb up that and get atop those fence posts. We can follow them until we can climb down near the bakery. Otherwise, they’re probably gonna see us trying to slip by.”

“Alright, but this better not be just because you’re hungry.” Airn hurried after her brother, quickly scrambling up onto the nearby boxes.

“Not just because of that,” Deg said, hopping from one wobbling crate to another. “But I am gonna stop at the bakery.”

Airn held her arms out, balancing carefully as traversed the empty containers. They shifted and clattered against one another. “If I break my leg falling off these damn boxes just because you want a cookie, I’m going to kick you in the balls.”

Deg leapt from the topmost crate, grabbing at the flat top of a fencepost. He hauled himself up with a grunt. “How you gonna do that with a broken leg?”

“I’ll just…” Airn mimed grabbing at her leg, and swinging it like a club. “Hold it in my hands and swing at it you.”

“That’s gruesome, sis.” Deg straddled the fence, offering his hand. “I’m impressed.”

With Deg’s help, Airn quickly joined him atop the fenceposts. “You’d better be.”

Airn paused atop the fence to gaze around to ensure she had her bearings. Though she knew the streets well, the open skies and tremendous scale of the city made it a disorienting compared to the warrens. Airn and her people often struggled with assessing distances visually while above ground. After all, they were used to always having a ceiling over their heads. While some areas had lower roofs than others, the principal was the same. An urd’thin might describe an object’s height as halfway to the market ceiling. But here, there was no omnipresent ceiling, only the endless azure sky.

Just as confusing was the fact that seemingly every building and street was of a totally different size and length. In the Warrens, homes like Airn’s were often of equal size, a collection of old storage rooms and antechambers turned into living quarters. Other urd’thin might dwell in half-size sleeping berths, alcoves sectioned off by hanging curtains. If someone said they were going to fetch a container of goods half the size of a sleeping berth, located three tunnels away, all the other urd’thin understood what that meant.

But up here, on the streets, the size of buildings and distances they were located from each other sometimes seemed impossible to quantify. A simple two-story tavern seemed like a soaring palace to a small people used to equally small, enclosed environs. Airn couldn’t imagine how many urd’thin could have comfortably lived inside the warehouse, let alone one of the monolithic housing structures that dotted the city’s many districts these days.

Even the fence upon which they stood was taller than the average ceiling height in the warrens. Airn was thankful humans were so resistant to the idea of sharing their space and belongings they built such massive barriers just to keep each other out. The elevated vantage point allowed Airn to see over many of the area’s buildings. Even the expansive warehouse’s crimson tiled roof was now slightly below her line of sight. Airn shielded her eyes from the sun, peering across rooftops to the crowded streets beyond. An ocean of humanity ebbed and flowed along cobbled thoroughfares and wooden boardwalks. Horse-drawn carriages and wagons filled the widest lanes. Airn scrunched her muzzle in distaste. Even at a distance, she could already smell hints of sour sweat and horse excrement on the breeze. More importantly navigating the crowds could prove challenging.

Airn pinned her ears, glancing at her brother. “It’s awfully busy in the city, today.”

Deg made a clicking noise. “I did say we should take the tunnels all the way there.”

“No,” Airn said, swishing her tail against him. “You asked me which way I wanted to go.”

Her brother shrugged. “I implied we should take the tunnels.”

“You made a small implication, at most.” Airn hopped to another fence post. “You can always go back and take the tunnels by yourself, if you want.”

“Nah, we’ve come this far.” Deg waited till she was clear, then jumped after her. “May as well stick it out. You ready yet?”

“Just let me find the palace, first.” Airn leapt across a few more posts. “For my own peace of mind, if nothing else.”

The grandiose castle at Illandra’s heart made for an excellent navigational point. Its five iconic towers loomed so high over the rest of the city they may as well have been scratching at the sky itself. As such, they could be seen from anywhere in the city, if Airn but climbed high enough. Knowing where she had emerged from the Warrens in relation to the castle was always a boon should she ever become disoriented.

Airn’s breath caught at the sight of the magnificent structure bathed in golden sunlight. Even at a distance, with many of its outer curtain walls and guard towers obscured by an ocean of other buildings, the palace made for an incredible spectacle. The castle itself was sprawling, like a city unto itself. Much of it rose in walled layers, like a series of armored blocks atop one another, each slightly smaller than the one below it. Sunlight glowed in the leaded glass panes of the windows on one side, while others reflected the city and the deep blue sky. A elegant tower stood at each corner, with another at the palace’s center. Walkways spanned its walls, and served as connecting paths between the towers. An unusually high number of heavily armed guards patrolled every battlement and rampart. Blue and gray banners flickered from spires.

Unexpectedly, the top of all five towers were now veiled in heavy gray tarps, spanning arched frameworks. Scaffolding ringed their upper stories, like the newly unearthed skeletons of ancient serpents. Workers and engineers swarmed them, clambering across the scaffolding, carrying tools, and vanishing under the tarp. Whatever secrets they were working on, the tarpaulins ensured they stayed hidden.

Deg tilted his head, staring with her. “They fixing up the towers or something?”

“I have no idea.” Airn scratched her head, just under a horn. “Were they damaged when the dragon escaped?”

“Probably.” Deg gave a chittering laugh. “I bet that old bastard decided to do a little renovation on his way out.”

“Can’t say I’d blame him.” Airn’s gaze lowered, but found the castle’s foundation cloaked behind too many other buildings. “We’re too far away to tell what else was damaged. I see a roof being repaired, but that’s it.”

Deg grunting, turning to look in another direction. He nudged his sister with an elbow. “Uh, Airn? It ain’t just the castle.”

“Huh?” Airn turned to see what her brother had spotted. Deg pointed, and Airn saw a arched frame and tarp structure to the distant south, this time located atop one of the city’s outer walls. “What the hell?” Airn slowly turned in place. Soon, she’d found at least half dozen more scattered throughout the city. Some were on walls, others upon large stone buildings, or fortified guardhouses. “They’re everywhere.”

“Yeah.” Deg idly gripped the handle of his hammer. “I dunno what they are, but I don’t like the looks of it.”

“Me either.” Airn shivered, her fur bristling. Whatever they were, their sudden appearance so soon after the dragon’s escape seemed an ominous portent. After a moment, Airn forced herself to tear her gaze away. “I think I’ve seen enough. We should keep moving.”

Deg swallowed, his ears splayed. “Agreed.” He jerked his thumb towards the castle. “Whaddya think it’s like in there?”

Airn took the lead, hopping from post to post. She was happy to let Deg change the subject. “Ostentatious, I should imagine.” She came to a stop above a storage building positioned on the bakery’s side of the fence. Through the windows, Airn saw bread and pastries displayed upon fancy racks. She also saw a line of humans. “It’s almost as crowded as the road.” She glanced back at her brother. “They probably don’t even let urd’thin inside, you know.”

“Yes, they do.” Deg skipped across a few more posts until he’d joined his sister. “At least the ones with money. Don’t worry about it.” Deg flashed her a big smile, his ears perked. “She’s never kicked me out before.”

“Wait, you’ve been inside before?” Airn glared at him, her own ears flattened. “I thought you just found that bread in their dumpster. You know you’re not supposed to be visiting businesses so close to an entrance!” She gave a low growl, her tail fluffed. “How many times have you been shopping in there?”

Deg idly scratched the thick brown fur around his neck. “I dunno, sis. Once or twice maybe?”

“I’m finding that increasingly hard to believe.” Airn shook a finger at him. “She’s going to start remembering you! And next, she’s going to start wondering where it is you keep coming from.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Deg licked his nose. “Don’t worry about it, okay?” He ran a hand back over an ear. “I got the old lady in there eatin’ out of my hand.”

“That’s even worse.” Airn rubbed her muzzle. “You’d better not have been giving her ‘nice urd’thin’ routine, again.”

Deg looked away. “No idea what you’re talking about.”

Airn glowered at him, her hands on her hips. “Let me guess. Did your last visit go something like this?” She lifted her voice into a sing-song mockery of the local human tongue. “Please, nice urd’thin can have cookie?” She snorted. “Or was it this one?” She twisted her voice up even higher. “Good lady, good lady! Urd’thin have hungry pup, but no coin! It pup birthday! Please to have cookie for only present? I kiss ass real good, yes?”

Deg laughed, swishing his tail. “Nah, nothing like that. I just told my sister’s always ridin’ my ass, and I needed a damn break.”

Airn sighed, holding her hands up. “Alright, alright. But it isn’t funny when you do that voice, you know. It’s demeaning. And it’s quite insulting to the rest of our people, doing their best to learn to speak a difficult language. You and I are lucky, you know. Not many urd’thin had someone like we did to teach us the intricacies of…” She trailed off when Deg’s attention wandered to the bakery’s windows. “Are you even listening?”

“See?” Deg spoke as if talking to the baker herself. “This is what I was talking about. She’s always riding my ass about something.”

Airn flicked her ears. “Point taken. I just hope you’ve taken my point as well. You never want to be remembered by anyone around a warren entrance. It’s not safe.” Airn sat down on the fence post, then lowered herself by her arms until she was hanging above the storage building. She jumped the rest of the way onto it’s roof, cringing at the unexpectedly loud thump. She glanced back up at her brother. “And the more you make a fool of yourself, the more likely she is to remember you.”

“I dunno, sis…” Deg twisted up his muzzle in thought. “I think she’d be a lot more likely to remember the well spoken, nicely dressed urd’thin with all the money.” He looked her over. “Say, you’re a well-spoken, nicely dressed urd’thin with a lotta money.” Deg tilted his head. “You better wait outside.”

“Hilarious.” Airn made her way to the small building’s corner, then scrambled down a drain pipe. “Just try not to get yourself noticed so often, okay?”

Deg sized up the jump. “Humans never notice shit, anyway.” Without bothering to lower himself partway, Deg jumped down onto the roof. The harder impact caused a much louder crash when his legs gave out, and he slammed onto his rump and tail. “Ow! I think I cracked my ass.”

“Hey!” A human voice called out from the other side of the wall. “What was that?”

A second voice immediately responded. “We better check it out!”

Deg grimaced, staggering his feet. “Okay, they noticed that.” He grabbed the pipe, sliding partway down before jumping off and landing alongside his sister. “Wealthy customer act?”

Airn sighed. “Wealthy customer act.”

Much as Airn hated to admit it, even among their own kind, humans were far quicker to overlook someone who was well-dressed and spending money than they were someone caught trespassing. If the security guards found them “skulking” about, there might be trouble. But if they were already inside the establishment, browsing goods and buying treats, the guards couldn’t prove anything. Hell, they might not even pay them any heed. They hurried away from the fence, and around the front of the building, to the main entrance facing the street.

A mural covered the front wall, turning it into a great stone hearth, filled with smoldering embers. The door itself was painted to resemble a loaf of rich brown bread being baked. A wooden sign hanging next to it depicted three little cakes seated atop another such loaf. Lettering across it all read, Sallis And Daughter Fine Foods.

Airn pulled the front door open, and held it for her brother. Deg slipped through, and Airn quickly followed him. The mingling scents of several different kinds of fresh-baked bread were nearly overwhelming, along with a hundred other delicious smells. All manner of pastries, tarts, cookies, pies and cakes filled the many display cases around the shop, their aromas all swirling together. There were the less pleasant odors of human sweat, and the perfumes they used to cover it, along with the pleasantly acrid wood-smoke from the cook fires somewhere in the back.

There were quite a few humans already lined up in front of a wooden counter, where an older woman filled orders. The rest of them browsed the myriad glass displays and elevated racks, waiting their turn. Most customers pointedly ignored the new arrivals. A couple of them shot the urd’thin dirty looks, muttering insults under their breath. An aged man openly stared at them as if he’d never actually seen an urd’thin before. Perhaps he’d just never seen them anywhere but begging on the street, dressed in tattered rags. A young child also watched them with wide eyes, clinging to her mother’s hand. Airn waved at her, and the little girl smiled and waved back.

Her mother quickly turned the girl away from the urd’thin, speaking softly to her. “Don’t bother the rat people, honey, they don’t like being stared at.”

Airn scrunched her muzzle, genuinely uncertain as to how insulting the woman meant to be. Anything related to rats, or vermin, was usually intended as a gravely derogatory insult where urd’thin were concerned. The phrase rat-dog was often one of the nastiest things a human could call an urd’thin. Yet the girl’s mother almost sounded as if she was at least trying to get her girl to be respectful towards Airn and her brother, despite her spectacular failure.

Movement caught Airn’s eye through a window as the guards they’d just escaped ran by, headed behind the bakery. Though the were private guards, not city officials, they still bore sturdy leather armor, and kept swords at their hips. Airn wasn’t sure if they’d actually come inside or not, but nudged Deg towards the nearest displays of food. The siblings made themselves busy inspecting cookies and tarts, chatting to each other about which they’d most like to buy, when it was their turn to be helped. The line was slow going, but a few people ahead of them soon left with circular loaves of honeyed wheat bread larger than Airn’s head.

As the next customers chatted with the older woman behind the counter, one of the security officers returned from behind the building. He peered in through the window, and spotting Airn and Deg, came inside. He walked towards the urd’thin, a hand casually resting on the hilt of his sword. Airn kept track of him out of the corner of her eye, acting as if she hadn’t even noticed his arrival. She tugged on her brother’s sleeve, then pointed to an especially delicious looking tart, stuffed with candied cherries.

“Oh, look at that, brother!” Airn switched into the common tongue spoken by most of the humans into Illandra. Their language was structured differently than that of the urd’thin, and Airn’s people often had trouble mastering it without putting in years of practice. Airn used her fluency to catch humans off guard at times like this. “Doesn’t that that one look delicious? Those cherries look heavenly.”

“They sure do, sister!” Deg rubbed his hands together, licking his muzzle. Deg had also taken great pains lately to improve his own fluency, with Airn’s patient help. And while it wasn’t quite as crisp as his sister, it was still more than enough to set most humans back. “How many should we buy?”

“At least a dozen, I should think.” She tapped a finger to her muzzle. “That’d be four for me, four for you, and four more for our dear mother.”

The guard cleared his throat, looming over them. “Excuse me. Are you two customers here?”

Airn looked up at him, wide-eyed as if only just noticing his presence. “Oh, hello there.” She grasped her skirt, and gave a little curtsy, tail swishing. Deep inside, she fought the urge to gag at her own feigned submission and false respect. “Why, yes we are. After all, they don’t much like it when you browse without buying. We’re just waiting our turn to make our purchases.”

“I see.” The guard chewed his lip a moment. He lifted his gaze to the crowd of other shoppers. None of them paid him nor the urd’thin much heed. Airn suspected he wanted to ask someone how long she and her brother had been in line, but no one seemed willing to meet his gaze. Eventually, he returned his attention to the urd’thin, gesturing at Airn’s belt with his free hand. “Why do you have a knife? And why’s he got a war-hammer?”

Deg flashed her a grin. “Told you it was a war-hammer!”

Airn ignored him, and instead, only smiled at the guard. “For safety.” For now, her voice was all syrup and sugar. “After all, why do you have a sword?”

The human grunted, drumming his fingers upon the hilt of his weapon. “To protect myself from criminals, of course.”

“Well, then.” A little of the sugariness left Airn’s voice. Her smile faded, ever so slightly. “I’d say you answered your own question. Humans aren’t the only ones who get robbed, you know.”

Behind her, Deg ever-so-slightly shifted his posture. He stepped closer to the display case, murmuring to himself about cakes. But Airn knew what he was really looking at. He was watching the guard’s reflection in the glass, ready to strike. It was one of their usual strategies. She acted sweet and submissive, Deg acted dumb and distracted, and all the while, they were waiting to unleash hell. If the human so much as tried to draw his sword, Airn would go high, while Deg went low. She’d slice through his sword hand in a flash, and at the same time, Deg would crush the poor bastard’s knee with his hammer. Airn was certain the human’s blade would never even leave its scabbard. Still, Airn hoped it wouldn’t come to that. She did not want to have to harm the guard, but she’d be damned before she’d let him sent her or her brother off to be hanged, just for trespassing.

Besides, Deg liked this bakery. She’d hate it for him if he couldn’t return.

“Will you stop harassing my customers?” The older woman behind the counter walked around it, glaring at the guard. She dusted her hands off on a flour-stained apron. “I’m trying to run a business here. I don’t need you in here frightening my business away.” She jabbed a finger towards Deg. “The last time that one was here, he damn near bought me out of cookies.”

The guard swallowed, straightening up. “You mean they’ve been here before? So they really are-”

“Customers?” The woman’s words were so acidic Airn half expected them to burn her tongue. “Yes. And if I don’t see them again after today, I shall assume your harassment has scared them off. And then I shall go next door and have words with your superior, wherein I shall discuss how much business his security officers just cost me, and how he expects to rectify that.”

“I, uh…” The guard cleared his throat, then glanced back down at Airn and Deg. “Have a nice day, ma’am. Sir.” Then, he spun on his heel, and hurriedly made for the exit.

Airn forced herself not to sigh in relief. Instead, she simply offered the baker a smile, far more genuine than that which she shared with the guard. “Thank you for that.” She bowed her head, slapping her hand against Deg’s arm to get him to do the same.

Deg bowed the same way. “Yes, thank you. That guy was a dick.”

Airn growled at him under her breath.

“What?” Deg straightened back up. “Was that not the right word?”

The baker only chuckled. “You’re welcome.” She glanced at Deg, a hint of sternness in her voice. “I do hope you shared all those cookies with your sister.” Then she offered Airn a little smile. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”

Airn kept her head bowed a moment longer. “A pleasure, ma’am.” She glanced at Deg as she rose. “He shared the bread, but not the cookies. I’m beginning to think he’s patronized your business far more regularly than I realized.”

“Apparently so.” She glanced between the two siblings. “Though I must say, his Illandran has greatly improved since the first time I saw him. So well done on your continued progress with our language.” She smiled at them, then turned away. “Now, I’ve got to get back behind the counter. Shouldn’t be too much more of a wait.”

As the baker returned to taking the orders of those ahead of Airn, she pivoted on her heel towards Deg, switching back into the urd’thin tongue. “You asshole! Just how many times have you been here?”

Deg pinned his ears, struggling to meet his sister’s smoldering gaze. “I dunno. Maybe…a dozen?”

“A dozen?” Airn growled at him again, her fangs bared. “What did I just tell you a little while ago? You’re never supposed to be noticed near entrances, let alone remembered. Don’t you think she’s going to wonder where you come from? It’s not like you own a house down the street!”

“Plenty of urd’thin live up here, though.” Deg crossed his arms, tail lashing. “Maybe we’re some of them.”

“Yes, they do.” Airn poked his chest. “And how many of them do you think can afford to shop here so often the owner remembers them for all the coin they’ve spent?”

Deg grumbled under his breath, scuffing his foot against the ground. “Hey! She’s gonna remember you too, now.”

Airn ran a hand back over her ears, sighing. “I suppose what’s done, is done.”

Deg shrugged. “At least it’s someone nice who remembers us.”

Airn snorted, shaking her head. “She’s nice because she remembers we have coin.”

“As long as she’s gonna defend us from the guards, that’s fine with me.” Deg stepped forward in line when another group of humans took their order and left. “I dunno what you’re worried about. It’s not like the city guards are canvasing the area for people who’ve seen the same urd’thin in their shops.”

Airn rubbed her muzzle. “You don’t get it, Deg. You do realize the guards know the Warrens exist, right? If word gets out that urd’thin have been repeatedly frequenting areas they weren’t previously common in, they might start to wonder where they’re coming from. Let alone if they get repeated reports of trespassers. And if they start snooping around, then they might find the entrance. And if they find the entrance, they’ll seal it up. And then that’s another one we’ve lost, just like in near Southgate.”

Deg scrunched up his muzzle. “That’s a whole lotta ifs. You’re being awfully paranoid, sister.”

Airn snapped at him before she could stop herself. “That’s because paranoia is what keeps us alive now that Vakaal’s gone!” All her anger left her in a rush at the mention of his name. Her shoulders slumped as cold sorrow settled over her. “I-I’m sorry. I don’t mean to yell at you. I’m…” She clenched her jaw, fighting against the sudden, hot tightening of her throat. “I’m glad you found a place that…”

“I know, sis.” Deg hugged her tightly, rubbing her back. “I know. It’s okay, you don’t have to apologize.”

Airn returned his hug, pressing her face against his shoulder. She held her brother tight, taking comfort in his warm embrace. Airn’s belly tightened. Her throat burned. When Vakaal was still with her, they visited many such places that catered to urd’thin. How she missed him. She held her breath, willing herself not to break down into tears in front of all the humans. Airn took a few slow, deep breaths, trying to quell her emotions.

“Excuse me, little guys.” A tall male human in a dark blue and silver shirt bent down towards them, his voice soft. “But it’s your turn at the counter.”

Airn straightened up, quickly wiping a few stray tears from her eyes. “Th-thank you. And sorry.” She eased away from Deg, and hurried up to the counter to where the old baker awaited. Airn stretched up on her tip toes to see over the counter. “Hello again! We’ll take a dozen of the cherry tarts, please. And whatever else my brother wants.” She glanced at Deg. “Whatever you get, we’ll share with Nark and the others when we meet up. But remember!” Airn shook a finger at him. “We’re going to eat while we’re out and about, so don’t fill up on tarts and cookies. Save some for later.”

Deg snorted. “Yes, mother.” He pointed to a nearby display case. “Can I get four frosted rolls, please? And four chocolate cookies. And two of the cakes with the blue icing, please.”

As the baker worked to fill their order, Airn splayed her ears. “Where are you going to put all that?”

Deg only stared at her, his head tilted. “In my mouth?”

“I meant how are you going to carry it all. You didn’t bring a pack.”

“Damn it, you’re right.” Deg heaved a fake sigh. “I guess I’m gonna have to eat it all.”

Airn leaned up against the counter while she waited. “If you vomit, don’t expect me to feel sorry for you.”

Soon enough, their order was ready. The baker neatly arranged everything into a number of little wooden boxes. Then, she stacked them atop each other in two rows. She fetched two cloth satchels out from under the counter, and put the boxes into the bags. Then she carried the bags around the counter to set them on the ground, near the urd’thin.

“There you are.” She patted one of the satchels. “Normally, I’d charge you for these, but I’ve got enough of them laying around I can part with them for free, on large orders.”

“See?” Deg dug out a number of coins from his purse, then handed them up to the baker. “There you are. And thank you again.”

The older human took the money, smiling. “You’re welcome. See you next time.”

Airn picked up the satchel with her tarts, and handed the other to Deg. The straps were a little long for an urd’thin to carry comfortably, but with a little effort, she was able to sling them across her shoulders and wear the bag like a low-slung backpack. Deg watched her, and then did the same with his own before the two of them left the bakery.

Once back outside in the sunshine, Airn gave her brother a dirty look, her ears pinned. “And here I thought you were behaving yourself when you went to the surface without me.”

“I have been!” Deg hooked his thumbs under the straps, walking at Airn’s side. “Stopping by for an occasional treat, paid for with my own money, is perfectly acceptable behavior.”

“Buying her out of cookies a dozen different times is hardly an ‘occasional treat’.” Airn snapped her teeth at him, then gave a little sigh. “Never mind. I’ve already chewed your tail enough, about it. Just…” She paused, waiting in a relatively quiet area alongside a busy street. “Try to keep the safety of the Warren in mind, alright? Not just your stomach.”

“I know, I know.” Deg’s ears drooped for a moment. Then he flashed Airn a sly grin. “But, speaking of my stomach. Don’t suppose we could dig into these boxes?”

Airn grimaced, her shoulders already aching a little where the straps were digging in. “That would make them lighter. And I’m hungry too, Deg.” As if on cue, her stomach rumbled ominously. “I haven’t had breakfast yet, remember? But after that little unplanned stop, I’d rather we just reach our destination first. After we meet up with Nark and the others…” Airn hummed to herself in thought, glancing at her brother again. “Actually, did they tell you where we could meet up with them? It’s a big district.”

“That big plaza, I think. With that huge tree, and all the streamers overhead.” Deg resituated his pack with a grunt. “He wanted to get more of that spicy fish, so I think he’ll be around that stall.”

“Perfect,” Airn said. “That’s easy enough to find. And I wanted to go there, anyway.” She scrunched her muzzle. “They’d better have some fish left. Nark won’t shut up about how good it is, and the one time I had a chance to try it, they were sold out.”

Deg only smiled at his sister. “Hey, don’t worry about it. You can always have one of my cakes.”

“Yes, thank you, brother.” Airn clicked her teeth, swatting him with her tail. “Now, look sharp.”

Deg adjusted his tunic, smoothing out his sleeves. “Always do.”

Airn huffed. “You know what I mean. We have a lot of busy streets to cross. And there’s no guarantee horse riders and carriage driver are going to stop for urd’thin, if they even see you.”

“You’re gonna give me the lecture about how you how you almost got run over by a carriage again, are you?” Deg shifted his pack. “Not to make light of your youthful trauma, but you already told me that story about a dozen times.”

Airn shivered, trickles of ice running down her spine. Her tail fluffed in nervous memory. “No, Deg, I won’t bore you with my near death experiences again. Just remember that I was inches-”

“Inches from getting my head crushed,” Deg said, lifting his voice a notch to imitate his sister. “As I said, it sounds terrifying. But as a cautionary tale?” He tilted his head. “Starting to lose it’s luster. Besides…” Deg lowered his voice, his eyes following something across the busy thoroughfare. “I’m way more worried about them.”

Airn followed is his gaze and saw a trio of Illandran guards patrolling the far side of the road. Each was dressed in heavy chain, with a gray and blue tabard over the top. All three guards also wore full helmets over cowls, partly obscuring their faces. What was visible remained almost perpetually in shadow. Reinforced gloves covered their hands. Swords were slung at their hips. Two had crossbows and quivers of bolts strapped to their body, while the third had additional knives, and a second sword across his back. It was rare to see the average city guardsman not only wearing their helmets, but also unusually well-armed.

“Is it me”, Airn said, her ears bared on instinct. “Or do they look like they’re expecting trouble?”

Deg growled under his breath, his hand drifting to the handle of his hammer. “Expecting it, or looking for it?”

Airn brushed her hand across his arm. “Easy, Deg. Don’t give them a reason.”

“Too late, I think.” Deg released his hammer, but kept his hand near it as the three guards pushed their way through people, then crossed the street, holding up a couple of horseback couriers in the process. “Be ready, Airn.”

“I am. But remember, first we play nice, dumb, and rich. Fighting is the last resort. And we’re outnumbered.” Airn took a step away from Deg, spacing them so they were free to draw their weapons without endangering the other, if it came to it. “Remember. Go for their hamstrings, knees, hands, then run. The only goal is to escape safely. Make sure they can’t chase us. And since they have crossbows, get to cover fast so you don’t take an arrow in the back.”

“Right.”

The urd’thin siblings fell silent as the soldiers crossed the street. Airn studied them closely. With their faces and hair partly obscured, their flat human expressions proved harder to read than usual. Each of them bore the iconic golden patches on their shoulder of Illandra’s various military and security divisions. Something struck Airn as odd about their patches, though she could not immediately put her finger on it. The lead soldier was pointing things out to the other two, and they followed his every gesture with rapt attention. Whatever explanations he offered were lost to the din of other voices.

When they reached the far side of the street, Airn had a better look at their shoulder patches. The two with the crossbows bore patches that included a distinctive historic gateway, the emblem for the Southgate division. The man in in the lead, however, had a patch with the five towered keep on it. Strange, Airn, thought. None of the three soldiers were actually from the local division. She wasn’t sure what that meant, but it didn’t bode well.

They turned away from Airn and Deg, and ambled up the street, heading back the way the urd’thin had just come from. If they’d noticed Airn and her brother, they didn’t seem to care. Airn slowly exhaled, relaxing just a little bit. Deg did the same, staring at the guard’s backs as they continued up the street. The lead man pointed to an alleyway, then to the bakery they’d been shopping at. Then he waved his hand at the warehouse.

Deg gave a little snarl, speaking up before Airn could. “Yes, Airn, they do appear to be investigating areas where urd’thin have been reported. I don’t wanna hear-”

“That they look as if they’re on the lookout for possible warren entrances to close off?” Airn crossed her arms. “I wasn’t going to say anything.”

“Uh huh.” Deg shuffled his feet. “I’ll admit, you’re probably right about-”

“No, I really wasn’t.” Airn walked up alongside her brother, still watching the guards. “If that was what they were doing, don’t you think they’d stop and question us about it?”

Deg growled again when the lead soldier pointed back past the warehouse, towards the walled-off shed. “Depends if they already know it’s there, or not.”

“Fair point.” Airn licked her muzzle. “Did you notice their patches? They’re all in the wrong district.”

Deg glanced back at her, his tail twitching in agitation. “What’s that mean?”

“I’ve no idea.” Airn drummed her fingers against her dagger handle. “But it’s very unusual. And yet, I doubt the average Illandran will even notice. There’s no reason for them to scrutinize their own guards, right?”

“Vigilantes, maybe?” Deg’s hand drifted to his hammer again. “Looking to catch an urd’thin and…” He swallowed. “You know.”

“Let’s just be glad they didn’t stop us, and get the hell out of here.”

Just before Airn could hurry across the street, the suspicious warehouse security officer ran out to intercept the guards. The redhead held a hand up to the man, asking him to hold up at a respectable distance. Behind him, one of the others rested a hand on his own sword. A moment later, and his comrade did the same.

Airn glanced at Deg, her ears splayed. “They look like they think he’s going to attack them.”

“Be better for us if he did,” Deg said. “That asshole’s pointing us out.”

Down the street, the security official was angrily jabbing his finger in the urd’thin’s direction. The redheaded guard talked to him, waving his hand as if to calm him down. The other two glanced back at Airn and Deg. After a moment, one of armored men shrugged. They both turned around, and slowly made their way back up the street. The redheaded man remained behind with the security guard.

“At least we ain’t outnumbered, now.” Deg kept his voice soft. “You going left, or right?”

“Left. But again.” Airn gave him a sharp look. “Only if there’s no other option. Something’s off about these guards.”

“Agreed.” Deg stepped away from her, positioning himself where he’d have room to maneuver, just in case. “Normally they’d be steppin’ on our throats already.”

Airn steeled herself as the guards approached. Inwardly, her racing heart smashed itself against her chest. Her feet went cold, her belly twisted into icy, sinking knots. Outwardly, she forced a smile to her muzzle, and perked her ears. As the guards drew near enough to hear her, she offered them her friendliest, most respectful curtsy.

“Hello, Officers!” Airn’s voice was all sweetness and sunshine. “Beautiful weather today, isn’t it?”

The two guards glanced at each other, then looked both urd’thin over. One of them approached her. “Sure is.” Though his voice lacked the cold harshness she’d expected, something else was just as off about it as the rest of him. There was something unusual about his accent she couldn’t quite place. “Nice and sunny. You two on your way over to the festival in the Aran’alian district?”

Airn struggled to continue her feigned smile. Coming from an Illandran guard, to an urd’thin, that was a dangerously loaded question. She was certain the Illandran guardsmen had seen all manner of warnings and bulletins about the gathering of Aran’alians, and their unpopular cause for celebration, not to mention the fact they’d been openly inviting as many urd’thin as possible.

“We’re hoping to meet some friends there, yes. At least…” She glanced at Deg, her ears drooping a little. “Oh, I do so hope that they allow urd’thin inside. I’ve never been to a festival before.”

“Yes, festival!” Deg offered the guards his own brightest smile. “Is good place learn speak better human, yes? Sister help Tok learn many words, help find job!” Deg twisted if to show off his backpack. “Now Tok buy treats, share with friends!” Deg turned around. “Is okay to travel?” Deg made a show of looking between his sister, and the guards a few times, his ears splayed. “Is special travel fee again for urd’thin?”

For once, Airn did not begrudge Deg’s use of a feigned lack of fluency, nor his use his a fake name. “Yes, officer, if there are any special travel fees in effect for urd’thin today, I assure you we’re happy to pay them.”

The two guards glanced at each other, with the nearest one shrugging. “Nah, no fees. You two are all clear to go the festival. Hell, I wish I was going.”

“Me too.” The second man’s voice was softer. “A lot more fun than patrol, that’s for sure.”

Now Airn knew something was off. Surely, they couldn’t be on patrol outside their home districts, could they? Whatever they were doing, it was out of the ordinary at the very least. For now, she forced herself not to show any sort of reaction, and merely chittered playful urd’thin laughter. “Oh, I’m certain of it. Perhaps when your duties are done for the day, you can make it over to the celebration yourselves.”

“Maybe so.” The man doing most of the talking glanced over his shoulder, towards his red-haired comrade. The security officer was glaring their way. The guard cleared his throat. “One other thing. We got a report of some trespassers causing trouble.”

The second guard gave a derisive snort. “Report. Right.”

“Tress…pass?” Deg tilted his head. “What means this? Is what bad guy do?”

The first guard chuckled. “Yeah, is what bad guy do. But you two don’t seem like bad guys.” He gazed down at Airn, smiling. “So lemme just ask you, for the record. You two been doing any trespassing, or causing any trouble around here?”

Airn quickly shook her head, tilting her muzzle back to peer up at the man’s face, burying her scrutinizing beneath a smile. His emotions were deeply hidden behind his eyes. “Certainly not, officer. You can ask Ms. Silas, of Silas and Daughter Bakery. She can certainly vouch for us if needed. She sold us-”

“Won’t be necessary.” The guard waved her off. “I’m satisfied.” He glanced at his comrade. “You satisfied?”

The other guard nodded. “I’m satisfied.” His helmet shifted slightly, as it were slightly too big for his head. A few strands of sweat-dampened black hair slipped free. He grunted, turning away while he tucked his hair out of sight. “Let’s go.”

The first guard glanced at his friend, and for the first time, Airn saw annoyance in his eyes, rather than impressive. “Fix your damn helmet.” He glanced back at Airn. “You’re free to go.” He turned halfway around, then paused. “Oh, and if I were you, I’d be extra careful on your way home, tonight. “Not everyone wants to celebrate the dragon’s escape. We’ve had reports of possible agitators. And they aren’t targeting us, if you get my meaning. You have a nice day.”

As the two guards walked off, Airn watched the second man adjust his helmet. As he did so, she caught another glimpse of black hair, hidden away under his cowl. A moment later, and it was gone again, his helmet once more fully covering him. All at once, it clicked in Airn’s head. They were obscuring their faces, hiding their hands, covering their hair. And their accents, almost imperceptible, save for a lyrical syllable slipping through here and there.

Airn sucked in a breath. They were both Aran’alians. She stared at their backs, her muzzle hanging open. Just what the hell were Aran’alians doing in Illandran guard uniforms?

Deg exhaled a long, slow sigh of relief. “That was close.” He glanced at Airn, reaching out to touch her arm. “You okay?”

Airn closed her muzzle. “I’m not sure. Deg, those…”

Deg nodded, gently rubbing her arm. “Those were some weird guards, I know.”

“That’s just it.” Airn swallowed, every fur suddenly standing on end. “I don’t think those were guards, Deg. Let’s…” Airn took a few deep breaths, gathering herself. “Let’s just get the hell out of here while we still can.”