[M] Anima Mundi IC (Namingtoohard and Headwrapper)

[Headwrapper]

When the two decided to take up camp Mec chose to rest in a similar spot as his companion, resting his back against the tree just adjacent to hers. After finally lowering his hood to expose his face to the morning air, he procured a few strips of the dried beef that he had packed when they visited the store prior to their departure. The meat was tough, but the spices and salts used to season it gave it a a bearable taste. The practice of cooking meat over a fire for an extended period of time, long enough to remove most of the moisture that would cause the meat to rot, was a trick his father had learned from natives of distant lands during his travels, long before Mec was born. The resulting product came to be useful in long journeys, allowing a traveler to carry plenty of edible food on his person.

Mec would continue tearing at the strips with his teeth until his jaw ached from battling the resistance of the tough meat. When he was done he would wrap the meat in the paper he originally stored it in and placed it back in his pack. He would then sit with his legs crossed, watching as the sun's rays begin to emerge from behind the forest and begin to illuminate the city below. He grinned half-heartedly at the thought of Shallan being slow to awaken should she fall asleep. "If we can get a ride to a different town you might get the chance to sleep during the trip."

The time finally came when Shallan asked him about the events that had led to his persecution. Secretly he had been waiting for this moment to at last discuss the experiences of the last few weeks with someone, but nonetheless he shuffled nervously in his spot beneath his tree. His eyes laid low as he tried to carefully word his answer. "I don't know what was being said about me," he replied gently. "It's best that I explain everything from the beginning. It's only fair, right?"

Mec would go on to describe the dreams he had experienced since his parents last departed and left him with the shop alone. He would then recall the nearly meaningless words of G, the reoccurring character in all of his ethereal adventures, and the strange occurrences he would awaken to after having his dreams. His narrative concluded with an account of what led to his discovery: the entanglement of the young thief in the branches of the summoned tree.

As he approached the conclusion of his monologue, Mec's face had begun to grow pale and his voice had begun to fail him. An uncontrollable energy swelled within him as a panic started to take over his instincts, and he shifted from his crosslegged position to standing on one knee, placing his arm against his tree for support. His words grew shaky and he trembled as he took each breath, drawing each faster than the one previous. "I-I d-didn't even m-mean to d-do it. I just... I... I..." His eyes widened as he felt his panic take over, leaving him paralyzed. The confidence he had gained when he accepted the keys offered to him back in his cell had long faded, flushed away with the color of his face.

[Namingtoohard]

"Well, I sure as hell know what I'm voting we do next then...assuming that finding some sort of inn with a nice fluffy bed is out of the question" Shallan grumbled softly to herself, a small pout flickering across her features briefly as she contemplated the prospect of a night back in bed. Some adventurer she was turning out to be, craving the comforts of home after no more than a few hours marching and the prospect of having to go without sleep for a few hours longer than she was accustomed too. Then again, none of the plays or stories she knew seemed to involve all the gritty little details, like sleeping conditions, the lack of a chance to bathe, and potentially having to wear the same clothes over and over for multiple days at a time.

"Go on. We've got a few hours to kill before we can get a move on anyways" she prodded gently, looking on with curiosity as Mec announced that he had better explain everything from the beginning. As polite and accomodating as always, she was happy to listen to his story as it had played out thus far. Getting to know the full extent of what she had gotten herself into by freeing him was more than enough motivation, and if it helped pass the time and relieve some of the stress he was under, then all the better. A win-win situation, as it were. Shallan had no doubt that her mother would tell her that 'a problem shared is a problem halved' or something of the likes if she knew what her daughter was doing.

An excellent listener, she would fall into silence after that, content to relax and listen to the story as it was told from Mec's point of view. She continued to munch on the solitary apple that she had withdrawn earlier throughout the process, pausing only briefly to wipe away some stray juice with the back of a hand at one point when it started to run down her chin. Once she had finished the apple, the girl would lean back against the trunk and direct her gaze upwards once more, staring up at the sky as it gradually grew lighter. Despite the fact that she was finished with it, she kept the core of the apple in her hand, twisting it over and passing it from one to the other repeatedly. Having something to do with her hands helped, even if it was a pointless task.

She seemed to snap out of her trance a little when Mec started to stutter, throwing another glance back across at her old friend and new travelling companion. Her nose wrinkled and she frowned briefly for a few seconds as she tried to come up with a quick and easy way to comfort him, even in the most basic of ways. Given his state, though, she had a feeling that she couldn't notice. After a few seconds of silent contemplation, she gave a bit of a casual shrug, as if deciding that simply giving him the honest truth and her real opinion on the matter was the best course of action after all.

"Well, that's a relief" she muttered simply, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible as she finally addressed the matter at hand. As if to maintain that same casual air with which she spoke, she would take a break there, pausing for a few moments to help herself to a swig from the waterskin she had removed from her pack earlier. "I was half worried that you had been playing me for a fool this entire time, or that you really were influencing me when I decided to help you. That I had thrown everything away and attacked that guard and said goodbye to my mother for nothing. I found it hard to believe that you would harm a child by accident, even a shoplifter, but I couldn't dismiss the possibility entirely" she conceded simply. Just saying the words felt like a weight off, somehow, and as she kept speaking her tongue seemed to find its own way.

"Now I know for sure, though. I won't pretend to know what it feels like, what you're going through, discovering all these powers and hearing strange voices and being arrested for simply being who you are. What I do know is that you're still the same as I remember you from back then, when we were both little kids. That I don't need to worry about such a silly thing anymore." she finished simply, hoping that those words would offer some sort of mediocre comfort or distraction, even if they were a tad roundabout. They were just as much a declaration of hope and faith as an attempt at comfort, but of course, what effect they would have on Mec remained to be seen.

Even as she spoke, the woman plucked the apple seeds off of the core she held in her hand one by one, before discarding it carelessly. The whole time she spoke, she didn't glance up at Mec once, instead busying herself digging a small hole. With surprising tenderness, she dropped the apple's seeds into it, before covering the hotel with dirt. Going one step further, she would even trickle a small amount of water from her water skin onto the spot - her intentions clear. The fact that it was a poor spot to grow a tree didn't seem to bother Shallan, who continued about her work. When she was done - both with the planting and her response - she would finally glance up again, meeting his eyes with a calm and serene smile on her face. An act, or a genuine show of her relief? This time, even she herself wasn't totally sure.

[Headwrapper]

Seeing Shallan react so nonchalantly to his story seemed to set Mec aback for a moment. His sporadic breathing slowed to a regular interval, and the ferality that had possessed him began to subside from his face. His widened eyes returned to their regular solemnity and some color had begun to return to his face. He remained quiet as his friend spoke, feeling ashamed to have let such a panic get the best of him.

At first, the boy watched quizzically as he watched his companion work. A smile crept across his face, growing wider with each passing moment. It had been a long time since he felt a real smile wrinkled his cheeks, a genuine display of joy that wasn't forced or accompanied by half-heartedness. When his friend's eyes finally returned to greet his, his visage was already reformed, dominated by a wide grin that was out of his control. "I was going to argue that we're both a lot different than we were in the past, but I suppose you haven't changed."

Content with the outcome of this exchange, Mec sat back at his spot against the tree, resting his arm on one knee. His gaze turned to the city below, watching for any signs of activity below. The sun was finally truly rising, but it would still be another hour or two before they would see the early bunch of traders and travelers arrive at the city. "Shal..." The young man's brown eyes widened questioningly, a soft expression of gratitude, but his gaze remained transfixed to the buildings below. "How did you... No, why did you come rescue me? I know we were friends as kids, but it had been so long since we've so much as spoke to each other. At most my mother, unsolicited, would mention you visited the store as a patron, but that's about all of I've heard of you for years now."

He finally turned his soft gaze over to his companion, observing her reaction briefly before continuing. His voice grew soft, fearing that he would sound ungrateful or that his words might belittle the woman's sacrifice. "What you've done, well, what you are doing for me, is too great of a favor for me to ever properly thank you for. Quite honestly, it saddens me to imagine what future hardships you'll have to endure due to what has had happened."

After a brief pause to move his brown locks from his eyes with the back of his hand, Mec continued. "And despite what you said, I am different than how you think I was when we were kids. My life has become simple, and I have very little skills outside of traveling to the same towns. My days were going to be spent in that store, deeply rooted into the floors like the tree I had summoned. And I know you don't want to hear this, and you'll probably ignore it, but in the grand scheme of our world my execution would not have amounted to much."

The young man's almond eyes lowered shyly, resting solemnly at the spot that Shallan had planted her seeds. "I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm trying to make you seem foolish for the decision you've made." After another pause he let out a heavy sigh. "I missed you Shal."

When their conversation would end the two would be able to spot the horde of caravans and wagons begin to aggregate at the entrances of the city. The way the city was designed, travelers could enter from the roads on the south side and the west side of the city, and exit on the opposite ends of each. As the sounds of the wildlife in the forest behind them orchestrated a melody of cheeping birds and scuffling rodents, the sounds of the bustling city below would rebuttal with its own counter melody of neighing horses, shouts of men and women and children, and the creaks of wagons as they slowly crawled through the city.

As the two began their walk to join the crowds at the entrance nearest to them Mec would take the time to explain some of the provisions he had brought. He raised his hood back over his head before speaking. "In my pack I have a handful of receipts that should make our travels easier. Unfortunately the bill is attached to my family's business, so I'd like to make use of them soon as possible before inns and toll keeps are made aware of my flight from custody. If you want, we can use one so that you can get a proper rest at an inn while I scout how much is known about my actions and find some form of transport, possibly a caravan or a merchant returning home with space in his wagon who would accept coin."

[Namingtoohard]

Unable to help herself, Shallan hummed thoughtfully for a brief moment as her companion announced that the same went both ways, in his own terms of course. She herself felt irreversibly different to when they had been friends together as little kids, but perhaps that was just from her perspective. He likely felt the same way, and was equally as mystified for her statement. Still, she wasn't going to object - not here and now, at the very least. His thoughts and beliefs were his own, and she felt no reason to debate him when she herself was so uncertain.

The words that followed were a little more of a puzzle. She tore her eyes away from the sky once more as the words slipped past his lips, gazing down briefly as she contemplated his question. Why exactly had she endeavoured to free him, even when there was so much uncertainty, at the cost of her previous life? Previous life. Even just thinking those words made her feel sick. Still, Mec had asked her an honest question, and he deserved an honest answer.

"My mother had a saying. Well, she had a lot of sayings, but there's one in particular...'It is when good men look away that evil prevails'. I couldn't just stand by and do nothing while my old friend was punished for something I couldn't believe him doing. Even if it has been years since we'd so much as have a proper conversation" she muttered softly. Her voice was gentle and calm, but not without a hint of conviction. The same sort she had needed to display when undertaking such a risky and uncertain plan to begin with. As she continued, though, a soft chuckle escaped her, as if she found something about her own words amusing.

"It seems a stupid decision, but two lives of hardship are better than one easy life at the expense of another. Besides, you sell yourself short, I think" she answered, a playful grin teasing at the corners of her mouth. "It's not what you used to do that matters. If you had died, the world would have been deprived of any good that you do in the future. So...make it worthwhile, okay?" she questioned simply, content to leave her explanation at that. Hopefully that would suffice, at least until she herself better understood.

Still, a warm smile would flicker across her face at that one last amendment, the simple aconfession that he had missed her. She didn't echo his sentiments verbally, nor thank him for the kind comment. Her emotion was written all over her face, as plain as day. The happiness of belonging, of acceptance for oneself.

Her muscles had groaned and complained in protest when it came time for them to go, but there was no delaying the inevitable, lest they miss their chance. As the two slipped into the river of people steadily moving towards the city, she let herself flip her own hood back, content to enjoy what she could of the morning light as it creeped over the horizon. It's warmth was kind and wholesome, seeming to restore some small measure of her waning strength. Rest would prove a necessity eventually, but she could keep it up for a bit longer, Shallan thought.

"Mm. Tis' a kind sky this morning. Gentle and friendly, ushering in a new day and welcoming all that flourish under its thrall" she mused simply, some element of cheeriness restored as they advanced on the town. Luckily it was another small one, with no towering stone walls or security checks required to gain access. Guards stood at intervals around the main roads, but so long as word had not reached them, or they kept their heads down and continued to blend in. Out of the corner of her eye, though, she thought she caught a glimpse of a face she recognised - one of the local guards from back home, speaking with one of the men in uniform here. It was hard to tell for sure, from this distance.

"Mec. Mec!" She whispered softly, a hint of urgency creeping into her voice. Thankfully a whisper was sufficient, standing together as they were. Once she had gotten his attention, she would gesture towards the pair of chatting guards with a subtle flick of her head. "Please tell me I'm being paranoid and that you don't recognise him from back home. The one on the left" she muttered softly. Indeed, it would good to know in advance if they needed to keep themselves disguised as much as possible while in town, but the looming threat of discovery felt much more present now than it had during their forest march earlier. Still, if they were spotted, the man did not call out, and the two passed into the town without any real event.

[Headwrapper]

Mec chuckled lightly as the two pressed on into the town. "You sure do have a queer fascination with the sky," he teased, still laughing quietly. "You have seen it before, haven't you? Most days you can see it if you do a little bit of searching." He tightened his hood a they joined the crowd, a grin still visible across his lips underneath.

He tilted his head to a slight angle in order to get a better view of the guard through the corner of his hood. It wasn't a face he recognized, the guard's uniform definitely matched what he would have expected to see in their hometown. Mec remained silent as they entered the town, and only once they had taken a few paces into the city did he mutter silently to his companion, his eyes low to the ground in front of him "I don't recognize him by face, but he's definitely one of ours."

The two would follow the crowd for a while, allowing the current of people to carry them. It did not take long for them to reach the central junction of the city. Rather than the roads that dissected the town into quadrants converging to form a cross, they wrapped around the square in the center of the town. It was here that the largest concentration of travelers and city-goers had congregated for purposes of trade and for the exchange of services. Stalls carrying a variety of different goods lined the streets in all directions, their vendors roaring to announce their competitive prices and quality of their product.

The senses of those traveling through Avoorka were always well stimulated by the diversity of the people who came to the markets and the goods they brought with them. Their noses would be delighted by oils scented with flowers, spices from distant lands, and the aroma of meats and breads prepared by the town's cooks and bakers, only to then be insulted by stalls carrying fish and bitter herbs. Simultaneously, the ears were assaulted by the clangs of hammer against hot iron as blacksmiths worked to repair various implements for their patrons, and for those more skillful in their craft, forge swords for those who could offer the payment.

The buildings of the town itself were not too impressive. The stone used to construct the city blended together to create an ocean of grey. This was concealed by the activities of the day, as stalls were erected in front of the grey walls and the swarm of people marching through the streets concealed the grey brick beneath their feet, and so the dullness of the town's architecture would only be noticed in the evenings when activities began to cease.

Mec gave his companion's arm a tap with his finger to get her attention as they approached the loud crowd. "We should probably search the town square for any postings of fugitives that could be in the area. If word has been sent here, they surely would have my portrait displayed here by now."

The plodding parade of carts, drawn by horses or in the case of some smaller wagons by men, traveled slow enough through the roads that surround the square that one could cross safely, although they may have to squeeze themselves between cart and horse to do so. After squeezing his way across the traffic, Mec made sure to tighten the straps of his pack, remembering what he was taught about visiting such crowded places. His ears opened in hopes to identify the yell of a town crier while his eyes busily scanned the area for some sort of noticeboard. After finally locating such a construction, a large wooden frame that stood a few heads taller than Mec himself and nearly as wide, the young man ground his teeth together in frustration. Only a few feet away from the board stood two guards casually chatting. One was similarly dressed to the guard that stood near the entrance of the cit. The iron of his half-helm reflected sunlight obnoxiously as his head bobbed back and forth as he spoke to the other guard, equipped in armor of slightly higher quality.

[Namingtoohard]

A small frown plastered itself across Shallan's face as Mec confirmed her fears - that the guard she had spotted was one back from their home town, and had most likely been sent to warn the neighbouring cities of a rouge and potentially dangerous mage who had been discovered, escaped from his confinement, and was now on the run. There was no doubt now that the local authorities had been alerted to their actions the previous night, and would all be on high alert. Worse still, there was a chance that any visiting merchant they had spoken with would have heard the news, and would notify the city guard should they be given any reason to suspect Mec and Shallan. Such were her thoughts as the two of them were swept closer and closer to the city centre, carried along by the vast majority of the crowd.

Still, Shallan did her best to maintain a thoroughly positive outlook as they moved along. Worrying now would accomplish naught but to stress them out needlessly, and heighten the chances that they would make a mistake when it proved most critical. Instead, the woman tried to focus on the multitude of sights and smells and sounds that surrounded her. Much more lively than their home town, she could almost feel the vibrant thrum of life that rushed through the town square. Had she not been so tired, Shallan likely would've taken off, trying to taste and see as much as she could manage during the time that they had.

She was only snapped out of her trance by a gentle poke to the arm, and the simple suggestion that they search for some sort of noticeboard to find out if their faces were known, along with just their recent actions and likely their names. She replied with a simple nod, content to keep following after him for the time being. The woman didn't want to risk splitting up, purely because finding each other again in a place like this could prove to be a real struggle, and neither of them would have any idea as to what had happened to the other should the worst come to pass.

She was forced to wait slightly as Mec slipped between two carts to flit across the makeshift road, caught in the traffic that followed, which delayed her progress slightly. When Shallan did manage to catch u pa few moments later, she frowned as the full vista of what she was looking at slowly sunk in. Not wanting to linger for any longer than proved absolutely necessary, lest the guards pick them out of he crowd, she immediately stepped up before Mec. Gently as she could manage, Shallan would reach out with both of her arms, wrapping them around the upper part of one of his. She would tug on it a few times gently, as if to try and snap him out of his stupor, while leaning in close to whisper another statement in a measured tone.

"It's not worth the risk. Let's try elsewhere. We can check back here again later if we have time, and hope that they have moved on" the suggestion came, hopefully enough to cause him to relent. The last thing they needed right now was another spectacle, or a fresh trail by which they could be tracked. As soon as he relented, she would release her grip, starting on a broad loop of the town square in search of any more information, or anything else that could be of use. Unfortunately, they found it not that much further down, in he form of a town crier or herald or whatever other term one wished to use. The same sort that Mec had been keeping an eye out for just moments earlier, during his quest for the noticeboard.

The person in question was a portly man, who had positioned himself on a set of steps bordering one of the neighbouring buildings, much to the owners' annoyance. His voice was as heavy-set as the man himself, and managed to cut through the din of the markets, eclipsing the shouting of the traders peddling their wares and the haggling of customers trying to get the best price possible further into the square. In one hand he held a large bell, for attracting attention, and in the other a large sheet of parchment - presumably of what was to be announced. Shallan's attention quickly focused on him as the two of them drew near, but after just mere moments and a small fragment of his announcements, she almost wished that hey had.

"...report that a mage by the name of Mec Fiska escaped custody last night. He is considered highly dangerous, and is currently believed to be travelling with a female companion somewhere in the northern area of the Illinski region. Should anybody come into contact with him, they are encouraged to report the sighting to he nearest member of the town guard immediately. Members of the public are strongly discouraged from approaching him directly, and instead..."

The man's cry faded from Shallan's ears as she did her best to zone him out. Several other whispers from members of the audience or other people merely passing by caught her attention - mostly people expressing their hopes that he would be caught and executed soon, or worried mutters that he was somewhere close. Still, she couldn't help but feel some concern for what exactly her mother was feeling, hearing al this news. Speaking of close companions, she would glance across at Mec briefly, hoping to gain stem glimpse of how well (or how poorly) he was responding to the man's cries.

"...perhaps we should come up with fake names, at least until we get out of the city. Maybe find some way to alter our appearances too, if we can, just in case" she muttered softly. The most obvious would be a change of clothes and a haircut each, though several other options sprung to mind, mostly stemming from her mother's lessons on acting. She figured that the same steps of dressing up for a performance could be useful here.

[Headwrapper]

Mec's almond eyes narrowed as he processed the announcements of the crier seated a few paces away from him. His chest began to swell with adrenaline, but strangely without the feral feelings of panic that he had experienced before. Instead his rush was accompanied by a strange sense of excitement, anticipation for a thrill. Had he not been thinking clearly about the situation before? Running with his back to his problems had shifted them out of perspective. Invisible, the threat was mysterious and frightening. Only now, as he stood in the middle of this crowded town where his and his partner's fates could be decided at any moment, could he see his problem in a clearer view. "Mec Fiska..." he muttered softly, wishing to hear his name spoken aloud once more. A grin crept across the man's hooded face as he thought about the notion.

He shifted his glance to return Shallan's, unable to suppress his grin as small excerpts of the conversations around him echoed in his ears. "Yes, I suppose you're right. How would we go about d-..." He stopped his sentence, not wishing to speak too much about the idea of disguises out loud. "How would we do that though?"

As the question hung in the air, Mec could feel a slight pull behind him. Aware of what was happening, he lashed his arm behind him before spinning around, squeezing at the thieving fingers that had tried to reach into his pack, too tightly secured to be simply pickpocketed. As he expected from the feel of tiny fingers crushed in his own fist, the culprit was a young lad, not unlike the boy who had tried steel sweets from his shop just days before. "Do you not have a better use of your time, kid?"

The child silently struggled to free himself from Mec's grip. The dirt on his dark skin and the rags he wore suggested a life of poverty. Unable to free himself, the boy leaned his head back and spit at Mec's face. The wet projectile soared and reached Mec's neck, who reeled back in disgust to wipe the vile fluid off of his skin, releasing the boy. The child immediately ran, his tiny body darting through the crowd and eventually dissolving into the masses.

After ensuring his neck was dry by giving it a few passes of his cloak, Mec looked around nervously, worried that the seen would have brought him unwanted attention. The busy walkers continued about their day and the guards, even if they had noticed the conflict, stood idly, the scenario common in a busy trading town such as this. When he was sure that no one had taken a keen interest in him, Mec laughed, shaking his head. He wished to joke about how the Terrible Mage Mec Fiska was bested by a street urchin, but of course could not make such jests out loud. "Should my luck with children provide a glimpse to the future, I hope I am never born a son," he huffed. "Anyway, let's keep moving. I will not give you the time to make jests of me." A grin accompanied this last statement as he gently nudged his companion towards the direction he chose to walk.

[Namingtoohard]

Shallan's reaction was more or less the opposite of Mec's own - she pursued her lips in something akin to worry, concerned both about the prospect of being caught, and what seemed to be his attitude towards their current position. She had thought that the crier's announcements and the whispers that accompanied them would elicit the same response as being forced off by the guards before, if not one more severe. This, though...this was worrying in its own way. Thankfully she didn't have too much time to dwell on it, as talk turned to her suggestion of changing their names and taking disguises. She quickly caught hint of his attempts to conceal their exact intentions, and decided to follow suit.

"New clothes and haircuts would be the simplest way, though..." she started, trailing off a little. In the silence that followed, she would gently reach out and take a strange of her long black hair, shifting a little so that it hung over the front of her shoulder. She ran her fingers through it gently a few times, repeating the motion as it brought some sort of comfort. "...I would be loathe to get rid of mine" she conceded, frowning a little. After a few seconds, though, she would muster up the courage to continue. "My mum used to tell me about special poultices and mixes that could change your hair colour for a few days, if you washed it with them. Those are hard to find, though...and expensive besides. Probably moreso than we could afford ri-"

Her attempts at explaining were cut off mid-sentence as Mec suddenly lashed out, grabbing hold of a seemingly innocent and poor kid, taking him by the hand. While he seemed innocent, though, such was clearly not the case. The simple accusation that followed took a few moments to register, but as soon as the words registered in Shallan's mind a look of dissatisfaction flickered across her face. She hesitated briefly as she watched the resulting struggle, including the spit and Mec's instinctive release, letting the kid scurry off. His attempts to brush the entire occasion off seemed a bit forced to her, given that they hadn't garnered more than a handful of glances from people passing by, but in the end there was no harm done.

When Mec started nudging her along again, though, Shallan paused. The same dissatisfied frown sat in place across her features, and she glanced from Mec back in the direction that the child had run. Since her companion had stopped him so soon, it didn't seem that he had successfully managed to get anything from their bag, so there was no real reason for them to pursue the matter any further. And yet...

At might have seemed an act of impulse, she finally began to walk, but not in the direction Mec had specified - rather, she picked out what was roughly the same direction that the urchin had charged off in when he had fled. Already he had disappeared into the depths of he crowd, but she walked on regardless, taking the lead for once. She weaved and bobbed between other members of the crowd as they scurried back and forth, hindering her progress. Slowly but surely, though, she made her way through the crowd, which slowly began to thin as they reached the far side of the town square. If prompted or questioned by her travelling companion as to where she was going, and what exactly she was planning on doing, Shallan's reply would be simple - "I have an idea. Just trust me"

For several moments she searched fruitlessly, before she thought that she caught a glimpse of the would-be thief as he ducked out of the main part of the town, before slipping into a small and cramped alleyway further down. Finally, she would pause, glancing back across at Mec briefly. For several seconds, she debated internally what it was that they should do, before finally deciding to share her plan with her travelling companion...albeit in a slightly roundabout manner. Coming to a sudden and unexpected halt outside the alleyway, where they would be out of view of the boy if he suddenly decided to look back.

"...after what the crier said, it's pretty obvious that both of us are known to the public now, right? If we tried to find a merchant willing to give us a ride and bumped into the wrong person, they could easily report us. So why don't we offer someone who knows the area and it's people a small sum to act as a liaison?" She offered simply. Just like that, her intentions became clear - she was planning on giving the boy a small amount of the money they carried, in exchange for him safely and covertly finding a merchant willing to take them on at a reasonable price. First, of course, they had to finish tracking him down as he scurried back off to wherever it was that he returned after an attempt at theft. Should he agree, then the next step was simple - head down the alley and resume their search for the young boy.

[Headwrapper]

Mec hesitated, realizing his friend had ignored his attempt to lead her away from the square. Without a word, his companion bolted in what was almost the opposite direction. "Shal?" He quickly followed behind her, scared to lose her in the sea of bodies. At first he had difficulty keeping up, his slightly larger frame requiring more effort to force through the waves of the crowd at times that Shallan could simply glide passed. As they began to leave the square he finally was able to close the distance, unbarred by the large crowd. When he was close enough he reached out and grabbed his friend by the hand, briefly delaying her mission. "What are you doing?"

The woman, determined to see her plan realized, gave him a brief answer before pulling away and continuing her trek. Unsure of what Shallan had planned, Mec was left with little choice but to follow her. As they searched he would follow his companion's gaze, hoping to find some clue of what it was they were so hastily hunting for. Eventually their pursuance would come to a momentary halt outside of an alleyway.

Mec's eyes narrowed as he listened to the plan of using the boy as an envoy to search for transport. It could work if they could earn the boys trust, even if at least temporarily. "I suppose it's the best chance we have of getting out of this town, away from these suspicious crowds." He raised his head to get a clear view of the alleyway before them. "If I get spit on again I won't forgive you," he sighed half-heartedly, almost genuine about the notion.

Taking back the lead, Mec noiselessly crept his way down the narrow alleyway. He found that he needed to shift his shoulders ever so slightly in order to make it through without rubbing against the walls of the buildings on either side of him. He would eventually lead them behind the buildings, revealing a junction of other passages between the grey developments. Holding his breath, he raised a finger to signal to his companion to be quiet, tilting his head as he listened for a sound.

To your left. The familiar voice of G, returning to haunt him.

Mec quickly turned to the passageway to his left, frightened of what sort of magic he would cast in its direction. After a few seconds of calm, he decided that he did not need to worry about such an event, and sighed in relief. A nod towards the passageway indicated which way he would go before he silently tread onward.

Just a brief moment after stepping foot into the passageway Mec suddenly spun around, lowering his head as a small rock flew above it. He whirled back to his original direction. Further down the passage he could make out the outline of the boy they were searching for, armed with another rock. It was quite strange that the boy would suddenly become bold now. Mec assumed it would be possible the boy was cornered and thought he would be forced to fight, or he was defending something.

Mec raised his arms, signalling a mock surrender. "Wait wait wait, I just wanted to give you something." He removed the bag from his back and began loosening some of the leather straps, occasionally raising his head to make sure he wouldn't have to dodge another projectile. Finally, he was able procure a single gold coin, and flung it down the alleyway. The coin landed at the boy's feet, ringing against the grey stone. Mec would grin when the boy slowly reached down to pick up the gold, never leaving his eyes off of Mec and his bag.

"I'll give you another one if you put down the rock," Mec implored, procuring another golden coin. He observed the boy's longing for the gold, well aware of the amount of bread, or whatever else a street urchin could wish to buy, it symbolized. Eventually this desire grew stronger than the boy's fear, and he dropped his makeshift weapon. Mec would then toss the second coin, which the boy promptly snatched from the air with his hands.

Mec and the boy locked eyes for a few long moments. It definitely became apparent that the boy would not leave his spot as long as there were intruders in this alley, a sign that he was defending a hiding spot for something of significance to him. With a long sigh, Mec reached for three more gold coins from his bag. "Alright kid, this is the last bit of gold I'm willing to relinquish. But I need you to do me a favor if you want them."

Mec would hold out the coins, the small amount of sunlight that crept over the stone walls shimmering along their surfaces. When it became apparent that the boy would not budge, Mec turned and placed the coins in Shallan's hands. "You try," he would say softly, stepping aside to allow her to come into view of the boy.

[Namingtoohard]

"Then that's a risk I'll have to take" the answer came, not long in waiting, accompanied by a soft and clearly amused chuckle. Indeed, if Mec getting spit on again and holding it against her was the worst thing that happened to them today, then having to shoulder the blame seemed like a truly acceptable price. Just like that, they had agreed in their course of action and were off again, continuing their pursuit of the dirt-covered urchin that had tried to rob them just mere moments ago. Not for the first time, she found herself wondering how exactly her life had changed so dramatically in such a short time, and musing over what a strange direction it had veered off in. The threads of fate were tangled and messy, it seemed, and well beyond her simple comprehension.

Content to let her companion take the lead once more, especially given the risk of another spit attack, Shallan would wait until Mec had gotten a few steps ahead of her before falling into step a few metres behind. Her movements were graceful and composed, matching his silence with ease, if not without any effort at all. She had another advantage here, too. Thanks to her smaller frame, Shallan did not need to worry about twisting and turning to fit down the length of the alleyway, even at its most narrow points. She could simply follow along as she had all morning, slowing her pace minutely whenever Mec needed to adjust.

The crossroads posed a new problem all their own, but this time it was not hers to solve. Unaware of G's intervention, she simply assumed that her companion had caught some glimpse of their quarry, and followed his decision without question. Naturally, she had just assumed that he had picked this path for some mundane reason, such as having caught another glimpse of him just as they reached it. For a second she briefly wondered whether or not the boy had even realised he was being followed, before that question was quickly answered by a rock that seemingly came soaring out of nowhere. Shallan flinched at the sudden motion, but thankfully she wasn't close enough to be at risk, and her composure returned quickly.

Beyond that, she waited rather patiently as Mec tried to speak o the child, before giving up and insisting that she had an attempt. Pursing her lips briefly, Shallan would step up aside her companion, holding out a hand to receive the coins he had passed to her. As soon as they had dropped into her hand, she would brush past him, advancing on the child slowly. When she drew too close, he raised the rock again defensively, as if poised to throw. Taking that as a sign she could not draw any closer without upsetting him, she picked that spot to lower herself to his level, settling down on one knee in a low crouch. Just as he had before her, she made sure the coins were visible the whole time - an unspoken promise existing there.

"Instead of favours, let's talk business. My friend here and I have need of a wagon out of the city, but we don't know our way around. We have no idea where to begin looking, or who to ask for the best deal. You, on the other hand...you've lived here all your life, right?" She questioned simply. A gentle nod was all she got in the way of a reply, but it was enough for her to continue. "We're willing to spend all we have here on finding one, but we'd rather give it to someone who needs it over an established trader. The better deal you find us, the more you get to keep. Sound good?" She questioned simply. This time the boy hesitated, before finally, he would speak.

"...where to?" The question came, so soft it was barely audible. A smile flickered across her lips at that, as Shallan found that simple question to be as good as an agreement. "Tauntea" she responded simply, just picking another nearby town at random. She had no real reason to choose it over any of the others, but it was the first name that sprung to mind. With that, the boy would take a few steps forward, as if preparing to set off, before pausing briefly. The boy moved as if to glance back over his shoulder, but stopped before completing the gesture. Still, it was enough to give him away, and Shallan thought that she could make out some small form of movement in the shadows behind him. "We'll even wait around the corner, if you like" she added earnestly, tilting her head a little.

With that, their deal was struck. The boy brushed past them briefly, moving back the way they had come, before stopping to glance back at them. After a second, she realised that he was waiting to make sure they honoured her promise to wait at a distance. After exchanging a quick glance with Mec, she followed him around the corner, until the boy was satisfied.

"Wait here. I'll be back soon. If you move, I won't know where to find you" he said, a little more forcefully this time. The threat in his words was clear enough. Then, he was off, heading back out into the Main Street from whence they had came, and immediately turning towards the town square at the end of it. After that, he was out of sight, and Shallan quickly let out a relieved sigh. "Thank god. I had no idea what I would do if he had demanded payment upfront" she muttered softly, voice barely more than a whisper.