Champion

Chapter 3: Retrieval

“Zanian!” The familiar shriek of Viola awoke him from his slumber. He sat up from his bed and sighed. It seemed he never got any rest these days. 

“Yes, Viola?” He wondered, stepping out into the sun.

“Cover those ears,” Viola ordered. Zanian caught the balled up cowl she threw him, and he put it on over his wolf ears. “The guards don’t need to get suspicious because we have an anthro amongst us if they come by. Make sure you keep that tail of yours out of sight as well.”

“Don’t I always?” He smiled, brushing his brown hair under the cowl. 

“Just a warning,” Viola replied. “Now, why don’t you go fetch some water from the river nearby?”

Without another word, Zanian picked up the bucket and began the trek through the gypsy camp. They had raised him since he was a little boy. He had learned how to cheat and scam people out of their money, steal and pickpocket when no one was looking, barter with people who sold or bought items from them, and perform tricks to distract and amuse potential victims. 

The tents were cluttered together. Clothing lines were strung between them so outfits that had just been cleaned in the river could dry. People laughed and spoke, waving to him as he passed. 

He began down the slanted path into the forest that led to the river. Every little pebble could be felt under his bare feet, but he didn’t mind. It was almost relaxing when he got use to it. His shoes had become warn down to a point that they became useless. When they got to the next town, he planned to get himself new shoes, or the materials to make them.

The river was peaceful. The sound of running water and chirping beards soothed his restless soul. Fresh air took the place of the spiced food he would always smell back at the camp. Seeing no one was around, Zanian took off his hood and bent down to fill the bucket.

“Excuse me, sir,” a voice asked from behind. 

Zanian panicked. The bucket slipped from his hands and began to float downstream. Chasing after it, he tripped in the water and landed on it. With the wind now knocked out of him, and his clothes soaking wet, he turned to the woman who had spoke. His right hand fumbled to pull the cowl over his head, but it didn’t wish to cooperate.

“Sorry, to frighten you,” a tall woman apologized. Her braided, black hair almost touched the ground. Purple eyes gleamed against her olive skin. With her hands clasped in front of her robes of cream and white silk, she gave an apologetic smile.

“It’s fine,” Zanian replied, trying to fix his hood but finding it was near impossible with one hand.

“I can see you’re an anthro, no worries,” she said.

“You’re not frightened?” He asked, “Most people are frightened when they learn I’m not a normal human.”

“I am not frightened,” she assured. “I merely have a question for you.”

“I shall try to answer,” he replied.

“Where is the Spluttering Pixie?” She wondered, “My friends and I are traveling there, but we’ve seem to have become lost.”

“Where are your friends?” Zanian asked, watching the woman look behind her and sigh.

“They’ve wandered off again,” she replied, turning back. “They can’t be far though.”

“The Spluttering Pixie is about a day west from here,” Zanian informed. The camp was currently heading away from Selindion, the city it was just outside of. 

“Thank you,” the woman nodded. “Now, I must find my companions and be on my way.”

Zanian watched the woman turn and gracefully walk up the forested hill. When she was gone, he placed the bucket down and fixed his soaking wet cowl. Filling the bucket with water, he made his way back to the camp.