No Mourners, No Funerals

54.✓

Soon, Vlam leaned back onto the wall, knocking his head on it. He really shouldn't be doing this, not right now. Kaz would kill him if he showed up, another kid in tow. Well, would probably yell at the very least. Hell, it's always what happened when Vlam showed up with strays he'd taken it. 

Running his hands through his hair, he basically yelled in frustration. Oiche looked up from studying the sleeping boy to Vlam, tilting her head. However, the Grisha boy was in his own world right now, "Cén fáth a bhfuil mé mar seo ?? cén fáth. cén fáth. cén fáth. Ba chóir dom an bastard seo a fhágáil, ach ní féidir liom. Ba mhaith liom go dtabharfadh duine aire dom ... go breá! go dtí go ndúisíonn sé!" 

Vlam was grumbling to Oiche in Kaelish. Whenever he was stressed enough, he'd slip back into his roots, it was comforting in a strange way.

Zhulik swirled in the darkness. They didn't feel any pain, it was at bay. But the memories weren't. Zhulik was running. Running, and running, and running. They remember the tears making them trip. 

They had fallen when they twisted their ankle. They cried harder, as the pain splintered through their tired muscles. Zhulik didn't understand why their mother threw them away, threw them away, and never looked at them again. They reached down and felt their leg and calf muscle. 

When their fingers hit a small trigger on the calf the pain released slightly. Enough for the ankle to heal quicker. Zhulik spent the rest of that summer learning about pressure points. Slowly they remembered. When they stayed with the fisherman who beat them for anything. When the fisherman raised his hand to Zhulik one last time, Zhulik reached out and hit him under the armpit. When he fell down, barely even breathing, Zhulik ran again. And again. 

Then they learned never to let any emotions pass. So they hid on a ship and went to the Southern Colonies. They learned the taste of alcohol there. They thought they learned what love was, but then they realized they didn't know how to love. 

Zhulik was hired there first. Money was their new family, and the road was their home.

The wolfdog was watching the new boy carefully. Soon, she started to gently paw at his face, curiosity driving her. She was also concerned. Oiche knew he shouldn't be sleeping if he was hurt like this, so she continued tapping his face. 

Until she eventually started slapping his chest.
Vlam was unaware, leaving back on the wall and still going on in Kaelish. Now it was just gibberish paired with various cursing.

Zhulik slowly started coming back to reality. Then reality just hit their chest without waiting. Zhulik opened their eyes to a wolf dog staring into their soul. Zhulik went to move but was lethargic and the pain flickered like a flame gaining fuel. 

They went to get up again and started moving in and out of consciousness. "Curse you, Cat Man..." Zhulik rasped and drifted back.

***

Kwet glanced at Inej as she entered, sitting on a stool as she pulled her bloodied hand away from her eye. The wound was deep and hadn't yet been clothed, leaving the girl pale. She appeared calm, the only giveaway her shaking scared hands. 

"Sybia ambushed me in an alley down by the docks, I was tailing some Ferals. I heard her coming, but she was too quick." Her falcon tapped softly at the window. 

"I can't see out of it." Her voice broke, her walls and all resolve crumbling with it. 

Would Kaz still employ her with only one good eye? Would she be thrown out on the streets to fend for herself?

She looked to be in a bit of shock, eyes wide and staring at her shaking hands. She looked as though she could topple over at any moment, but her feet were firmly planted as they always were.