Blue Blood

Little Red Herring Boy

I'm startled out of my thoughts by Rody screaming out a sneeze. Edima starts to freak out from the noise but I quickly calm her. I look at Rody and purse my lips.

"Hehe, sorry." He apologizes.

I roll my eyes and keep walking. The map says we should be crossing a river soon so we both try to keep our ears to the ground to listen for it.

"Maaaags."

"What?"

"I'm hungry."

Don't do it, don't do it, don't do it.

"Hi hungry, I'm Magnus." I can't help it.

Rody pouts at me but he can't help but smile a bit and giggle.

"No but seriously, I'm hungry."

"We had breakfast like an hour ago."

"I'm a growing boy, I need my nutrition."

I roll my eyes heavily and do a mix of a groan and a sigh while reaching into my pocket.

"How about one piece of candy now and another in about an hour."

He thinks about it then nods happily. He unwraps the sweet and sucks on it so it takes longer to finish.

"You're always so prepared, I'm kind of jealous." He speaks, muffled by the candy.

"Well you could to. Have you ever tried making a list?"

"Eh I don't know, it's not really my thing-"

The sound of footsteps approaching fast brings us to alertness. Ugh not again, please, I'm still recovering. Still, I stand at the ready and reach into my pocket for my handle.

"Hello! Is anyone there?" The voice shouts. It sounds like a child.

Rody and I exchange looks and make our way toward the shout. The boy jumps when he sees us approaching but doesn't move away.

He's a small boy, probably 8, with dirty brown hair and warm yet dirty cloths. He seems innocent enough but I'm not willing to trust him just yet.

"Please, I can't find my mom, will you help me find her?" He asks with big eyes.

Rody bends over to more his size and answers, "aw, sure thing buddy. I'm Rody and this is Magnus."

"I'm Lukas."

"Hi Lukas, it's very nice to meet you. Where was the last place you saw her?"

The boy points to a darker part of the woods, grabs Rody's hand and starts walking.

"Woah-woah-woah hey wait just a minute." I exclaim pulling Rody back.

The boy looks to me with big wet eyes. "Please, please help me find my mama, please please! I'm scared." He yells holding onto Rody's hand so tight his knuckles are white.

"Aw come on Magnus, he's just a boy." Rody begs with an empathetic smile.

I look to the boy then back at Rody and groan.

"Grrr-fine." I just can't say no to that face. Manipulative little bastard.

Lukas drags us along deeper and deeper into the dark of the forest and my senses are heightened to eleven. This is not right, this kid is hiding something.

"What's your mothers name?"

"Liza." He looks to the left when he says this.

"Are you lying to me?"

"Mags-" Rody tries to say.

"N-no I'm-im not lying. I just want to find my mom."

I stomp in front of the boy which stops him in his tracks. He looks up shaking and horrified, like he might burst into tears any second.

"Mags, you're scarring him." Rody whines protectively.

I lean down close to him and his eyes dart around nervously.

"Look at me." I say in my mean voice.

He does as told and starts fidgeting.

"Are you lying."

" . . . N-no."

Edima stirs behind him and looks uneasy and that's all I need to know.

"You're bringing us to bandits aren't you? You're in a gang of some sort."

His eyes grow even bigger and he stumbles for words.

"Lukas, is this true?" Rody wonders aloud.

He Looks at Rody.

"Look here!" I yell which makes him jump.

He shakes uncontrollably.

"Did you really think I would let you do that?"

He shakes a second more then bursts into a fit of sobs. Rody's face floods with shock and betrayal.

"I'm sorry! I didn't want to, they were gonna kill me-"

"Oh and you thought it would be okay to trade your life for two more huh?"

"I'm sorry! They stole me from my family, I was scared! Please, please don't hurt me-he-he!" He cries.

I stand up fully and scowl in disgust. I grab Rody's arm as if telling him to leave but he stays firm.

"Magnus, we can't just leave him. The bandits will kill him."

The boy continues to sob uncontrollably which is really getting on my nerves.

"Yes, we can."

"No, we can't."

I growl and stomp over to the kid.

"Stop crying now or we're leaving you!" I raise my voice.

He cries louder with fear and covers his mouth trying to stop the sobbing. Rody elbows me hard in the stomach, right in my wound, and frowns angrily at me. I cross my arms and tap my foot waiting for the boy to finish. Rody shooshs him gently until he eventually stops.

Rody steps forward. "We won't let you take us to those bad people but maybe we can take you home to your family."

"Are you kidding me-"

"Shut up!" He hisses at me.

The boy sniffles and whimpers drying his tears.

"I-I know the direction but I don't know how far away." He mumbles wobbly.

I groan, we can't be seriously helping this little twerp. He was going to hand us off to fucking bandits and we're just gonna help little red herring boy find his way to grandmas house? I say we feed him to the wolves.

"You have to swear to us you're telling the truth cause if anything happens, I won't be able to stop what Magnus will do to you."

The kid looks at me with big fearful eyes.

"Ever heard of the dire wolf? I hear they just love to eat up little traitorous boys who get on adults nerves." I smirk wickedly.

He shudders and promises. Lukas points us in the direction we are supposed to go and I check the map to confirm. There's a little village just past the woods we're in now. The sooner we get rid of this little bugger the better, because the wolves are looking real hungry right about now.