Crows of a Feather

A Jesper Talent

Kaz

The bustling streets of Barrel was a place Kaz both loved and hated,even now as he walked with Erine and Jesper towards the Emerald Palace. Kaz had made it a habit that when he would walk around with Erine he never let her go further than a cane's length away. This way he could always see her in the streets, out of harm's way.
" I mean it, we need a demo man" Jesper said, slinging his arm over the young girl, falling into step right behind the Crow. Kaz sighed, this wasn't the first time this conversation has come up " You're still on that?" he heard Erine snicker from his side "wha- I just brought it up tonight?" the zemeni whined. " Jesper, you ask for an explosives expert on every job." "Because I don't want to be the one you point to and say 'Explode something for us.'. That is not a Jesper talent." He defends, Erine rolls her eyes ' Isn't it though?' she signed to the man. Kaz saw Jesper glare at Erine " I shoot things with style, and I look good. Just play to my strengths, boss." poking Erine with little finger guns, causing her to let out a sharp squeak. Said squeak having DirtyHands whip his head back to face the two " Alina Starkov will be kept at the Little Palace, Entering the little Palace requires us to be quiet. Blowing something up, we've likely failed." he explained to the pair, honestly, Kaz wondered why he kept Jesper around. " Then we should take Inej" Jesper stated obviously, to which Erine smacked his arm at his obliviousness.
Of course they needed to take Inej, he needed the wraith. He needed Inej. for the job of course. Perhaps he could pull it off with just Erine being the Panther of the mission, but sending her out alone in a country foreign to both of them was not an ideal plan in his mind. With the Wraith and Panther at his side, the Crows would be more efficient. And efficient is how you complete the job. " She's a good investment, more quiet than I'll ever be," Jesper stated. Kaz saw straight through his tactic, Jesper was trying to think like him. Calling the Wraith an Investment, a word he had used for her so many times when asked what she was. Kaz could never say the things he thought about Inej, That she was lovely and brave, so instead he called her an investment. Speaking the language he knew best. Money.
" whoa. Hang on, aren't we one Pekka's turf now?" Jesper asked as he grabbed Kaz's arm. Kaz felt the cold water of the Harbor rise up to his knees, his heart skipping a beat out of fear, his chest pulsing. Then it was gone, he looked back and saw Erine hold Jesper hand away from Kaz, now holding her own. Kaz could tell by the look on her face she was uneasy and uncomfortable, perhaps if his mind was ever so slightly clearer he could tell what for. Was it because of the noise? Or maybe that they were on Pekka's turf after they had threatened her? Maybe it was seeing Jesper reach out and touch him? Something she had never done.
" I go to Heleen now and ask for her buyout, she knows I need Inej and sets a price I can't pay." "That's evil. Well, how do you know that?" Jesper asked, squeezing Erine's hand. Kaz would've smirked if it wasn't for the topic of discussion. " It's what I would do. Besides, Inej refuses to kill. Would you trust her in a matter of life and death?" The words felt like venom on his tongue, of course he had trusted the wraith. But he needed to think like Dirty Hands, practical, logical. Not like Kaz, Selfish, reliant. " Well, I've trusted her so far and I'm still alive, so yeah. And what about Erine? Huh? I'm pretty positive the 11 year-old hasn't killed anyone?" Neither Kaz nor Erine answered him. " Right?"
Kaz laughed on the inside, of course Erine never killed. He made sure that she was never in a position to do so, even if it meant he took a few extra punches his way. Erine earned Kaz's trust the moment she got him to safety after breaking his leg. To this day he never learned how she had done it, and while that infuriated him, he never could find the strength to ask her how she did it. For the Crow, the Panther never killed its prey, only marked it for him to finish the job.
" Ok fine don't tell me, but do you want to tell me why we're scoping out a rival club?" " to have a talk with an old business partner." Erine nudged his cane for attention ' Can I go ahead?' she asked, it took everything in his body to fight the look on her face, the look of a pleading puppy begging for food. Kaz shook his head no, she knew the rules " absolutely not". "The bouncers will know you on sight." Jesper said. " That's why I brought you. Make sure they don't see us" Kaz told him, slipping into the alleyway with Erine by his side. In just a few short moments the Crow and the Panther were able to slip inside to the Emerald Palace

Erine
The Emerald palace was one of the two pleasure houses Erine would go to willingly, After Inej explained what the menagerie was, the little girl was too scared to go near one without Kaz. Obviously she would go to the menagerie to see Inej, but she would also come to see the very person Kaz needed to talk to at the Emerald Palace. Poppy. 
Poppy was always kind to the girl, giving her sweets at every visit and singing songs for her. Poppy never forced Erine to speak, they were just content with the Panther the way she was. Erine looked forward to any chance she could get to see Poppy. Even if it was during a dire situation like this one. The little raven haired girl slipped through the door Kaz propped open, inside the room revealed her favorite singer. " Boris, would you...." Poppy started as they turned around, pausing for a moment as they watched the Bastard stand behind his lethal feline.
"It's been awhile, Poppy." Kaz greeted rather tersely. Poppy said nothing but instead grabbed the revolver on their desk and pointed at the man. Erine took one giant step to the side away from Kaz and giggled, " I see you're still upset" " About you stealing my shares of the Crow Club? Or that you won't let this little Kitten come visit me more often? Because the answer is both." Poppy said with annoyance. " It wasn't stealing. It was just a raw deal. And you know why I don't let Erine visit."
Poppy put down their gun and turned to the little girl " come here you little cat" she said as she opened her arms for a hug. Erine quickly scurried into them, too eager to notice the longing look on the Bastard's face at the affection. "It has been too long darling, if you go over to my bed you'll find some sweets I saved. They're yours to eat while I talk with Dirtyhands alright?" Erine nodded and scoured off to Poppy's bed. Sure enough there was a bowl of her favorite sweets filled to the brim, she quickly sat down and began to eat them.
Kaz got straight to business, " I need to find someone. Or at least learn how to find them. Tonight" He told them walking over and holding his hand out for Erine to put a piece of candy in his hand. They were also his favorites. " Looking for a club act are we?" Poppy asked as they resumed getting ready for their performance. " I'm looking for the conductor," Kaz said. Erine smiled and nodded when Poppy looked at the two in shock. Just by the look on Poppy's face gave Erine all she needed to know " so you do know him?" Kaz stated.

A/N
Hi guys it's been a second- sorry for the short chapter.
Like I said earlier I have been traveling for the past two months for the summer and it's hard to write decent work while doing all of that. So here is a little shorter chapter than I would've liked but a chapter none the less.
I promise to try and update more. Getting votes and comments really do motivate me a lot more.
HAPPY SUMMER YALL!!!