Silver Wolfs

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The mangy dog’s cold nose shoved its way into Alley’s pleasant dreams of food, in search of food. The foot to its snout quickly ended the beasts hunt under this specific blanket, sending it scurrying out of the ditch. Peaking an eye through one of the many holes in the meager afghan offered nothing of wanton. Libertines and satyrs wandered in droves through the dirty streets. This patch of grime she slept on wouldn’t last as a cover from rape or death for much longer.

Most called her Alley, even though her name was Alleea. But Alley fit her. Born in one, left in one, lived in them her whole life, and knew them all. Growing in the Under gave her knowledge of the goings on in this district that exceeded even the king’s.

Gathering her feet she hurried off the street, praying no one noted her departure. Girls weren’t treated kindly in the Under, and urchins are hated, making her existence even more offensive. Cornermen with specific tastes had men on the lookout, and brothels always needed new girls to take in. By the time a child becomes a woman with their first bleeding they are fair game for any men in a brothel. They have to keep some standards.

Alley hadn’t become a woman yet, and while she didn’t know her age she knew she should be between eleven and thirteen. She didn’t know if this was a blessing or a curse. Not that any of the older boy waifs care whether she is or not.

Roving gangs of orphans who answered to a man under a Cornerman controlled children like Alley. Everyone knew the Process of each Cornerman. Cornemen like Fang and Dagger Derek controlled all the operations over the span of near twenty blocks of this hellhole, each with dozens of smaller gangs upholding the Laws. \

Fang has strict regulations and played his own men against each other, using the squabbles to create disorder and conflicts in his gang so no one aside from him would ever be able to garner power. His men walked through the streets, their loyalty to him a red circles covering their hearts portrayed like a badge, with a swagger of confidence because no one would dare attack them.

Derek has a much less strict hold on his men, but is much more severe in his punishments for breaking any of his Laws. No raping or senseless killings, thievery, and any hits on houses under his protection or not approved by him was not tolerated. Alley was sure there was more but she didn’t know them. Derek was also willing to share power with his subordinates, making his gang more effective than Fang’s, but if it came down Alley knew Fang could destroy Derek.

Fang’s gang was one of Cudgels, over a hundred of them! Derek kept his gang small and strictly professional, with tempered and proven men who were originally soldiers or respectable mercenaries or Wraiths. It was how Derek had gotten the knick-name Dagger Derek; there are rumors that he used to be a Wraith. His men are less bold than Fang’s men, sticking to the shadows and dressed in black with nothing to distinguish them as his. Whenever they accept a jump they do it quietly and fast. Fang is known to destroy entire buildings whenever a Jewel asks him to do a jump.

Alley has wanted to join Fang’s gang for the past few years because of how wonderful his men have treated her. A bone or two with a little meat on it, or bread they had dropped in the mud and tossed to her was a gift from heaven. Sure she has heard of some of the things Fang has done, but if he can protect her, then it would be worth whatever she would have to put up with. Living comes with certain catches.