”Thank you.” It wasn’t often that people called her name pretty, but she was quite pleased with it. The name was sweet, like a prayer of hope from her birth mother. As Lewis explained the stew, Akira mentally connected venison with deer. Celeste was a huntress, and often brought home deer, but called it venison. Whoever this Bat was, he used herbs and spices differently than her mother. ”Yup. Iunno why.”

Lewis was informing her about not going out back due to some fixes. ”As in repair?” Her mothers were always talking about repairing things, fixing things. But nothing stuck out that started with Renno. ”He said he was master of Heaven’s Dawn Thief Guild. You’re thief. Akira was thief, before Akira got adopted.” She also found her father, but she was cautioned about who to reveal that information to.

The child handed the fox out for Lewis to hold should he accept. ”Xeik found Akira thinking buy Amber. But, he made me nervous. So I left. He catch up, give me fox. Akira likes to care for animals. Have lots back home in Sool… Sularia.” Every once in awhile, she still has troubles over certain words. ”Where you from, Lewis? Here?” Even though she was talking primarily with Lewis, she still felt the eager eyes from the boys upon her. ”Not many girls here… Are there?”

Lewis watched the girl carefully. She seemed to have plenty of spirit despite her age. It was almost as if she grew up similarly to the boys in the guild. To be fair, that wouldn’t have surprised Lewis that much. In fact, at this point, he was expecting it.

As she answered his questions, and then held out Amber, he smiled. Without a second thought, he took the fox and cradled it. “Aww. Hey little one.” He petted the fur gently. “Xeik can be a bit…direct? Yeah, direct at times. But he means well.”

Although it took him some time to think, he tried his best to answer her questions. “We used to live on the streets.” Some of the other boys had finished their dinner, and started to listen along. They were being respectful, though, and not crowding the two as they spoke. “Even Xeik. There was a man named Terrance. He used to beat us when we tried to fight back. Xeik…well, he got tired of it…”

“Xeik saved my life that day. And it almost cost him his. Then Miss Danwe…she’s this awesome lady with black wings, she comes in and beats Terrance up! And then she and Xeik brought us here and made the guild. We’ve been here ever since!”

He shook his head at her next question. “No, not many. Most of the girls who end up on the streets get caught and…” The blonde looked to the side in disgust. “They get sold off to older men. We managed to save a few, but they’re hard to catch once they get sold. I wish there was more we could do about it…”

“Anyway…Xeik should hopefully be back soon. Until then, why don’t you rest?”

Her heart sank as she listened to Lewis speak about their pasts. Golden eyes took in the face of every boy surrounding her, lingering on each with equal amounts of time. Were each of them abandoned at near birth like she? It was for children them she had once tried to refuse a banquet provided specifically for her. To see dozens of platters piled high with food, and so many in need did not feel right.

Yet at the mention of wings, everything brightened in her mood instantaneously. ”My mama Larka has wings too! Large black ones.” To illustrate, she held her arms out, the hanging fabric of her sleeves made the perfect set of white wings as she darted about the tavern. ”She take Akira with.” Her feet stopped cold when he started speaking about the girls, guessing his answer before he said it.

”There’s nothing to do ‘cept pray. It hard being girl on street. Akira hear some talk about me, how Akira can be taught to please. But Akira smart, small, and quiet. Always hide. Even from boys, since they like pull Akira’s tail and ears.” Slowly, she walked over and collected Amber, holding her tight in a comforting way. The child did not often recall the worse part of her past, and when it did, the cheerful demeanor melted into a somber mood.

Due to this, when suggested she rest, she eyed her pack nervously. Did she really trust them well enough not to go through her things? Neera was in there, and Steve, but she was still apprehensive. ”Um, Akira fine, thank you.” Why was she suddenly feeling very nervous and self conscious? Usually, she would be playing with the new pet. Instead, she crawled back onto a chair and glanced back at the boys, fingers combing softly through the fox's fur. ”So, what are your names?”

Despite her broken language, she seemed to understand the life of those who were cast aside. But as she mentioned that she had a mother, Lewis raised an eyebrow. Perhaps she had broken free of the life they were living. Good for her, he thought. I wouldn’t wish this life on anyone.

“Suit yourself,” Lewis said as she declined his offer to rest. He, as well as most of the other boys, had noticed that she was eyeing her back with concern. The boy wouldn’t tell her not to worry, because it was a good thing she was being cautious, but there was an honor among them. None of them would steal from a child, for one. And certainly not someone whom Xeik trusted. Only those corrupt merchants who had too much money to know what to do with.

“As you may have heard, my name is Lewis.” He held out his hand to point at the other children, naming them one by one. “That’s Zacharaih. He’s a bit shy. Over there is Nile. He’s loud. Lyre there can’t speak, but he’s better at writing than the most of us. And don’t worry about Speck over there. Yes, he’s missing an eye…but it’s not as bad as it looks, I promise.” There were several other boys he mentioned, each one by name, and a trait. Never once, though, did he have any disdain for his family.

There was a slight commotion at the door, and Xeik slipped in, panting. “S-sorry…sorry it took so long. He was covered in sweet and dust, and he smelled a bit like trash. He wiped the sweat from his face, and took a sniff at his hand, cringing. “Er…sorry. I don’t recommend coming over here.”

Lewis’ attention turned fully to Xeik, “Ah yes, and out leader, of course.” He walked up to Xeik, despite the smell. “What mess have you gotten in to this time? Is that…is that a half eaten tomato in your hair?”

Xeik was grinning, :”Maybe. The guards are catching on to who I am, so it’s starting to get harder for me to move around on the streets. I’ll have to have you do the scouting from now on.” He looked around. “Did a girl come this way?”

Lewis stepped to the side, and nodded. “Akira.”

Xeik saw her hair and ears, and smiled. “I’m glad you’re safe, Akira. Welcome to our home!” He started to walk forward, and then frowned. “Er…let me…go wash up. How’s the fox, by the way?” he asked. Noticing that it was held firmly in Akira’s grasp, he smiled.

“I’m glad its safe…”

“Amber,” Lewis said. “Now get cleaned up.”

One by one the boys were introduced. It would take a bit to remember all of their names. ”Pleasure meet you all.” Akira beamed, happy to nearly get the sentiment correct. The door opened, the older boy from the market slipping in. Her nose immediately wrinkled. ”Smell like Kyu.” While she meant it as a joke, the only living soul in the room to understand it was Neera who decided she was glad she was tucked inside the pack.

As Lewis revealed her location to Xeik, she gave a small wave. ”She fine.” Lewis had effectively introduced both herself and the fox, something she wasn’t quite accustomed to. At some point during Xeik’s bath, Akira had let the fox wander about the tavern while she laid her head down on a table, using her arms as a pillow. If she closed her eyes, she could feel the sway of the city.

When Akira opened her eyes next, blinking the blurry vision away, she couldn’t quite remember where she was. ”Neera?” A black scorpion freed itself from her pack and crawled itself up until it rested on her head, right between the fox ears. She rubbed her eyes momentarily before realizing she was in the midst of a thieves guild full of orphans. Footsteps descending the stairs caught her attention, and she saw a freshly washed Xeik re-entering the room.

Amber escaped the attention of the boys and darted over to Xeik, rubbing against his leg. ”Amber thank Xeik. She happy. Still young. Bat has deer stew,” she seemed to be offering Xeik food in his own base. Though, that wasn’t her intention. In actuality, Akira was pretty nervous again. This time, she couldn’t say why. With the other boys, everything was quite easy, but with Xeik… Maybe it was just until she saw how everyone acted towards him beyond the guild master respect.

The bath had been just what Xeik needed, and he had enjoyed every second of it. As he descended back into the tavern below, he noted that the boys had left Akira alone to rest, and they had taken up their time playing with the fox. Good, he thought to himself. She needed the rest. I wonder if her guardians are looking for her?

As soon as his foot touched the ground floor, the fox broke away from the other children and bounded over to him, nuzzling up against him. Akira was soon to follow, her words expressing what Amber was probably trying to communicate. Xeik knelt down and pet the fox, a smile across his face. “That’s a good girl…” He looked up to Akira, who seemed to be acting shy and nervous.

She offered him the stew that Bat had made, which made him smile. “Thank you, Akira. That’s kind of you.” He stood up, and smiled. “Would you like to sit down with me as I eat?” the boy asked. One of the other boys started to go back for the stew, and returned momentarily with a bowl, still piping hot.

“Thank you, Nile,” Xeik said as he sat down back at the table. He closed his eyes, and said a quick thanks, and then dove into the food. Not unlike Akira, he had not quite grown accustomed to all of his own manners, and devoured the food with all of the grace of a wild animal. It had only been a few months since they had started eating well, but habits were very hard to break.

Lewis came down moments later, and he walked over to Xeik with a book in his hands. “All right. Time to work, Xeik. Here’s the reports from today’s heist.”

Xeik sighed, pushing the remainder of his food to the side. He took the book and placed it in front of him, flicking through it. “Twelve different precious gems, a hoard of gold and silver, a few paintings. Oh, is this what I think it is?”

Lewis nodded. “Danwe was right. That man was a black market slave trader.”

“More sacrifices to the Echoes?” Xeik asked.

“More than likely. Those that won’t work would have been sold as personal slaves…or worse,” Lewis replied.

“So, we made out well today then. I assume you took them through the right channels?” the leader asked.

“Of course. Danwe has amazing connections. But, aren’t you afraid they’ll come after you? You’ve been interrupting a lot of their operations of late.” The other boy seemed very concerned.

“I can’t help the fact that I want to save them. And since we have the resources available…” He glanced around. “And of course, none of the others are complaining. It’s no less dangerous than what we used to live in. Just now…now it’s voluntary.”

Akira nodded and sat with him, watching with curious eyes as he ate. Did she look like that while she was eating? Amber, on the other hand, went leaping to the boys she had left, dancing circles around them. It pleased the child to see the fox becoming quite used to a cageless life so quickly. When Lewis returned, he carried a book, and the pair went over a list of stolen goods. They did more than just stole food and means for survival?

More than that, they had a successful time at saving some girls, by the sounds of it. She squirmed in her seat, a bit uncomfortable. What if she had been caught before being adopted? Would anyone even try to save her? It wasn't until after the adoption that she had even found her father, so rescue from him would not have been conceived. Was there something her father could do for them?

”Xeik, why do you steal? Gems, money… doesn't sound like stuff to survive. So why?” There had to be a reason for it all. For him to send her here, to have stolen her fox, fed her… Allowed her to hear their heist summary. Were they making a mistake and letting her get too close, or was she reading it all wrong and she was in trouble? The scorpion seemed to pick up on her distress and launched itself at the table. ”Neera, don't!” Akira cupped her hands around it, pleading with her eyes. ”Hear them first. Please?” Beady eyes shifted between the godly offspring and the leader of the guild, biding its time.

Xeik looked up to Akira, who seemed to be uncomfortable. Maybe we should take this elsewhere, he thought. Perhaps exposing the operation had been a mistake. After all, she was an unknown variable in the entire thing. But, a part of Xeik wondered if that were true. It was a risk that he had took.

Oh I really hope Danwe doesn’t get mad…

“Your question is hard to answer,” Xeik said slowly. “There are a lot of people who will pay for them, is the simple answer. The black market is vast, and it’s an easy way to make a quick coin…” He thought for a moment. “The reason is because we need silver. There are those of us who are more than capable of surviving off of stolen food, but there are many who can’t. Those girls we rescued…we can’t make them steal to earn their keep. They can’t even stay here, lest they get wrapped up in their ‘business’ because that’s all they know. The coin goes to helping them escape, and setting them up to learn a trade, or be adopted. Escape routes aren’t cheap to maintain, and a lot of people’s silence has to be bought as well. Not to mention,” he waved his hand around, “All of this. Bat helps us out, but it isn’t for free. We have to maintain this place, as well as employ Bat to keep the tavern running as a hideout.”

The boy sighed. He had never had to really explain himself until now. “We only steal from those we know deserve it. There are plenty of good merchants out there. We don’t even target them, though we do tend to keep tabs on where they are. No, there are a lot of crooked men and women who use their status to opress and…well, flaunt their wealth and status like they’re better than everyone else. It’s those we target…” He tapped the book, “The man we rescued the girls from. I can promise you he had no good intentions…”

A frown was creasing the foxling's forehead. She was trying to follow the words, find the hidden meanings. They dealt with the black market. Every city had one, and Akira had always made it a point to stay away from them. Especially now that she knew who she was, and how important she could be. Though, they made sense with what they could and could not expect the assisted girls to do. According to Xiek, their money went towards Bat, and helping the girls in any fashion.

The best news was their targets. Neera glared at Akira for a moment. "Your call, child." Akira blinked, confused for a minute. "Now see here! They do better than Akira did in Vilpamolan. They made family, and work hard to keep it. All I had was you." Yes, she was conversing with a talking scorpion. Although, as the scorpion began to move along Akira's arm, her form shifted until she was the size and form of roughly a six month old cat, curling up on Akira's shoulder. The child beamed. "This Neera. She like you I think. Otherwise, she no change."

Akira looked down at her hands, now resting in her lap. "As I said earlier, Akira know all too well what it like on streets. Steal to survive, avoid bad men. Been alone all my life since mommy died.. Now is better, but worse too. Akira was adopted by lovely mommies in Sularia, and made lots of friends. But, also know who Daddy is now. People would use me to get at him if they knew." One thing she wanted to know was what she could do to please her father, but they hardly talked about that. Their conversations were more on the difficult ways of life. "Xiek, why you send Akira here?"

Xeik had not been paying enough attention to notice the scorpion that Akira had hidden and apparently spoken to. He had been far too engrossed in the logs that he had been reading, and too nervous about what he had planned to say. Lewis, however, had noticed, and gripped the hilt of a throwing knife on his belt, but otherwise did not appear concerned.

If it had moved anywhere closer to Xeik, he would have acted to kill it. But it didn’t. While Xeik spoke, the other boy kept his eye on both Akira and the scorpion, waiting for either to make a move.

Finally, though, she seemed to speak to the scorpion. At this point, Xeik noticed it, and with a shock of surprise, fell back in his seat, hitting the ground hard. Lewis got the idea pretty quick, sighing with relief, his hand dropping from the knife. He moved over to Xeik, offering a hand and pulling up his leader.

“Well, that…that was something,” Xeik said as he staggered up. It seemed as though she had a powerful ally. Perhaps I didn’t need to save her. Still…I don’t think I was wrong.

“Well, to be honest…” Xeik said as he looked to the side. “I know most of the kids on that part of the street. I didn’t recognize you…and, well, it looked like you were being a bit careless with your coin. I was worried someone might take advantage of you. Past that…” Xeik looked down. “This is really the best place to hide when there’s heat. It was the first thing that came to mind. This place…it’s the safest place I know.”