Alone in the Dark

Love Notes

Nerini watched from the shadows as the twin street runners from the Black Cat led their horses around the corner. They were arguing vehemently over whether they should go out into the woods and whether 'the boss' was going to be angry or impressed over them not listening to his orders. They were oblivious to her presence as they mounted their horses and started out of the village despite the late hour.

It was luck that she had caught wind of them at all, having been stretching her legs when she nearly stumbled upon them not long before. They had been spying on a mercenary who had been placing a package on the far edge of town, their attention on him.

The twins, two younger boys who she couldn't recall from her time at the Cat, had stalked the man into down and cornered him in an alley.  Nerini had almost stepped in when they jumped on him until he had spewed information about his client and how they were torturing a stuck up little lordling.

Her conscience might punish her later, but the burning fury deep inside her held her back and allowed them to beat as much information out of the man as they could.  Then she had followed the twins back to their own inn and scribbled a couple notes that she got a passing baker to take to her inn for her as they likewise wrote a hasty explanation, presumably to Keana.

Cocoa paced and pawed at the ground, though he did it in a restrained manner that didn't give them away as they moved off the main road and trudged into the shadowy darkness of the woods as she continued to tail the twins.  Nerini had not caught all the information the mercenary had given up, but they had apparently been told of a meeting place deeper in the woods that the man had run into whoever was paying him.

Nerini marvelled at the mere concept of it. The enemy had not shown itself to anyone before now, but something was making them desperate enough to chance going further and further into the open. They had apparently paid the mercenary to find out who was looking for Kanny and eliminate any of the Cat agents that may still be in the area.

She could only hope that the Lansend Guards received her note and hunted the man down for arrest and further questioning.

Although it was still afternoon, the shadows engulfed her beneath the giant pine trees. She could hear the murmur of the twin's good-natured bickering as their voices bounced through the trees and back to her, not completely making out the words, but using the sounds to gauge their distance from her. They were loud enough that she did not need to keep them within her sight as Cocoa broke through the fresh snow, which was not as deep as it had been in the fields. Still, it was deep enough that it brushed his belly, and in spots, coated even her boots, and Cocoa had a look of distinct displeasure.  He would listen to her but once this was all over, she would probably face some choice nips and pinned ears as retribution.

Nerini wasn't sure what Keana's company was up to by sticking around here and following up these leads but she would accept the unwitting help that they were giving her. 

Nerini's mount suddenly skittered to the side, nostrils flaring. She patted Cocoa's neck as he whinnied, his ears going forward, listening to something she could not hear. After a moment, he calmed and continued walking, seeming to lose interest in whatever he had heard.

Nerini frowned softly, knowing her horse was sometimes a better hunter than her brother's hounds. There was a distinct possibility that he had picked up on something that neither she nor the two street runners could hear.

***

Keana dismounted in front of the Sythe Inn as evening was settling into the village, letting out a breath and sending his men out into the town to scout for information as he entered the dim building. They had made all haste getting to the town, though he half suspected that after searching the woods throughout the day, their superstition motivated the speed of the last leg of the journey back into Sythe.