New Beginnings

Chapter 3.

The road was quiet. Occasionally a squirrel or two would scamper from one side to the other. An orange tabby cat basked in the early morning sun on the side of the road as I passed by. It decided to follow me and I took to calling in Frumpkin.

By noon I had made it to the town. I learned its name was Chartan, if I remember correctly. It was not grandiose like the larger cities but not dirty like the smaller towns. I vaguely remember people from there had once found a way to my old home.

Quite rude they were, came into our home and accused us of being dirty and beneath them. The town itself had a decent sized market with various book stores, food stands, odds and ends, and plenty of people. I walked through the streets looking around in curiosity. A mother pulled her child away as I walked past, the child looking out from beyond his mother controlling hand with both curiosity and mocking.

As I made my way through the market, the odd and sometimes malicious stares persisted. I could not tell if it were from my torn, muddy cloak and loose braid of silver hair with brambles stuck tight to it, or the fact that I was apparently not like them.

The market was not inviting as I had hoped. The only nice person I came across was another like me, except darker. Her skin was a grey color and her hair white as snow. She was sweet and ran a fruit stand.

"What are you doing here child?" she asked me.

"I'm... lost I think..." I replied with timidity.

"Where are your parents?"

I did not reply, instead choking on my words. She sighed sadly.

"Are you hungry?"

I nodded in reply, still unable to form a sentence. She handed me an apple from her stall. It was bright read and waxy. Firm and sweet to the tongue. I muttered thanks and began to scuttle off. She called a warning to me that I didn't quite hear. A warning about the city I think.

I spent the rest of the day sitting on the edge of the center fountain people watching. The sun passed through the sky and clouds slowly drifted past. Once more the began to rise and the sun set casting an orange glow into the city, sending long shadows onto the stone work paths.

With not enough coin to buy a bed for the night at even the cheapest inn, I had to sleep on the street that night. It was cold and uncomfortable leaning against the rough stone of a building. As I managed to become mildly comfortable in my position with Frumpkin on my lap, torch light grew closer and the sound of metal clanking against metal grew louder.

"We got anotha' one 'ere!" a voice shouted.

Bronze and grey uniformed men approached. They bore a crest on the small shield each carried and on the breastplate of their armor of a lily.

"Haven't we told you underclasses to stay in the rat ways at night! How many times do we need to remind you lot of the fact," the guard with the torch huffed.

I had no time to explain myself or the events of the day to them. In no time I was dragged to my feet, the tabby cat hissed and ran, disappearing into the night.

The guards lead me away through town, down to where the sewers would have lied. Above ground was lively, colorful tents and various people. Underground was dark, cold, and damp. The stone work had a slimy film covering the rocks wherever moss dared to not grow. A rat scampered right across my foot as we walked down the short corridor to the gate that shut what I assumed to be the rat way.
The guards shoved me through the gate and shut it tight behind me before swiftly leaving me. My protests fell to empty ears and I was alone.

It became too dark for me to see anything super clear, even with my heightened night vision. I used a simple spell that the chieftains sorcerer taught to me. Muttering the incantation and drawing the sigil in the air, my familiar appeared at my feet, casting a soft blue light around it. Staring into the gaping darkness, we made our way down into the filth of the rat ways.