Chapter 1: Made of Stone
She sat there, leaning against the cold stone wall. The wall was one of many stretched across the city, it's cobblestone pattern speckled in your eye like the glaring of the sun. She liked to think of herself like the wall, silent, motionless. When the nobles pranced by they pretended not to see her, wishing that their eyes would not have to graze upon such a piteous sight. For all they knew, she was the wall.
Even when a pair of black foxes observed her studiously, her listless eyes were kept on an invisible point, apparently the only point that she needed to see. Or so thought the foxes. Little did she, or anyone else for that matter know, those foxes were no ordinary nomads that had happened to wander the city, searching for scraps of food. The first fox, the one with an odd blue crescent-shaped scar trailing from it's pointed snout to it's eyebrow. whispered something incoherent into the other's ear. The second fox, the one with the blue, circular scar seemingly burned into the center of it's forehead, nodded in approval.
"My dear Maat," The crescent fox whispered,"She...Is the one?" Maat blinked, as if uncertain, but nodded again. "Aye, my dear Anubis. She is that which shall bring hope to this world."
"...Are you sure? She appears to be a rock." Maat nudged the side of his face. The two approached the girl nonchalantly, their nails scratching leisurely against the solid stone ground. The Raja would have their heads if they appeared to be more than unintelligent animals. The blue markings tattooed on their fur and skin were of no help, though. Maat turned her head to glance in back of her. There were no citizens about, luckily. They could at least speak without being heard.
"Can you hear us?" Anubis said, speaking each word slowly as if he were trying to have a conversation with a deaf person. The girl's eyes rolled to the side, and her head turned slightly. A good sign. So she wasn't a rock. She didn't quite seem like a person, either. What person would barely react to a talking animal? Not many, Anubis knew this much. "Do you have a name?" Maat asked after her mate in a more gentler, patient voice. The girl sat up sluggishly, like she were awakening from a deep sleep. Still, no voice escaped the girl's lips. Anubis was losing patience by each second the girl did not answer their questions.
"Girl. Are you mute, or are you just insolent?!" He hissed. Maat turned her head to her slightly irritated mate. She gave him the "Shut up and let me handle the talking," look, a look that he had received often, not just from her. Before either of them could react, a voice, like a feather wafted in the breeze to break the thin silence.
"Hey." The girl whispered faintly."You're pretty funny for hallucinations." A weak smile pulled across her face with some effort. Anubis looked down, as if realizing the harshness of his own words.
"A-ah. So you can speak..." Maat went to the girl's side, then looked into the girls eyes, her own golden orbs reflecting back at her. The girl's eyes looked tired, strained from either lack of sleep or too much of it. They had life in them, but it looked as though it could flicker away in a minute. "Hallucinations? Dear, we are very real. We are here to help you, but only if you can help us." Maat always was the better with kids. Anubis was grateful he and Maat were the only allowed to be born from the dust of midnight sky, for his mate took a liking to these human children. He could go without such things. The girl laughed, and attempted sitting up. A loud cracking sound came from her knees when she moved. Perhaps, she thought, that she had been made of stone for far too long.
"My name is Lestari. I've slept for many years, escaping cruel reality. In my dreams I've seen you before, I've seen many things in my dreams..." She blinked hard, and for the first time it seemed, her eyes were clear. The foggy gray melted off into a deep purple, like two amethyst gemstones. She shook her dark hair of dust and spoke again, the strength in her voice steadily recovering.
"It seems I know of nothing else, though. My memory is not as clear when I'm not asleep..." Lestari's eyebrows furrowed with worry, almost bordering on panic. "Haha, I don't even know how I got here. H-how did I get here?!" She sat down immediately and hugged her knees, her back tight against the wall for assurance. Maat, and even Anubis huddled by the confused girl's side. "As you may know, we are here to help. Do not be afraid." Maat turned her head to Anubis, as if to say,"Add something, make her feel better!" He read her face and nodded.
"Indeed, Lestari. You must be strong, the path ahead of you is lain with rigor." Maat shook her head disapprovingly. "Nice," She thought to herself. "Scare the girl even more." Lestari shut her eyes tight. She wanted to stop panicking, stop thinking altogether. Wanted to turn to stone again.
"Lestari," Maat asked in her motherly tone,"You need to get up now. You can't fall asleep again. The world needs you now..." When Maat's thin snout touched her cheek, she hugged harder, trying to shield herself from their kind voices.
"I don't want to, I don't want to be here!" Anubus pivoted from the girl's side and stood in front of her, head down, eyes glaring and shoulder shooting up. He had just about had enough of these games.
"Stand." He snarled between his teeth.
"NO!" Lestari retorted, her voice cracked and trembling. Anubis's snout came right to her ear, as if he were about to bite it off.
"You selfish brat," He hissed. "Do you think the world revolves around you? I've seen whom the world revolves around, and I hate to break it to you, but you're not it. You cannot curl up into a ball and forget the world ever existed when the weight of reality comes crashing down on you. Stop running away, and STAND!" For a second, Maat looked like she was about to bite her dear, idiotic mate's neck clean off, until there was a shifting, a movement. Lestari stood before them, eyes red and watery, but jaw set firmly. Anubis's look changed from incredulous, to relieved, to smug.
"See?" He thought to himself. "She's not the only one who can deal with these children." He could have sworn he had seen Maat roll her eyes, and knew his thought was confirmed.
Even when a pair of black foxes observed her studiously, her listless eyes were kept on an invisible point, apparently the only point that she needed to see. Or so thought the foxes. Little did she, or anyone else for that matter know, those foxes were no ordinary nomads that had happened to wander the city, searching for scraps of food. The first fox, the one with an odd blue crescent-shaped scar trailing from it's pointed snout to it's eyebrow. whispered something incoherent into the other's ear. The second fox, the one with the blue, circular scar seemingly burned into the center of it's forehead, nodded in approval.
"My dear Maat," The crescent fox whispered,"She...Is the one?" Maat blinked, as if uncertain, but nodded again. "Aye, my dear Anubis. She is that which shall bring hope to this world."
"...Are you sure? She appears to be a rock." Maat nudged the side of his face. The two approached the girl nonchalantly, their nails scratching leisurely against the solid stone ground. The Raja would have their heads if they appeared to be more than unintelligent animals. The blue markings tattooed on their fur and skin were of no help, though. Maat turned her head to glance in back of her. There were no citizens about, luckily. They could at least speak without being heard.
"Can you hear us?" Anubis said, speaking each word slowly as if he were trying to have a conversation with a deaf person. The girl's eyes rolled to the side, and her head turned slightly. A good sign. So she wasn't a rock. She didn't quite seem like a person, either. What person would barely react to a talking animal? Not many, Anubis knew this much. "Do you have a name?" Maat asked after her mate in a more gentler, patient voice. The girl sat up sluggishly, like she were awakening from a deep sleep. Still, no voice escaped the girl's lips. Anubis was losing patience by each second the girl did not answer their questions.
"Girl. Are you mute, or are you just insolent?!" He hissed. Maat turned her head to her slightly irritated mate. She gave him the "Shut up and let me handle the talking," look, a look that he had received often, not just from her. Before either of them could react, a voice, like a feather wafted in the breeze to break the thin silence.
"Hey." The girl whispered faintly."You're pretty funny for hallucinations." A weak smile pulled across her face with some effort. Anubis looked down, as if realizing the harshness of his own words.
"A-ah. So you can speak..." Maat went to the girl's side, then looked into the girls eyes, her own golden orbs reflecting back at her. The girl's eyes looked tired, strained from either lack of sleep or too much of it. They had life in them, but it looked as though it could flicker away in a minute. "Hallucinations? Dear, we are very real. We are here to help you, but only if you can help us." Maat always was the better with kids. Anubis was grateful he and Maat were the only allowed to be born from the dust of midnight sky, for his mate took a liking to these human children. He could go without such things. The girl laughed, and attempted sitting up. A loud cracking sound came from her knees when she moved. Perhaps, she thought, that she had been made of stone for far too long.
"My name is Lestari. I've slept for many years, escaping cruel reality. In my dreams I've seen you before, I've seen many things in my dreams..." She blinked hard, and for the first time it seemed, her eyes were clear. The foggy gray melted off into a deep purple, like two amethyst gemstones. She shook her dark hair of dust and spoke again, the strength in her voice steadily recovering.
"It seems I know of nothing else, though. My memory is not as clear when I'm not asleep..." Lestari's eyebrows furrowed with worry, almost bordering on panic. "Haha, I don't even know how I got here. H-how did I get here?!" She sat down immediately and hugged her knees, her back tight against the wall for assurance. Maat, and even Anubis huddled by the confused girl's side. "As you may know, we are here to help. Do not be afraid." Maat turned her head to Anubis, as if to say,"Add something, make her feel better!" He read her face and nodded.
"Indeed, Lestari. You must be strong, the path ahead of you is lain with rigor." Maat shook her head disapprovingly. "Nice," She thought to herself. "Scare the girl even more." Lestari shut her eyes tight. She wanted to stop panicking, stop thinking altogether. Wanted to turn to stone again.
"Lestari," Maat asked in her motherly tone,"You need to get up now. You can't fall asleep again. The world needs you now..." When Maat's thin snout touched her cheek, she hugged harder, trying to shield herself from their kind voices.
"I don't want to, I don't want to be here!" Anubus pivoted from the girl's side and stood in front of her, head down, eyes glaring and shoulder shooting up. He had just about had enough of these games.
"Stand." He snarled between his teeth.
"NO!" Lestari retorted, her voice cracked and trembling. Anubis's snout came right to her ear, as if he were about to bite it off.
"You selfish brat," He hissed. "Do you think the world revolves around you? I've seen whom the world revolves around, and I hate to break it to you, but you're not it. You cannot curl up into a ball and forget the world ever existed when the weight of reality comes crashing down on you. Stop running away, and STAND!" For a second, Maat looked like she was about to bite her dear, idiotic mate's neck clean off, until there was a shifting, a movement. Lestari stood before them, eyes red and watery, but jaw set firmly. Anubis's look changed from incredulous, to relieved, to smug.
"See?" He thought to himself. "She's not the only one who can deal with these children." He could have sworn he had seen Maat roll her eyes, and knew his thought was confirmed.
----
Chapter 2: Waking up
Lestari's face no longer held panic, or any kind of hysteria for that matter. She had calmed herself, but was still not content with the strange fox's words. Before speaking she gingerly wiped her watery eyes with the back of her hand.
"Where will I go? Where could I possibly be needed?" A gentle smile pulled it's way across Maat's lips and teeth.
"With us. I know you will find your path, the Raja would definitely see to it."
Lestari looked upward, "The Raja...I've seen it in my dreams too...And it can make my memory return?" The two foxes nodded assuredly. The girl pinched the bridge of her nose and paced, looking more adult than teary-eyed child.
"I'm so confused. What is this place?" She looked around, noting the details of everything around here, almost as if she did not want to forget them. The sky was bright orange and gold with grayish-purple clouds wafting away from the vivid sun that floated down the horizon. The cobblestone walls lined the streets and cast threatening shadows over the dusty ground. Further ahead, where the walls ended and introduced the city, lanterns were being lit, not even the city gates were spared the dim orange glow. Was the world always this...Vibrant? Colorful? Her dreams did not describe things like this. Detail would have to take some getting used to.
Anubis's eyes followed hers for a moment, but his stare broke off when he turned to look at Lestari herself. She was covered in dirty-white, ragged robes. He probably should not have been surprised by this, but when she stood up he could see the effect of her nearly everlasting sleep. If it really was a sleep. Her bare legs and feet looked almost skeletal, her knees visibly popped out of her sun-burned skin. What wasn't burned from the beating rays was translucently white. What astonished him even more was that her face, entire head looked as if it had not even been affected by time, not her hair, eye color or skin. Maat seemed to notice too, but took action quicker than Anubis could think.
"You're clothes! You look absolutely filthy." She appraised Lestari for a moment more, than gave a sly, foxy-grin. It was clear to Anubis what she was up to, but Lestari simply folded her arms self-consciously.
"S-so what?" Maat danced around her, her long black tail flapping in the air like a raven.
"My dear, we are going to have to fix you up. Well, I am anyway. Anubis knows nothing in this department." Anubis shrugged his sharp shoulders and smiled. "Maat, do make sure no one is around when you do this." But Maat had already started. Stardust and shadows rose like tides and trailed her feet as she circled around Lestari. The mass of shadow and glittering light swarmed around the girl. Not threateningly, though. Like a dark, murky vapor of stream. It swallowed her up, and when it spat her out her wardrobe had changed quite significantly. Her rags were replaced with a flowing black cloak, light yet warm. As her own personal touch, Maat put in an elegant royal blue lining in the hood and several oval-shaped patterns scattered here and there.
When Lestari grazed her hair with her hand it felt soft, as if it had been brushed out repeatedly. She couldn't remember the last time she had received new clothes. Then again, she couldn't remember anything about herself. She grinned, still. "Thank you, how did you do that!" Maat looked just as pleased with herself.
"It's nothing, dear child. At least now you are presentable. Now, let's go get something into that body of yours. You look like a skeleton." Lestari nodded quickly, staying close to Anubis as he and Maat walked into the city. She put her hand in his back like a crutch, walking was still going to be tougher after all this time, however much had passed by.
Night's cloak had fallen upon the city, and the sun was replaced with colorful lanterns hung on every hinge, door, and pole in sight. Crowds of people, peasant and noble alike wandered blissfully about the streets and markets. The playful sound of plucking strings, beating drums and squeaky flutes came from seemingly nowhere, until you looked into a shaded corner where a pack of random minstrels hung about.
Not everything was filled with such bliss, though. All cities had their darker sides, whether it was a thief lurking in the corner or an assassin walking in plain day, his trade unknown to those around him.
Lestari stared curiously at the people around her, hundreds of them. The current attire seemed to consist of colorful robes, excessive jewelry and light head scarves. She noted each detail, making sure to mark it boldly in her memories for fear of forgetting anything more. She felt a sharp tug on the sleeve of her robe and turned around. Before her stood a grinning little ragamuffin with medium-cut black hair, two tufts swept on the side of her forehead. The girl wore a ragged black scarf and black, thin-framed spectacles. "Hey, hey you! You wanna play? Come'ere, ok?" Lestari looked at Maat and Anubis pleadingly. Anubis snarled. He couldn't speak but his message was clear. Maat bit his ear lightly as if to say, "Go ahead, don't mind him." The girl gave a grin again, and held out her hand. "Haha, you're weird. But that's ok. We're all a little weird around here. C'mon!"
Lestari nodded meekly,"Okay..." The girl led her to an alleyway, dirty and almost abandoned. Almost, but for a pack of children, not over the age of 16. A girl with long, fiery red hair raised an eyebrow when Lestari stepped forward. "Hm? Hey, Pintar, who's this?" The girl who led Lestari waved her hand at her like she was showing off a new toy.
"I found another one like us! Y'know, all alone and stuff. Except she was with these two funny lookin' critters." A boy wearing a ripped and ragged black tunic hopped off the box he was sitting on and sauntered over to Lestari. When he grinned at her his hair creeped over the side of his face, making it appear like half of a black, tangled mask.
"Heya. M'name's Harimau! What's yours?" Lestari leaned back slightly, still feeling meek in front of all these new people. Plus the boy's face scared her a little.
"U-um...Lestari."
Harimau nodded in approval, then turned to the red haired girl, playing with her curls as she pondered the situation. "Hey! Merah, you done yet? She in, or not?"
"Quiet," Merah snapped, "Still thinking." She looked over the meek, pale girl again, then shrugged. "Okay kid, you're in."
Lestari raised her voice, getting slightly annoyed.
"What do you mean I'm in? What is this?" Pintar took hold of her arm and started to lead her down the alleyway.
"I'll show you right now, 'kay?"
"Where will I go? Where could I possibly be needed?" A gentle smile pulled it's way across Maat's lips and teeth.
"With us. I know you will find your path, the Raja would definitely see to it."
Lestari looked upward, "The Raja...I've seen it in my dreams too...And it can make my memory return?" The two foxes nodded assuredly. The girl pinched the bridge of her nose and paced, looking more adult than teary-eyed child.
"I'm so confused. What is this place?" She looked around, noting the details of everything around here, almost as if she did not want to forget them. The sky was bright orange and gold with grayish-purple clouds wafting away from the vivid sun that floated down the horizon. The cobblestone walls lined the streets and cast threatening shadows over the dusty ground. Further ahead, where the walls ended and introduced the city, lanterns were being lit, not even the city gates were spared the dim orange glow. Was the world always this...Vibrant? Colorful? Her dreams did not describe things like this. Detail would have to take some getting used to.
Anubis's eyes followed hers for a moment, but his stare broke off when he turned to look at Lestari herself. She was covered in dirty-white, ragged robes. He probably should not have been surprised by this, but when she stood up he could see the effect of her nearly everlasting sleep. If it really was a sleep. Her bare legs and feet looked almost skeletal, her knees visibly popped out of her sun-burned skin. What wasn't burned from the beating rays was translucently white. What astonished him even more was that her face, entire head looked as if it had not even been affected by time, not her hair, eye color or skin. Maat seemed to notice too, but took action quicker than Anubis could think.
"You're clothes! You look absolutely filthy." She appraised Lestari for a moment more, than gave a sly, foxy-grin. It was clear to Anubis what she was up to, but Lestari simply folded her arms self-consciously.
"S-so what?" Maat danced around her, her long black tail flapping in the air like a raven.
"My dear, we are going to have to fix you up. Well, I am anyway. Anubis knows nothing in this department." Anubis shrugged his sharp shoulders and smiled. "Maat, do make sure no one is around when you do this." But Maat had already started. Stardust and shadows rose like tides and trailed her feet as she circled around Lestari. The mass of shadow and glittering light swarmed around the girl. Not threateningly, though. Like a dark, murky vapor of stream. It swallowed her up, and when it spat her out her wardrobe had changed quite significantly. Her rags were replaced with a flowing black cloak, light yet warm. As her own personal touch, Maat put in an elegant royal blue lining in the hood and several oval-shaped patterns scattered here and there.
When Lestari grazed her hair with her hand it felt soft, as if it had been brushed out repeatedly. She couldn't remember the last time she had received new clothes. Then again, she couldn't remember anything about herself. She grinned, still. "Thank you, how did you do that!" Maat looked just as pleased with herself.
"It's nothing, dear child. At least now you are presentable. Now, let's go get something into that body of yours. You look like a skeleton." Lestari nodded quickly, staying close to Anubis as he and Maat walked into the city. She put her hand in his back like a crutch, walking was still going to be tougher after all this time, however much had passed by.
Night's cloak had fallen upon the city, and the sun was replaced with colorful lanterns hung on every hinge, door, and pole in sight. Crowds of people, peasant and noble alike wandered blissfully about the streets and markets. The playful sound of plucking strings, beating drums and squeaky flutes came from seemingly nowhere, until you looked into a shaded corner where a pack of random minstrels hung about.
Not everything was filled with such bliss, though. All cities had their darker sides, whether it was a thief lurking in the corner or an assassin walking in plain day, his trade unknown to those around him.
Lestari stared curiously at the people around her, hundreds of them. The current attire seemed to consist of colorful robes, excessive jewelry and light head scarves. She noted each detail, making sure to mark it boldly in her memories for fear of forgetting anything more. She felt a sharp tug on the sleeve of her robe and turned around. Before her stood a grinning little ragamuffin with medium-cut black hair, two tufts swept on the side of her forehead. The girl wore a ragged black scarf and black, thin-framed spectacles. "Hey, hey you! You wanna play? Come'ere, ok?" Lestari looked at Maat and Anubis pleadingly. Anubis snarled. He couldn't speak but his message was clear. Maat bit his ear lightly as if to say, "Go ahead, don't mind him." The girl gave a grin again, and held out her hand. "Haha, you're weird. But that's ok. We're all a little weird around here. C'mon!"
Lestari nodded meekly,"Okay..." The girl led her to an alleyway, dirty and almost abandoned. Almost, but for a pack of children, not over the age of 16. A girl with long, fiery red hair raised an eyebrow when Lestari stepped forward. "Hm? Hey, Pintar, who's this?" The girl who led Lestari waved her hand at her like she was showing off a new toy.
"I found another one like us! Y'know, all alone and stuff. Except she was with these two funny lookin' critters." A boy wearing a ripped and ragged black tunic hopped off the box he was sitting on and sauntered over to Lestari. When he grinned at her his hair creeped over the side of his face, making it appear like half of a black, tangled mask.
"Heya. M'name's Harimau! What's yours?" Lestari leaned back slightly, still feeling meek in front of all these new people. Plus the boy's face scared her a little.
"U-um...Lestari."
Harimau nodded in approval, then turned to the red haired girl, playing with her curls as she pondered the situation. "Hey! Merah, you done yet? She in, or not?"
"Quiet," Merah snapped, "Still thinking." She looked over the meek, pale girl again, then shrugged. "Okay kid, you're in."
Lestari raised her voice, getting slightly annoyed.
"What do you mean I'm in? What is this?" Pintar took hold of her arm and started to lead her down the alleyway.
"I'll show you right now, 'kay?"
Chapter 3: Family
The two foxes lurked around the corner, eyeing the group of children. They didn't seem dangerous to the naked eye, but their eyes were meant for more than one kind of sight. There was a strange aura about them, some of them almost seemed beyond human. Was this why these street urchins had banned together, or was there an ulterior motive? They would not detach their gaze from Lestari for a moment.
---
The alley ahead was shrouded in dark, but Pintar led the way confidently. Each step taken was sure. Lestari could hear several footsteps following casually behind her.
"Hey, why's your hand so sweaty? You nervous or somethin'?" The little girl giggled when Lestari let out a haughty, "Hmph...I'm not scared at all."
She whiped the sweat on her robes quickly. A light shined straight ahead, dim because it was covered by a ragged curtain. Pintar pulled the cloth out of the way and pointed in the doorway. Lestari stepped through the doorway hesitantly, waiting to be either surprised or frightened. What she saw was neither awe inspiring nor terrifying.
There was a small room, covered in heaps of blankets, stray jewelry, discarded robes, and a few large crates that served as tables.
"Home, sweet home." Harimau sang as he put an elbow on her shoulder. "This is where we live, Sis. What did you think, we were going to kidnap you?"
"Sis?" She echoed. Merah walked up from behind them and put an elbow on Lestari's shoulder as well.
"You know, sister. We're like a family here. We watch out for each other and all that. Geez, you're not from around here, are you?" She asked, putting her free hand on the animal fang hanging off her necklace. The subconscious act looked like she was protecting it. Lestari shrugged off the thought along with Merah and Harimau's elbows. The word "family" stuck out and played over again in her head. Then, for some indescribable reason, her heart ached. But for the most brief moment, she felt sickened.
"Family..." She grinned and nodded,"No, I'm not. I don't really know where I'm from."
Merah grinned back, "Perfect! You'll fit in well here. There are dark things in this city, y'know. I'm surprised you made it out here alone. You'll learn more with time, though. 'Cause you're one of us, yeah?"
Lestari nodded,"Yeah."
---
Anubis peered in through the crack of the curtain, Maat close behind him. His teeth were bared with a silent snarl. They turned away from the curtain and skulked back into the shadows.
"I don't like this, Maat. Those children have a strange aura about them. It's not...right!" Anubis growled quietly. Maat stood beside him with the side of her head resting on his neck.
"I know. There is a strong chance they could be...You know. But Lestari needs human warmth. We are not human, and we can not give her that. She is just waking up to this new world, remember."
"But what if-"
"You worry too much," Maat interrupted,"She'll be fine. Even if those children are more than they seem, she can handle herself. She has to learn to use her power as well."
Anubis's worry had been easily defeated by Maat's reasoning. He gave his head one last shake and lurked closer to the alley walls.
---
Suddenly, as Pintar was showing Lestari around the small room of their home, a young man flew in past the curtain. He looked like a shadow, being drenched from head to toe in faded black cloaks. Behind the hood that shaded his face a pair of wild red eyes glared back. They instilled fear in her with just the smallest peek.
"Merah..." The man exhaled, just above a whisper,"Something's happening...I can't explain it..." He fumbled for his words, unable to find them. Merah looked deeply disturbed by this. She put a hand on his shoulder.
"Nyeri, calm down, explain...Is it?..." The man nodded once, pulling his hood from his face and wiped the sweat from his brow. The atmosphere turned thick, weighing down on everyone in the room. Even Pintar clung to Harimau's side. A heavy silence followed the tense feelings. When a breeze flew through the curtain door everyone but Merah and Nyeri shivered quietly. Lestari's voice was the one that broke through the silence and made everyone's heads jerk in her direction.
"Excuse me...Would someone like to tell me what's going on here? You all have seemed to conveniently avoid that question all day!" Her patience grew thinner by each second that ticked by. Finally, Harimau stepped up, his voice calm and gentle. She caught Nyeri shooting him a quick glare.
"Lestari...You really aren't from this place, are you? Well, remember when Merah mentioned the "dark things" in this city? When night falls...Strange things happen. In small, dirty cities like this these kind of things happen here and then. Nobody notices because they happen at night. Nobody cares because it happens to kids like us. That's why we stick together. Well, it seems something is about to happen, but...We can't tell what. In short, this is not good..."
Pintar let out a small gasp, suddenly. Her eyes widened and little fists clenched up. Lestari felt like she wanted to move, but the rest of the group was still as stone. They, once again, seemed to know something that she didn't. When Pintar spoke it wasn't the silly, childish tone of voice that Lestari had heard in the beginning.
"It's come. One of the Head Nobles of the House..."
---
The alley ahead was shrouded in dark, but Pintar led the way confidently. Each step taken was sure. Lestari could hear several footsteps following casually behind her.
"Hey, why's your hand so sweaty? You nervous or somethin'?" The little girl giggled when Lestari let out a haughty, "Hmph...I'm not scared at all."
She whiped the sweat on her robes quickly. A light shined straight ahead, dim because it was covered by a ragged curtain. Pintar pulled the cloth out of the way and pointed in the doorway. Lestari stepped through the doorway hesitantly, waiting to be either surprised or frightened. What she saw was neither awe inspiring nor terrifying.
There was a small room, covered in heaps of blankets, stray jewelry, discarded robes, and a few large crates that served as tables.
"Home, sweet home." Harimau sang as he put an elbow on her shoulder. "This is where we live, Sis. What did you think, we were going to kidnap you?"
"Sis?" She echoed. Merah walked up from behind them and put an elbow on Lestari's shoulder as well.
"You know, sister. We're like a family here. We watch out for each other and all that. Geez, you're not from around here, are you?" She asked, putting her free hand on the animal fang hanging off her necklace. The subconscious act looked like she was protecting it. Lestari shrugged off the thought along with Merah and Harimau's elbows. The word "family" stuck out and played over again in her head. Then, for some indescribable reason, her heart ached. But for the most brief moment, she felt sickened.
"Family..." She grinned and nodded,"No, I'm not. I don't really know where I'm from."
Merah grinned back, "Perfect! You'll fit in well here. There are dark things in this city, y'know. I'm surprised you made it out here alone. You'll learn more with time, though. 'Cause you're one of us, yeah?"
Lestari nodded,"Yeah."
---
Anubis peered in through the crack of the curtain, Maat close behind him. His teeth were bared with a silent snarl. They turned away from the curtain and skulked back into the shadows.
"I don't like this, Maat. Those children have a strange aura about them. It's not...right!" Anubis growled quietly. Maat stood beside him with the side of her head resting on his neck.
"I know. There is a strong chance they could be...You know. But Lestari needs human warmth. We are not human, and we can not give her that. She is just waking up to this new world, remember."
"But what if-"
"You worry too much," Maat interrupted,"She'll be fine. Even if those children are more than they seem, she can handle herself. She has to learn to use her power as well."
Anubis's worry had been easily defeated by Maat's reasoning. He gave his head one last shake and lurked closer to the alley walls.
---
Suddenly, as Pintar was showing Lestari around the small room of their home, a young man flew in past the curtain. He looked like a shadow, being drenched from head to toe in faded black cloaks. Behind the hood that shaded his face a pair of wild red eyes glared back. They instilled fear in her with just the smallest peek.
"Merah..." The man exhaled, just above a whisper,"Something's happening...I can't explain it..." He fumbled for his words, unable to find them. Merah looked deeply disturbed by this. She put a hand on his shoulder.
"Nyeri, calm down, explain...Is it?..." The man nodded once, pulling his hood from his face and wiped the sweat from his brow. The atmosphere turned thick, weighing down on everyone in the room. Even Pintar clung to Harimau's side. A heavy silence followed the tense feelings. When a breeze flew through the curtain door everyone but Merah and Nyeri shivered quietly. Lestari's voice was the one that broke through the silence and made everyone's heads jerk in her direction.
"Excuse me...Would someone like to tell me what's going on here? You all have seemed to conveniently avoid that question all day!" Her patience grew thinner by each second that ticked by. Finally, Harimau stepped up, his voice calm and gentle. She caught Nyeri shooting him a quick glare.
"Lestari...You really aren't from this place, are you? Well, remember when Merah mentioned the "dark things" in this city? When night falls...Strange things happen. In small, dirty cities like this these kind of things happen here and then. Nobody notices because they happen at night. Nobody cares because it happens to kids like us. That's why we stick together. Well, it seems something is about to happen, but...We can't tell what. In short, this is not good..."
Pintar let out a small gasp, suddenly. Her eyes widened and little fists clenched up. Lestari felt like she wanted to move, but the rest of the group was still as stone. They, once again, seemed to know something that she didn't. When Pintar spoke it wasn't the silly, childish tone of voice that Lestari had heard in the beginning.
"It's come. One of the Head Nobles of the House..."
