Other Than Atrakaj

PROLOGUE

"Calder!" Bawled a young voice from within the lean greenery. "Anchor it, for the sake of us!"
A bundle of auburn hair and sprightly feet shot from the left of a bare bush, already stifled by the oncoming winter months. When his pace finally met his companion's, Kasper paused momentarily to put his freezing hands upon his freezing knees and take a lungful of the freezing, early winter air.

It seemed like a million moments later before more quiet, thudding footsteps were heard behind the two. These sounded less eager, and less daring than Kasper's. Two females appeared, alongside each other, one looking quite afraid, the other seeming annoyed. Celia and Althea.
"Pretty sure it's illegal for Celia to be out here with us..." Grumbled Althea. "I hope you're planning on heading back up to the City Hall, Calder, and sharply!"

Calder wrenched around to face the two, and gave a dispassionate shrug of his shoulders.
"Go back to the Hall, now, you don't need my permission. Unless you're too anxious to turn up at the doors alone. Late." He responded.
Althea scoffed and threw h her trademark roll of her dark eyes.
"If anybody here is scared, it would be Celia, the poor thing. She isn't as used to having to follow you around as I am."
Calder gave Althea a long stare. He was trying to seem cold, but he just looked docile.

"Well..." Celia raised her head by a small angle. "Does that mean that I can go home, now?
All three of them, Kasper, Calder and Althea, shook their heads in unison.