2003 (WIP)

The Warning

Inola hopped along the roofs of the urbanized city, following the number of figures that moved around her like a wolf pack of shadows. Streetlights occasionally revealed her figure, but she quickly flashed by it, almost matching speeds worthy of Deacon's level.
She noticed Alpha was beginning to become a little cocky recently. A few heists committed sometime this week were pretty standard, although she caught herself running from the police the night before last. Tonight they were going to be robbing a commonly populated store. Of course at this time it would be closed. But Inola had her suspicions.

Penny had fortunately accompanied her this time, none of her friends back home wanting to come. The small wound Alpha had given her was mostly gone by now, although a few thin pink lines still showed through her white fur. She could barely spot her slender figure pounding through the shadows.
She wasn't sure how she was going to really going to spread the news. Perhaps it was just obvious to everyone and she was just stupid. And she couldn't just plant this like a stupid little highschool rumor either.
She stopped in the alleyway near the store they were breaking into, seeing Penny standing with her arms crossed against the wall.

"Penny" she scampered up to the rabbit.
"Oh hey kid" Penny smiled at her, but her expression flickered a little.
"I uh..I heard about Grace.." the she-rabbit added, her tone a little heartfelt.
"From who? Nicodemus?" Inola took a wild guess.
"Yeah us and Grace go way back" Penny laughed momentarily.
"Oh.." Inola murmured, frowning. Nicodemus had taken it a little roughly in her opinion.
"Nicodemus and Grace were never the closest, but we grew up together, that's a bond ya can't break" Penny shrugged, shaking her head.
"He's taking it a little..difficulty" she tried not to sound offending.

Penny's ears drooped a little, her dull yellow eyes clouding with confliction.
"..you kids try to watch out for him, alright? Nicodemus may seem pretty damn tough but..he might need a little bit of help from someone other than Caramel every once in a while."
Inola felt flustered, Nicodemus sure had a way with appreciating things like that.
"But every time we do try to comfort him he just gives us really short answers or ignores the question entirely!" she said with an annoyed whine.
Penny shook her head "that's just Nicodemus, it's not really his fault, just give him some space and then he'll talk, he doesn't like feeling err -- forced, if you know what I mean" she shrugged.
"Now let's go, I think I heard the door unlock" Penny walked away quickly.

Inola followed everyone inside, doing the usual things. She, of course, copied Shadow's idea and decided to go over to the register and take money while doing it. She stared blankly at it, obviously not knowing how to really open it.
She hit it a few times rather stupidly despite noticing the keyhole. She kind of expected it to just pop open. She snagged an office paperclip nearby and jammed it in. Maybe it was cheap and it would just..work.
"Hey! Catch!" Penny's voice alerted her as a cheap light bag swung towards her torso. She caught it, feeling a little nervous as she just realized she was deemed the money taker again. Last time that happened everyone got in a fight on Nicodemus's doorstep.

She looked up to protest but no one was paying attention to her. Everyone was mainly just swarming around the drugs section as usual, arguing over certain pills. Some just wanted food or alcohol and some were just standing there, weirdly.
She glanced nervously back at the cash register, which was still being jammed with a paperclip. She hit it a few times again until it finally dented a bit. She used her nails to pry open the sliding part, quickly grabbing the cash and stuffing it in the bag.

She didn't have much time to do this either.
She grabbed a few twenty's and shoved them in her pockets, taking the rest and dumping it in the bag, coins and all.
"Alright let's go!" She took the honors of announcing, her heart fluttering in achievement while swinging the rather small bag over her shoulder.
She ran out the door, everyone scattering and following her back to the original area.
She felt proud and content with herself until she realized she was the one who had to approach Alpha. It made her blood run cold. Every scenario had ended up with someone getting punched or beaten.

Alpha of course was there waiting for them, and didn't have any remarks this time once he saw her carrying the money.
He lashed his white and black splotched tail, sniffing at her.
"Inola..was it?" He recognized her directly this time, his brown eyes narrowing to slits.
"Yeah" Inola didn't make eye contact as she handed him the money.

Alpha glanced in the bag before looking at her and stuffing it in his jacket.
"Get the fuck outta here" he waved dismissively at all of them, turning around and leaving.
That was strange. Alpha was usually so much more aggressive. Perhaps it was..the deal?
She backed away, almost being the first to leave.
She ran back to their apartment as fast as she could, feeling vulnerable in a way that felt like someone was watching you.
She swung up the rusty ladder and hopped into the window, causing both Shadow and Crystal to startle out of their sleep.
"Be quieter next time!" Crystal groaned once she recognized Inola.
"Sorry" she shrugged with a smile.

"How'd it go?" Shadow tried to be a little more polite, although he looked upset he was rudely woken up.
"I stole the money" she said proudly, biting her lip.
"Wow, they actually let you?" Shadow raised his eyebrows.
"Yeah" Inola laid down, shuffling under her blanket.
"Pfft, that's a first" Shadow sighed, rolling over.
Inola glanced at her friends again, noticing they had already quickly gone back to sleep.
She felt an emotional fire in her chest. Why was she feeling so proud over something so..bad?